Zingerman’s Roadhouse
Zingerman's Roadhouse is a privately held full-service American restaurant in Ann Arbor, Michigan, serving dine-in, drive-thru, catering, and ticketed special events. Operated since 2003 as the seventh member of Zingerman's Community of Businesses under Chef Bob Bennett and Managing Partner Lisa Schultz.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2003
- HeadquartersAnn Arbor, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Zingerman’s Roadhouse does
Zingerman's Roadhouse is a privately held full-service American restaurant located at 2501 Jackson Avenue in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Founded in 2003 as the seventh member of Zingerman's Community of Businesses, the restaurant operates under a "really good American food" positioning emphasizing traditional, full-flavored regional American cuisine made with high-quality, locally sourced ingredients. Core operations include a dine-in dining room serving breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner across extended daily hours (8am-10pm most days), complemented by the Roadshow drive-thru (coffee and quick service, 7am-10pm), Roadhouse Park outdoor seating, full-service catering for weddings and corporate events, and a recurring calendar of ticketed special events (guest chef dinners, author events, poetry workshops) priced $40-$125 per person.
The underlying technology stack is standard restaurant SaaS rather than proprietary: Toast Tab for online ordering and POS, OpenTable for reservations and Diners' Choice recognition, and The Knot for wedding venue marketplace listing. Head Chef Bob Bennett (with the business since 2002, James Beard Best Chef Great Lakes 2011) and Managing Partner Lisa Schultz (with the business since 2004, promoted to Managing Partner in 2022) lead operations. The restaurant generates revenue through five streams — dine-in transactions, Roadshow drive-thru transactions, professional-services catering (often multi-year wedding contracts), special ticketed events, and retail merchandise — with quote-based catering and ticketed events serving as higher-margin layers atop the core diner business. Distribution is entirely regional (Ann Arbor) and direct-to-consumer across dine-in, drive-thru, online ordering, catering, and event channels.
The company's strategic posture is steady-state rather than expansionist: no funding rounds, no acquisitions, no new geographic markets. Investment-relevant assets include James Beard Award recognition (one win, two finalist nominations), Green Places sustainability certification (2023), Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch membership, a 21st-season Westside Farmers' Market hosted in its parking lot, and deep integration with Zingerman's sister businesses (Bakehouse, Creamery). The principal growth vectors are mix-shift into catering and ticketed special events rather than new unit expansion.
Zingerman’s Roadhouse firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Zingerman’s Roadhouse
- Legal name
- Zingerman's Roadhouse
- Website
- https://zingermansroadhouse.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2003
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Zingerman's Roadhouse is a privately held full-service American restaurant in Ann Arbor, Michigan, serving dine-in, drive-thru, catering, and ticketed special events. Operated since 2003 as the seventh member of Zingerman's Community of Businesses under Chef Bob Bennett and Managing Partner Lisa Schultz.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Zingerman’s Roadhouse industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Full-Service Restaurant
- NAICS
- Full-Service Restaurants (722511), Caterers (722320), Restaurants and Other Eating Places (72251)
- SIC
- Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Farm-to-Table & Contemporary American Restaurants (THAFACAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- All-Day Dining Restaurants (THAFACAJ), Farm-to-Table & Agritourism Dining Experiences (Farm Visits, Harvest Meals) (THAJAGAK)
Keywords
Where Zingerman’s Roadhouse is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Ann Arbor
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Zingerman’s Roadhouse business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Dine-in Restaurant Service: Full-service dining with breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner menus served in the dining room. Operates with extended hours (Mon-Thu 8am-9pm, Fri 8am-10pm, Sat 9am-10pm, Sun 9am-9pm).
- Catering Services: Full-service catering for private events including weddings, corporate events, and special occasions. Offers delivery, pickup, and on-site catering with customizable menus and private room rentals.
- Special Ticketed Events: Revenue from special dinner events, author events, poetry workshops, and themed culinary experiences. Events range from $40-$125 per person and include multi-course meals with unique culinary themes.
- Roadshow Drive-Thru: Drive-thru coffee and quick service window operating at extended hours (Sun-Thu 7am-9pm, Fri-Sat 7am-10pm). Part of the Zingerman's community of businesses.
- Retail Merchandise: Sale of branded merchandise through the retail store page on the website.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Special Dinner Events - Multi-course themed dinners |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Heirloom Tomato Dinner |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Poetry Workshop with Michael Dickman |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Author Events |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Food Festival Menu Items |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Catering Services |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels8 records
Zingerman’s Roadhouse product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Zingerman's Roadhouse is a full-service American restaurant in Ann Arbor, Michigan serving breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner featuring traditional, ingredient-driven cuisine with a house-smoked barbecue program. The business also operates the Roadshow drive-thru coffee window, full-service catering for weddings and corporate events, private dining rooms, and ticketed special culinary events such as themed dinners, author events, and poetry workshops.
