In 1944, Kenny King Family Restaurants opened their first restaurant in downtown Cleveland next to the Palace Theater. From there, a move to the suburbs in the 1950’s and steady expansion established Kenny King’s as a popular drive-in restaurant chain.

During the late 50’s, a 66-year old man from Kentucky, named Harland D. Sanders, created a “finger lickin’ good” recipe for fried chicken. Colonel Sanders traveled across the country selling his recipe and cooking procedure to top operators of Family Style, Full Service restaurants. Kenny King Sr. and Colonel Sanders met in 1958 and formed a friendship and business relationship which continues as the foundation for the same solid relationship that exists today between Premier and KFC.

Mr. King was quick to recognize that Colonel Sanders’ Original Recipe Fried Chicken was an excellent menu item. As a means of continued growth, Kenny King Sr. concentrated his efforts as a licensee of KFC. Customers were so enthusiastic about Kentucky Fried chicken that during the 60’s, many Kenny King/KFC Take Out restaurants were opened. Ownership changed in 1993, and the company was renamed Premier Restaurant Management Company. Today, Premier is one of the largest franchised companies in the KFC system, and it carries on the long-standing tradition of providing customers with the best service and great food at convenient locations.