Big Boy is a restaurant chain that serves a selection of breakfast, lunch and dinner items. It began in 1936, when Bob Wian, the owner of a 10-seat diner in Glendale, Calif., invented an extraordinary double-decker hamburger. The sandwichs success inspired Bob to name his diner Bobs Big Boy and the Big Boy was born. Its logo, which is one of the worlds most recognized corporate icons, features a boy in overalls with a curl in his hair. The restaurant s signature food items include Big Boy sandwiches, shakes, malts, onion rings, strawberry pies, ice cream, Slim Jim sandwiches and Swiss Miss. It prepares and sells various items, such as soups, chili, spaghetti sauce, salad dressings and desserts at its commissary. The restaurant offers exclusive Big Boy comic books, as well as coloring and activity placemats for children. It is a part of Big Boy Restaurants International, which is the exclusive worldwide franchisor of more than 445 Big Boy restaurants in the United States and Japan. The restaurant maintains a presence in Petoskey, Mich.