A national magazine named Tudor’s Biscuit World the best biscuit in the South. It’s a major victory for a franchise that is a true West Virginia success story.
By Jack Houvouras
HQ 126 | SUMMER 2024
In April, the rest of the nation learned what West Virginians have known for years — that Tudor’s Biscuit World and its savory breakfast sandwiches are simply the best.
The news was the result of an online poll conducted by Garden & Gun magazine to find the “South’s Best Biscuit.” A field of 32 competitors participated in a March Madness-style bracket, and over the course of three weeks Tudor’s defeated local, regional and national chains. It was the restaurant’s Mountaineer — a biscuit stacked with country ham, potato, egg and cheese — that emerged victorious. The win was a big deal as Garden & Gun has 1.6 million readers nationwide.
“When we first heard that we were part of an online competition, I didn’t think we had a chance to compete with the national franchises,” said John Tudor, president of Tudor’s Biscuit World.
Apparently, the restaurant chain’s legion of fans didn’t agree, and they voted en masse each week as Tudor’s routed one competitor after another. In the end the West Virginia-based franchise took down the likes of McDonald’s, Burger King, Hardees and Chick-fil-A. As the overall winner Tudor’s will be prominently featured in the December/January issue of Garden & Gun.
“When we first heard that we were part of an online competition, I didn’t think we had a chance to compete with the national franchises.” — John Tudor, president
But being named the best biscuit in the South is just the latest chapter in the remarkable Tudor’s story. Opening an eatery that featured breakfast biscuit sandwiches was the brainchild of founder Bill Tudor. Born and raised in McDowell County, today the poorest county in West Virginia, Bill was the son of parents from Hungary who immigrated to the United States to work in the coal mines. At age 15 Bill’s father, a coal miner turned successful business owner, was murdered over a land dispute. Two years later at age 17, Bill enlisted in the army and fought in Germany during World War II. Upon his return, he enrolled at Marshall University and graduated in just two and a half years with a degree in business and a minor in drama. He acted in several school plays with legendary comedian Soupy Sales.
He met and married his wife Mae and the couple had three children — Louis, Tona and John. The family eventually settled in Charleston, West Virginia. Possessing an outgoing and colorful personality, Bill embarked upon a long and successful career as a salesman for Procter & Gamble.
However, by 1980 Bill Tudor was growing restless. He had always dreamt of opening a restaurant, and in April of that year he decided to strike out on his own. Using his life savings of $50,000, he opened the first Tudor’s Biscuit World just two blocks from the State Capitol on Washington Street. Joining him in the venture were Mae and John, the latter of whom had just graduated from college. The restaurant made fresh buttermilk biscuits from scratch each morning and topped them with virtually anything customers wanted — egg, bacon, sausage, ham, cheese, potato and more. The trio logged long hours each day from 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. and their hard work paid off. The restaurant was an immediate hit.
A year later John moved to Huntington to open a second Tudor’s location, and it was a smashing success with customers as well. In fact, most of the biscuit creations would come to be named after customers, including the Ron, Mary B, Duke, Mickey and Dottie. The other breakfast sandwiches pay tribute to the restaurant’s West Virginia roots including the Mountaineer, Miner, Golden Eagle and Thundering Herd.
Over the next five years an additional 18 Tudor’s locations sprang up across the Mountain State. In many ways Tudor’s was a pioneer in the world of breakfast biscuit sandwiches. The only national chain to beat them to market was Hardee’s.
In 1986 the man who founded what would later grow to become one of West Virginia’s most successful restaurant chains passed away unexpectedly of an aneurism. He was just 62. Despite overseeing the business for only six years, Bill Tudor left an indelible mark on those who knew him.
“The death of Bill Tudor, biscuit entrepreneur, leaves Charleston a poorer place,” wrote Colleen Anderson in the Charleston Gazette. “I will continue to frequent Tudor’s Biscuit World, but I will unwrap my biscuit with a little less anticipation, knowing there’s no possibility that Bill Tudor will come sailing through the front door, smiling, shaking hands, and making sure everybody’s happy.”
John says he still misses his colorful and creative father, but he takes solace in the fact that he was able to see the restaurants grow to 20 locations.
“I really admired my father. I’m glad he got to see his dream become a reality and enjoy some of his success. I remember that he bought himself a Cadillac a couple of years before he died,” said John with a smile.
With Bill gone, John and Mae carried on. John, who graduated from East Carolina University, possessed a sharp business acumen and made a series of moves that expanded the Tudor’s footprint. In addition to selling Tudor’s franchises to entrepreneurs in surrounding states, he took on a partner in Oshel Craigo, an experienced restaurateur and former West Virginia state senator. The partnership flourished, and today there are 74 Tudor’s Biscuit World locations in West Virginia, Kentucky and Ohio. There’s also a Tudor’s in Panama City, Florida, that is hugely popular.
The West Virginia-based franchise took down the likes of McDonald’s, Burger King, Hardee’s and Chick-fil-A.
If you ask John to explain the enduring success of the business that turns 45 next year, he will tell you that it comes down to one factor — loyalty.
“We have the best employees and the best customers in the world. We have people still working for us today that my dad hired in 1980. We have others who have been with us for 25 years. We are so fortunate to work with these individuals, and I can’t thank them enough for their role in our success,” said John.
“We have customers like Judge Paul Farrell in Huntington, who eat with us every morning,” noted John’s wife Lydia. “Our customers are so loyal, and their online votes are the reason we were named best biscuit in the South.”
John said his father always wanted to open a restaurant where the entire family could work, and today his dream lives on in his grandchildren. Three of John and Lydia’s children — Patrick, Kristin and Travis — now run Tudor’s franchises of their own.
“I think my dad would love the fact that his namesake restaurant was named the ‘South’s Best Biscuit’ because he was a proud West Virginian,” said John. “All too often when someone mentions West Virginia there is a negative connotation. But Tudor’s victory in this national competition only casts us in the best possible light.”
