Big Boy Restaurants

Big Boy is an American casual dining restaurant chain headquartered in Southfield, Michigan; it is currently operated in most of the United States by Big Boy Restaurant Group, LLC. The Big Boy name, design aesthetic, and menu were previously licensed to a number of similarly-named regional franchisees. The parent franchisor company has changed over the system's lifetime: it was Bob's Big Boy from 1936 to 1967, then Marriott Corporation until 1987, then Elias Brothers' Big Boy until 2000. Since 2001, control of the trademark in the US has been split into two territories, between Big Boy Restaurants in most of the country, and Frisch's Big Boy as an independent entity in a few states in the Midwest.

As of May 2025, Big Boy Restaurant Group operates 55 total locations in the US: 51 Big Boy branded restaurants in Michigan, Nevada, North Dakota, and Ohio; 6 as Dolly's Burgers and Shakes in Frisch's territory (before being shuttered in late October 2025); and four additional locations in California branded as Bob's Big Boy. Frisch's operates 31 Big Boy restaurants in the US, of which 13 are franchised. Big Boy Japan, also independent of Big Boy Restaurant Group, operates 274 restaurants in Japan.

Food

The Big Boy hamburger

thumb|300px|alt=Frisch's Big Boy hamburger and other versions|An illustration showing how Big Boy hamburgers are assembled. The original version developed by Bob Wian (left) has [[mayonnaise and red relish (a combination of pickle relish, ketchup and chili sauce). Frisch's version (right) replaces them with tartar sauce and dill pickles, and applies them in a different order. The worldwide Big Boy system version (center) instead uses a thousand island-type dressing advertised as Big Boy special sauce.|right]]

The signature Big Boy hamburger is the original double-deck hamburger. The novel hamburger started as a joke. In February 1937 some local big band musicians, who were regular customers of Bob's Pantry in Glendale, California, visited the restaurant. When ordering, bass player Stewie Strange asked, "How about something different, something special?" Bob Wian improvised, creating the first (then unnamed) Big Boy, intending it to "look ridiculous, like a leaning tower". Demand for the special soared and Wian sought a "snappy" name, which became Big Boy. In 1938, the Big Boy hamburger cost 15¢ (). In 2018, the Big Boy cost $6.49 in Michigan. Several slogans were used from the 1950s through the 1970s to promote the hamburger, such as A Meal in One on a Double–Deck Bun and Twice as Big, Twice as Good. On menus from that period it was called the "Nationally Famous, Original Double–Deck Hamburger".

The Big Boy hamburger inspired and was the model for other double deck hamburgers, including McDonald's Big Mac, Burger Chef's Big Shef and Burger King's Big King.

The Big Boy consists of two thin beef patties placed on a three-layer bun with lettuce, a single slice of American cheese, and either mayonnaise and red relish (a combination of sweet pickle relish, ketchup and chili sauce), and Big Boy special sauce (Thousand Island dressing) or (at Frisch's, Manners and Azar's) tartar sauce on one or more layers of bun. Regardless, the Big Boy condiment used was often simply referred to as special sauce on menus chainwide. Wian used a sesame seed bun while Frisch's uses a plain bun and included pickles. The Big Boy hamburger originally called for a quarter pound (4 ounces) of fresh ground beef, but later – at an unspecified date – franchisees were permitted to use frozen beef patties, and the minimum content reduced to a fifth of a pound to offset increasing food costs. Other specifications were exacting, such as the bun's bottom section being 1½ inches high and the center section ¾ inches, and 1½ ounces of shredded lettuce used.

Originally, the Big Boy hamburger was the only menu item required of all Big Boy franchisees. Similarly, when franchisees left Big Boy they would typically rebrand the Big Boy hamburger: it became the Superburger at Eat'n Park, the Buddy Boy at Lendy's, the Big Ben at Franklin's, and the Elby Double Deck hamburger at Elby's. Shoney's introduced the Classic Double Decker, somewhat different than the Big Boy, about a decade after leaving.

Big Boy offers breakfast, burgers and sandwiches, salads, dinner combinations, and various desserts.

Mascot

right|thumb|Big Boy logo used from 1988 to 2020, featuring the Big Boy mascot and still seen at many locations

The restaurant chain is best known for its mascot, a chubby boy with a pompadour hairstyle, wearing red-and-white checkered overalls and holding a Big Boy sandwich. The inspiration for the restaurant's name, as well as the model for its mascot, was Richard Woodruff of Glendale, California. When he was six years old, Woodruff walked into the diner Bob's Pantry as Wian was attempting to name his new hamburger. Wian said, "Hello, Big Boy" to Woodruff, and the name stuck. Warner Bros. animation artist Ben Washam sketched Richard's caricature, which became the original character seen on the company trademark.

In 1955, Wian hired Manfred Bernhard, son of graphic designer Lucian Bernhard, to create a new public image for Big Boy. Since 1956, the Wian West Coast Big Boy design was used exclusively by all franchisees other than Frisch's, Manners and Azar's. In the late 1960s, both characters were redrawn to appear similar, incorporating the checkered outfit, pompadour and hamburger above the raised arm from the West Coast design, and the running pose and direction of the East Coast design. In the 1980s, the hamburger was removed from the West Coast design; representing a de-emphasis of the hamburger in North American Big Boy restaurants, it also accommodated the Japanese Big Boy restaurants, which do not serve hamburgers on a bun.

In 1985, concerned that the Big Boy mascot had become dated, Marriott Corporation put its fate up for a public vote, which was overwhelmingly in favor of keeping it.

