Our History
It all started with dessert. The legacy of Marie Callender began in the early 1940s in Orange County, California, when Marie, an accomplished baker, first launched her legendary pie business, delivering freshly baked pies to area restaurants. By 1948 with the help of her husband Cal and son Don, they turned this home-based bakery into a bona fide business complete with a wholesale bakery. Within a few years, Marie was making over 200 pies daily and had acquired a truck and a mixer. The first pie and coffee shop was opened in 1964 in Orange, California, by Marie's son, Don. Other pie shops soon followed and in 1969, the pie shops began serving a full-service restaurant menu with many recipes created by Marie herself. |
In November 1999, Castle Harlan Partners III, L. P. acquired Wilshire Restaurant Group, Inc. (WRG), which owned 100% of the outstanding common stock of Marie Callender Pie Shops, LLC, the owner, operator, and franchisor of Marie Callender's Restaurant and Bakery. For more information about Castle Harlan, Inc., please visit www.castleharlan.com.
In May of 2006, Perkins & Marie Callender's Inc. was formed. The merge combined two of the most highly recognized and well established brands in the full-service dining arena, creating an undisputed presence in the national restaurant scene.
And, while the Perkins Restaurant & Bakery concept and the Marie Callender's concept fall under the same corporate umbrella, both brands remain individual, carrying with them their own rich histories, unique competitive points of difference and distinct geographical strongholds.
About Us
Today, Marie Callender's operates 89 restaurants and 1 East Side Mario's restaurant in the United States and Mexico, and has more on the way. And while many things have changed, one thing will always remain the same—the quality and care that goes into making each and every one of our legendary pies. And for that, we can all be thankful.
There are 89 Marie Callender's restaurants and 1 East Side Mario's restaurant in the United States and Mexico with more on the way. Marie's commitment to freshly prepared foods using only the highest-quality ingredients still endures. Marie Callender's serves up a wide variety of classic American foods updated with today's flavors, including our signature Famous Pot Pies, Freshly Roasted Turkey Dinner, St. Louis Bourbon BBQ Ribs and Gorgonzola, Pecan and Field Greens Salad.
Each restaurant also features a Salad Bar, freshly prepared home-style soups and signature cornbread, baked fresh and served hot from the oven. Most locations offer a fabulous all-you-care-to-enjoy Sunday Brunch Buffet as well. Come relax with a glass of wine or beer, then top off your dinner with a cup of Marie's Special House Blend Coffee. And remember—we started our business with legendary pies. So be sure to leave room for pie—you can choose from over 30 handmade varieties.
Franchise Info
Marie Callender's has a long tradition of franchising. Currently we are comprised of approximately two thirds company-owned restaurants and one third franchised-owned restaurants. Our franchisees are an important part of the history and heritage of Marie Callender's and are an integral component of our success: many of our best ideas come from our franchisees.
