1992
- January
- George E. Michel becomes chief executive officer of A & W Restaurants. [10] (president [110.135])
- August 11
- The A & W Concentrate Company is granted a registered trademark of an image with text "FROSTY MUG TASTE" as applied to soft drinks. [44]
- December 1
- A & W Concentrate Company begins using an image with the oval A & W logo, old stylized "Root Beer" under it, "FROSTY MUG TASTE" on a small banner, and a generic mug. [44]
1993
- September 9
- Cadbury Schweppes PLC agrees to buy US-based A & W Concentrate Company for US$334 million. [31.9] [33.B5] [47] [110.133]
- October 13
- British-based Cadbury Schweppes PLC completes a buy out of A & W Brands, for US$334 million. [3.D5] (Cadbury Beverages [11])
1994
- March 8
- A & W Concentrate Company's image with the oval A & W logo, old stylized "Root Beer" under it, "FROSTY MUG TASTE" on a small banner, and a generic mug is registered as a trade-mark. [44]
- December
- Sagittarius Acquisitions, backed by investment company Grotech Capital, buys A & W Restaurants from Taubman Investment Company for about US$20 million. Sagittarius' head, Sidney Feltenstein, is a former executive vice president of marketing for Burger King Worldwide, and former key executive with Dunkin' Donuts. [10] [36] [110.138,155] (1995 [11]) (A & W Restaurant Acquisition Company buys A & W Restaurants [11])
1995
- February
- George Michel steps down as president of A & W Restaurants, making Sidney Feltenstein chairman, president, and CEO. [110.156]
- October
- A & W Restaurants licenses some of its food products to Hot Choice, for use in A & W Diner Hot Food Vending Machines in California. [39]
1996
- February 1
- The A & W Concentrate Company first uses an image of a barrel and text "Barrel Aged, Bold Taste!". [44]
vvv advertisement vvv
^^^ advertisement ^^^
- February
- Sidney Feltenstein unveils a new logo for A & W Restaurants at the annual operators' meeting, in Las Vegas, Nevada. The logo adds "All American Food" under the traditional oval logo. [36]
- A & W Restaurants introduces new french fries, designed to stay crisp and hot longer than the previous variety. [36]
- March
- Coca-Cola Enterprises informs Dr. Pepper / Cadbury North America that it will cease distributing A & W Root Beer by June 18. [45.D4]
- March 28
- Dr. Pepper / Cadbury North America announces that Coca-Cola Enterprises Inc. had decided to stop distributing A & W Root Beer. [46.D4]
- April
- Coca-Cola Enterprises ceases distributing A & W Root Beer in certain markets, replacing it with Barq's root beer. [23.70]
- April 16
- The A & W (USA) slogan "WHERE THE FOOD'S AS GOOD AS THE ROOT BEER" is registered as a trade-mark. [44]
- May
- A & W Restaurants signs a deal with TCBY Enterprises, to put TCBY dessert items in some A & W Restaurants, and vice-versa. [38]
- A & W Restaurants and Wal-Mart sign an agreement in which Wal-Mart will host A & W restaurants in seven of its stores in the US. [40]
1997
- May
- A & W Restaurants acquires Carousel Snack Bars of Minnesota, with 175 units in malls. [110.172]
- June 24
- A & W Restaurants moves its world headquarters from Livonia to Farmington Hills, in Michigan, USA. [41]
- (month unknown)
- There are presently 714 A & W Family Restaurants, and 10 A & W Drive-in Restaurants in the United States and Canada. [79.623]
1998
- January 6
- The A & W Concentrate Company is granted a registered trademark of an image of a barrel and text "Barrel Aged, Bold Taste!". [44]
- (month unknown)
- The A & W national franchisee convention is held in Orlando, Florida. [110.166]
- A & W world headquarters opens in Farmington Hills, Michigan. [110.172]
- A & W begins co-branding with Mexican restaurant chain Amigos in Nebraska. [110.172]
- In the United States, advertising agency Foote, Cone & Belding unveils new television ads for A & W Root Beer to A & W bottlers. [76.3]
- A & W Restaurants runs "Bumstead Sales Power" campaign, with Blondie comic strip characters. [110.166]
- (summer) A & W Restaurants make a limited time offer of a Dagwood Burger, a double-patty bacon cheeseburger. [110.167]
- August 19
- The A & W Root Beer Company of Canada Inc. applies for a registered trade-mark on the phrase "A & W EXPRESS". [71]