Big Boy statues

[[File:Progression_of_Big_Boy_logos.png|thumb|alt=Changing Big Boy logos|upright=1.8|

!colspan="2"|The evolution of the Big Boy mascot

|valign="top"|A

|1937: The first Big Boy (left) was derived from a sketch by Warner Brothers animation artist Bennie Washam in 1937. A frequent customer, Washam doodled the character on a napkin for Wian for a free lunch. The logo, redrawn holding a hamburger (right), was typically used by Wian and several early franchisees: Parkette (Shoney's), Elias Brothers and Frejlach's. The orientation was also reversed.

|valign="top"|B

|1952: Wian's first franchisee, David Frisch, developed his own Big Boy character. Dated 1952, the design was copyrighted in 1951 and became known as the East Coast Big Boy. It was the model for statues used by Frisch's and subfranchisees Azar's and Manners. This Big Boy varied between blond and reddish blond hair. Unlike West Coast designs (A) and (C) it held the hamburger in both hands and was always portrayed running to its left.

|valign="top"|C

|1956: The modern Big Boy character and the model for the fiberglass statues. It replaced Wian's original figure (A), and was seen in 1955 Shoney's advertisements. Typically drawn with the hamburger atop his right arm. Shown is a common version of several renderings used. By 2009, a new version was being used by some locations.

|valign="top"|D

|1969: Revised East Coast Big Boy

|valign="top"|E

|1969: Revised West Coast Big Boy

|colspan="2"|Differences between the East and West Coast designs, including the statues, created confusion along the Ohio–Michigan border where Frisch's and Elias Brothers operated. This motivated a common Big Boy mark, derived with elements of both predecessors, (B) and (C). It retained the look of the West Coast figure (C) but assumed the running pose and orientation of the East Coast figure (B). Nonetheless, similar West and East Coast versions were realized, maintaining the facial style of the previous marks, respectively. Frisch's continued to use (D) through 2016.

|valign="top"|F

|1981: To emphasize a full menu the hamburger was removed from the West Coast design

|valign="top"|G

|1988: After buying Big Boy, Elias Brothers lowered the left arm

]]

Early versions of the West Coast Big Boy statues were large, measuring up to tall with later versions as short as . The early statues always included the Big Boy hamburger above the mascot's raised right arm; much later versions eliminated the hamburger with both arms clutching the suspenders instead. The hamburger remained a part of the Frisch's East Coast statues, though the slingshot was eliminated from the figure's back pocket. Although still used by that chain, some Frisch's restaurants currently display the West Coast statue instead.

Occasionally Big Boy statues have come into conflict with local zoning ordinances. In 2002, Tony Matar, a Big Boy franchisee in Canton, Michigan, was cited in violation of local sign ordinances. The town claimed the statue was a prohibited second sign; Matar asserted that the statue was a sculpture, not a sign. A 2004 compromise allows the existing statue to remain with the words Big Boy removed from the figure's bib. When a Brighton, Michigan, franchise closed in early 2015 for financial reasons, zoning codes caused the entire signtopped with a rotating Big Boy statueto be taken down before the restaurant could be reopened. In contrast, the planning commission in Norco, Californiaknown as Horsetown USAwas concerned that the statue was not Western enough. In response, the restaurant's Big Boy statue was outfitted with a cowboy hat and boots.

A few other modified statues are in official use. In Cincinnati's Great American Ball Park, a Frisch's statue is painted wearing a 1970s Reds baseball uniform with a Reds ballcap added. Frisch's Big Boy hamburgers are sold at two of the park's concession booths. Rather than modifying a typical statue, the Big Boy restaurants in Manistique and St. Ignace, Michigan, display full scale moose statues dressed in checkered overalls with Big Boy printed across the chest. To conform with Gaylord, Michigan's Alpine theme, the local restaurant's statue previously wore a green Tyrolean hat. The restaurant was rebuilt in 2016 without the modified statue.

In March 2017, Frisch's unveiled a restyled statue. The new statue resembles the West Coast design but wears striped overalls like the original East Coast Big Boy. The debut statue wearing a Reds uniform is placed near the existing statue at Great American Ball Park; another is planned for an unnamed Frisch's restaurant. Frisch's will gradually swap the new statues for existing restaurant statues in need of repair. Smaller versions of the statues are sold as coin banks and bobblehead figures. The three-dimensional Big Boy figure was also used on early ashtrays, salt and pepper shakers, wooden counter displays and as small unpainted pewter models.

Gigantic air inflatable Big Boy figures exist and are typically used for restaurant openings and special promotions.

Adventures of the Big Boy comic book

[[File:Big-Boy-Comic-Book-Composition.png|thumb|alt=Notable Big Boy comic book cover pages|upright=1.8| The Adventures of the Big Boy comic book

]]

Adventures of the Big Boy (initially The Adventures of Big Boy) was a promotional comic book given free to children visiting the restaurants. Intended to "give the kids something to do while they waited for their food", the book involves the escapades of Big Boy, his girlfriend Dolly and dog Nugget. From the comic books, children could also join the Big Boy Club, a kids' club offering them free hamburgers, decoder cards, and other premiums. The serialsometimes called King of the Giveawaysonce had distribution estimated at three million copies.

Manfred Bernhard commissioned Timely Comics to produce the book. In the first year, Adventures of the Big Boy was managed by Sol Brodsky, written by Stan Lee and drawn by Bill Everett, Brodsky, and Dan DeCarlo. DeCarlo continued drawing in the second year and Lee wrote the series through 1961.