Swensen's Inc. is an international chain of ice cream restaurants that was founded in San Francisco, California, United States.
History
The company was founded in 1948 by Earle Swensen, who learned to make ice cream while serving in the U.S. Navy during World War II.[3] Swensen opened his first shop at the corner of Union and Hyde Streets, along the cable car tracks in Russian Hill in San Francisco at what had been a failed ice cream parlor.[4] Although vanilla was his lifelong favorite, he developed more than 150 flavors, which he marketed under the motto "Good as Father Used to Make". The original store sold ice cream and other frozen dessert specialties (such as sundaes and banana splits), with primarily take out service. Later, other Swensen's franchisees added indoor seating and offered various types of food, including sandwiches and hamburgers.
Swensen sold the rights to franchise Swensen's Ice Cream Factories and Restaurants to William Meyer and investors in the 1970s but retained exclusive rights in San Francisco and continued to operate his original store (which still exists today) until 1994, a year before his death at age 83.