Jack in the Box Inc. (NASDAQ: JACK), based in San Diego, is a restaurant company that operates and franchises Jack in the Box® restaurants, one of the nation’s largest hamburger chains, with more than 2,200 restaurants in 18 states. Additionally, through a wholly owned subsidiary, the company operates and franchises Qdoba Mexican Grill®, a leader in fast-casual dining, with more than 500 restaurants in 42 states and the District of Columbia.

The San Jose Sharks professional hockey franchise represents the San Francisco Bay Area in the National Hockey League, having joined as an expansion team in 1991. Despite some success in reaching the playoffs the past several years, fans are still waiting for an appearance in the Stanley Cup finals. The team plays host at HP Pavilion, affectionately known as "The Shark Tank." George and Gordon Gund, former owners of the Cleveland Cavaliers, were originally awarded the NHL franchise; Silicon Valley Sports & Entertainment, an investment group led by veteran sports executive Greg Jamison, has owned the team since 2002.

The Rams Football Company owns and operates the St. Louis Rams professional football team, which boasts three National Football League championships, its last coming in 2000. The franchise started as the Cleveland Rams in 1936 and moved to Los Angeles in 1946. The team moved to St. Louis in 1995 where it hosts home games at the Edward Jones Dome. Former minority owner Stan Kroenke is now the majority owner of the Rams after purchasing the Rosenbloom family's stake for about $750 million in 2010.

J D Wetherspoon is a leading pub operator in the UK with more than 700 drinking and eating establishments in England, Scotland, and Wales. The pubs operate under a variety of different names; most of the public houses offer a music-free environment with all-day food service. They are often found in non-traditional locations, such as converted banks, post offices, and movie houses. The company's chain of drinking places includes some Lloyds No. 1 Bar locations that offer music and dancing. In addition to bars and pubs, Wetherspoon operates more than a dozen small hotels.

Sonny's Franchise Company operates a chain of barbeque restaurants under the name Sonny's Real Pit Bar-B-Q. It has more than 130 mostly franchised eateries that specialize in barbecue beef, chicken, pork, and ribs served with a variety of complementary sides, such as beans, coleslaw, and french fries. Sonny's locations, which also offer catering services, are found mostly in nine Southern states. In addition to its restaurants, the company sells bottled barbecue sauces online and in retail locations across the country. Floyd "Sonny" Tillman and his wife Lucille opened their first barbecue joint in 1968. Bob and Jeff Yarmuth bought Sonny's in 1991.

APEX Restaurant Group manages two casual dining restaurant chains with a handful of locations operating under the banners Blue Chalk Cafe and Left at Albuquerque. It also provides marketing, consulting, and administrative support services to third-party restaurant chains. CEO Mark Bromberg, formerly chairman of Metromedia's restaurant division, and partner John Todd formed the company in 2002.

International Dairy Queen (IDQ) has been supplying brain-freezes for a long, long time. International Dairy Queen, Inc. is a leading franchisor of frozen treat stores with more than 5,900 quick-service restaurants, most of which operate under the Dairy Queen banner. Popular DQ ice cream treats include Blizzards, sundaes, and cones. Many of the stores also serve burgers, fries, and other items. In addition to its flagship chain, IDQ has about 700 Orange Julius locations offering blended fruit drinks and a small number of Karmelkorn stands that feature popcorn snacks. Only a small number of units are company-owned. Tracing its roots back to 1938, the company is owned by Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway.

You might say this company is into neighborhood casual dining. Apple American Group is a leading franchisee of Applebee's, with more than 200 Applebee's Neighborhood Grill & Bar locations in about 10 states. The largest casual dining chain in the US, Applebee's restaurants offer a full-service menu of beef, chicken, and seafood entrees, as well as a wide selection of appetizers. Most of Apple American's restaurants are found in the Midwest (Ohio, Indiana, Pennsylvania) and on the West Coast (California, Washington). Founded in 1998 by CEO Greg Flynn, Apple American is controlled by private equity firm Weston Presidio Service.

Panther Racing has its cars purring and competing in about 20 car-racing events a year, including the Indianapolis 500, with drivers Buddy Lazier, Tomas Enge, and Tomas Scheckter. The company's sponsors include Chevrolet, Pennzoil, Quaker State, Puma, Segway, and Snap-on. Like other Indy Racing League teams, the company also sells Panther Racing brand apparel and other items.

Santa's Village was established in 1955 as a tourist destination by a group of local citizens when the Highway 11 was built and bypassed Bracebridge. These citizens felt that perhaps Santa would like a summer home in the most beautiful cottage area in Ontario which also happened to be conveniently located half way between the equator and the North Pole, on the 45th parallel. Santa liked the idea so much that he had his elves build, not just a cottage, but a whole village to which he could invite everyone to come and experience the joy of Christmas all summer long. Under Santa's direction, the elves put in rides, games and an amphitheatre and prepared delicious food to please his guests. All of this is set in an enchanting natural woodland and watercourse environment.

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