High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! A&W Restaurants, Inc. is a chain of fast-food restaurants, distinguished by its draft root beer and root beer floats. A&W was arguably the first successful food franchise company, starting franchises in 1921. Today it has franchise locations throughout the world, serving a typical fast food menu of hamburgers and french fries, as well as hot dogs. A number of its outlets are drive-in restaurants with carhops. The company name was taken from the last name initials of partners Roy Allen and Frank Wright. The chain is currently owned by Yum! Brands.A&W began in 1919 in Lodi, California, when Roy Allen took on partnership with Frank Wright to help him with the root beer business he had started that year. They branded their product A&W Root Beer after their last names. Two years later in 1921, Allen bought out Wright and began franchising his product, arguably the first successful food franchising operation. His profits came from a small franchise fee and concentrate sales.