This slowly dawned on me the other day. I was drinking a can of A&W Root Beer when I remembered that when I was a kid, you used to be able to go to the restaurant and get a big jug of it. When it was done you could return to the restaurant to get it refilled. When I was rooting through my parent's shed for old toys and other childhood things I came across the bottle and it sparked the very old memory. I could not have been more than 3 years old so that lead me to one question. How long did they do this and how long ago did they stop doing this? I know there are a few people older than me on the board (lookin' at you old guy,) is there anyone that can provide any insight on this?
There is an A&W up around the corner from here... I haven't been there, so I don't know if you can get the Jugs or not...
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They still do!? Wow I must admit I wasn't expecting that one. I think they stopped filling the jugs back home in the late 70's early 80's. I have the memory of the jug and root beer sitting on my parents table in their old apartment. Seeing as they bought the house when I was about 3 this has to be a really old memory. I'm thinking when I was about 2 years old. That would be about 1979. I was hoping to find out they stopped doing it across the board in 19XX but if they're still serving it, that's not gonna help me at all. However it is cool to hear that you can still do that. Maybe I can break out the parents old jug for nostalgia sake.
I actually have another question regarding A&W. I used to eat there everyday for 6 years and always had fries and coney sauce for lunch. Now disturbingly, most A&W's I go to now don't serve it anymore because it "doesn't sell well." That's was the only reason (other than the root beer) for me to even go to the restaurant. I am saddened I have no reason to go there anymore. (At least in this city, I checked em all.) Is there any A&W's that still serve coney sauce out there?
I actually have another question regarding A&W. I used to eat there everyday for 6 years and always had fries and coney sauce for lunch. Now disturbingly, most A&W's I go to now don't serve it anymore because it "doesn't sell well." That's was the only reason (other than the root beer) for me to even go to the restaurant. I am saddened I have no reason to go there anymore. (At least in this city, I checked em all.) Is there any A&W's that still serve coney sauce out there?
Did the jugs you remember look anything like this:
Jim,
The A&W on 12 Mile just west of Greenfield is only a few blocks from my house.
They're open all year.
I love their foot long Coney dogs.
They still have car hops, window trays, and all that. In the summer, on Fridays, they even have special very reduced pricing and specials for people who have old 'cruising' cars. Come by on a Friday night and it is filled with classic cars.
They sell the half-gallon jugs there and they also refill them.
Jim,
The A&W on 12 Mile just west of Greenfield is only a few blocks from my house.
They're open all year.
I love their foot long Coney dogs.
They still have car hops, window trays, and all that. In the summer, on Fridays, they even have special very reduced pricing and specials for people who have old 'cruising' cars. Come by on a Friday night and it is filled with classic cars.
They sell the half-gallon jugs there and they also refill them.
My Aunt used to work at the A&W in my hometown back in the day. She used to have to do the roller skates and whatnot when she was in her teens. I think that was in the 60's.
Doc it's awesome that you still have the jug! I've never seen that logo for A&W before. It must be older than the ones I have seen. I am actually heading to my parents place this weekend I will try and snap up a pic of the jug if it's still in their shed. I believe that the jug is bigger from what I remember, but I was about 3 years old so I might remember things larger than they were.
Frank, correct me if I'm wrong but aren't you Canadian like myself? Do you not have all the same fancy stuff where you are. Or at least had it in the past? The majority of the stuff I have brought up is no longer sold at the restaurants around me (BOOOOOOO) but they were all individual restaurant decisions. When I was down in Sudbury last year, might have been Timmins, I had fries and coney sauce. I wasn't even hungry but because they had fries and coney sauce I HAD to buy it. I've been in search of the official recipe for A&W coney sauce. Every single one I have found online is contradictory to the other ones online, so I am trying to get the inside scoop on the recipe from A&W employees themselves. I am also talking to managers and trying to convince them to bring it back. The only reason they got rid of it here was "the night staff wouldn't make it." I laughed when I said fire them, but I was serious. You can always hire more teens to work nights.
I knew I shouldn't have started this post when I was hungry, now I am dying for some fries and coney sauce right now! DAMN. Alright I have to stop ranting for now, I need to find something to eat.
Doc it's awesome that you still have the jug! I've never seen that logo for A&W before. It must be older than the ones I have seen. I am actually heading to my parents place this weekend I will try and snap up a pic of the jug if it's still in their shed. I believe that the jug is bigger from what I remember, but I was about 3 years old so I might remember things larger than they were.
