Kings Family Restaurants
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Restaurant |
| Founded | 1967 in North Versailles, Pennsylvania, United States |
| Founder | Hartley King |
| Headquarters | North Versailles , United States |
Area served | Pennsylvania, United States |
| Products | American-style dishes including sandwiches, burgers, salads, ice cream, milkshakes |
Number of employees | Approximately 130 (before 2017 closures) (2017) |
| Website | www |
Kings Family Restaurants is a chain of family-oriented dining establishments headquartered in North Versailles, Pennsylvania. As of May 2025, the brand maintains three operational sites within Pennsylvania.
The Kings emblem is characterized by red lettering accented with a yellow-orange border.
History
Hartley King founded the business in 1967 after acquiring the "Pig-N-Go" eatery located in North Versailles, which he subsequently rebranded as "Kings Country Shoppes." To more accurately represent the enterprise, the name was later updated to Kings Family Restaurants. The chain grew to seven locations by 1980 and expanded further to 24 outlets by 1990. By 2006, Kings operated 34 restaurants throughout Pennsylvania along with a single site in Wintersville, Ohio.
The organization has contributed to numerous charitable causes, such as the Veterans Leadership Program and the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Western Pennsylvania.
In July 2009, Kings introduced a new brand called Kings Hometown Grille, featuring a unique design, menu offerings, and alcoholic beverages. However, all these venues have since ceased operations.
Following Hartley King's retirement, Kelly Capital purchased Kings Family Restaurants in 2015. On March 26, 2017, five early-established locations—Wexford, Bridgeville, Imperial, Harmarville, and Altoona—were suddenly shut down, leading to roughly 130 employees being laid off without prior warning.
Hartley King passed away on January 31, 2025, at the age of 91. Subsequently, in April 2025, the Canonsburg restaurant closed unexpectedly, reducing the total number of active locations to three.
Fare
Kings specializes in American-style dishes such as sandwiches, burgers, and salads, complemented by ice cream and milkshake selections. The chain gained recognition for its signature Frownie Brownies—a product discontinued after Kelly Capital's takeover but reintroduced in March 2019 due to popular customer demand.
Smoking
Until Pennsylvania implemented a statewide smoking ban in September 2008, Kings permitted smoking within designated areas.