Hart’s Ventures was founded in 2009 in Memphis, TN and has been led by Robert Zufall and Jason McElhaney with their vision to revolutionize the fast-casual dining experience. Their goal was to establish a collection of distinctive restaurants offering guests quick, freshly prepared meals across various concepts to cater to all dining preferences.
Where Quality and Service Are Tradition
Mission Statement
To cultivate exceptional hospitality ventures and drive sustainable growth through operational excellence, strong franchise partnerships, and a commitment to developing passionate, high-performing teams.
Values
All Heart
Own the Standard
Built to Grow
One Team, One Mission
Relentless Improvement
Our History
Robert’s family comes from a long line of great restaurateurs. His great-grandfather L.S. Hartzog started with a wholesale bakery in Selma, Alabama. Hartzog founded Hart's Bread in Memphis, TN, which supplied biscuits for fried chicken franchises and hamburger buns for a national chain. The bakery would bake 72,000 loaves of bread a day and produce 40 million pounds annually. He later owned 35 Kentucky Fried Chicken franchise stores in Houston and Oklahoma City. He owned the first Wendy's franchise, in the Atlanta area, and went on to own 84 Wendy's. Hartzog started Granny's Fried Chicken, which was later sold and renamed Mrs. Winner's.
Robert’s grandfather Thomas Hartzog worked alongside L.S. to operate the group of over 150 restaurants. It was Robert’s father Matthew Zufall and mother Jennifer Hartzog Zufall who started Hart’s Ventures in 2009. They managed the business while Jason McElhaney lead the operations. Robert’s parents retired from the restaurant industry in 2018 and they sold the business to Robert and Jason.
Community Involvement and Fundraising
In addition to serving up great food and experiences in their restaurants, they are passionate about supporting local high schools and speaking to students about the restaurant industry. They also play a role in Memphis' vibrant food truck scene. Outside of their professional lives, Jason and Robert love spending time with their families, fishing, and cheering for the Memphis Tigers.
Celebrating Successes
Recent News
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