In 1974, Randy Norton and Jim Farley opened a 16-table pizza place in Fairfax, VA. Mike Ranney joined them a year later, and with the opening of Fantastic Fritzbe's Flying Food Factory (now Silverado) in 1976, Great American Restaurants was born. Over the past 40 years, their partnership has thrived as a result of their entrepreneurial spirit, enthusiasm for hospitality, and a ton of hard work by thousands of the best team players in the industry.