Marie Callender's
|
|
Marie Callender's is a chain of about 160 restaurants located in the western United States. The type of cuisine served is mainly American, although many of the dishes are slanted towards styles of preparation that resemble Italian, Mexican, French, Cajun, and Chinese. Several different soups and sandwiches are available, as complete meals or á la carte. The eatery is also known as Marie Callender's Pies, and indeed pies are the signature item on the dessert menu: there are over thirty varieties available. They can be purchased as whole pies to go, or by-the-slice to eat on the premises.
Marie Callender's began in 1947 in Long Beach, California as a wholesale outlet for selling pies to other restaurants. Eventually Don Callender, who founded the business venture and named it after his mother, opened a retail outlet in Orange, California and gradually added other food. In later years a typical restaurant would have a fully-stocked bar (they call it a saloon) serving alcoholic beverages. A salad bar is also a main staple.
The interiors of the restaurant chain are decorated with antiques from around 1900, providing a theme that is reminiscent of Victorian England as well as Early America.
In 1986 the restaurant chain was sold to the Ramada Inn, and in 1990, to Wilshire Restaurant Group Inc.
Marie Callender's also markets a line of frozen food, but this division was purchased by Conagra Inc. in 1994 for about $100 million.