Product overview
Zingerman's Roadhouse is a single full-service restaurant with several integrated service offerings. The core product is the dine-in restaurant offering breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner menus. Supporting offerings include the Roadshow coffee trailer (drive-thru service), Roadhouse Park (outdoor space), catering services for private and corporate events, retail/merchandise sales, and regularly scheduled special events including themed dinners and author events.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Roadshow: Coffee trailer and drive-thru service offering Zingerman's coffee and pastries
- Roadhouse Park
Products and services
- Zingerman's Roadhouse Restaurant Full-service American restaurant in Ann Arbor, Michigan, offering breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner menus featuring traditional, ingredient-driven American cuisine with a house-smoked barbecue program, open seven days a week with extended hours.
- Roadshow Drive-Thru Drive-thru and walk-up quick service window offering Zingerman's coffee, pastries, and quick-service items, operating with extended hours separate from the main dining room.
- Roadhouse Catering Full-service catering offering customizable menus, on-site service, delivery, and pickup for weddings, corporate events, rehearsal dinners, birthday parties, and other private occasions, including private room rentals.
- Special Ticketed Events Ticketed culinary events including themed multi-course dinners, guest chef dinners, author events, and poetry workshops, priced individually per person and held on-site or at partner locations.
- Roadhouse Park Outdoor dining and gathering space adjacent to the restaurant, offering patio seating and serving as a casual outdoor service area for the Roadhouse.
- Retail Merchandise and Gift Cards Online and on-site retail offering Zingerman's branded merchandise, specialty food items, and gift cards.
Quantifiable outcome
- James Beard Award winner - Best Chef Great Lakes 2011
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Zingerman’s Roadhouse
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Zingerman’s Roadhouse technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
Zingerman’s Roadhouse partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
15 partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and flagship.
- Robin Hills FarmcoreGuest Chef Dinner Series collaboration bringing together local chefs for farm-to-table dining experiences. Chef Bob Bennett hosts benefit dinners for charitable causes at Robin Hills Farm in Chelsea, Michigan.
- No Kid HungryminorCharitable beneficiary of Robin Hills Farm Guest Chef Dinner Event. Organization dedicated to ending childhood hunger in the United States by ensuring every child gets three healthy meals a day.
- Linkage CommunityminorNonprofit spotlight for July 2026. Organization builds creative network for people impacted by incarceration, supporting positive opportunities and healthy expression.
- Zingerman's Community of BusinessesflagshipParent organization comprising multiple food-related businesses. Roadhouse is the seventh member, opened in 2003. Benefits include access to Zingerman's Bakehouse products, Zingerman's Creamery, and cross-promotional opportunities within the community.
- SafeHouse CentercoreAnnual Jelly Bean Jump Up charity event beneficiary for 11 years. SafeHouse Center provides safety, support, advocacy and resources for survivors of domestic violence in Washtenaw County.
- Pregitzer FarmcoreLocal farm supplier for Westside Farmers' Market hosted at Roadhouse. Provides fresh, locally grown produce to the community market.
- Nemeth Greenhouse & FarmscoreLocal farm supplier for Westside Farmers' Market. Contributes fresh, locally grown produce to the community market held at Roadhouse parking lot.
- Nueske's Smoked MeatscoreLong-standing supplier of applewood smoked meats and bacon for over 40 years. Featured in annual Jelly Bean Jump Up Mini Camp Bacon event celebrating artisanal smoked bacon products.
- Manicaretti ImportscoreImporter of artisanal Italian products founded by Rolando Beramendi. Featured in Spaghetti Western special dinner event with Rustichella d'Abruzzo pasta and authentic Italian ingredients.
- Zingerman's BakehouseflagshipSister business within Zingerman's Community. Supplies fresh baked goods, slider buns, pastries for Cars & Coffee, and custom cakes for celebrations with 48-hour notice.
- The KnotminorWedding vendor marketplace listing. Couples can discover Roadhouse as a wedding reception venue through The Knot platform.
- OpenTablecoreRestaurant reservation platform providing Diners' Choice recognition and online booking capabilities for diners.
- Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood WatchminorSustainability certification program ensuring responsible seafood sourcing practices.
- Green PlacesminorSustainability certification for environmentally conscious business operations and practices.
