Zesto Drive-In
Encyclopedia
Zesto Drive-In was a chain of drive-in
restaurants featuring ice cream
and frozen custard
. Several Zesto restaurants continue to operate today, but they are independently owned and no longer part of an organized chain.
as a national franchise chain. Phelan was head of the Taylor Freezer Corporation, which in 1945 had developed the "Zest-O-Mat" frozen custard machine, and franchise agreements granted exclusive use of the Zest-O-Mat machines in a given territory under the Zesto name. The first known Zesto Drive-In opened in Jefferson City, Missouri
; dozens more opened in the late 1940s and early 1950s, mostly in the U.S. South and Midwest. By 1955, however, Taylor Freezer Corp. had reportedly grown frustrated with managing a retail business and dealing with unhappy franchisees, so it abandoned the Zesto concept and left the remaining franchisees to fend for themselves.
While some former franchisees continued to operate under different names, others retained the Zesto name, and they do so today independent of each other and without support from a governing franchise structure. Among the cities where locally owned Zestos currently operate include Evansville, Indiana
, Seattle, Washington
, Atlanta, Georgia
, Columbia, South Carolina
, and Omaha, Nebraska
(where it operates across from Rosenblatt Stadium, former home of the College World Series
).
The Zesto trademark is currently controlled by Zesto Inc., a Missouri corporation owned by Harold Brown, who operates the first known Zesto in Jefferson City, Missouri
, and registered the mark in 1985. Brown's company grants exclusive rights to use the Zesto name by territory.
Drive-in
A drive-in is a facility such as a bank, restaurant, or movie theater where one can literally drive in with an automobile for service. It is usually distinguished from a drive-through. At a drive-in restaurant, for example, customers park their vehicles and are usually served by staff who walk out...
restaurants featuring ice cream
Ice cream
Ice cream is a frozen dessert usually made from dairy products, such as milk and cream, and often combined with fruits or other ingredients and flavours. Most varieties contain sugar, although some are made with other sweeteners...
and frozen custard
Frozen custard
Frozen custard is a cold dessert similar to ice cream, made with eggs in addition to cream and sugar.In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration requires products marketed as frozen custard to contain at least 10 percent milkfat and 1.4 percent egg yolk solids. If it has fewer egg yolk...
. Several Zesto restaurants continue to operate today, but they are independently owned and no longer part of an organized chain.
History
Zesto was started by entrepreneur and inventor L.A.M. PhelanL.A.M. Phelan
L.A.M. Phelan was an American businessman and inventor. He is known mainly as inventor of the broaster equipment and method for pressure-cooking chicken, and founder of the Broaster Company.- Biography :...
as a national franchise chain. Phelan was head of the Taylor Freezer Corporation, which in 1945 had developed the "Zest-O-Mat" frozen custard machine, and franchise agreements granted exclusive use of the Zest-O-Mat machines in a given territory under the Zesto name. The first known Zesto Drive-In opened in Jefferson City, Missouri
Jefferson City, Missouri
Jefferson City is the capital of the U.S. state of Missouri and the county seat of Cole County. Located in Callaway and Cole counties, it is the principal city of the Jefferson City metropolitan area, which encompasses the entirety of both counties. As of the 2010 census, the population was 43,079...
; dozens more opened in the late 1940s and early 1950s, mostly in the U.S. South and Midwest. By 1955, however, Taylor Freezer Corp. had reportedly grown frustrated with managing a retail business and dealing with unhappy franchisees, so it abandoned the Zesto concept and left the remaining franchisees to fend for themselves.
While some former franchisees continued to operate under different names, others retained the Zesto name, and they do so today independent of each other and without support from a governing franchise structure. Among the cities where locally owned Zestos currently operate include Evansville, Indiana
Evansville, Indiana
Evansville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Indiana and the largest city in Southern Indiana. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 117,429. It is the county seat of Vanderburgh County and the regional hub for both Southwestern Indiana and the...
, Seattle, Washington
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
, Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
, Columbia, South Carolina
Columbia, South Carolina
Columbia is the state capital and largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The population was 129,272 according to the 2010 census. Columbia is the county seat of Richland County, but a portion of the city extends into neighboring Lexington County. The city is the center of a metropolitan...
, and Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha is the largest city in the state of Nebraska, United States, and is the county seat of Douglas County. It is located in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about 20 miles north of the mouth of the Platte River...
(where it operates across from Rosenblatt Stadium, former home of the College World Series
College World Series
The College World Series or CWS is an annual baseball tournament held in Omaha, Nebraska that is the culmination of the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship, which determines the NCAA Division I college baseball champion. The eight teams are split into two, four-team, double-elimination brackets,...
).
The Zesto trademark is currently controlled by Zesto Inc., a Missouri corporation owned by Harold Brown, who operates the first known Zesto in Jefferson City, Missouri
Jefferson City, Missouri
Jefferson City is the capital of the U.S. state of Missouri and the county seat of Cole County. Located in Callaway and Cole counties, it is the principal city of the Jefferson City metropolitan area, which encompasses the entirety of both counties. As of the 2010 census, the population was 43,079...
, and registered the mark in 1985. Brown's company grants exclusive rights to use the Zesto name by territory.