Zesto Drive-In facts for kids

Zesto is a well-known name for many restaurants, especially those famous for their delicious ice cream! It's a special name, like a brand, that different restaurant owners can use. These restaurants are often owned by local people, not one big company.

For a while, until 1955, Zesto Drive-In was a chain of restaurants where you could eat in your car. They were known for their tasty ice cream and frozen custard. Today, Zesto is still loved for treats like milkshakes, sundaes, and ice cream sodas. Many of the first Zesto restaurants still exist, but now they are run by their own owners. Not all Zesto places are drive-ins anymore.

The Zesto Story

Zesto was started by a clever person named L.A.M. Phelan. He was an inventor and also led a company called Taylor Freezer Corp. In 1945, his company created a special machine called the "Zest-O-Mat," which made frozen custard.

Mr. Phelan had an idea: he would let people open Zesto restaurants. These restaurants would get to use his special Zest-O-Mat machines. Each Zesto owner would have the only Zesto restaurant in their area.

The very first Zesto Drive-In opened in Jefferson City, Missouri, in 1948. It was owned by Lottie Traubtz. Soon, many more Zesto restaurants opened in the late 1940s and early 1950s, mostly in the southern and middle parts of the United States.

Changes Over Time

Around 1955, the Taylor Freezer company decided they didn't want to manage all the Zesto restaurants anymore. They stopped being in charge of the Zesto chain. This meant the Zesto restaurant owners were on their own.

Some owners changed their restaurant names. But many others kept the Zesto name, even though they were no longer part of a big chain. They just ran their restaurants independently.

Later, in 1985, the Zesto name was officially registered as a trademark. This was done by Harold Brown, who owned the first Zesto in Jefferson City, Missouri. Today, the Zesto trademark belongs to Todd B. Jansa. His company, TJ Group Investments LLC, decides who can use the Zesto name in different areas.

Where You Can Find Zesto Today

You can find Zesto restaurants in many places across the United States. Here are some of the states and cities where Zesto is located: