Beef O'Brady's
| Company type | Franchise |
|---|---|
| Industry | Restaurant |
| Founded | 1985 in Brandon, Florida, United States |
| Founder | Jim Mellody |
| Headquarters | Tampa , United States |
Area served | Southeastern United States (historically) |
Key people | Chris Elliott (CEO as of 2010), Chuck Winship (former CEO) |
| Products | Family-oriented Irish pub-inspired food (no hard liquor) |
Beef O'Brady's (branded as Beef 'O' Brady's Family Sports Restaurant) is a U.S.-based dining franchise that originated in 1985, founded by Jim Mellody in Brandon, Florida, with its main office located in Tampa.
History
After moving from Pennsylvania to Florida in 1971, Jim Mellody explored several restaurant models before establishing Beef O'Brady's, a family-oriented Irish pub-inspired eatery that does not serve hard liquor. In 1998, Mellody sold the majority of his ownership to Family Sports Concepts Inc., led by Chuck Winship, while maintaining involvement in 13 outlets. That same year marked the beginning of franchising, and by 2000, the brand had expanded to 40 establishments.
At the time of Mellody’s passing in 2002, Beef O’Brady’s operated 88 locations throughout seven states in the southeastern U.S. His remaining shares were eventually acquired by others, and by 2005 the chain had grown to encompass 183 restaurants across 19 states. As of 2009, the original Brandon location remained under the management of Mellody’s daughter.
In early 2010, CEO Chuck Winship stepped down and was replaced by Chris Elliott, who previously held positions at Cinnabon and Church's Chicken. During this period, the chain consisted of approximately 245 restaurants, a decline from its peak near 270. By September 2019, the total number of locations had further decreased to 150, including 26 that were company-operated.
Bowl game sponsorship 2009–2013
Beginning in 2009, Beef O'Brady's assumed title sponsorship of the St. Petersburg Bowl, a collegiate football postseason game hosted at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida. The inaugural sponsored event was called the "St. Petersburg Bowl presented by Beef 'O' Brady's." From 2010 through 2013, the bowl was renamed the "Beef 'O' Brady's Bowl." The sponsorship concluded in 2014, after which the game reverted to a previous title before adopting the name Gasparilla Bowl in 2017.