The name A&W comes from the surnames of Roy Allen and which partner?

The name A&W comes from the surnames of Roy Allen and Frank Wright. Allen supplied the “A,” while Wright supplied the “W.”

Roy W. Allen began selling root beer from a roadside stand in Lodi, California, in 1919. Wright, who worked for Allen, became his business partner in 1922. Their partnership led to the A&W name and the opening of a drive-in restaurant in Sacramento in 1923.

The partnership did not last indefinitely: Allen bought Wright’s share in 1924. However, the A&W name remained, becoming attached to a growing network of root-beer stands and restaurants. Allen began franchising the business in 1925, helping make A&W one of the early large-scale restaurant franchises.

A common mix-up is to assume the initials refer to a product or a place. They are simply the partners’ surnames. The brand is also closely associated with frosty mugs, root beer floats, and curbside drive-in service.