Travel Centers of America is a franchise restaurant operator with over two hundred locations and more than 600 quick-serve and full-service restaurants across the U.S. It was founded by Phil Saunders in Rochester, N.Y. and now has 276 locations across 44 states. These restaurants include nine proprietary brands. Some of the menu items offered at these restaurants include breakfast and lunch. Other offerings include frozen yogurt, pizza, and burgers. In addition to a wide variety of foods, the restaurants have a range of entertainment options including a full-service bar, pool tables, and shuffleboards. The locations are open seven days a week.
Founder Phil Saunders’ passion for the business started in Rochester, N.Y.
Philip Saunders, an entrepreneur and philanthropist, is a local businessman who has made his mark in the Rochester area. He has devoted his life to enhancing the region and believes strongly in the power of an educated workforce to drive economic growth.
Originally a gas station owner, he grew his business into a large chain of retail gas stores. In the mid-1990s, he sold the Sugar Creek chain to Tops Markets Inc., and merged it with the Wilson Farms Neighborhood Food Stores operation. This allowed Saunders to expand his interest in fuel distribution into the liquid-fuels market.
He has a broad interest in the energy and banking industries. His portfolio of businesses includes American Rock Salt, Western New York Energy, Essex Property Management, Swain Ski and Snowboard Center, and TravelCenters of America.
Saunders is also involved in several local charities. He has donated millions of dollars to causes in the Rochester area.
For example, he has helped establish the Young Entrepreneurs Academy and has been an active participant in its scholarship programs. The academy is supported by the Kauffman Foundation and brings together a select group of top students from across the country to compete for a chance to receive business start-up packages.
One of his major contributions is the Philip Saunders Endowed Business Scholarship. Since 2006, he has sponsored this scholarship for 85 undergraduate and graduate students. This funding allows more students to pursue their education and career goals.
Another contribution is the Saunders Family Neuromuscular Research Fund. This gift supports research by E. Philip and Carole Saunders. It also helps support the College of Medicine’s clinical and translational science institute.
Saunders’ latest donation to the Rochester Institute of Technology is a $7.5 million gift that will be used to expand the Max Lowenthal Hall. This will include new event spaces and learning laboratories. These facilities will help to fund a variety of experiential learning projects.
Saunders also is an honorary chair for the George Eastman Circle Rochester Leadership Council. He has received many awards for his contributions to the Rochester community. Among them are the Nathaniel Rochester Society Award, the Charles Force Hutchison and Marjorie Smith Hutchison Medal, and the Rochester Business Hall of Fame.
276 locations in 44 states
TravelCenters is a large travel center network that operates gas stations, restaurants, hotels, and truck service facilities in the U.S. and Canada. It is the parent company of the TA brand.
Founded in 1972, TravelCenters of America was acquired in 2000 by Oak Hill Capital Partners. The company has grown to over 276 locations in 44 states and one Canadian province.
The company offers full-service food and beverage, diesel fuel, gasoline, and unleaded fuel at its gas stations. They also offer a variety of customer amenities such as the “Iron Skillet,” a pizza hut, and popeyes.
TA’s business model is unique. Unlike other travel centers, the company has a franchise model. The franchisees are responsible for running the stores, recruiting customers, and managing member services. This allows the company to keep costs low, but they may have to pay certain marketing expenses.
TA’s revenue increased 57% in the past year, with the increase coming from increased fuel prices. While there was a decline in gasoline sales, the revenue was driven by the higher margins on diesel and nonfuel products.
TA’s third-quarter earnings per share climbed to $2.54. Nonfuel revenue increased 10.5%. In addition to operating the TA brand, the company has a partnership with SoftBank Corp.’s investment arm, which has invested $5 million in the company.
The company has a net cash position of over $9 billion. It is the largest publicly traded full-service travel center network in the U.S. TA has a headquarters in Westlake, Ohio.
TA serves a large number of professional drivers, including independent contractors, professional trucking fleets, and highway and local motorists. TA is also a member of the American Trucking Associations Foundation, which provides support to the trucking industry.
