January 15, 2026:
I originally started this page in 1998 (yes, HoJoLand.com has been in existence for 28 years) as a way to hopefully bring attention to what was left of the Howard Johnson's Restaurant chain, as well as HJ retail food products such as ice cream, chicken croquettes, macaroni and cheese, and fried clams. My hope was to grab the attention of an "Orange Knight," someone who would come along with plenty of capital and a strong plan to rejuvenate what was once one of America's largest and most popular entities. Twice since 1998 I had potential "Orange Knights" reach out to me, both with the funds and plan to get the job done. I even met with one in his office in New York City, with him showing me the actual new packaging for retail foods (I actually held the new boxes). This guy actually got as far as securing the HJ food license from Wyndham (losing it a year later when Wyndham took it away) But, in the end, neither this guy or the other a few years later, would actually reach reality. They both faded away.
In the 28 years, especially early on, instead of any promising news, all I did was continue to chronicle the downfall, one HoJo Restaurant at a time, as well as the discontinuation of the retail food products. It was difficult to just continually have bad news. Even in talking to the then-owner of the food and beverage brand, Franchise Associates, Inc. (FAI), it was sad. They just were completely aloof as to what their brand problems were. Their answer was to require all HJ restaurants to paint half the orange roof grey. Can you imagine McDonald's telling franchisees to paint half the golden arches grey? Ridiculous. One could easily tell, from this edict, that FAI was doomed. And FAI did finally shut down. The license then automatically reverted back to Wyndham.
After all these years it is very clear that Wyndham, the current owner of the Howard Johnson brand, who can license the name for use in food, beverage and restaurant us, has no desire to do so. The HJ food and beverage brand is a dead brand, probably much like the HJ lodging operations will eventually be, as the number of HJ lodging units continues to dwindle. So, I had to make a decision. If after 28 years (ironically the famous number of HoJo Ice Cream Flavors) there was nothing I could do to try to point out the value and save the brand, it was time to throw in the orange towel, so to speak. It was time for me to stop spending money on the website domain.
People today long for traditional favorites. Look what happened when Cracker Barrel attempted to make significant and BAD changes. It has seriously hurt their brand. I can only hope that by some miracle, some day, someone decides to take a chance and relaunch the HoJo food, beverage and restaurant brands. Just recently, a couple successfully purchased the Ground Round name (a HoJo offshoot) and opened a brand new and very successful Ground Round in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts. Maybe someday we will find our Orange Knight.
This website will soon disappear, but our HoJoLand group on Facebook will continue.
Thank you for your interest and support over the years.
Walter.
