Swensen’s Inc. is a Canadian-owned global chain of ice cream restaurants that started in San Francisco, California, United States.
The company started in 1948 by Earle Swensen, who learned to make ice cream while serving in the U.S. Navy during World War II. Swensen opened his first shop at the corner of Union and Hyde Streets, along the cable car tracks in Russian Hill in San Francisco at what had been a failed ice cream parlor. Although vanilla was his lifelong favorite, he developed more than 150 flavors, which he marketed under the motto “Good as Father Used to Make”. The original store sold ice cream and other frozen dessert specialties (such as sundaes and banana splits), with primarily take out service. Later other Swensen’s franchisees added indoor seating and offered various types of food, including sandwiches and hamburgers.
