Howard Johnson’s restaurant to close, leaving only 1 more

[cpzilliacus]

AP via Washington Post: Howard Johnson's restaurant to close, leaving only 1 more

The closing of one of the last two Howard Johnson restaurants in a couple of weeks will mark the end of its fried clam strips, ice cream and other menu staples that nourished baby boomers and leave the once-proud restaurant chain teetering on the brink of extinction.

The slice of roadside Americana will no longer be served up in Bangor after Sept. 6.

For waitress Kathe Jewett, it's the only job she's held since starting work when the restaurant opened in 1966.

"It's bittersweet, but it's nothing to be sad about,"  the 68-year-old Jewett insisted Tuesday during a break from serving customers. "I've been here for 50 years – and it's time."

The closing will leave only one Howard Johnson restaurant, in Lake George, New York.

[Avalanchez71]

I read the article.  There are HoJo fans out there that want the chain to comeback.  Why don't they just franchise one themsevles?  Is what is left out there anything like what the chain once was?

[briantroutman]

I read the article.  There are HoJo fans out there that want the chain to comeback.  Why don't they just franchise one themsevles?  Is what is left out there anything like what the chain once was?

There have been a number of other threads in which Howard Johnson's has been mentioned, but in short, you can't franchise one...for a few reasons. One is that franchising rights are held now by Wyndham Worldwide (which also owns the Howard Johnson trademark for hotels) and Wyndham isn't issuing new franchisee agreements at the moment.

But perhaps more importantly, even if Wyndham was selling franchises, those agreements wouldn't really mean much because there's nothing to franchise. Back at HoJo's peak in the '60s and '70s, the clam strips and other iconic Howard Johnson's foods were prepared in large regional commissaries, flash frozen, and shipped to the orange-roofed eateries where they would be reheated. Those commissaries don't exist anymore. Neither do the dairies producing the famous 28 flavors of ice cream. Further, everything from dining room booths to menus to Howard Johnson's matchbooks to their distinctive pointed ice cream scoops were distributed by Landmark Supply–the company's internal supplies division. Landmark doesn't exist anymore either.

So that's why it's arguable that any Howard Johnson's restaurants really still exist today anyway...and why this isn't really major news. The couple (or now, one) left are basically independent diners that haven't yet taken taken down their aging Howard Johnson's signs.

The slice of roadside Americana will no longer be served up in Bangor after Sept. 6.

Slice of Americana my foot. It's more like your aunt who ineptly tries to make your grandmother's pie recipe. Grandma died years ago.

[Avalanchez71]

That is what I was actually wondering.  Is anything served in there like anything that was once served.  You seemed to answer that question and the answer is no.  That is what I suspected.  Since you cannot get consistancy I can see why they closed down so many.

[Brandon]

Back at HoJo's peak in the '60s and '70s, the clam strips and other iconic Howard Johnson's foods were prepared in large regional commissaries, flash frozen, and shipped to the orange-roofed eateries where they would be reheated. Those commissaries don't exist anymore.

And there's the major problem with HoJo.  They could not get away with simply cooking food ahead of time and reheating (essentially microwaving) them in today's world (and not even the world of the 1980s) which wants freshly prepared (as in on-site) food.

[SP Cook]

What briantroutman explains is correct, and not totally unique to HoJo restaurants.  There are quite a few chains where "corporate" has gone out of business, but if you owned a franchise in your town you can keep right on going, without either any support or oversight.  Quite a few more where such "orphaned" franchise owners have banded together to form a new support system, sometimes not including all of the franchise (i.e. franchisees in Town X and Y and Z band together, but guy in  Town W is totally independent).

The broader issue is that this type of restaurant is and has been for a long time in a slow decline.  The "fast casual" catagory really does not cover this genre.  More of a "chain diner", although many called themselves "coffee shops".  Table service by a waitress, food cooked to order, served on real plates with real flatware,  Often a big emphysis on breakfast.  Usually no alcohol.  Fairly inepensive.     Shoney's, IHOP, Perkins, Bob Evans, Denny's, so on.  Just not as popular as they once were.  Seems to be generational.

