Roy W. Allen (September 30, 1882 – March 26, 1968) was an American entrepreneur who is best known for being a founder and namesake for A&W Root Beer and A&W Restaurants. Allen was born in Illinois in 1882 to a Mr. and Mrs (née Davis) Allen. From there he headed west to California, working as a hotelier. During his time as a hotelier, Allen came across a chemist or pharmacist, while doing business in Arizona. He told Allen that he had allegedly perfected a mix for root beer. Intrigued by the prospect, Allen eventually purchased that recipe. He then opened a stand to sell it at Lodi, California in June 1919, originally charging 5¢. The first mugs of the drinks were sold to returning soldiers from the First World War. During that era, Prohibition had helped the sale of soft drinks across the