O’Charley’s founder Charles H. Watkins Jr. dies at 87O’Charley’s founder Charles H. Watkins Jr. dies at 87

Ron Ruggless

Charles H. Watkins Jr., founder of the O’Charley’s restaurant chain, died Tuesday in Nashville, Tenn. He was 87.

Watkins formed O’Charley’s Inc. in 1971, which opened its first restaurant in Nashville. He sold the company 11 years later and then developed several other concepts, including co-founding Cheeseburger Charley’s with his son in 1988.

“We are saddened by the passing of Mr. Watkins, and we appreciate his entrepreneurial vision in setting standards in the first O’Charley’s restaurant that we work hard to live up to every day,” David W. Head, O’Charley’s president and chief executive, said. “Our sympathy and prayers go out to his family.”

O’Charley’s Inc. now operates or franchises 227 of its flagship brand in 18 states, 106 Ninety Nine Restaurant locations and 10 Stoney River restaurants.

The family said Watkins had been in ill health and that he died peacefully in his sleep.

Watkins, a native of Paris, Tenn., served for 20 years as a Marine Corps pilot and retired as a major in 1963. He became the assistant to Kemmons Wilson, founder and chairman of Holiday Inns of America, and moved to Nashville in 1966 to open a Shakey’s Pizza franchise. He later founded Al Hirt’s Sandwich Saloon before starting O’Charley’s.

Watkins is survived by a twin sister, Charlotte Canon of Florence, Ala.; his son, Charles H. “Chuck” Watkins III; two daughters, Marcy Gemmill and Carole Dahlinger, both of Nashville; and seven grandchildren.
Visitation will be from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday at Marshall Donnelly Combs funeral home in Nashville, with services at 1 p.m. Monday at Middle Tennessee State Veterans Cemetery in Nashville.

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