Hot 'n Now

Hot 'n Now is an American fast-food restaurant brand founded in Kalamazoo, Michigan, in 1984 by William Van Domelen. The chain was built around a deliberately simple, low-cost operating model. Its restaurants generally used small buildings designed primarily for drive-through service, often with a distinctive tall, slanted roof. Some earlier units were more conventional fast-food restaurants with indoor seating, while others were co-located with gas stations. The brand expanded quickly during the late 1980s. By 1990, it had more than 100 restaurants across 15 states, supported by a highly competitive value proposition: hamburgers, fries, and soft drinks were sold at prices as low as 39 cents. Van Domelen had prior experience as an operator of Michigan Wendy's restaurants and as a Burger Chef franchisee in southwestern Michigan, and that background informed Hot 'n Now's streamlined approach. PepsiCo acquired Hot 'n Now in 1990 and placed the chain under the management of its Taco Bell division. Van Domelen left the business soon after the transaction. Under PepsiCo and Taco Bell, the concept was modified, including menu changes beginning in 1992. These changes, combined with declining support for franchisees, contributed to dissatisfaction within the system. Hot 'n Now was increasingly treated as an experimental or secondary brand rather than as a principal national growth platform. In the first quarter of 1995, 80 company-owned restaurants were closed, with the stated intention of transferring locations to franchisees or licensees. The chain was sold by Taco Bell in 1996 to a Connecticut company. By 2002, it was based in Holt, Michigan, and operated 53 restaurants, although several locations had closed. The company also experimented with an El Toro Mexican-food concept operated alongside Hot 'n Now restaurants; two such co-located units opened in January 2002. In October 2003, Proquest Capital Corporation acquired Hot 'n Now assets and certain liabilities from Hot 'n Now, LLC. Proquest was subsequently renamed Hot Brands, Inc. At the time of that transaction, the chain had 44 locations in Michigan, Wisconsin, and Indiana, consisting of 23 corporate restaurants and 21 franchisee-owned restaurants. In 2004, the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and was sold to STEN Corporation, which also owned the Burger Time chain. Ownership of the Hot 'n Now name later became associated with BTND, LLC after the sale of Burger Time. The brand contracted to a very small regional presence. A fire at the Bay City, Michigan, restaurant on September 5, 2016, left the Sturgis, Michigan, restaurant as the only remaining Hot 'n Now location. The former Bay City site continued operating under the Burger 81 name, with items associated with Hot 'n Now, including the olive burger and cheesy tots, remaining on its menu. In October 2024, Jeff Konczak of Alpena, Michigan, and Gun Lake Investments of Grand Rapids, Michigan, acquired the rights to the Hot 'n Now name through a partnership known as HNN Holdings. They announced plans to revive the brand with new Michigan restaurants in Alpena and Grand Rapids. A location in Wayland, Michigan, was announced for 2025 and opened on October 13, 2025. As of October 2025, Hot 'n Now operated two locations, both in Michigan. The brand's current identity combines nostalgic regional recognition with a compact, value-oriented fast-food format, although its broader expansion plans and long-term operating scale remain uncertain.

Hot 'n Now began in Kalamazoo, Michigan, in 1984 under the leadership of William Van Domelen. Before founding the chain, Van Domelen had opened the first Michigan Wendy's restaurants and operated as a Burger Chef franchisee in southwestern Michigan. Hot 'n Now adopted a compact, simplified restaurant model that favored drive-through service and limited operating complexity. Its buildings were often small structures with prominent sloping roofs, although some locations offered conventional indoor seating or were attached to fuel stations. The format achieved rapid growth. By 1990, Hot 'n Now had more than 100 restaurants in 15 states. Its appeal centered on price and speed: hamburgers, fries, and soft drinks were offered for as little as 39 cents, creating a strong value proposition against larger fast-food competitors. PepsiCo purchased the chain in 1990 and placed it within Taco Bell's operating structure. Van Domelen resigned soon after the acquisition. PepsiCo's stewardship brought changes to the brand's concept. Menu revisions began in 1992, and President Don Pierce departed in 1993. Franchisee support subsequently declined, while Hot 'n Now was increasingly used as a test or secondary brand within the larger corporation. In the first quarter of 1995, 80 company-owned stores were closed, with plans to sell or license corporate locations to franchisees and other operators. The period also produced a dispute involving Richard Loehr, who had purchased a Broward County, Florida, franchise in January 1990. Loehr eventually operated five locations but later sought to exit the market. According to the account of the business, Hot 'n Now declined to purchase the locations after initially expressing interest and prevented a sale to other parties. After profits declined following 1993, Loehr dismissed approximately 300 employees and closed his six locations by March 1995. He filed suit against Taco Bell on March 16, 1995; the matter went to trial in December 1998. Taco Bell sold Hot 'n Now in 1996 to a Connecticut company. By 2002, the business was headquartered in Holt, Michigan, and had 53 restaurants, though the system had begun closing units. The company tested an El Toro Mexican-food menu as a co-located concept, opening two such restaurants in January 2002. In October 2003, Proquest Capital Corporation purchased Hot 'n Now assets and certain liabilities from Hot 'n Now, LLC. Proquest was later renamed Hot Brands, Inc. The chain then had 44 locations across Michigan, Wisconsin, and Indiana, with 23 corporate-owned and 21 franchisee-owned restaurants. In 2004, Hot 'n Now filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and was sold to STEN Corporation, an owner of the Burger Time chain. After later changes involving Burger Time and BTND, LLC, rights to the Hot 'n Now name became associated with the successor ownership structure. The chain subsequently declined to an extremely limited footprint. A fire destroyed or severely affected the Bay City, Michigan, location on September 5, 2016, leaving the Sturgis restaurant as the sole remaining Hot 'n Now site. The former Bay City operation later became Burger 81, while continuing to serve recognizable Hot 'n Now items such as the olive burger and cheesy tots. In October 2024, Jeff Konczak and Gun Lake Investments acquired the rights to the Hot 'n Now brand through HNN Holdings. The new rights holders announced plans to open restaurants in Alpena and Grand Rapids, Michigan, during a planned revival. A Wayland location was announced for 2025 and opened on October 13 of that year. As of October 2025, the chain operated two restaurants, both in Michigan. Its present strategy is therefore regional rather than national, with the brand relying on its Michigan heritage, recognizable menu items, and compact fast-food format.

