Today, salad lovers can enjoy dozens of delicious Wish-Bone® dressings with the salads they love to create. But the Wish-Bone® Story started almost 60 years ago thanks to a single recipe for Italian dressing and an ingenious American soldier.
In 1945, just after World War II, Phillip Sollomi, an ex-G.I., opened a family-style chicken restaurant in Kansas City, Missouri and decided to name his place, "The Wish-Bone®."
Dressed for success
Phil's restaurant was an immediate success, but in 1948, he decided the place was missing a certain...kick. He decided to ask his mother for the spicy salad dressing recipe she brought from her native Sicily. He thought his customers might like it. Boy, did they!
Customers at "The Wish-Bone®" Restaurant went wild for the dressing and demanded bottles to take home. Phil eventually had to begin mixing the dressing in a 50 gallon drum while his mother happily applied labels declaring: "The Kansas City Wish-Bone® Famous Italian-Style Dressing."
Wish-Bone® makes a name
The fame of Wish-Bone® spread throughout the heartland. In 1957, Phil decided to sell the business to Lipton. We still care about what Phil and his mom did: the best ingredients, the original recipe, and the best food. And to this day, we still make our "famous" dressings in Kansas City, Missouri.
1950
The Wish-Bone® restaurant opens in Kansas City with Italian Dressing as one of their specialties
1958
TJ Lipton purchases Wish-Bone® from Phil Sollomi
1960s
Wish-Bone® expands geographically
1970
Wish-Bone® becomes the #1 brand of Italian dressing - a position it has maintained ever since
1980s
Wish-Bone® Lite line introduced
1995
Wish-Bone® begins using the "World's Most Colorful Taste" tagline
1998
The "Marinating 1-2-3" television campaign is launched
1999
The Vinaigrettes line is launched nationally
2000
The Just 2 Good!® line of products is launched
2002
Dressing & Marinade line is launched
2003
The Ranch-Up!® line is launched as popularity of Ranch dressings grows
2004
Ranch-Up!® Light is launched
2006
Wish-Bone® Salad Spritzers® Vinaigrette Dressings line of sprayable salad dressings are launched
2006
Light Vinaigrettes are introduced to the world
2007
4 new Salad Spritzers® flavors are launched
2008
Wish-Bone® Bountifuls® is launched with 4 new flavors, and 2 new Salad Spritzers® flavors are launched