Gino Marchetti, the Hall of Fame defensive end for the Baltimore Colts, is bringing his beloved burgers back to Baltimore after a 20-year hiatus. Marchetti, 84, opened his first fast-food joint on North Point Road in 1959, at the height of his football career.
By 1982, when he sold the chain to Marriott International for $48 million, there were 469 Gino’s franchises nationwide dishing up the popular Gino Giant, a two-fisted meal with a special pink sauce that gourmands still rave about today.
The first new Gino’s opened last October, in King Of Prussia, Pa., near Marchetti’s home. Next up: a Baltimore-area franchise. Marchetti spoke recently about expansion plans.