Amato's
{{Short description|New England sandwich shop chain}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2012}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Amato's Sandwich Shops, Inc.
| logo = Amato's logo.svg
| logo_size = 175px
| image = File:Amato’s, India Street.jpg
| image_caption = The flagship store on India Street (2025)
| type = Private company corporation
| foundation = {{start date and age|1902}}
| location = Portland, Maine, United States
| key_people = Giovanni Amato (Founder), Dominic Reali (President), Pasquale Troiano (CEO)
| industry = Foodservice, Fast food Franchising
| products = "Italian sandwich", pizza, pasta, salad
| homepage = {{URL|www.amatos.com}}
}}
Amato's Sandwich Shops, Inc., is a chain of Italian restaurants that serves sandwiches, pizza and pasta throughout northern New England, United States. It is best known for its Maine Italian sandwich. About half of these are located throughout their home state of Maine. The chain also has a strong presence in Vermont, and there are a handful of other locations within New Hampshire.{{Cite web|url=http://www.amatos.com/maine-locations/|title=Maine Locations|website=Amato's|language=en-US|access-date=2018-03-21}} Additionally, a number of locations are located inside of Nouria gas stations in Massachusetts. Giovanni named his sandwiches "Italians" in honor of his homeland.
History
In 1902, Naples native Giovanni Amato and his wife, Michelina, opened a store on India Street in Portland, Maine.{{Cite web |date=2016-03-28 |title=Flashback: Amato's on India Street, 1955 |url=https://www.pressherald.com/2016/03/28/flashback-another-mild-winter-on-india-street-1955/ |access-date=2024-03-27 |website=Press Herald}} According to official literature, Amato's sandwiches contained ham, American cheese, and fresh vegetables, which the Italian immigrants along the waterfront seemed to enjoy. Amato named his sandwich the "Italian" in honor of his country and his people.{{Cite web |url=http://travel.mainetoday.com/fromaway/060405.shtml |title=MaineToday.com "From Away |access-date=November 24, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070809145200/http://travel.mainetoday.com/fromaway/060405.shtml |archive-date=August 9, 2007 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }} Today, there are 40 locations operating under the Amato's brand. Dominic Reali also added Greek olives, sour pickles, and his own oil (a blend of olive and vegetable oil) to the famous Real Italian.
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Official website|www.amatos.com/home/}}
- [https://www.pressherald.com/2014/05/12/amatos-sandwich-shop-in-1959-flashback/ John F. Amato at the India Street Amato's in April 1959]
Category:Restaurants in Portland, Maine
Category:Italian restaurants in the United States
Category:Restaurants established in 1902
Category:American companies established in 1902