Boston Market

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The new Boston Market logo (as of 2006).

Boston Market (formerly Boston Chicken), headquartered in Golden, Colorado, is a chain of American fast-food restaurants that was founded in December 1985, in Newton, Massachusetts. Boston Market grew rapidly in the early and mid-1990s, filed bankruptcy in the late-1990s, and was purchased by McDonald's Corporation in May 2000. McDonald's initially purchased the company for its real estate, but has found the brand serviceable and therefore continues to operate and expand the chain. It has its greatest presence in the Northeastern United States. As of May 2006 Boston Market had 630 locations in 28 states, with 14,000 employees. At one point in the early 2000s, Boston Market operated two locations in Toronto. In early 2002 Boston Market entered the Australian market, opening nine stores in the Sydney metropolitan area by 2004, before quietly exiting the Australian market later that year due to competitive pressures in the fast-food market. McDonald's announced in 2007 that it was "exploring strategic options" for this subsidiary, which is a term that could include options such as a sale of the business to another corporation, a management buy-out, or a public offering of the company.[1]

Boston Market restaurant, Clovis, California

The original Boston Market logo used from 1985 until 2006.

Boston Market specializes in rotisserie chicken and turkey, meatloaf, roasted sirloin, sandwiches, and a variety of side dishes. A selection of the company's menu has also been available since April 1999 in many supermarkets across the U.S. Frozen meals and side dishes are sold nationally under the Boston Market brand name, although they are made by H. J. Heinz Company. In April 2004, Boston Market introduced chilled menu items to be sold at supermarkets such as Albertson's. As of December 2005, these chilled menu items are available in 700 supermarkets.