OPINIONLeadership

Winston Churchill's role in winning World War II is well known. His launch of a restaurant chain, not so much.

Restaurant Rewind: Churchill's British Restaurants grew to 2,500 locations. Now there's a movement to bring the concept back.

This episode is sponsored by Uber Direct.

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Anyone who’s ever taken a history class covering World War II (or watched more than hour of the History Channel) is likely aware of the crucial role Winston Churchill played in saving Great Britain. His leadership skills and mastery of the English language kept hope alive, even during what he termed the United Kingdom’s darkest hour.

Yet even many Brits don’t know the eloquent statesman also midwifed a 2,500-branch restaurant chain that was feeding 600,000 people a day during the height of the war and the years immediately afterward. The outlets literally helped to keep down-and-out civilians alive.

Churchill, whose enjoyment of food and drink were as celebrated as his oratorical skills, was such a champion of the venture that the public dubbed the outlets Churchill’s British Restaurants.

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