Franchising

A&W to expand presence in Illinois

Provided

September 29, 2022

A&W Restaurants will open a location in Belleville, Illinois, on Oct. 10. The opening is part of a four-unit deal with franchisees Jim Sprill and Jim Sprick to expand the brand across Illinois, according to a press release.

Sprick and Sprill have decades of experience with Yum Brands and Anheuser-Busch, and they own 11 restaurants across California, Missouri and Southern Illinois.

Sill and Sprick brought a legacy A&W standalone restaurant to Arnold, Missouri earlier this year and have now crossed the Mississippi River to do the same in Belleville. The duo previously opened their St. Charles, Missouri location in 2019.

"We are fortunate to be growing quickly with operators like Sprill and Sprick," John Palumbo, A&W senior director of franchise development, said in the release. "We are expanding quickly in Illinois, but still have additional territory available."

The new Belleville location is part of A&W's plan to award 25 units to franchisees in 2022 and open 12 locations. A&W is looking to target both new and existing markets including additional Midwest states like Iowa, Illinois and Wisconsin, but also North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida and Nevada.

The brand has 500-plus locations across the country.