- Ann Arbor Art FairminorAnnual participation in A2 Art Fair's Original Culinary Arts Gallery with four Zingerman's businesses. Features daily tastings and presentations at Fountain Stage.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Zingerman’s Roadhouse competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Blue Hill at Stone Barns: National benchmark for farm-to-table American cuisine with direct farm sourcing. Comparable chef-driven philosophy of celebrating regional American foodways and ingredient provenance, though at materially larger scale and price point.
- Chez Panisse: Pioneering California farm-to-table restaurant founded on a philosophy of locally sourced, ingredient-driven menus — the same conceptual foundation Zingerman's Roadhouse applies to American regional foodways.
- The Lunch Room: Independently owned Ann Arbor restaurant with a strong sourcing ethos and a loyal local following. Directly comparable as a small, chef-driven Ann Arbor concept competing for the same ingredient-conscious customer base.
- Zingerman's Deli: Flagship business of Zingerman's Community of Businesses in Ann Arbor, offering specialty food, sandwiches, and retail. Closely comparable as a sister business under the same Zingerman's umbrella sharing brand equity, sourcing relationships (Bakehouse, Creamery), and overlapping customer base in Ann Arbor.
- Miss Kim: Ann Arbor-based independently owned restaurant serving a regionally sourced, ingredient-driven menu. Directly comparable farm-to-table sourcing philosophy and chef-driven casual-upscale positioning within the same local market.
- Frita Batidos: Ann Arbor chef-driven restaurant with a focus on Cuban-inspired food and fresh ingredients. Comparable independently owned, chef-driven, locally embedded dining concept competing for the same Ann Arbor discretionary diner.
- The Ravens Club: Ann Arbor gastropub with a craft cocktail program, locally sourced American menu, and similar extended operating hours. Comparable full-service dining experience, target customer, and craft-food positioning in the same competitive set.
Broad incumbents
- Sweetgreen: Large-scale farm-to-table restaurant chain built on locally sourced ingredients. Comparable ingredient-driven brand promise, but operates a fast-casual, multi-unit national model versus Roadhouse's single full-service location.
- The Inn at Little Washington: Destination American fine-dining restaurant and inn recognized for ingredient-driven cuisine and James Beard honors. Comparable chef-led American cuisine positioning and award-winning hospitality, but at a much higher price point and destination-resort scale.
Emerging players
- Plum Market: Michigan-based specialty grocer and cafe with a curated, locally sourced food program. Comparable ingredient-led positioning and Michigan regional identity, though delivered through a retail-plus-cafe format rather than full-service restaurant.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Zingerman’s Roadhouse social profiles
Digital presenceZingerman’s Roadhouse compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Zingerman’s Roadhouse financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Zingerman’s Roadhouse leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Zingerman’s Roadhouse funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Zingerman’s Roadhouse M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Zingerman’s Roadhouse
What does Zingerman’s Roadhouse do?
Zingerman's Roadhouse is a full-service American restaurant in Ann Arbor, Michigan serving breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner featuring traditional, ingredient-driven cuisine with a house-smoked barbecue program. The business also operates the Roadshow drive-thru coffee window, full-service catering for weddings and corporate events, private dining rooms, and ticketed special culinary events such as themed dinners, author events, and poetry workshops.
Is Zingerman’s Roadhouse a public or private company?
Zingerman’s Roadhouse is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Zingerman’s Roadhouse founded?
Zingerman’s Roadhouse was founded in 2003. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Zingerman’s Roadhouse based?
Zingerman’s Roadhouse is headquartered in Ann Arbor, United States, in the North America region.
How does Zingerman’s Roadhouse make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Dine-in Restaurant Service is the primary driver. The others are catering Services, special Ticketed Events, roadshow Drive-Thru and retail Merchandise.
Who are Zingerman’s Roadhouse's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Blue Hill at Stone Barns, Chez Panisse, The Lunch Room, Zingerman's Deli, Miss Kim, Frita Batidos and The Ravens Club. Broad incumbents are Sweetgreen and The Inn at Little Washington. Plum Market is listed as an emerging player.
Does Zingerman’s Roadhouse have an API?
No public API is recorded for Zingerman’s Roadhouse.
What industry is Zingerman’s Roadhouse in?
Zingerman’s Roadhouse's product category is Full-Service Restaurant. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAFACAF, Farm-to-Table & Contemporary American Restaurants, with a secondary code of THAFACAJ, All-Day Dining Restaurants. Its NAICS code is 722511 and its SIC code is 5810.