Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers was founded in 2002 in Wichita, Kansas. The first restaurant was started by brothers Bill and Randy Simon and their longtime friend Scott Redler.
The name honors the Simon brothers’ father, Freddy Simon, and the restaurant’s menu and atmosphere draw on classic American diner traditions. Here’s what is known about the founding, who helped start the business, and how to understand its early history without confusing its founding year with later growth milestones.
when was freddy’s frozen custard and steakburgers founded?
Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers was founded in 2002 in Wichita, Kansas. Its founders were brothers Bill and Randy Simon and their longtime friend and business partner Scott Redler. The first restaurant opened in Wichita that year, introducing a fast-casual restaurant centered on steakburgers, frozen custard, and a classic diner feel.
That is the clearest answer to the founding question: 2002 is the year to remember. Some accounts focus on the year the company was established, while others describe the opening of its first restaurant. For this brand, both details point to the same year; a specific opening day is not needed to answer when it began.
The company’s name is often written as Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers. You may also see it shortened to Freddy’s. Those names refer to the same restaurant chain, not separate companies or different founding dates.
Who started the first Freddy’s restaurant?
The restaurant was founded by Bill Simon, Randy Simon, and Scott Redler. Bill and Randy were brothers, while Redler was their longtime friend and business partner. Their different relationships and experience helped bring the restaurant concept together, but the founding story is not a tale of a single person opening a solo diner.
The Simon brothers’ father, Freddy Simon, inspired the restaurant’s name. The founders used the name to connect the business with their family and the values associated with their father. Redler was part of the founding team, even though the restaurant is named for Freddy Simon rather than for one of the founders.
That distinction clears up a common mix-up: Freddy Simon is the person honored in the name, but he is not generally identified as one of the three founders of the restaurant chain. Bill and Randy Simon and Scott Redler are the people credited with founding the business.
Why is the restaurant named Freddy’s?
Freddy’s is named after Freddy Simon, the father of Bill and Randy Simon. The family connection gives the brand a personal origin, rather than the name describing a particular ingredient or a type of restaurant. The apostrophe in “Freddy’s” signals that the name refers to Freddy.
The chain’s public story also links its identity to a traditional, welcoming American restaurant experience. The name and diner-inspired presentation reinforce that idea. It is a family tribute as well as a brand name, which helps explain why the company uses it across its restaurants and marketing.
It is useful to separate the person behind the name from the people who launched the restaurant. Freddy Simon supplied the name and family connection; his sons and Scott Redler established the business. This is a small detail, but it answers a question that can be confusing when a company is named for someone who is not listed among its founders.
What was the first restaurant like?
The first Freddy’s opened in Wichita in 2002 with a focused fast-casual menu. Steakburgers and frozen custard became the signature items, supported by sides and other familiar restaurant offerings. The concept drew on the look and spirit of classic American diners rather than presenting itself as a formal steakhouse or a specialty dessert shop.
That combination helped distinguish the restaurant. A customer could order a cooked-to-order-style burger and a frozen custard treat in one visit. The restaurant’s nostalgic design and service style helped give the food a clear setting, rather than making the menu feel like a collection of unrelated items.
“Steakburger” can sound as if the sandwich contains a whole cut of steak. It does not necessarily mean that. In restaurant menus, the word generally describes a style or brand identity for a beef burger; it does not mean a steak is served between the buns. Freddy’s pairs that burger identity with frozen custard, a rich frozen dessert made with a different process and texture from ordinary soft-serve ice cream.
The original restaurant matters because it established the basic formula the chain would carry forward: burgers, frozen custard, and a diner-inspired experience. It is more accurate to describe the first location as the starting point for that concept than to assume the chain began as a large national operation.
Freddy’s founding and early milestones
The main milestone is simple: the brand began with its first Wichita restaurant in 2002. The table below separates the founding facts from later developments and details that are easy to mistake for the start of the company.
| Milestone | What it means | What to remember |
|---|---|---|
| 2002 founding | The Simon brothers and Scott Redler established the restaurant business. | This is the founding year. |
| First Wichita restaurant | The first location introduced the steakburger and frozen-custard concept. | It opened in the same year the brand was founded. |
| Later restaurant openings | Additional locations extended the concept beyond its original restaurant. | Expansion happened after the company’s start. |
| Franchise growth | The brand expanded through a wider restaurant network. | Franchising is a growth phase, not the founding date. |
The table avoids a frequent timeline error: treating a later expansion milestone as the company’s origin. A brand can become widely known years after it begins. Its larger footprint does not change the fact that Freddy’s started in Wichita in 2002.
