LINCOLN — What began in 1949 as a single Lincoln storefront and sandwiches sold out of a used mail truck outside Memorial Stadium has grown into a regional restaurant chain of 93 locations, Runza executives said Monday.
Family roots and early growth
The first Runza restaurant was opened in Lincoln in 1949 by Donald Everett Jr.’s grandmother. According to Everett, she adopted a sandwich from the family’s Germans-from-Russia heritage and created a business that later expanded under her son.
Everett said his father opened a second Runza in 1966 after several banks refused him a loan; his mother lent him $500 to get started. From that second location, Everett said, the company’s expansion accelerated as his father helped employees become owners and franchisees, sometimes investing in or lending to their startups.
“He just had those the entrepreneurial DNA and was quite an infectious leader,” Everett said of his father.
Company today and succession planning
Donald Everett Jr., who joined the family business after graduating from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and has served as president since 1997, said Runza now operates 93 restaurants, including 50 company-owned locations. He and his two sisters worked in the restaurants from about age 12 and later joined full time.
The company is planning a leadership transition: two members of the fourth generation are already involved in the business, Everett said, and the company has begun preparing for the next change in management.
- Founded in Lincoln in 1949
- Second location opened in 1966 with a $500 loan from the owner’s mother
- Current footprint: 93 restaurants, 50 company-owned
Expansion beyond Nebraska
Everett described the Runza sandwich as central to the brand, and said that identity both defines the chain and can complicate growth in areas where customers are unfamiliar with the product. He said Runza has had success expanding into neighboring states while also facing the challenges of introducing a regionally rooted menu in new markets.
The company’s history of encouraging employee ownership and franchising played a significant role in its early growth, Everett said, with some long-time employees becoming franchise owners themselves.
No financial details, sale transactions or government incentives were announced in the interview. Everett’s comments and the company figures were provided in an appearance on Building Nebraska.
