1919
- June 20
- Roy W. Allen opens his first root beer stand, at 13 West Pine Street in Lodi, California. Allen gives away his root beer during a celebration of returning soldiers from the world war. [2.10] [10] [11] [42.31] [79.623] [110.5]
1922
-
- Roy Allen and Frank Wright formally name their beverage A & W Root Beer. [10] [11] [37] [42.32]
1956
-
- The first A & W drive-in restaurant outside of the U.S. opens, operated by Dick Bolle and Orval Helwege on Portage Avenue in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. [4.50] [10] [84] [94.28] [104.32]
1957
-
- Number of A & W Root Beer franchises in Canada: six. [42.152]
1959
- Year
- Number of A & W restaurants in the USA and Canada: 1775. [110.44]
1960
- July 19
- A & W Food Services of Canada of Winnipeg, Manitoba, files a trade-mark registration for "Papa Burger". [52]
- November 25
- A & W Food Services of Canada is granted a registered trade-mark for "Papa Burger". [52]
1961
-
- A & W introduces the Teen Burger to its menu. [45]
- A & W Food Services of Canada buys the trademark rights for A & W food products in Canada. [81.C2]
1966
- November 30
- A & W Beverages Inc. begins using a new logo: oval with orange left side "boomerang", brown right side boomerang, "A & W" in brown in middle, on a white background, or clear background. [74]
- Year
- Total number of A & W restaurant outlets in Canada: 200. [104.32]
1968
- April 1
- The name of the owner of the trade-mark "Papa Burger" is changed to A & W Food Services of Canada. [52]
1969
- December 10
- The trade-mark "Papa Burger" is transferred to the A & W Root Beer Company of Canada, Ltd. [52]
1972
-
- A & W Food Services of Canada opens its first mall location in Canada, at Place Laurier, Quebec. [45]
- (fall) A & W Food Services of Canada is bought by Unilever Canada, a food and consumer products company, a subsidiary of Unilever PLC of England. [4.50] [7.38] [14.15] [32.1] [75.14] [90.75] [94.28] [104.32] (bought by Lever Brothers, Ltd. [10]) (bought by Lever Brothers, Ltd. in 1982 [11])
- October 16
- A & W Beverages of North Vancouver, British Columbia, files a trade-mark registration for "A & W". [51]
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- A & W Beverages Inc. applies for a registered trade-mark of an image of an oval with orange left side "boomerang", brown right side boomerang, "A & W" in brown in middle, on a white background, or clear background. [74]
- Year
- Based on revenue for the year, A & W Food Services of Canada is the second largest food service company. [87.71]
1973
- June 8
- A & W Beverages is granted a registered trade-mark for "A & W". [51]
- A & W Beverages Inc. is granted a registered trade-mark of an image of an oval with orange left side "boomerang", brown right side boomerang, "A & W" in brown in middle, on a white background, or clear background. [74]
- October 5
- The trade-mark "A & W" is transferred to A & W Root Beer Company of Canada. [51]
- The trade-mark image of the oval "A & W" logo is transferred to A & W Root Beer Company of Canada. [74]
- December 27
- A & W Root Beer Company of Canada applies for a trade-mark of "A & W ROOT BEER". [53]
- A & W Root Beer Company of Canada applies for a trade-mark of a design featuring a multi-circle bull's eye, "A & W" on top, "ROOT BEER" on bottom, "ICE COLD" in center, and an arrow through the middle. [54]
1975
- January 31
- A & W Root Beer Company of Canada is granted a registered trade-mark for "A & W ROOT BEER". [53]
- A & W Root Beer Company of Canada is granted a registered trade-mark for a design featuring a multi-circle bull's eye, "A & W" on top, "ROOT BEER" on bottom, "ICE COLD" in center, and an arrow through the middle. [54]
- July 21
- The A & W Root Beer Company of Canada begins using the term "A & W Hefty" as a trade-mark. [72]
- (month unknown)
- The McDonald's restaurant chain moves ahead of A & W as the dominant fast-food chain in Canada. A & W Food Services of Canada sees its profits drop by 40 percent for the year. [4.48]
1977
- February
- A & W Food Services of Canada stages a boycott of coffee during the month at its eleven drive-in restaurants in Calgary, Alberta. Additionally, tea is sold for 5c, compared to the usual 25c. The boycott is to protest high coffee prices. [12.B4]
- March
- The A & W Root Beer Company of Canada begins using the term "A & W Eatery" as a trade-mark. [72]
- (month unknown)
- A & W Food Services of Canada initiates a strategic review of operations. 18 months later, a five-year plan is produced to turn around the company's declining profits. [30.50]
1978
- June 2
- The A & W Root Beer Company of Canada is granted a registered trade-mark on the term "A & W Hefty". [72]
- (month unknown)
- A & W Food Services of Canada decides to close all of its company-owned stores in eastern Canada, due to heavy competition. The company vows to the franchise owners that it will return, within four years. [7.37]
- November 3
- The A & W Root Beer Company of Canada is granted a registered trade-mark for "THE A & W GREAT ROOT BEAR". [55]
1979
- August 17
