Gino's Hamburgers

by Gino's

1957 – 1982 RARE REVIVALS

Mostly gone. The brand died in 1982, though the last original location held on until 1991. A 2010 revival by Gino's alumni opened a handful of stores; whether any still grills today is genuinely unclear.

Last verified Nov 7, 2026

Baltimore Colts legends Gino Marchetti and Alan Ameche launched the burger business in 1957 and grew it into hundreds of East Coast drive-ins where, as the jingle insisted, everybody goes.

🧾 One more thingFans still note the Gino Giant was feeding Baltimore before the Big Mac existed. When Marriott bought the chain in February 1982 for about $48 million, it converted 180 locations into Roy Rogers and retired the name.

Filed under: Fast Food · the ’70s & earlier

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📅 Timeline

1957Louis Fischer, Gino Marchetti, Alan Ameche and fellow Baltimore Colts launched the fast-food venture in the Baltimore area.
1959The chain took the Gino's name, for Colts captain Gino Marchetti.
1982Marriott acquired Gino's Inc. in February — the bid, announced January 5, covered 359 company-owned locations at about $48 million. 180 units became Roy Rogers and the brand was retired.
1991The last original Gino's, in Pasadena, Maryland, closed.
2010Gino's Burgers and Chicken — a revival led by 1982-era COO Tom Romano with Marchetti consulting — opened in King of Prussia; a Towson opening in 2011 drew lines of hundreds.

❓ People also ask

Who founded Gino's?

Baltimore Colts stars — Hall of Famer Gino Marchetti and Heisman winner Alan Ameche — together with businessman Louis Fischer, starting in 1957.

What happened to the chain?

Marriott bought Gino's Inc. in February 1982, converted 180 of the best locations into Roy Rogers restaurants and sold the rest. The name was retired, though the last original location hung on until 1991.

Is the Gino's revival still open?

Unclear. The 2010 revival peaked at a handful of stores, most closed by 2016, the corporate domain is dead, and no coverage confirms the remaining locations' fate either way.

🧾 Sources

The Philadelphia Inquirer, Louis C. Fischer, co-founder of Gino's hamburger chain, dies (2019)
The Washington Post, Marriott Corp. Makes Bid For Gino's (1982)
The Christian Science Monitor, Swift Marriott expansion swims against recession tide (1982)
CBS Baltimore (WJZ), Local Burger Place Reopens 30 Years Later (2011)

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