A&W started in 1919, when Roy W. Allen opened his first Root Beer stand in Lodi, Calif., celebrating the return of World War I veterans. Root beer, the signature item in a frosty mug, is caffeine-free, made with real can sugar and a proprietary blend of herbs, bark, spices and berries.
The A&W menu has evolved over the years to include All American food, such as the all-beef Papa Burger, a one-third pound steak burger, bacon burgers, hamburgers and cheeseburgers; chicken strips and grilled or crispy chicken sandwiches; hot dogs, coneys and corn dog nuggets: sides like fries, onion rings, cheese curds and chili cheese fries, and root beer floats, shakes, sundaes and polar swirls.