FRANKENMUTH (WWJ) - Frankenmuth's most famous restaurant has once again earned top rankings among state, national and international surveys and living up to their commitment to the “Tradition of Good Taste."
In 150 years of serving over 30,000,000 guests from around the world, Zehnder's of Frankenmuth, located 90 miles north of Detroit, has been named the number one independent restaurant in Michigan and number three in the U.S. for the number of meals served among independent restaurants nationwide by hospitality trade magazine, Restaurant Business.
It also appears as #14 on TasteAtlas' recently published list of the 150 Most Legendary Restaurants in the World.
The experiential travel online guide named Zehnder's among internationally renowned establishments that have "remained relevant and highly regarded in an ever-changing culinary landscape."
Zehnder's is famous for its traditional family-style chicken dinners, which TasteAtlas praises as "honest, no-nonsense food that is simply delectable."
The Top 150 list is complied based on "collates authentic recipes, food critic reviews, and research articles about popular ingredients and dishes. The site uses reviews and recommendations from gastronomy professionals and critics reviews instead of user-generated content, citing trustworthiness as the main reason," the online guide stated.
Restaurant Business also praised Zehnder's, who served almost 908,951 meals, for its average guest check of $19.
“We are extremely proud of our accomplishments to provide our guests with a consistent experience that includes good food and service,” said Zehnder’s Chairman and CEO Al Zehnder.
“We opened on Mother’s Day in 1929, and served 312 chicken dinners at $1 each," he continued. "Over the years we have expanded the Zehnder Experience into a 'four-season family vacation destination', adding our indoor waterpark hotel Zehnder’s Splash Village, our retail facility, Zehnder’s Marketplace and our championship golf course The Fortress.
Change is good; however tradition is paramount to our success," Zehnder added.
Zehnder's and the surrounding Bavarian-themed town is one of Michigan's top tourist destinations, drawing in more than three million visitors to the city each year.
In 2020, Zehnder's received the James Beard America's Classics Award which is given to locally owned restaurants that have "timeless appeal and are beloved regionally for quality food that reflects the character of its community," the restaurant said in a press release.
At 1,500 seats, Zehnder's flagship establishment is dubbed “America’s Largest Family Restaurant." The business also owns and operates Zehnder’s Splash Village Hotel and Waterpark, Zehnder’s retail marketplace, and the 18-hole championship golf course, The Fortress.
For more information about Zehnder's, visit www.Zehnders.com.