Company History
Whether you are a restaurant owner or foodservice distributor, NCCO is committed to helping deliver the products best fitting your needs.
We’re a family-owned and operated business – with core values focused on respect for every individual, integrity, collaboration, innovation and passion for excellence. When you join our team, you join our family. While we are proud of NCCOs success and we continually reflect on the hardworking individuals who shaped NCCO over the last 110 years.
1900
Where it all began
In 1905, entrepreneurs Carl Raschick and Frank Minea founded National Checking Company (NCCO) in St. Paul, Minnesota, as printers of coupon books, which were widely used as cash equivalents at the time. The growing labor economy created a demand for coupons and meal tickets to pay workers. Customers included schools, cafés, gas stations, dairies and railroads. The company was formally incorporated in 1909.
1920s & 1930s
Decades of prosperity
As a decade of prosperity descended upon the United States in the Roaring Twenties, NCCO began manufacturing the “restaurant café check,” or the earliest version of the GuestCheckTM as we know it today. Café checks could be customized with a logo, the name of the proprietor and a tag line – which is something still offered to our customers. At the same time, NCCO began manufacturing punch checks, which were considered one of the highest-quality products on the market for many years.
1940s & 1950s
The Tabulating Card
In 1939, NCCO began exploring a new and emerging business: The Tabulating Card. The Burlington Northern Railroad would become one of National Checking Company’s largest customers, using the tabulating cards as waybills to keep track of freight logistics. For over 40 years, the tab card was manufactured in St. Paul. Even though the product was wildly successful during the early years, NCCO was eventually faced with its obsolescence, and refocused energy in revitalizing the Guest Check.
1960s & 1970s
The boom of the restaurant industry
NCCO’s modern turning point began during the 1960s. The union movement, changes in technology and growth in restaurant popularity inspired new production and sales standards across the industry. With focus on national distribution, NCCO began curating lifetime partnerships with large distributors across the United States – many of whom hold strong relationships to this day – and were able to reach an even larger market share. The 70s brought growth in restaurant popularity thanks to the Baby Boomers, which provided the perfect platform for Guest Checks to flourish.
1980s & 1990s
Sustained economic growth
During the first year of the 80s, the Guest Check reached its billionth check mark as the average percentage of food consumed away from home rose to over 40%. By 1983, the economy had fully rebounded from the Great Depression resulting in great economic boom, steady job growth and a growing stock market. This same time period began one of the longest periods of economic stability for the U.S. since World War II. As the millennium neared, both the WaitRPad and Register Rolls & Ribbons were introduced by NCCO in 1996 as successful tools for the foodservice industry.
2000s
The new millennium
In the early years of the 21st century, NCCO opened an office in London, England, as an introduction to the European market – and began operation as NCCO International. In 2005 NCCO introduced food rotation labels to markets in both the U.S. and the U.K. The growth of NCCO during these years mirrored America itself, as well as the booming restaurant industry.
2010s
An age of acquisition
The following years resulted in many acquisitions, as companies who shared similar values were tucked under the NCCO umbrella. In 2013, NCCO acquired DotIt, a leading provider of restaurant supplies and brand fulfillment resources. In 2015, NCCO acquired DateCodeGenie, a full-service automated labeling system. In 2016, NCCO acquired The Always Food Safe Company, whose focus was bringing food safety training to the United States after many successful years in Europe.
Present
Looking forward to the future
Over the last 110+ years, National Checking Company has grown into an international business. When everything adds up, NCCO’s relationship with the restaurant industry has proven the most important for success. Our products reach millions of people every single day as they sit down to eat with friends, family and coworkers. We nod gratefully to those who have tirelessly worked hard for our current success and look forward to the future as our company continues to grow.