Customer Profile: Johnson Restaurant Group’s Journey with Johnson Pike
From one donut shop in 1978 to a diverse range of twelve restaurant establishments spread across Wyoming, Montana, South Dakota, and Las Vegas, the Johnson Restaurant Group’s success trajectory is impressive. Transitioning from a ’50s style diner, expanding into the franchise world with Old Chicago, and offering casual and fast-casual dining, they have diverse needs for foodservice equipment.
“We’ve always enjoyed the partnership with Johnson Pike because it’s always been service-oriented first. They don’t try to oversell us; they sell us what they know we need,” John Johnson, president of the Johnson Restaurant Group, attests. “Johnson Pike has brands we like and use, such as Frosty Factory, Advance Tabco, Hatco, and Henny Penny.”
In fact, Henny Penny fryers have become a staple in Johnson Restaurant Group’s kitchens. Their functionality, efficiency, and timer system make them indispensable. The ability of the pressure assist feature to handle small or large orders only adds to their value.
Many customers, including Johnson, enjoy visiting Johnson Pike’s state-of-the-art test kitchens. “It is great to have a relationship with someone like Johnson Pike with a test kitchen where you can kick the tires on something,” says Johnson. “The ability to bring our own menu items to test and tweak with various equipment before finalizing a purchase is invaluable. And Johnson Pike trains all our staff on how to use a new piece of equipment so everyone can feel comfortable and confident using it.”
As the group continues to expand, adding one to two new restaurants a year, they are confident in their choice of partners. Johnson concludes, “We plan to always use Johnson Pike and Henny Penny for all our future locations.”
At Johnson Pike, it’s not just about doing business; it’s about growing together and putting service first.
Schedule a visit to one of our test kitchens!