Our History

It All Started with an Idea as Fresh as the Food

Nearly forty-five years ago, a young man named Sandy Beall hatched an idea that would lead to the creation of one of America's favorite brands. Ruby Tuesday was born of his vision of a restaurant where the food and drinks were handcrafted, fresh, and full of flavor, made with quality ingredients and prepared and served by friendly, caring people, passionate about their work. He wanted a place that was casual and comfortable but that looked great, too. It was a combination so unique and special that he and his team had to invent it themselves.

From that first restaurant near the campus of the University of Tennessee in 1972 to more than 600 restaurants across the United States and around the globe, Ruby Tuesday grew to become part of a large public foodservice company in 1982, to be its own independent, publicly traded company in 1996, and along the way to become one of the most well-known and beloved brands in casual dining.

Today and every day, the simple, founding philosophy of quality food and beverages, passionate people, and pride in everything we do continues. Our history is a proud one, and our future remains dedicated to making each and every one of our guests thoroughly satisfied and delighted every time they visit Ruby Tuesday.