Certificate of 3 shares of 1$ each issued in New York in 1964.

Howard Johnson (1897-1972) is the founder of the eponymous chain of hotels and restaurants. In 1925, he bought a drug store in Quicy, Massachusetts. He sells pharmaceutical products and sparkling water. He started making ice cream, then offered sandwiches, thus opening his first restaurant. A second opened in 1929. But the financial crisis forced it to review its mode of financing. The franchise then becomes the ideal solution.

By 1940, over a hundred restaurants were open along the east coast. In 1964 there were 875 in 44 states, including 470 which also offered a hotel service.

The company was acquired by the British group Sterling, which wanted to enter the American market, then was sold in 1985 to the Marriott chain. The restaurants are renamed Big Boy and the hotels join the Prime Motors Inn chain.

In 1990, the group was taken over by Hospitality Franchise Systems.