Frisch’s Big Boy

Frisch’s Big Boy is a well-established regional restaurant chain known for its casual dining and drive-thru service, with deep roots in the Midwest. The company began in Cincinnati, Ohio, where David Frisch opened the first Frisch’s Big Boy Drive-In in 1947, building on the popularity of his Big Boy hamburgers that he started selling in 1946. Over the decades, Frisch’s became a familiar name across Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana, growing rapidly through the 1950s and 1960s and pioneering the subfranchising model. The brand’s double-decker Big Boy burger and signature tartar sauce remain menu staples and have become part of the region’s food culture, with the sauce even making its way into grocery stores.

A notable milestone in the company’s history came in 2001, when Frisch’s secured exclusive rights to the Big Boy name in its core markets after parting ways with the national Big Boy Restaurant Group. The business remained family-owned until 2015, when it was acquired by NRD Partners, a private equity firm with a focus on restaurant investments.

As of April 2024, Frisch’s Big Boy operates 85 restaurants, making it the largest Big Boy operator outside California. The company’s footprint is concentrated in Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana, with its headquarters still based in Cincinnati. In recent years, Frisch’s has faced significant contraction, with its unit count dropping by more than half since 2020 due to competitive pressures and financial challenges. The current focus is on stabilizing operations and optimizing its existing presence rather than pursuing aggressive expansion or entering new markets.

For landlords, brokers, and developers, Frisch’s stands out as a recognizable and enduring brand that continues to attract a loyal customer base. The chain operates a mix of dine-in, drive-thru, and carryout formats, demonstrating flexibility in adapting to changing consumer preferences. With nearly 7,000 employees and a longstanding reputation in the Midwest, Frisch’s Big Boy offers commercial real estate partners a stable, regionally influential tenant with a track record of resilience and adaptation in a competitive industry.