Eat'n Park
Encyclopedia
Eat'n Park is a restaurant
chain based in Homestead
, Pennsylvania
with over 75 locations in Ohio
, Pennsylvania
, and West Virginia
. The chain is known for its Smiley Cookies.
neighborhood of Pittsburgh. The official opening time for the restaurant on Saw Mill Run Boulevard
was 2 p.m. The original location was serviced by 10 carhops. Four months later, the second location opened in Pittsburgh, and within 11 years, there were 27 Eat'n Parks. Since then, the chain has grown to over 75 locations across 3 states. Until 1975, Eat'n Park was the Pittsburgh-area franchisee of Big Boy
.
In 2011, Eat'n Park was awarded the Achievement of Excellence award from the American Culinary Federation
.
Despite accepting debit
& credit card
transactions, Eat'n Park is unusual in the restaurant business by having an ATM
at each location. The ATM's were originally owned by SkyBank
, and later Huntington Bank
after the latter bought SkyBank in 2007. The ATM's are now operated by a third-party company.
Restaurant
A restaurant is an establishment which prepares and serves food and drink to customers in return for money. Meals are generally served and eaten on premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services...
chain based in Homestead
Homestead, Pennsylvania
Homestead is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, USA, in the "Mon Valley," southeast of downtown Pittsburgh and directly across the river from the city limit line. The borough is known for the Homestead Strike of 1892, an important event in the history of labor relations in the United...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
with over 75 locations in Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, and West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
. The chain is known for its Smiley Cookies.
History
Eat'n Park started on June 6, 1949 when Larry Hatch led a group to build a 13-seat restaurant in the South HillsSouth Hills (Pennsylvania)
The South Hills is a term generally used to collectively describe the southern suburbs of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and the neighborhoods in the City of Pittsburgh south of the South Side Slopes. The city neighborhoods include Knoxville, Mt. Oliver, Allentown, Banksville, Beechview, Brookline,...
neighborhood of Pittsburgh. The official opening time for the restaurant on Saw Mill Run Boulevard
Pennsylvania Route 51
Pennsylvania Route 51 is a major state highway in Western Pennsylvania. It runs for from Uniontown to the Ohio state line near Darlington, where it connects with Ohio State Route 14. Route 51 is the termination point for Pennsylvania Route 43, Pennsylvania Route 48 and Pennsylvania Route 88. ...
was 2 p.m. The original location was serviced by 10 carhops. Four months later, the second location opened in Pittsburgh, and within 11 years, there were 27 Eat'n Parks. Since then, the chain has grown to over 75 locations across 3 states. Until 1975, Eat'n Park was the Pittsburgh-area franchisee of Big Boy
Big Boy (restaurant)
Big Boy is a restaurant chain with its headquarters in Warren, Michigan.Big Boy was started in 1936 by Bob Wian, in partnership with Arnold Peterson in Glendale, California, USA. Marriott Corporation bought the chain in 1967...
.
In 2011, Eat'n Park was awarded the Achievement of Excellence award from the American Culinary Federation
American Culinary Federation
The American Culinary Federation was established in 1929 and is the largest professional chefs' organization in North America.ACF, which was the progeny of the combined visions of three chefs' associations in New York, comprises more than 22,000 members in 230 chapters across the United States,...
.
Despite accepting debit
Debit card
A debit card is a plastic card that provides the cardholder electronic access to his or her bank account/s at a financial institution...
& credit card
Credit card
A credit card is a small plastic card issued to users as a system of payment. It allows its holder to buy goods and services based on the holder's promise to pay for these goods and services...
transactions, Eat'n Park is unusual in the restaurant business by having an ATM
Automated teller machine
An automated teller machine or automatic teller machine, also known as a Cashpoint , cash machine or sometimes a hole in the wall in British English, is a computerised telecommunications device that provides the clients of a financial institution with access to financial transactions in a public...
at each location. The ATM's were originally owned by SkyBank
Sky Financial Group
Sky Financial Group, Inc., was a diversified financial services holding company that operated in the Midwestern United States from 1998 until its 2007 acquisition by rival bank Huntington Bancshares...
, and later Huntington Bank
Huntington Bancshares
Huntington Bancshares, Inc., is a US$53 billion Midwestern bank holding company headquartered in Columbus, Ohio. It is the 24th largest American bank. As of October 22, 2008, it was listed on the S&P 500...
after the latter bought SkyBank in 2007. The ATM's are now operated by a third-party company.