TA’s franchised travel centers have opened in the last five years. TA plans to add 48 more travel centers to its network by 2024. TA will continue to grow and is looking to become the starting point for many new businesses.
TA is a pioneer in digital advertising. TA uses a customer experience management platform, smg360(r), that captures customer feedback across the entire customer journey. This enables TA to analyze data and provide key metrics that provide insights into customer satisfaction.
600 full-service and quick-service restaurants
TravelCenters of America (TCA) has been around for nearly 50 years. The company boasts more than 300 locations throughout the United States and Canada, with an eye toward expansion. Aside from gas and diesel, the travel center is home to hundreds of restaurants, which it has partnered with in recent years. Among its newest restaurants are those branded as Country Pride, which offer American cuisine in a slick setting. In fact, one of the first locations was a quaint TA Lexington along Interstate 81 in Virginia.
On the fuel front, TCA’s fuel sales improved by more than a quarter of a million gallons. While its full-service offerings dipped slightly in volume, it was able to offset the decline with a more than 30 percent increase in average prices. For the uninitiated, this is a feat that is not easy to pull off.
As for the food and beverage department, the TravelCenters of America has been making a bet on quality. Several locations have undergone extensive renovations. Others have been upgraded with more upscale restrooms, showers and coffee stations. Some even feature on-site laundry facilities.
While the restaurant has been a tough sell in a competitive industry, the TA brand has a long and storied history. In fact, the company has acquired two locations in the past five years for a combined $45 million, which it plans to use to increase its cash flow. One of the largest companies in the business, TCA has more than 20,000 employees, including 7,000 in the field. It is a big player in the truck stop space, which means it has its fingers in all the right places.
Its other notable achievements include being one of the most active investors in the energy sector, utilizing alternative fuel sources to power operations. Lastly, the company is not content to be one of the big boys in the truck stop space. To that end, the company recently announced the establishment of the TravelCenters of America Foundation, a nonprofit that will provide funding for innovative technologies to help travel centers operate more efficiently.
Nine proprietary brands
TravelCenters of America is the nation’s largest publicly traded full-service travel center network, operating 275 locations in 44 states and one Canadian province. With a mission to make every traveler’s trip better than the last, TA continues to grow its network of travel centers and proprietary brands.
The company’s operations encompass a range of services including gasoline fuel, diesel fuel, and quick service and full-service restaurants. In addition, travel centers offer a variety of products, services, and amenities to customers.
As a leading full-service travel center company, TravelCenters of America offers a wide selection of products and services to trucking companies, businesses, and individual travelers. Additionally, TravelCenters of America has developed several innovative initiatives to improve its operations. For example, the company has partnered with Cleveland Clinic to provide healthy meal options at its full-service restaurant locations. In addition, TravelCenters of America has been actively investing in its restaurant operations.
Today, the company operates nine proprietary brands. These include Pilot, TA, and IHOP. While Pilot locations are known for their convenient restrooms and laundry facilities, TA locations offer CAT scales and parking reservations. Also, IHOP stores have been partnering with TravelCenters of America to expand their food offerings.
TravelCenters of America recently announced an initiative to help drivers stay healthy. This includes identifying healthy snack options in travel stores. It also plans to expand its food offerings in 2022. Meanwhile, it is leveraging alternative energy resources to support its operations.
TravelCenters of America’s transformation plan started in 2020, when Chief Executive Officer Jon Pertchik took over. He began by improving efficiencies within the company’s operational process and focused on improving the guest experience. In addition, TA launched a new restaurant concept and began developing its franchise business. Since then, the company has acquired two successful TA locations in Lexington and Raphine, Virginia. According to TA, these acquisitions are expected to significantly increase the company’s cash flow.
In addition, TravelCenters of America is currently undergoing an extensive renovation program to improve its facilities. During this time, the company is focusing on updating store signage, flooring, restrooms, parking lots, and other areas. Lastly, the company has been expanding its IHOP brand, with plans to open more than 50 additional IHOP locations by the end of 2018.https://www.youtube.com/embed/_BcxaXkVon4
