Jack in the Box

Jack in the Box was founded in San Diego, California, by Robert O. Peterson in 1950. Initially, Jack in the Box served only hamburgers, french fries, and milkshakes. Although the company experimented with other products, such as tacos and sandwiches, the hamburger remained the number-one menu choice. In 1951, Jack in the Box was sold to the San Diego Commissary Co., which later changed its name to Foodmaker, Inc. Franchises were sold mainly in southern California. Jack in the Box was one of the first fast food chains to systematically incorporate drive-through windows equipped with two-way intercoms for ordering. By the late 1960s the chain maintained 870 outlets.