[jeffandnicole]

What briantroutman explains is correct, and not totally unique to HoJo restaurants.  There are quite a few chains where "corporate" has gone out of business, but if you owned a franchise in your town you can keep right on going, without either any support or oversight.  Quite a few more where such "orphaned" franchise owners have banded together to form a new support system, sometimes not including all of the franchise (i.e. franchisees in Town X and Y and Z band together, but guy in  Town W is totally independent).

Bennigan's is one that comes to mind.  One of their featured menu items, and something that was unique at the time, were their broccoli bites.  Other manufacturers imitated them, but never came close to the original.  After Bennigan's corporate went out of business but the franchised locations were allowed to remain, they had no choice but to serve the imitations.

[Brandon]

What briantroutman explains is correct, and not totally unique to HoJo restaurants.  There are quite a few chains where "corporate" has gone out of business, but if you owned a franchise in your town you can keep right on going, without either any support or oversight.  Quite a few more where such "orphaned" franchise owners have banded together to form a new support system, sometimes not including all of the franchise (i.e. franchisees in Town X and Y and Z band together, but guy in  Town W is totally independent).

The broader issue is that this type of restaurant is and has been for a long time in a slow decline.  The "fast casual" catagory really does not cover this genre.  More of a "chain diner", although many called themselves "coffee shops".  Table service by a waitress, food cooked to order, served on real plates with real flatware,  Often a big emphysis on breakfast.  Usually no alcohol.  Fairly inepensive.     Shoney's, IHOP, Perkins, Bob Evans, Denny's, so on.  Just not as popular as they once were.  Seems to be generational.

I've noticed that the popularity seems to depend on how well the food is cooked, and how good the service is at these places.  Locally, the Denny's is exceedingly popular, but the IHOP seems to struggle.  The Denny's is rather good, and the service there is excellent, but the IHOP lacks in both capacities.  Same goes with other restaurants, including the fast casual ones.

[cpzilliacus]

What briantroutman explains is correct, and not totally unique to HoJo restaurants.  There are quite a few chains where "corporate" has gone out of business, but if you owned a franchise in your town you can keep right on going, without either any support or oversight.  Quite a few more where such "orphaned" franchise owners have banded together to form a new support system, sometimes not including all of the franchise (i.e. franchisees in Town X and Y and Z band together, but guy in  Town W is totally independent).

Something like this happened to the Roy Rogers chain of fast food in the East, originally owned by Marriott. 

Marriott decided to get out of the fast food business and sold most or all of their company-owned Roy Rogers to Hardees, and they were then converted to that concept.  Did not work well. 

So the Hardees went back to being Roy Rogers for a while, and then they were sold to and became McDonald's (did we need more Golden Arches)?

But there were Roy  Rogers that were not company owned, and they stayed Roy Rogers (lots of brand loyalty kept them going). Then a former Marriott executive named Plamondon  bought the rights to the Roy Rogers name and related things, and his company (now run  by his sons) has been selling franchises again.  So in a sense, Roy Rogers as a chain has been revived  (the cowboy of that name is still deceased, as is his horse Trigger).

[Duke87]

Something like this happened to the Roy Rogers chain of fast food in the East, originally owned by Marriott.

Incidentally related - after Marriott acquired the brand, some Howard Johnson's locations were converted to Roy Rogers.

In a sense, the spiral into oblivion of HoJo's can be attributed to Marriott acquiring the company in 1982 and proceeding to "strip and flip" it. They bought out Howard Johnson's, converted all the company-owned restaurant locations to other restaurant brands, and then sold the brand itself off only a few years later.

Even today, the brand name is only still in use for hotels because Wyndham has found it useful as a catch-all for acquired properties that don't meet any of the standard models for the company's other brands. As a result, no two Howard Johnson's hotels in 2016 are alike, and just like with the remaining restaurant, they are nothing like what a Howard Johnson's was 40 years ago. They carry the name but that's it.

