Careers at Guten Foods

50 Years & Counting The success of Guten Foods owes much to the cornerstones on which the company’s core restaurant brands were founded: authentic German cuisine, festive atmosphere, and welcoming friendly service. For more than fifty years, Der Rheinländer German Restaurant stood as a landmark of Portland dining. Opened in 1963 under the leadership of Chef Horst Mager, the Rheinländer quickly established itself as a popular restaurant destination for both locals and visitors. Its reputation and guest counts grew each year, establishing the restaurant as the place to go for a unique dining experience in the Pacific Northwest. The Rheinländer’s success and loyal customer base offered a natural springboard toward expansion, which led Horst and his daughter Suzeanne to open the first Gustav’s in 1992. Adjoining the original restaurant and modeled after a traditional German beer hall, the concept featured house-made sausages and rotisserie meats. Unique for the time, the beverage lineup included twenty-one beers on tap ranging from world-class imports to local microbrews. Expanding the Brand In the spring of 1997, Suzeanne officially took over as president and owner after purchasing the company from Horst. In 2002 and 2003, Suzeanne expanded the Gustav’s concept by opening restaurants in Vancouver, Washington and Tigard, Oregon. In 2002 Gustav’s was awarded space at the Portland International Airport Concourse C expansion. To this day the restaurant enjoys the highest sales per square foot of any retail outlet in the airport. The Gustav’s family of restaurants continues to attract new customers while maintaining a loyal customer base. 50,000 guests are served monthly, enjoying a dining legacy that has become a benchmark for success and longevity in the local restaurant industry. Gustav’s was listed as the area’s favorite restaurant in Zagat’s 2012 Portland Dining Guide.

Working at Guten Foods