• 2025

  Wayland restaurant opens

  [1]Hot 'n Nowen.wikipedia.org

  A revived Hot 'n Now restaurant opened in Wayland, Michigan, on October 13, 2025.

• 2024

  Brand rights acquired by HNN Holdings

  [1]Hot 'n Nowen.wikipedia.org

  Jeff Konczak and Gun Lake Investments acquired the rights to Hot 'n Now and announced plans for new Michigan locations.

• 2016

  Bay City location fire

  [1]Hot 'n Nowen.wikipedia.org

  A fire at the Bay City restaurant left the Sturgis location as the chain's only remaining Hot 'n Now unit.

• 2004

  Chapter 11 bankruptcy and sale to STEN

  [1]Hot 'n Nowen.wikipedia.org

  Hot 'n Now filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and was sold to STEN Corporation.

• 2003

  Proquest Capital acquires assets

  [1]Hot 'n Nowen.wikipedia.org

  Proquest Capital Corporation acquired the chain's assets and some liabilities and was later renamed Hot Brands, Inc.

• 2002

  El Toro co-location experiment

  [1]Hot 'n Nowen.wikipedia.org

  Two restaurants opened with an El Toro-branded Mexican menu operated alongside Hot 'n Now.

• 1996

  Taco Bell divests the brand

  [1]Hot 'n Nowen.wikipedia.org

  Taco Bell sold Hot 'n Now to a Connecticut company.

• 1995

  Large-scale corporate-store closures

  [1]Hot 'n Nowen.wikipedia.org

  Eighty company-owned restaurants were closed as the business shifted toward franchisees and licensees.

• 1990

  Rapid expansion and PepsiCo acquisition

  [1]Hot 'n Nowen.wikipedia.org

  The chain exceeded 100 stores in 15 states and was acquired by PepsiCo, which placed it under Taco Bell.

• 1984

  Hot 'n Now is founded in Kalamazoo

  [1]Hot 'n Nowen.wikipedia.org

  William Van Domelen founded the fast-food chain in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

A Michigan-rooted, value-oriented fast-food brand emphasizing simple menus, compact drive-through operations, low prices, and regional nostalgia.

• Burgers · 1984

  Hamburgers

  Hamburgers formed the core of Hot 'n Now's simplified fast-food menu and were central to its early value strategy. During the chain's expansion, burgers were promoted alongside fries and soft drinks at exceptionally low prices.

• Burger specialty

  Olive burger

  The olive burger is one of the menu items most closely associated with Hot 'n Now's regional identity. It remained available at the former Bay City site after that restaurant changed its name to Burger 81 and is cited as a recognizable legacy offering.

• Side dish

  Cheesy tots

  Cheesy tots are a potato-based side associated with Hot 'n Now. Like the olive burger, they continued to be offered at the former Bay City location after its conversion to Burger 81.

• Mexican fast food · 2002

  El Toro Mexican menu

  El Toro was an experimental Mexican-food concept designed to operate alongside Hot 'n Now. Two co-located restaurants opened in January 2002, but the available reference does not establish that the concept became a continuing major product line.

• 2024

  Acquisition of brand rights by HNN HoldingsM&A

  Background

  Hot 'n Now had been reduced to a very small operating footprint after years of ownership changes and closures.

  Action taken

  Jeff Konczak and Gun Lake Investments acquired the rights to the Hot 'n Now name through HNN Holdings.

  Aftermath

  The new rights holders announced plans to reopen or develop additional Michigan restaurants, including locations associated with Alpena, Grand Rapids, and Wayland.

  Source

• 2004

  Chapter 11 restructuring and saleOther

  Background

  The chain had contracted substantially from its earlier national scale and was operating under successor ownership.

  Action taken

  Hot 'n Now filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and was sold to STEN Corporation.

  Aftermath

  The brand continued at a much smaller regional scale and eventually declined to a single remaining location.

  Source

• 2002

  El Toro co-located menu testProduct launch

  Background

  The company sought to broaden its restaurant format while operating Hot 'n Now locations.

  Action taken

  It introduced an El Toro-branded Mexican menu at co-located restaurants, with two units opening in January.

  Aftermath

  The reference material does not establish that the experiment expanded into a significant continuing business.

  Source

• 1995

  Corporate-store reductionStrategy

  Background

  Hot 'n Now was being treated as a test brand within the Taco Bell organization, while franchisee support was reported to have weakened.

  Action taken

  The company closed 80 corporate-owned stores and expected to transfer or license locations to franchisees and licensees.

  Aftermath

  The decision accelerated the contraction of the chain's company-operated footprint.

  Source

• 1990

  PepsiCo acquisitionM&A

  Background

  Hot 'n Now had expanded to more than 100 restaurants in 15 states and had attracted attention through its low-price operating model.

  Action taken

  PepsiCo acquired the chain and placed its operations under Taco Bell.

  Aftermath

  Founder William Van Domelen resigned soon after the sale. Subsequent menu and operating changes contributed to franchisee dissatisfaction and store closures.

  Source

1. 1Hot 'n Nowen.wikipedia.org