- Year
- Sales of A & W Root Beer for the year in the United States are up 2.2 percent despite little advertising. A & W Root Beer ranks number three in the country behind Mug (#2) and Barq's (#1). [76.3] [77.71]
1999
- March
- After an absence of two years, A & W Root Beer returns to American television with "It's good to be thick headed" ads designed to appeal to a young male audience. [76.3]
- June 19
- A & W Restaurant in Lodi, California, creates a 2562.5-gallon root beer float, a record in the Guiness Book of Records. The first taste is auctioned for $1400, donated to charity, with free drinks supplied with the remainder. [110.182]
- (month unknown)
- Saggitarius Acquistions buys the Long John Silver's seafood quick-service restaurant chain, with 1200 locations. Yorkshire Global Restaurants is created, in Lexington, Kentucky, to be the parent company of Long John Silver's and A & W All American Food Restaurants. [81.C2] [110.176]
2000
-
- The A & W national franchisee convention is held in Las Vegas, Nevada. [110.179]
- August 7
- Food Network's Food Fantasy TV show airs a segment on the Whirly Burger of some A & W restaurants in the 1950s and 60s. [110.178]
2001
-
- Nations Restaurant News awards A & W Restaurants with its first "Hot Again" Hot concept award. [110.180]
- September 7
- The A & W Concentrate Company renews its registered trademark of a logo first used in 1955. [44]
2002
- March 12
- Tricon Global Restaurants announces it is buying A & W All American Food Restaurants and Long John Silver's from Yorkshire Global Restaurants, for US$320 million. [81.C2] [110.187]
- May
- Tricon Global Restaurants changes its name to Yum! Brands Incorporated. [101] [110.188]
- June 6
- A & W Restaurants first uses a drawing with text "THICKSTER" as applied to sandwiches. [44]
- September 10
- A & W Concentrate Company is granted a registered trademark of "A & W ROOT BEER" as applied to root beer and concentrates and syrups for making root beer. [44]
2003
-
- Mike Tattersfield is appointed as new president of A & W Restaurants. [110.189]
2004
- March 1
- A & W Restaurants first uses an image with text "WISCONSIN FRESH CHEESE CURDS LEGENDARY TASTE!". [44]
- March 25
- A & W Restuarants first uses "CURIOUSLY DELICIOUS" as applied to cheese curds. [44]
- April 13
- A & W Restaurants is granted a registered trademark of a drawing with text "THICKSTER" as applied to sandwiches. [44]
- May
- A & W Restaurants in the US adds Cheese Curds to its menu across the country. [101]
- June 21
- A & W Restaurants in the US celebrates its 85th anniversary and the first day of summer with a National Float Day. Participating restaurants give away a free A & W Root Beer Float with any purchase from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. [101]
- October 20
- The 100th A & W Restaurant in Indonesia opens, in Bintaro Utama. [110.142]
2005
- April 1
- A & W Restaurants in the US celebrates the national introduction of Cheese Curds in 2004 by giving a free Root Beer to any customer purchasing Cheese Curds during the day. [101]
- June 20
- A & W Restaurants in the US celebrates its 86th anniversary and the first day of summer with the second annual National Float Day. Participating restaurants give away a free A & W Root Beer Float with any purchase from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. [101]
- July
- A & W Restaurants in the US introduces the limited edition 2005 A & W collector mug. The 20-ounce glass mug is imprinted with a color image of the Great Root Bear. [101]
- August 2
- The A & W Concentrate Company renews its registered trademark of the target logo. [44]
- November 1
- A & W Restuarants is granted a registered trademark of "CURIOUSLY DELICIOUS" as applied to cheese curds. [44]
- December 13
- A & W Restaurants is granted a registered trademark of an image with text "WISCONSIN FRESH CHEESE CURDS LEGENDARY TASTE!". [44]
2006
- January 10
- The A & W Concentrate Company is granted a registered trademark of image of a barrel and text "Barrel Aged, Bold Taste!". [44]
2008
-
- Cadbury Schweppes spins off Dr. Pepper Snapple Group Incorporated, including A & W beverages. [110.133]
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