From a second-floor train station dining room in Topeka, Fred Harvey and his Kansas City company developed the first multi-unit chain operation in the United States. Using the railroads as conduits and hubs, he established food and beverage destinations stretching from Chicago to Kansas City, across the Midwest and Southwest, and all the way to the Pacific Coast. He leveraged the railways to bring in the freshest ingredients daily and operated each location with European-trained chefs to ensure culinary-driven execution. His front-of-house team, known as the Harvey Girls, gained an enviable reputation for their fast and efficient service. At its peak, the Harvey Company operated 65 restaurants and lunch counters, 60 railway dining cars, a dozen large hotels, and managed all retail and food operations for five of the largest Union Stations.