| Type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Restaurants |
| Founded | 1938 |
| Headquarters | Webster, NY, USA |
| Key people | Vince DiPrima, Eric Kruk, Sam Howe, Christina Apollonio |
| Website | www.billgrays.com |
Bill Gray's is a chain of fast food restaurants based in Webster, New York (a suburb of Rochester, New York) that currently has 15 restaurants opened in the Rochester and Buffalo areas in western New York; six of these locations also sell Abbott's Frozen Custard.
In 1938, Bill and Alberta Gray began selling hot dogs in Webster.[1] Within a few years, Bill Gray's expanded and added multiple items to its menu, including its self-proclaimed world greatest cheeseburger. The restaurant continued to add locations during this time. Local businessman Bruce Hegedorn became a partner with Bill Gray in the early '60s, at first to build another restaurant. With Bill as the head of operations and store management, Bruce as the financial person and location expert, they continued to expand and build the restaurant chain. They acquired competitor Tom Wahl's in 1986.
Bill Gray's mostly operates stand-alone restaurants in Monroe County, New York. Exceptions are the facility in Boulevard Mall near Buffalo, the facility in the Strong National Museum of Play, and a combined restaurant and sports pub in Ontario, New York in neighboring Wayne County.