Headquarters Wisconsin, United States | Founded 1949 | |
PDQ Food Stores is a chain of convenience stores located in the Wisconsin areas of Milwaukee and Madison, and one California store near Homewood.
The chain began as Tri Dairy Store in 1948 in Middleton, Wisconsin, opened by Sam Jacobsen. Originally the store carried only dairy products, but Jacobsen added other grocery products as time went on, and business improved. The second store didn't come along until 1962; the name PDQ, an acronym for "pretty darn quick" or "pretty damn quick", was a popular catch phrase in the post-World War II era, and the name was suggested by Jacobsen's wife Mary. The original store soon adopted the name as well. [1]
As of January 2016, PDQ Food Stores numbered 34 locations. Most now sell gasoline, as is common with modern convenience stores. On May 1, 2009, PDQ Food Stores was sold to the employees and is now 100% employee owned. [2]