Frank, correct me if I'm wrong but aren't you Canadian like myself? Do you not have all the same fancy stuff where you are. Or at least had it in the past? The majority of the stuff I have brought up is no longer sold at the restaurants around me (BOOOOOOO) but they were all individual restaurant decisions. When I was down in Sudbury last year, might have been Timmins, I had fries and coney sauce. I wasn't even hungry but because they had fries and coney sauce I HAD to buy it. I've been in search of the official recipe for A&W coney sauce. Every single one I have found online is contradictory to the other ones online, so I am trying to get the inside scoop on the recipe from A&W employees themselves. I am also talking to managers and trying to convince them to bring it back. The only reason they got rid of it here was "the night staff wouldn't make it." I laughed when I said fire them, but I was serious. You can always hire more teens to work nights.
I knew I shouldn't have started this post when I was hungry, now I am dying for some fries and coney sauce right now! DAMN. Alright I have to stop ranting for now, I need to find something to eat.
Hey Stu,
Maybe this logo looks more familiar to you. It is a bit newer than the other one.
As for the coney sauce, you will find it at any of the Michigan and probably Ohio A&Ws. Coneys are a big deal in Michigan. There is one on almost every corner (an exaggeration, but you get the idea.)
Did you know that the Coney Island hot dog was invented in Michigan? Back in 1929, a Greek immigrant named Gus Keros opened the first Coney Island restaurant in downtown Detroit on Lafayette. He claims that he didn't invent it and that he had one in New York's Coney Island. But subsequent investigations show that no such thing existed at the time. Apparently Gus dreamed it or something.
Anyway, coney island hot dogs and coney fries and Coney Island restaurants are extremely popular in Michigan and many of the other mid-western states. I would reckon that any A&W that you find in the mid-west will feature that wonderful coney sauce, which is basically a beanless chili sauce.
Maybe this logo looks more familiar to you. It is a bit newer than the other one.
As for the coney sauce, you will find it at any of the Michigan and probably Ohio A&Ws. Coneys are a big deal in Michigan. There is one on almost every corner (an exaggeration, but you get the idea.)
Did you know that the Coney Island hot dog was invented in Michigan? Back in 1929, a Greek immigrant named Gus Keros opened the first Coney Island restaurant in downtown Detroit on Lafayette. He claims that he didn't invent it and that he had one in New York's Coney Island. But subsequent investigations show that no such thing existed at the time. Apparently Gus dreamed it or something.
Anyway, coney island hot dogs and coney fries and Coney Island restaurants are extremely popular in Michigan and many of the other mid-western states. I would reckon that any A&W that you find in the mid-west will feature that wonderful coney sauce, which is basically a beanless chili sauce.
YEAH! That's the logo I remember, I even have it embossed onto one of my mugs from back in the day. As a matter of fact I think I will nab that when I leave my parent's house next week. So the coney sauce is big in Michigan eh? Well I am going to Sault Ste. Marie (Ontario) on Thursday, maybe I'll hop the ditch and try to find an A&W in Sault Michigan. If I find one there I will document my adventure there with my camera, so I will keep everyone posted because I know everyone is on the edge of their seats for this topic. 
I also remember this logo as well:
Apparently it's a Canada only logo but I recall them using it a lot in the 80's.
I also remember this logo as well:
Apparently it's a Canada only logo but I recall them using it a lot in the 80's.
I've never seen another logo than this one, Stu. I'm unfamiliar with both shown by Doc.
As far as I know there never was this coney sauce, but I don't know how far back my memories go. I know most A&W's were gone in the 80's, when I was a kid, but the chain was resurrected in force in the late 90's, mainly associated with gas stations or other similar truck stops. I haven't driven through the entire province, but I'm almost 100% sure there are absolutely no old A&W's anywhere to be found. They're either small counters in new shopping malls, or, like I said, half-restaurants built within the gas stations.
The only food I've seen there are the various burgers (papa burger, mama burger, teen burger), the small hot dog on some fake kaiser bread, and eventually the "return" of the chubby chicken, which turned out to be a very simple fried crunchy chicken thing. There's really only the rootbeer to differentiate from any other fast food joint.
So either it's always been different in Quebec, or all this goody signature food was gone when the franchise vanished, and was never brought back, at least here.
As far as I know there never was this coney sauce, but I don't know how far back my memories go. I know most A&W's were gone in the 80's, when I was a kid, but the chain was resurrected in force in the late 90's, mainly associated with gas stations or other similar truck stops. I haven't driven through the entire province, but I'm almost 100% sure there are absolutely no old A&W's anywhere to be found. They're either small counters in new shopping malls, or, like I said, half-restaurants built within the gas stations.
The only food I've seen there are the various burgers (papa burger, mama burger, teen burger), the small hot dog on some fake kaiser bread, and eventually the "return" of the chubby chicken, which turned out to be a very simple fried crunchy chicken thing. There's really only the rootbeer to differentiate from any other fast food joint.
