Ross’ Restaurant owners reflect on 50 years of serving Quad Cities

BETTENDORF, Iowa (KWQC) - Ross’ Restaurant owners Ron and Cynthia Freidhof, announced their retirement after 50 years serving the community at the family restaurant.

“After 50 incredible and memorable years in the restaurant business, my wife and I are ready to travel, enjoy our retirement and more time with our grandchildren,” Ron Freidhof said.

Ross’ Restaurant has been a notable spot for visitors to the Quad Cities, with its long history of celebrity visitors and presidential candidates during the Iowa Primaries. Among the most memorable visitors, was former President Barack Obama, who made a surprise stop at Ross’ in June 2011.

Ron and Cynthia Freidhof’s daughter, Melissa Freidhof-Rodgers, recalls the moment she realized the president was coming in to the restaurant.

“The motorcade went around the gas station and came storming up,” said Rodgers, “slams on the brakes at the front door, and then all of a sudden, in walks the president.”

Rodgers began helping out the family at the restaurant when she was six, eventually becoming manager before moving to Georgia.

“Employees were like family,” said Rodgers, “I’d have ten grandmas at my piano concerts.” She added, “Being involved in the restaurant Ross’ was like having a giant extended family, as a child.”

The Freidhof family said they will retain the business and search for a smaller restaurant space to reopen with new management to continue the Ross’ generational legacy of providing quality home-cooked food to the local community, travelers, and presidential candidates.

The couple will also be listing the Bettendorf location, at 2297 Falcon Avenue, for sale, according to a release from the family. Alex Kelly, NAI Ruhl Commercial Company will be assisting the Freidhof family.

The 85-year-old restaurant, founded by Cynthia’s father, Harold Ross, in 1938, relocated to the Falcon Avenue location in 2015. After selling its downtown property to the Iowa Department of Transportation, due to eminent domain and the restaurant being directly in the path of the I-74 bridge construction.

“Losing the downtown property to eminent domain and the subsequent move was quite difficult for us, both as a family and business,” Ron Freidhof said, “A big part of our hearts were left behind at the downtown location.”

After the forced move, Ross’ faced challenges including the changed business climate of the pandemic, supply issues, rising food costs, and staffing shortages.

“My wife and I have realized that when you love what you do, there is never a perfect time to step away,’ Ron Freidhof said. “But we aren’t getting any younger and we have realized that life is short.”

According to Cynthia Ross-Freidhof, the most important visitors have been the many generations of Quad Citizens served