Before It Was A Frozen Food Giant, Stouffer's Was A Restaurant Empire

Frozen food might be the antithesis of eating out, but did you know that one of the freezer aisle's biggest brands once held a massive restaurant empire? Before Stouffer's became synonymous with boxed lasagna, mac and cheese, and a boatload of frozen side dishes, the company was known for full-service, sit down dining with locations throughout the United States.

Back in 1922, dairy farmer Abraham Stouffer and his wife, Lena Mahala, opened a storefront in Cleveland, Ohio's Arcade, a glitzy, Victorian-era retail palace that served as the first indoor shopping center in the United States. The Stouffer's shop served a modest fare, with sandwiches, dutch apple pie, and fresh buttermilk, which came with complimentary crackers. Riding high on their successes, the couple opened a stand-alone restaurant called Stouffer Lunch two years later, which served Lena Mahala's signature, made-with-love recipes, and about a decade later, leadership was passed down a generation in the Stouffer dynasty, with sons Gordon and Vernon expanding the company's national presence. 

Stouffer restaurants sprung up across the country, both in major cities like New York and Detroit, and in the quickly-expanding, automobile-loving suburbs. Whether it was a casual night out on the town, or a 50th wedding anniversary, Stouffer's knew how to set the vibe. It offered curated culinary ambiances that catered to a wide range of demographics, including luxury, destination dining locations, like Boston's rotating, sky-high "Top of the Hub." And, taking its famous hospitality to a higher degree, Stouffer's later expanded to a wide range of hotels. 

By the 1950s, frozen food was all the rage. TV dinners were experiencing a groundbreaking rise in popularity, and as more American women were entering the workforce, dual-income families were eager for quality, pre-made cuisine that didn't require any complicated or time-consuming cooking. Stouffer's regulars began asking for frozen versions of the company's beloved dishes, like meatloaf and stuffed cabbage rolls. That simple request eventually lead to the mass-produced frozen meals we all know today. 

By the '70s, Stouffer's frozen food sales were so strong, it attracted the interest of big business. The company found new corporate ownership in Nestle, who fused the company with modernized technology and a larger scale of production. It introduced sub-brands, like the health-conscious Lean Cuisine, and even provided NASA astronauts with ready-made meals.

At its peak, Stouffer's had possession of 68 restaurants and 40 hotels. But by 1992, Nestle officially sold off Stouffer's physical locations to a private company based out of Hong Kong. The decision was made so that the parent company could focus its operations entirely on frozen foods, which has clearly paid off. Now, the company sells the most single-serve frozen dinners of any company.