For a short historical answer, use “founded in 2002 in Wichita, Kansas.” If you need to describe the restaurant’s origin in more detail, add that Bill and Randy Simon and Scott Redler started the business and that the first location opened there.
How the original concept shaped the brand
Freddy’s built its identity around two signature menu categories rather than one: steakburgers and frozen custard. That pairing gives the restaurant a clear reason for customers to visit for either a meal or a dessert. It also helps explain why the full name includes both products instead of simply calling the business a burger restaurant.
The diner influence is part of the concept, too. Familiar foods and a nostalgic atmosphere can make a restaurant feel recognizable even to someone visiting a location for the first time. The approach ties the business to an older style of American dining while operating as a contemporary fast-casual chain.
For readers comparing restaurant origins, this is the practical takeaway: a company’s founding date tells you when the business began, while the menu and design explain what it set out to offer. Freddy’s was not founded simply as a frozen dessert brand, nor is its identity limited to burgers. Its original idea joined the two.
That combination also helps clarify the meaning of the full name. “Frozen Custard” identifies the dessert specialty, and “Steakburgers” identifies the savory signature. The name describes the concept customers are likely to encounter, while “Freddy” honors the Simon family connection.
How the restaurant grew beyond Wichita
After the first location established the concept, Freddy’s expanded to additional restaurants. Over time, the brand became a multi-location chain and grew through franchising. Those developments explain how a restaurant that began in one Kansas city became recognizable in other parts of the country.
Growth does not change the founding facts. The first restaurant was in Wichita, and the business began in 2002. Later openings, new markets, and franchise relationships belong to the company’s expansion story, not to its original founding.
This difference matters because brand histories often list several dates. A company may have one date for its founding, another for its first restaurant opening, and still others for franchise growth or major ownership changes. Those dates answer different questions. If you are asked when Freddy’s was founded, use 2002; if you are writing about its national expansion, specify the later event rather than substituting it for the founding year.
For the same reason, avoid describing Freddy’s as having started as a national chain. It began with a single Wichita restaurant and grew from there. That simple sequence is both more accurate and more useful than trying to attach the founding to a later stage in the business.
Common questions about the founding
Where was Freddy’s founded?
Freddy’s was founded in Wichita, Kansas. The city is the home of the first restaurant and the starting point for the chain’s history.
Who were the founders?
The founders were Bill Simon, Randy Simon, and Scott Redler. The Simon brothers were family members, and Redler was their longtime friend and business partner.
Was Freddy Simon one of the founders?
Freddy Simon is the father honored by the restaurant’s name. The people credited with founding the business are his sons, Bill and Randy Simon, and Scott Redler.
Did Freddy’s start in 2002 or open its first location in 2002?
Both descriptions point to 2002. The company was founded that year, and its first restaurant opened in Wichita. If a source gives only the year rather than a precise date, there is no need to infer a specific day.
Is Freddy’s a steakhouse?
No. Freddy’s is a fast-casual restaurant chain known for steakburgers and frozen custard. The word “steakburger” is part of its burger identity; it does not mean that the restaurant’s main product is a steakhouse-style cut of meat.
What is Freddy’s best known for?
The chain is best known for its steakburgers and frozen custard. Its diner-inspired atmosphere is also part of the brand’s identity. Those details describe the concept that began with the first restaurant in Wichita.
What to include when describing Freddy’s history
If you are writing a short biography, school assignment, or restaurant profile, include the founding year, location, and founders together. A concise, accurate version is: “Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers was founded in Wichita, Kansas, in 2002 by Bill and Randy Simon and Scott Redler.”
You can then explain that the restaurant was named for the Simon brothers’ father, Freddy Simon, and that its signature concept combines steakburgers with frozen custard. Those extra details make the answer more informative without confusing the person honored by the name with the founders.
Do not add a precise opening date unless a reliable source confirms it. The year and city provide a complete answer to the question, and the founders’ names establish who launched the business. Avoid filling gaps in a short company history with guessed dates or claims about the first menu.
For a longer account, keep the sequence clear: first came the Wichita restaurant in 2002; later came expansion to additional locations and franchise growth. That order tells the story accurately and keeps the founding date separate from the chain’s later development.
Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers was founded in Wichita, Kansas, in 2002 by Bill and Randy Simon and Scott Redler. The restaurant takes its name from the Simon brothers’ father, Freddy Simon, and built its identity around steakburgers and frozen custard.
If you need a quick, reliable answer to “when was freddy’s frozen custard and steakburgers founded,” use 2002. Include Wichita and the three founders for a fuller description, and avoid assigning a specific opening day unless you can verify it.