[briantroutman]

^ I remember reading an article from either the '60s or early '70s about Howard D. Johnson (the man), and it portrayed J.W. Marriott (the man) as a bit of an also-ran next to Johnson. It quoted Marriott as saying something like "I can only hope our company will one day be as successful as Howard Johnson's."  So I can't help but think there was a bit of schadenfreude and gleeful rubbing of hands in the Marriott family when they stepped on the sickly remains of Johnson's dying enterprise and hurled its carcass onto the rubbish heap.

But I don't think it's fair to blame Marriott for the death of the chain; they merely put it out of its misery. Today's aging Boomers recall happy stops at HoJo's on family vacations in the '50s and '60s, but their selective memories gloss over the dark days when Howard B. Johnson (who took over for his father) thought he could simply cut service and raise prices forever until the company became profitable again. By 1985 when Marriott bought the company, the Howard Johnson brand name was practically toxic.

Marriott officials openly stated that they bought Howard Johnson's for certain real estate and food service assets–I think primarily the company's expansive portfolio of toll road concession contracts. At the time, Marriott had a major presence in food service and particularly concessions in airports and the like. Those business lines got spun into a company called Host Marriott Services and later HMSHost–a name I'm sure you all know.

But there were Roy  Rogers that were not company owned, and the stayed Roy Rogers (lots of brand loyalty kept them going). Then a former Marriott executive named Plamondon  bought the rights to the Roy Rogers name and related things, and his company (now run  by his sons) has been selling franchises again.

A situation like this happened with Howard Johnson's as well. Soon after stripping the company of the assets they wanted, Marriott basically embarked on a course to dismantle HoJo. A group of franchisees who owned individual Howard Johnson's locations, seeing that Marriott was about to destroy the value of their property, banded together and sued Marriott, winning the right to continue operating under the Howard Johnson's banner. They formed a company, Franchise Associates Inc. that then co-owned the trademark along with Prime Motor Inns, which at the time operated the lodging side of the business.

[cpzilliacus]

Even today, the brand name is only still in use for hotels because Wyndham has found it useful as a catch-all for acquired properties that don't meet any of the standard models for the company's other brands. As a result, no two Howard Johnson's hotels in 2016 are alike, and just like with the remaining restaurant, they are nothing like what a Howard Johnson's was 40 years ago. They carry the name but that's it.

Interesting that you mention this.  There was a Howard Johnson's motel in the Washington, D.C. suburb of Bladensburg, Maryland that was somewhat visible from unsigned Md. 295, the Baltimore-Washington Parkway (this was not an original HoJo, but  had been some other brand before). 

When I drove by not so long ago, I noticed that the HoJo name was gone, and  it appeared the building was getting a renovation of some sort.  Sure enough, just recently, a new sign went up with  the name Wyndham Garden instead. 

[1995hoo]

....

So the Hardees went back to being Roy Rogers for a while, and then they were sold to and became McDonald's (did we need more Golden Arches)?

....

I remember very clearly when the signs said "Roy Rogers featuring Hardee's breakfast" following the reversal you mention. I kind of liked that option at the time, but unfortunately the damage had been done. I seem to recall a news article at the time, probably in the Washington Post, saying the owners of Hardee's had been interested in adding fried chicken to their menu and they bought Roy's in order to get theirs since it was popular (and indeed the Hardee's menu after the takeover listed "Roy Rogers Recipe Fresh Fried Chicken"). Massive miscalculation because Roy's was (and is, if you have one near you like we do) popular for more than the fried chicken.

I had never known back then that Roy's was a fairly regional chain until I was in college. One of my roommates and I were grumbling about there not being any Roy Rogers in Charlottesville and our other roommate, who was from Nashville, said, "What the hell is a Roy Rogers?"

[Stephane Dumas]

So the Hardees went back to being Roy Rogers for a while, and then they were sold to and became McDonald's (did we need more Golden Arches)?

But there were Roy  Rogers that were not company owned, and they stayed Roy Rogers (lots of brand loyalty kept them going). Then a former Marriott executive named Plamondon  bought the rights to the Roy Rogers name and related things, and his company (now run  by his sons) has been selling franchises again.  So in a sense, Roy Rogers as a chain has been revived  (the cowboy of that name is still deceased, as is his horse Trigger).

