Wienerschnitzel founder John Galardi dies at 75

John Galardi, a quick-service pioneer and founder of the Wienerschnitzel hot dog chain, died Saturday after battling pancreatic cancer. He was 75.

Galardi was chairman of the Irvine, Calif.-based Galardi Group Inc., parent to the 350-unit Wienerschnitzel chain, as well as the 13-unit Original Hamburger Stand and the Tastee-Freez ice cream brand, which has 39 freestanding locations and is available in most of the company’s hot dog restaurants.

Galardi was born in Kansas City, Mo. At age 19 he moved to Southern California and began working at Taco Tia in Pasadena, Calif., a restaurant created by Glen Bell, who founded Taco Bell. At the time Galardi was looking to find his own niche in the industry that didn’t compete with Bell’s concept, said Dennis Tase, Galardi Group’s president and chief operating officer.

In 1961, Galardi, then 23, opened a hot dog stand called Der Wienerschnitzel — a name created by Bell’s wife Marty — in Wilmington, Calif. It specialized in chili dogs and featured a secret-recipe chili that remains a signature on the menu. A year later, Galardi opened the concept as a drive thru, and the chain took off as an all-franchised brand, reaching 200 locations within the next six years, according to the company’s website.

In 1977, the company dropped the “Der,” and the chain was simply known as Wienerschnitzel. By 1983, the Galardi Group grew to include two hamburger concepts, Weldon’s and the Original Hamburger Stand. Tastee-Freez joined the company in 2003.

In recent years, Galardi had stepped away from day-to-day management, though he remained chair and appeared in a series of commercials for Wienerschnitzel in 2012 that focused on the brand’s heritage.

Tase, who was named president and chief operating officer for Galardi Group in 1993, described Galardi as a “true pioneer in the restaurant industry,” saying his entrepreneurial spirit was a cornerstone of the company’s success.

“Galardi built a brand representative of a time when life was simpler, a brand that holds a special place in the hearts of so many families in America. He will be deeply missed,” said Tase in a statement. “Since it all began in 1961, he has touched countless lives through his generosity as a business leader and his legacy will forever live on.”

Galardi is survived by his wife Judane and four children.

Contact Lisa Jennings at [email protected].
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