The Burger Chain With Ties To Frisch's Big Boy

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For generations, the familiar sight of a pompadoured child in checkered overalls signified tasty burgers, fries, and more to fans of the Big Boy franchise. The eponymous statue is among the most iconic food mascots of all time, but even diehard admirers may fail to realize that Big Boy has a girlfriend of sorts. Her name is Dolly, and she stems from a comic series that once circulated at Big Boy restaurants. Briefly, she was also the star of her own franchise: Dolly's Burgers and Shakes.

Big Boy comics debuted in 1956 as a way to keep kids occupied while waiting on food. The first issue was written by comic book legend Stan Lee, although lesser-known artist Craig Boldman refined the Dolly character. Boldman described her as "Big Boy's foil," and granted her a spunky personality. Dolly was, according to Boldman, uninterested in Big Boy's antics despite his constant attempts to impress her. While Boldman specified Big Boy and Dolly were "just pals," he made it clear they'd likely go on to become romantic partners as they aged.

In March 2025, Dolly's Burgers and Shakes opened two Ohio restaurants in former Frisch's Big Boys locations. Dolly's was not much different than Big Boy's, serving traditional Big Boy menu items like burgers, fries, and milkshakes. So, why the change in mascot? The answer is a bit complicated.

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The story behind the Big Boy Restaurant chain is a bit convoluted. There are actually two separate corporations behind the Big Boy name: Frisch's and the Big Boy Restaurant Group (BBRG). Frisch's Big Boy is an offshoot of the Mainliner Restaurant, which was opened by Dave Frisch in 1939. Frisch gained permission from Big Boy founder Bob Wian to sell Big Boy burgers in 1946, personalizing the recipe with his homemade tartar sauce.

Frisch's version of Big Boy proved popular, eventually growing into 200 locations. In 2001, Frisch's family reached an agreement with BBRG regarding the Big Boy name. Frisch's Big Boy had exclusive rights to the trademark in Kentucky, Indiana, and certain parts of Ohio and Tennessee. Unfortunately, the Frisch's franchise has fallen on hard times as of late, resulting in numerous restaurant closures.

BBRG saw Frisch's failures as its opportunity, buying up 50 closed Frisch's locations with the intention of opening its own versions of Big Boy. However, due to the 2001 agreement, the legality of BBRG's plan was dubious. One district judge in Ohio granted Frisch's a temporary restraining order that stopped BBRG from operating under the Big Boy name. In response, BBRG opted to name a pair of restaurants in the state Dolly's Burgers and Shakes instead, harkening to the franchise's history without risking legal consequences. However, the ongoing court battle proved too taxing for BBRG to handle. All Dolly's Burgers and Shakes locations closed on October 23rd, 2025.