If only we could do the same thing with Burger Chef....

[Avalanchez71]

That chicken that Hardees served was pretty good.  So it was Roy Rogers chicken.  I didn't know that.  I seem to recall that back in the 80s that there was a Roy Rogers at one of the Rest Stops on the Florida Turnpike.  I cannot recall which one.  I seem to remember that it was the only Roy Rogers around.

[cpzilliacus]

That chicken that Hardees served was pretty good.  So it was Roy Rogers chicken.  I didn't know that.  I seem to recall that back in the 80s that there was a Roy Rogers at one of the Rest Stops on the Florida Turnpike.  I cannot recall which one.  I seem to remember that it was the only Roy Rogers around.

I believe that the chicken at Roy Rogers was descended from Pappy Parker's Fried Chicken which was served at Marriott's Hot Shoppes Junior chain, which  preceded Roy Rogers (I think most or all of the Hot Shoppes Juniors morphed into Roy Rogers).

[1995hoo]

I've heard the same thing cpzilliacus has. I remember Hot Shoppes but not the Junior chain.

[briantroutman]

Speaking of the Hot Shoppes, Marriott probably couldn't have created a more shameless knock off of a certain better known competitor. Look familiar?

I believe that the chicken at Roy Rogers was descended from Pappy Parker's Fried Chicken...

I've come across a few sources that claim the fried chicken recipe was J.W.'s own. Perhaps that story's apocryphal.

I remember Hot Shoppes but not the Junior chain.

A number of full-service restaurant chains experimented with fast food oriented spinoffs in the '60s and '70s to compete with growing newcomers like McDonald's and Kentucky Fried Chicken. Howard Johnson's tested their own, HoJo Junction, which didn't gain any traction.

[Avalanchez71]

That is pretty cool looking.  I wonder why they didn't take traction.

[wphiii]

Always kind of blows my mind that there are a still number of Roy Rogers at PA Turnpike service plazas. It suits me just fine, I actually prefer their burgers to any of the other fast food giants.

[7/8]

I've only eaten at Roy Rogers once, and it was at one of the PA Turnpike plazas, and to be honest I remember being disappointed with my cheeseburger. Then again, this was several years ago, so I should try it again to see if my opinion changes.

I didn't even know Howard Johnson's had restaurants until this thread.

[Brandon]

....

So the Hardees went back to being Roy Rogers for a while, and then they were sold to and became McDonald's (did we need more Golden Arches)?

....

I remember very clearly when the signs said "Roy Rogers featuring Hardee's breakfast" following the reversal you mention. I kind of liked that option at the time, but unfortunately the damage had been done. I seem to recall a news article at the time, probably in the Washington Post, saying the owners of Hardee's had been interested in adding fried chicken to their menu and they bought Roy's in order to get theirs since it was popular (and indeed the Hardee's menu after the takeover listed "Roy Rogers Recipe Fresh Fried Chicken"). Massive miscalculation because Roy's was (and is, if you have one near you like we do) popular for more than the fried chicken.

I had never known back then that Roy's was a fairly regional chain until I was in college. One of my roommates and I were grumbling about there not being any Roy Rogers in Charlottesville and our other roommate, who was from Nashville, said, "What the hell is a Roy Rogers?"

Roy Rogers?  Only the best damn roast beef I've ever had.  Eat your heart out, Arby's.

[1995hoo]

Always kind of blows my mind that there are a still number of Roy Rogers at PA Turnpike service plazas. It suits me just fine, I actually prefer their burgers to any of the other fast food giants.

There are three within 15 minutes' drive of my house.

[ixnay]

Ten years ago I had breakfast at HoJo's in Lake Placid (not Lake George), NY while on a fall vacation on which I drove up to the foggy summit of Whiteface Mountain.

When did the Lake Placid HoJo's close?

ixnay

[briantroutman]

When did the Lake Placid HoJo's close?

Early April of last year: http://pix11.com/2015/03/31/lake-placid-howard-johnsons-to-close-leaving-only-2-remaining-hojo-restaurants/