RESTAURANTS: The Highwayman

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To motorists in most Eastern states, the orange tile roof of a Howard Johnson's restaurant is almost as familiar as a gas pump. The Johnson chain, which got its start near Boston 24 years ago, now stretches along highways from Maine to Florida, has outlets scattered all the way to Wisconsin. This year its 355 "stores" will serve 250 million customers and gross $150 million; they constitute the largest roadside restaurant chain in the world. But Founder Howard Johnson, a husky 54-year-old who spends as much time on the road as his best customers, is not satisfied. His goal is to have at least one outlet in every state.

Last week, with building restrictions eased, Highwayman Johnson added three new states to his territory. He put the final O.K. on plans for five new restaurants along Oklahoma's Turner Turnpike, to be built by Phillips Petroleum and leased to the Johnson company. A new Howard Johnson's will be opened next week in Atlanta; another is abuilding just south of Louisville, Ky. By next spring at least 20 new links will be forged in the chain, including restaurants in Los Angeles and Montreal.

Johnson's chain has lengthened measurably since war's end. In the past six years he has added 118 restaurants. Of the total, he owns 145; the rest he licenses out and sells the owners their supplies: toothpicks, napkins, hot dogs, ice cream, syrups, potato chips, tea balls, matches and about 700 other items. He also owns nine eastern steakhouses, known as Red Coach Grills, and a wholesale business which sells such local specialities as baked beans and brown bread to retailers in the six New England states.