Ryan's Express history

The film opens in a POW camp in Italy in 1943.

His initial success prompted him to quit his accounting job to form McCall Construction Co., which, according to McCall, showed a $43,000 profit its first year, 1958.

Von Ryan’s Express, American war film, released in 1965, that featured Frank Sinatra in an exciting tale of an Allied POW escape from occupied Italy during World War II.

1970: Ryan's founder, Alvin McCall, Jr., enters the restaurant business by opening the Western Family Steak House.

He started Ryan's the same year and the first restaurant opened in 1978 on Laurens Road in Greenville.

At the end of 1981 (when sales were $8.1 million) the partnerships were consolidated; Ryan's first public stock offering raised $4 million.

In 1987, to clear the way for westward expansion, Ryan's paid Rian $150,000 for use of the name in the remaining United States.

In June 1988 Alvin McCall resumed his role as CEO as his son Mark left the post to start a restaurant chain in Texas.

Greenville accountant Charles Way took over as CEO in 1989 after serving as controller since the company was only two years old.

Fred Grant, a finance officer, explained in 1991 that issuing a 25-cent dividend would cost $13 million, enough to start six restaurants.

Family Steak Houses, based in Neptune Beach, lost $2.1 million in 1993, in large part due to the closure of unprofitable stores.

The company did not run a significant advertising campaign until 1994, when it bought television and radio spots in Charleston.

Expanded installation of the scatter bars in 1995 helped Ryan's turn around sales declines.

1997: Ryan's celebrates its 20th anniversary by generating nearly $600 million in revenue.

The company was successful, nonetheless, having adding roughly 50 new restaurants to the chain during the previous two years, giving it a total of 277 units by the beginning of 1998.

In 1999, Golden Corral began displaying the preparation of vegetables and bakery products to its patrons.