Bill Gray's
Encyclopedia
Bill Gray's is a chain of fast food
restaurants based in Webster, New York
(a suburb
of Rochester, New York
) that currently has 15 restaurants opened in the Rochester and Buffalo areas in western New York
; six of these locations also sell Abbott's Frozen Custard
.
In 1938, Bill and Alberta Gray began selling hot dog
s in Webster. Within a few years, Bill Gray's expanded and added multiple items to its menu, including its self-proclaimed world greatest cheeseburger
. The restaurant continued to add locations during this time. Local businessman Bruce Hegedorn became a partner with Bill Gray in the early '60s, at first to build another restaurant. With Bill as the head of operations and store management, Bruce as the financial person and location expert, they continued to expand and build the restaurant chain. They acquired competitor Tom Wahl's
in 1986.
Bill Gray's mostly operates stand-alone restaurants in Monroe County, New York
. Exceptions are the facility in Boulevard Mall
near Buffalo
, the facility in the Strong National Museum of Play, and a combined restaurant and sports pub in Ontario, New York
in neighboring Wayne County
.
Fast food
Fast food is the term given to food that can be prepared and served very quickly. While any meal with low preparation time can be considered to be fast food, typically the term refers to food sold in a restaurant or store with preheated or precooked ingredients, and served to the customer in a...
restaurants based in Webster, New York
Webster (town), New York
Webster is a town in the northeast corner of Monroe County, New York, United States. The town is named after orator and statesman Daniel Webster. The population was 42,641 at the 2010 census....
(a suburb
Suburb
The word suburb mostly refers to a residential area, either existing as part of a city or as a separate residential community within commuting distance of a city . Some suburbs have a degree of administrative autonomy, and most have lower population density than inner city neighborhoods...
of Rochester, New York
Rochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
) that currently has 15 restaurants opened in the Rochester and Buffalo areas in western New York
Western New York
Western New York is the westernmost region of the state of New York. It includes the cities of Buffalo, Rochester, Niagara Falls, the surrounding suburbs, as well as the outlying rural areas of the Great Lakes lowlands, the Genesee Valley, and the Southern Tier. Some historians, scholars and others...
; six of these locations also sell Abbott's Frozen Custard
Abbott's Frozen Custard
Abbott's Frozen Custard is a frozen custard franchise founded and based in Rochester, New York. The franchise has stores throughout New York state along with four stores in Florida and one store in Massachusetts....
.
In 1938, Bill and Alberta Gray began selling hot dog
Hot dog
A hot dog is a sausage served in a sliced bun. It is very often garnished with mustard, ketchup, onions, mayonnaise, relish and/or sauerkraut.-History:...
s in Webster. Within a few years, Bill Gray's expanded and added multiple items to its menu, including its self-proclaimed world greatest cheeseburger
Cheeseburger
A cheeseburger is a hamburger with cheese that has been added to it. Traditionally, the cheese is placed on top of the patty, but the burger can include many variations in structure, ingredients, and composition...
. The restaurant continued to add locations during this time. Local businessman Bruce Hegedorn became a partner with Bill Gray in the early '60s, at first to build another restaurant. With Bill as the head of operations and store management, Bruce as the financial person and location expert, they continued to expand and build the restaurant chain. They acquired competitor Tom Wahl's
Tom Wahl's
Tom Wahl's is a chain of fast-food restaurants based in the Rochester, New York area that currently has several restaurants around the Finger Lakes region. USA Today named it one of "51 great burger joints across the USA" in 2010.Tom Wahl, Sr...
in 1986.
Bill Gray's mostly operates stand-alone restaurants in Monroe County, New York
Monroe County, New York
Monroe County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 744,344. It is named after James Monroe, fifth President of the United States of America. Its county seat is the city of Rochester....
. Exceptions are the facility in Boulevard Mall
Boulevard Mall
Boulevard Mall, which opened in 1962, is a shopping mall located north of City of Buffalo at the western edge of the Town of Amherst in Erie County, New York, USA. The name derives from its location on Niagara Falls Boulevard , which divides Amherst from the Town of Tonawanda...
near Buffalo
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
, the facility in the Strong National Museum of Play, and a combined restaurant and sports pub in Ontario, New York
Ontario, New York
Ontario is a town in the northwest corner of Wayne County, New York, United States. The population was 9,778 at the 2000 census, and 10,136 at the 2010 census. The town is named after the Great Lake on its northern border.- History :...
in neighboring Wayne County
Wayne County, New York
Wayne County is a county located in the US state of New York. It is part of the Rochester, New York Metropolitan Statistical Area and lies on the south shore of Lake Ontario, forming part of the northern border of the United States with Canada. The name honors General Anthony Wayne, an American...
.