What Frisch's Restaurants does

Frisch's Restaurants operates the Frisch's Big Boy brand, a regional family-style American diner chain running 31+ locally owned and operated restaurants across Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana. Founded in 1939 by Dave Frisch (with Big Boy restaurant operations dating to 1947), the company is privately held under FRM Franchising LLC, which owns exclusive Big Boy trademark rights in its three core states. Core products center on the signature Big Boy double-decker hamburger with Frisch's proprietary tartar sauce (a trade secret since 1946), Alaskan Cod fish sandwiches, hand-breaded onion rings, crinkle-cut fries, all-you-can-eat breakfast/salad/dinner buffets, and signature desserts such as the Hot Fudge Cake and hand-dipped milkshakes.

The company's underlying technology stack is light and consumer-facing rather than differentiated: a proprietary mobile app (iOS/Android) for online ordering, delivery, and loyalty rewards; integration with third-party ordering platforms (order.online) and ezCater for corporate catering routing; and gift card fulfillment via CardBalance.net. The platform does not employ proprietary AI/ML systems; operational differentiation rests on brand heritage, recipe trade secrets, and community-rooted marketing.

Revenue is generated primarily through dine-in and drive-thru transactions at the 31+ restaurant locations, supplemented by corporate catering (16+ locations via ezCater), gift card sales, mobile-app/online orders, and a residual grocery-stream for the signature tartar sauce. Pricing is menu-based (pay-as-you-go) with promotional levers including Kids Eat Free Mondays, Lenten Friday Fish Fry, and Weeknight Bars. Customer segments are predominantly consumer families and general diners, with secondary B2B demand from corporate catering buyers and a community-marketing layer targeting K-8 schools and nonprofits. The company has historically been family-controlled, was previously publicly traded, and currently operates without venture or private equity sponsorship.

Name

Frisch's Restaurants

Legal name

FRM Franchising LLC

Website

https://frischs.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1947

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

Frisch's Restaurants operates a regional chain of 31+ family-style Frisch's Big Boy diners across Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana, serving families and general consumers with signature burgers, fish sandwiches, and buffets under a 75+ year-old privately held brand.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Casual Dining Restaurants

NAICS

Full-Service Restaurants (722511), Restaurants and Other Eating Places (72251)

SIC

Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)

akta.pro primary industry

Family-Style Restaurants (THAFACAC)

Keywords

• Family restaurant chain
• American diner dining
• Burger restaurant
• Catering services
• Casual dining restaurants

Headquarters

HQ city

Cincinnati

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Dine-in and Drive-thru Restaurant Sales: Core revenue from food and beverage sales at 31+ restaurant locations across Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana. Includes breakfast, lunch, and dinner service with all-you-can-eat buffets.
2. Catering Services: Corporate and event catering through 16+ participating locations and ezCater partnership. Offers breakfast bundles, sandwich packs, and individual boxed lunches.
3. Gift Cards: Sale of gift cards for use at restaurant locations. Balance checking available through cardbalance.net.
4. Loyalty Program and Mobile App Orders: Revenue from mobile app ordering and loyalty rewards program. App offers promotional incentives like free Hot Fudge Cake for new downloads.
5. Grocery Product Sales (Historical): Historical revenue stream from selling signature tartar sauce in grocery stores (pint jars) since 1993 in Cincinnati and Dayton, Ohio markets.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Frisch's Restaurants operates a regional chain of full-service family-style restaurants under the "Frisch's Big Boy" brand. The company serves classic American diner fare including signature Big Boy double-decker burgers with its proprietary tartar sauce, Alaskan Cod fish sandwiches, all-you-can-eat breakfast, salad, and dinner buffets, and signature desserts such as Hot Fudge Cake across 31+ locations in Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana.