So either it's always been different in Quebec, or all this goody signature food was gone when the franchise vanished, and was never brought back, at least here.
Part-Time Nomad
Here's an interesting A&W website. It's from Lodi, California, the home of the first A&W 90 years ago. On the site's navigation bar at the top of the page, there are links for A&W History and A&W Logo History.
http://www.awrootbeer.com/
On a related note, my personal theory of what makes A&W root beer different from other brands is this: You may or may not know it, but A&W also makes a nice cream soda. I believe that A&W adds cream soda or vanilla flavor to their root beer and that is what gives it the distinctive creamy taste not found in most other root beers.
Next times you're drinking an A&W root beer, pay attention for the hint of vanilla in the background. It is unmistakable.
http://www.awrootbeer.com/
On a related note, my personal theory of what makes A&W root beer different from other brands is this: You may or may not know it, but A&W also makes a nice cream soda. I believe that A&W adds cream soda or vanilla flavor to their root beer and that is what gives it the distinctive creamy taste not found in most other root beers.
Next times you're drinking an A&W root beer, pay attention for the hint of vanilla in the background. It is unmistakable.
Ha! It's funny that you brought up Vanilla because I have also been saying that for years. It tastes like there's vanilla in there, I'm glad someone else noticed it! They sell both the Root Beer and Cream Soda in bottles and cans here in Ontario. I was under the assumption that everywhere had them. I must admit I really like their cream soda as well.
I've noticed that once again the A&W logo is different in the states, but just slightly though. After checking out the link that you posted up there I decided to check out A&W Canada site and noticed that it's different. Here's the link to the Canadian site:
http://www.aw.ca/
It's really super tiny for some reason, I am thinking it was made for people with an 800x600 resolution . . . if not smaller. Actually I can probably fit the actual image within the body of this message board. Lemme check . . .
I've noticed that once again the A&W logo is different in the states, but just slightly though. After checking out the link that you posted up there I decided to check out A&W Canada site and noticed that it's different. Here's the link to the Canadian site:
http://www.aw.ca/
It's really super tiny for some reason, I am thinking it was made for people with an 800x600 resolution . . . if not smaller. Actually I can probably fit the actual image within the body of this message board. Lemme check . . .
Alright after some extensive (Wikipedia) research, I have discovered that the American and Canadian A&W chains are independent of one another.
"The Canadian chain of A&W restaurants are operated by a separate company, called A&W Food Services of Canada Inc. While originally part of the American operation, the Canadian company no longer has any corporate connection to the American chain."
This explains the differences so far. However I am now curious what other differences are there? Frank mentioned the Chubby Chicken and the Mama/Papa/Grandpa etc. burgers. I haven't seen anything other than the Papa burger on the American site yet. I assumed they had everything too but am I wrong?
"In 1975, facing amazing competition from the growing Canadian operations of McDonald's, the company launched what was to have been a temporary advertising campaign starring an orange-clad mascot, The Great Root Bear. The bear and the tuba jingle that accompanied him became a long-running campaign." "The mascot was so successful that he was eventually adopted as the mascot by the American A&W chain as well." I didn't know that one, I thought for sure he originated with the original company. And now I have that tune stuck in my head so I figured I'd share:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QD5yPSK1isI
The mug "Tarzan" is drinking from at the end is the exact one I am stealing from my parents when I go back home (it's mine anyway.) I have an older smaller mug with that older logo on it. I'll take some pictures of that one too when I am back home. Dammit I really have to quit reading this thread it keeps making me hungry. Alright I am actually gonna go to A&W this time.
"The Canadian chain of A&W restaurants are operated by a separate company, called A&W Food Services of Canada Inc. While originally part of the American operation, the Canadian company no longer has any corporate connection to the American chain."
This explains the differences so far. However I am now curious what other differences are there? Frank mentioned the Chubby Chicken and the Mama/Papa/Grandpa etc. burgers. I haven't seen anything other than the Papa burger on the American site yet. I assumed they had everything too but am I wrong?
"In 1975, facing amazing competition from the growing Canadian operations of McDonald's, the company launched what was to have been a temporary advertising campaign starring an orange-clad mascot, The Great Root Bear. The bear and the tuba jingle that accompanied him became a long-running campaign." "The mascot was so successful that he was eventually adopted as the mascot by the American A&W chain as well." I didn't know that one, I thought for sure he originated with the original company. And now I have that tune stuck in my head so I figured I'd share:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QD5yPSK1isI
The mug "Tarzan" is drinking from at the end is the exact one I am stealing from my parents when I go back home (it's mine anyway.) I have an older smaller mug with that older logo on it. I'll take some pictures of that one too when I am back home. Dammit I really have to quit reading this thread it keeps making me hungry. Alright I am actually gonna go to A&W this time.