Back on the trail: 1990s fast-food chain Roy Rogers is making a comeback

Roy Rogers tapped into Americans’ love of nostalgia and opened a new location of the old-school chain in New Jersey.

Nostalgia-driven marketing has revived yet another deeply missed fast food chain - as the Cowboy-themed restaurant Roy Rogers appears to be making a comeback.

The old-school chain restaurant, named for the movie star known as the “King of Cowboys,” returned to the South Jersey and Philadelphia region this summer – betting on Americans’ nostalgia for all their favorites from the 80s and 90s.

The once-beloved chain currently has 40 locations, largely in Maryland, Virginia and Pennsylvania. Though they once ruled American highways with 640 locations, mostly across the mid-Atlantic, at its peak, Tasting Table reported.

Despite Roy Rogers’ popularity in the 1980s and 1990s, its downfall happened in the blink of an eye. In 1990, the Hotel company Marriott, which owned the restaurant franchise, sold Roy Rogers to Hardee’s, which started converting locations, according to the report.

Throughout the 90s, hundreds of Roy Rogers locations were also sold off to other fast-food chains, including Wendy’s and McDonald’s.

Roy Rogers appears to be making a comeback. The old-school fast food chain opened a brand new location this summer in New Jersey. (Roy Rogers)

Only about 80 locations remained open by the 2000s, and in 2002, the brand was sold once again. Brothers Jim and Pete Plamondon, whose father had been part of the original Marriott team that started Roy Rogers, bought the chain and worked on re-expansion in the mid-2010s.

While slowly working on upgrading already existing stores, the brothers opened Roy Rogers’ latest location in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, where large lines stretched into the street during its first day.

The new location also taps into the old-school vibes of the chain, featuring a large bar full of toppings to customize meals.

Following its opening, the chain wrote on social media, “Thank you Cherry Hill for the best welcome to the community. We appreciate all of the loyal fans who came out to celebrate and enjoyed some delicious beef, burgers and chicken!”

“We look forward to serving the community! More to come.”