Product overview

Frisch's Big Boy is a family-friendly American diner restaurant chain operating 31 locally owned and operated locations across Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana since 1947. The core offering centers on signature Big Boy burgers featuring Frisch's Famous Tartar Sauce, complemented by classic American fare including Alaskan Cod fish sandwiches, hand-breaded onion rings, crinkle cut fries, all-you-can-eat buffets, and signature desserts like the Hot Fudge Cake. The company operates a mobile app with integrated online ordering and loyalty rewards, offers catering services through participating locations and EZ Cater, and runs promotional programs including Kids Eat Free Mondays and Weeknight Bars (Wednesday Brupper, Thursday Taco Bar, Friday Dinner Bar). Gift cards are available in-restaurant and online. The company does not participate in Big Boy Rewards at NW Ohio locations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical GardenscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFor over 45 years, Frisch's has been a proud sponsor of the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden. The partnership has made a significant impact through various family-friendly initiatives that strengthen the bond between Frisch's, the Zoo, and Greater Cincinnati Families. Includes Educational Outreach Program sponsorship that reaches 1,000 classes or 30,000 K-12 students per year.
• ezCaterminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership with ezCater platform for corporate and event catering services. 16+ Frisch's locations participate in the catering program offering breakfast bundles, burger/wrap/sandwich packs, and individual boxed lunches through the ezCater marketplace.
• Cincinnati RedsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLongest running radio sponsorship of the Cincinnati Reds starting from 1967. Frisch's also operated food stands at Great American Ball Park from 2013-2016. A Big Boy statue wearing a 1970s Cincinnati Reds uniform (number 46) was installed in the stadium.
• Cincinnati BalletminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFrisch's began sponsorship of Cincinnati Ballet's production of The Nutcracker in 1975, which became a December holiday tradition in Cincinnati.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Denny's: National family-style diner chain serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner 24/7 with similar value-oriented pricing and broad demographic appeal. Highly comparable in menu architecture, daypart strategy, and customer base to Frisch's Big Boy.
• Bob Evans Restaurants: Regional family-style restaurant chain headquartered in Ohio with farm-themed American comfort food, breakfast-all-day offerings, and strong Midwest concentration. Closest geographic and conceptual comparable to Frisch's.
• Cracker Barrel Old Country Store: Family-style American dining chain with attached retail stores serving a similar demographic of families and travelers. Comparable in daypart coverage (breakfast, lunch, dinner) and heritage-driven brand positioning.
• IHOP: National family-style restaurant chain with a strong breakfast and lunch focus, value pricing, and broad demographic appeal. Closely comparable in service model, family-friendly positioning, and breakfast-driven traffic.
• Perkins Restaurant & Bakery: Family-style American diner chain with bakery-led menu and breakfast/lunch/dinner daypart coverage. Comparable in neighborhood dining model, bakery-influenced dessert offerings (akin to Frisch's Hot Fudge Cake), and value positioning.
• Big Boy Restaurant Group: Operates Big Boy restaurants in Michigan and other non-Frisch's territories under the same nationally recognized Big Boy brand. Directly comparable in concept, menu architecture (signature double-decker burger), and mascot-based brand identity, though operating in a different geographic territory.
• Steak 'n Shake: Midwest-rooted diner-style chain known for steakburgers and classic American comfort food at value price points. Comparable in regional Midwest identity, burger-centric menu, and family-friendly diner experience.
• Village Inn: Family-style American restaurant chain with strong breakfast, lunch, and dinner offerings plus bakery/dessert focus. Comparable in family dining positioning, pie/dessert menu emphasis, and value-driven pricing model.
• Golden Corral: Family-style buffet-focused American restaurant chain with broad demographic appeal and value pricing. Comparable in AYCE buffet model (which Frisch's offers at participating locations), family-friendly positioning, and budget-conscious customer base.

Regional players

• Waffle House: Iconic 24/7 diner chain with strong Southeastern US concentration, all-day breakfast, and value pricing. Comparable in counter-service diner model, breakfast-all-day positioning, and strong regional brand equity, though primarily operates outside Frisch's Midwest footprint.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/FrischsBigBoy
• Facebookfacebook.com/frischsbigboy
• Instagraminstagram.com/frischsbigboy

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Frisch's Restaurants