Olga's Kitchen, Inc.

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.