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Beef-A-Roo
American fast casual restaurant chain From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Beef-A-Roo is a franchised chain of fast casual restaurants which was founded in Rockford, Illinois by Dave Debruler and Jean Vitale.
Description
The chain's mascot is the Beef-A-Roo Buckaroo.[1] Each store has a different theme. Many of its original locations had 1950s decor based on themes like log cabins, fire stations, train stations, and diners. Other stores have "comfort" themes featuring fireplaces and couches.[2]
Menu
The menu features burgers, roast beef sandwiches, salads, soups,[3] wraps, desserts,[4] and milkshakes.[5] It is known for serving cheddar fries and loaded fries as a side.[6] The chain experimented with serving breakfast,[7] but stopped in January 2025.[8]
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History
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Perspective
The first Beef-A-Roo restaurant was opened in Rockford, Illinois[9] by Dave Debruler and Jean Vitaler in 1967.[10] It served roast beef and ham sandwiches and potato chips. By the 1980s, the restaurant's menu had expanded to include a salad bar, hamburgers and other items.[2] In 2007, Debruler and Vitale sold the restaurant to their children,[9] including daughter Melissa Pratt. It was owned by their family until 2019 when they sold the chain to a larger company;[10] it is now a franchise restaurant.[11] In 2021, its franchising rights were sold to NEXT Brands and Development.[12] In 2022, the chain planned to open 50 stores.[13]
The chain hastened its expansion by using shipping containers to fabricate restaurants in several states. These modular stores cost only $200,000 to construct and required only three or four employees to operate.[14][15] It has also opened restaurants in several closed Hardee's locations.[11]
As of April 2024[update] the chain had about twenty restaurants in six states outside Illinois, including Arkansas, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, and Texas.[16]
The company ran an advertising campaign with NASCAR driver Noah Gragson and Front Row Motorsports in 2025.[17]
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References
External links
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