It was drizzling in Portland, Oregon on January 10, 1969, the day The Old Spaghetti Factory opened its doors for the first time. Standing there to greet the few customers who wandered in was the owner, Guss Dussin. Total gross sales for the night were a paltry $171.80 and many in the business who knew Dussin were convinced his hare-brained idea was a complete bust. They couldn't have been more wrong. One week later the evening's receipts rose to $900 and by the end of the year, the restaurant had sales of almost $400,000. In 1970, two more restaurants were started and company sales rose to $1.3 million. Today, The Old Spaghetti Factory is an international restaurant company serving more than 10 million customers annually. In an industry where few places ever see their seventh anniversary, The Old Spaghetti Factory's continued success is a rarity. The formula for that success has been the result of smart thinking, even smarter operating instincts, and an uncanny devotion to customer value. All were conceived by founder Dussin, whose values permeate the entire organization.

This company adds a dash of fun to its cuisine, and customers eat it up. Max & Erma's Restaurants operates and franchises about 100 family-style restaurants in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan, and a handful of other states. Known for its gourmet hamburgers and bathtub-sized sundae bar, the chain serves a variety of moderately priced menu items, including chicken, pasta, salads, and steak dishes. The company's restaurants are typically free-standing units that sport a collection of local memorabilia. Franchisees operate about 25 locations, while the rest are company-owned. The company, owned by Pittsburgh-based investment group G&R Acquisition, filed for bankruptcy in 2009.

If you're holding too much weight, 24 Hour Fitness Worldwide has the solution. It owns and operates more than 400 fitness centers that offer aerobic, cardiovascular, and weight lifting activities to the company's more than 3.5 million members. Some facilities also feature squash, racquetball, and basketball courts; swimming pools; steam and sauna rooms; tanning rooms; and whirlpools. It is one of the only fitness chains open 24 hours a day. The centers are located in more than 15 states in the US, as well as throughout Asia. (It has some 15 clubs in Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, and Taiwan). Forstmann Little & Co owns 24 Hour Fitness, which was founded in 1983.

Mean Fiddler may be playing your tune. Mean Fiddler Music Group is one of the UK's leading promoters of music festivals and venues. It owns more than a dozen venues, including Jazz Cafe, Relentless Garage, Warehouse, and The Borderline, and promotes such events as the Reading Festival, Leeds, and Latitude. An investment firm formed by Clear Channel Entertainment (now Live Nation Entertainment) and Dublin's music promotion firm MCD Productions (led by music entrepreneur Denis Desmond) acquired Mean Fiddler Group in 2005. Mean Fiddler was founded as a single live-music club in 1982 by former chairman Vince Power.

This company is pinning its hopes on the flavor of the Big Island to draw a few mainlanders into its restaurants. Kona Grill operates about 20 upscale casual-dining restaurants offering both seafood and American dishes with an island twist. The restaurants serve both lunch and diner menus, and they offer a wide selection of sushi. In addition to dining, each location typically has a bar area for happy hour with margaritas and martinis. The restaurants are typically found near upscale shopping areas in Arizona, Texas, and about 20 other states. Former chairman and CEO Marcus Jundt and his family own about 20% of Kona Grill.

China Lodging Group has a group of, you guessed it, hotels. The company operates about 235 economy-priced hotels in 40 cities, mostly in China's east coast region. It has another 140 in development, which would put the ratio of leased-and-operated to managed-under-franchise about even, though the company makes most of its revenue from the former category. China Lodging's banners include HanTing Express and HanTing Seasons, both business hotels, and HanTing Hi Inn, a budget hotel. The company locates its hotels in the country's more industrial and tourist-oriented cities. China Lodging began operations in 2005 and filed to go public in 2010. Pre-IPO, CEO Qi Ji owns about 62%.

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.

This company has gotten ahead in the restaurant business by holding on to a bit of the past. Cracker Barrel Old Country Store owns and operates more than 590 of its flagship restaurants known for their country kitsch, rustic decor, and down-home cooking. The eateries, located in more than 40 states, offer mostly standard American fare, such as chicken, ham, and roast beef dishes, but they are most popular as breakfast spots. Each Cracker Barrel location features a retail area where patrons can buy hand-blown glassware, cast iron cookware, and woodcrafts, as well as jellies and old-fashioned candies. Most of the restaurants are found along interstate highways and target hungry travelers.

NetPlayTV is the UK's largest interactive TV gaming company. NetPlay TV use our extensive knowledge of creating profitable games with our proven ability to create great TV show formats. Applying this unique combination, we develop highly successful brands that people can play on TV, online and on their mobile. At NetPlayTV, the customer is at the heart of everything we do. NetPlay TV plc acquisition, retention, VIP, loyalty and customer service programmes are world class, which is why our players stay with us longer and have higher lifetime values than our competitors.

Tharaldson Motels, Inc. was founded in 1982 by Gary Tharaldson. The business is 100%-owned by its employees through an employee stock ownership program. Tharaldson Motels company operates more than 220 limited-service hotels in 30 states, under such brands as Fairfield Inn by Marriott, Country Inn & Suites by Carlson, EconoLodge by Choice Hotels, and Homewood Suites by Hilton. Tharaldson's properties feature 24-hour coffee service, cable television, free local phone calls, and other basic amenities. It also provides free rooms to customers visiting family members or friends hospitalized over the holidays.

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