- The A & W Root Beer Company of Canada is granted a registered trade-mark on the term "A & W Eatery". [72]
1981
- May 14
- The A & W Root Beer Company of Canada begins using a revised logo: a wide oval with serifed "A" and "W" in white on a brown background oval, plus "&" and outer oval in orange. [57]
- June 1
- The A & W Root Beer Company of Canada applies for a registered trade-mark on its new oval logo. [57]
- (month unknown)
- A & W Food Services of Canada introduces the Mozza Burger to its menu. [45]
1982
- September 3
- The A & W Root Beer Company of Canada is granted a registered trade-mark on its new oval logo design. [57]
- October 8
- The A & W Root Beer Company of Canada is granted a registered trade-mark for "THE GREAT A & W ROOT BEAR". [55]
1983
- March 4
- The A & W Root Beer Company of Canada is granted a registered trade-mark on a design of "A & W" without background or the surrounding oval. [58]
- May
- The A & W Root Beer Company of Canada begins using a modified logo with stylized "ROOT BEER" under the oval "A & W" logo. [59]
- September
- A & W Food Services of Canada and Coca-Cola Canada strike a deal in which Coca-Cola will manufacture and distribute A & W root beer to retailers across Canada. In return, A & W will cease serving Crush and Seven-Up in its restaurants, replacing them with Coke and Sprite, as of October 1. [4.138] [5.1]
1984
- February 6
- A & W Root Beer is sold in retail stores in Ontario for the first time. [6.2]
- (month unknown)
- A & W Food Services of Canada ceases the Burger Family at restaurants. [84]
- July 6
- The A & W Root Beer Company of Canada applies for a registered trade-mark on a logo with stylized "ROOT BEER" under the oval "A & W" logo. [59]
1985
-
- (summer) A & W Food Services of Canada test markets A & W Root Beer and A & W Diet Root Beer (in bottles or cans) in Sherbrooke, Quebec. [15.2]
- June 28
- The A & W Root Beer Company of Canada is granted a registered trade-mark on a logo with stylized "ROOT BEER" under the oval "A & W" logo. [59]
1986
- March
- A & W Food Services of Canada opens the first Frisco Jacks in Hillside Centre, Victoria, British Columbia. The store serves waffle-like puffs made of fried sourdough. [9.3]
1987
- January 15
- The A & W Root Beer Company of Canada abandons its application for a registered trade-mark on the phrase "LES PETITES DE POULET A & W". [60]
- April
- A & W Food Services of Canada demolishes the 25-year old drive-in on Marine Drive, in North Vancouver, British Columbia. (The drive-in will be rebuilt as an eat-in A & W restaurant.) [4.48]
- August 14
- The A & W Root Beer Company of Canada is granted a registered trade-mark on the phrase "LES PÉPITES DE POULET A & W". [60]
1988
- April 8
- The A & W Root Beer Company of Canada is granted a registered trade-mark on the phrase "ROOT BEER A & W". [62]
- The A & W Root Beer Company of Canada is granted a registered trade-mark on the phrase "LE GRAND OURS A & W". [63]
- (month unknown)
- (spring) A & W Food Services of Canada introduces Cream Soda in cans at retail outlets. [7.33]
- A & W Food Services of Canada removes the A&W Root Beer Float from its menus. [98]
- August 5
- The A & W Root Beer Company of Canada is granted a registered trade-mark on the phrase "A & W CHOCOLATE CRISP". [64]
- September 20
- The BC chapter of the American Marketing Association presents A & W Food Services of Canada with an award for "Marketer of the Year". [9.3]
1990
- November 9
- The A & W Root Beer Company of Canada is granted a registered trade-mark for "GREAT A & W ROOT BEAR". [55]
1991
- February
- A & W Food Services of Canada opens an outlet in Terminal III of the airport in Toronto, Ontario. [22.38]
- March 15
- The A & W Root Beer Company of Canada is granted a registered trade-mark on the phrase "GRAND OURS A & W". [65]
- April 8
- Ross L. Cunningham retires as president of A & W Food Services of Canada. He is replaced by Jeff. J. Mooney, former executive vice president. [13.B4]
- (month unknown)
- A & W Food Services of Canada begins a "Friendship Continues" ad campaign on television. [8.4]
- November
- A & W Food Services of Canada opens its 400th outlet, in Cloverdale Mall in Toronto, Ontario. [20.14] [21.C4] [45]
1992
- April 1
- The A & W Root Beer Company of Canada begins using a variation of their oval "A & W" logo in pink/teal/white colors. [67]
1993
- August 6
- The A & W Root Beer Company of Canada is granted a registered trade-mark on of their oval "A & W" logo in pink/teal/white colors. [67]
1994
- March
- A & W Food Services of Canada begins a new set of "Friendship Continues" ad campaign on television. [8.4]
- May
- (end) A & W Food Services of Canada celebrates the 75th anniversary of A & W root beer with an anniversary mug, and 5c root beer for a week. [8.4]
- A & W Food Services of Canada issues a revised set of glass mugs for use in its restaurants and for sale, including "ROOT BEER" below the logo. [8.4]
- December 10
- The A & W Root Beer Company of Canada begins using an image of the oval "A & W" logo with a glass mug below, with "ROOT BEER" under the mug. [69]
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