| Kings Family Restaurants | |
| Foundation: | North Versailles, Pennsylvania (1967) |
| Num Locations: | 4 |
| Key People: | Hartley C. King, Founder and President |
| Num Employees: | 500 |
| Industry: | Restaurant (food service), Food processing, Food retailing |
| Products: | Kings Family Restaurants, Hartley's Choice pies and ice cream |
Kings Family Restaurants is a chain of family restaurants based in North Versailles, Pennsylvania. As of April 2024, the company operates 4 locations in Pennsylvania.
Kings logo has scarlet colored lettering, with a saffron outline.
Kings began in North Versailles, Pennsylvania in 1967 as Kings Country Shoppes. This name was later changed to Kings Family Restaurants to indicate the establishment was a restaurant rather than a store. By 1980 the number of restaurants had grown to 7, and 24 by 1990. As of 2006, there were 34 locations throughout Pennsylvania and one in Wintersville, Ohio.
Kings donates to many charity organizations, including the Veterans Leadership Program[1] and the Make-A-Wish Foundation[2] of Western Pennsylvania.
In July 2009, Kings Restaurants a new restaurant called Kings Hometown Grille. It features a different design and layout, as well as a different menu from most King's locations. Unlike any other locations in the chain, Kings Hometown Grille also offers alcoholic beverages, including beer, wine and cocktails.
In 2015, Kelly Capital purchased the Kings Family Restaurants.[3] On March 26, 2017, it was announced that five of its earliest stores: Wexford, Bridgeville, Imperial, Harmarville, and Altoona restaurants would be shutting down at 7 p.m. that evening. Approximately 130 employees were given no notice, and were left jobless.[4]
Kings serves American cuisine, including sandwiches, salads, and burgers. The restaurant also serves ice cream and milkshakes.[5] Kings is also famous for their Frownie Brownies, although the Frownie Brownie was discontinued with the chain's purchase by Kelly Capital
The Frownie has returned to the Menu as of March 2019.[2]
Kings maintained smoking sections in most of its restaurants until a statewide smoking ban was enacted in Pennsylvania in September 2008.