A&W Restaurants (also known as Allen & Wright Restaurants) is an American fast food restaurant chain distinguished by its burgers, draft root beer and root beer floats. The oldest restaurant chain in the United States, A&W's origins date back to 1919 when Roy W. Allen set up a roadside drink stand to offer a new thick and creamy drink, root beer, at a parade honoring returning World War I veterans in Lodi, California. Allen's employee Frank Wright partnered with him in 1922 and they founded their first restaurant in Sacramento, California in 1923. The company name was taken from the initials of their last names – Allen and Wright. The company became famous in the United States for its "frosty mugs" – the mugs were kept in a freezer and filled with A&W Root Beer just before being served to customers.
Evolving into a franchise in 1926, the company today has locations in the United States and some Southeast Asian countries, serving a fast-food menu of hamburgers, hot dogs and French fries. A number of outlets serve as drive-in restaurants that have carhops. Previously owned by Yum! Brands, the chain was sold in December 2011 to a consortium of A&W franchisees through A Great American Brand, LLC.
From 1972 to 1995, A&W in Canada was operated by a separate company, until it rekindled ties with the American chain, forcing the Canadian operations to fall in quality and lose trust, due to an "Americanization" of the restaurants.