Chock full o'Nuts is an American brand of coffee that originated from a chain of New York City coffee shops.
Its unusual name derives from the 18 nut shops that founder William Black (c. 1902–1983) established with the brand in the city beginning in 1926. When the Great Depression struck, he converted them to lunch counters, serving a cup of coffee and a sandwich for five cents.[1]
The brand became popular over the next 27 years and was introduced to the consumer market through grocery stores in 1953. It is owned by Italian coffee company Massimo Zanetti Beverage Group.
History
The chain was founded by William Black (né Schwartz),[2] who sold nuts in Times Square to theater-goers. In 1926, he opened a store at Broadway and 43rd Street, eventually adding 17 more. When the Depression began New Yorkers could no longer afford the luxury of shelled nuts, so Black converted the shops into