Peter Morton
Peter Morton (born August 7, 1947) is the co-founder (along with Isaac Tigrett) of the Hard Rock Café, a chain of casual dining restaurants.
Early life and education
Morton is the son of Arnie Morton, founder of the Morton's Steakhouse chain, and his first wife. In 1969, he graduated from the University of Denver with a B.S.B.A. in restaurant and hotel management. He was a member of the Phi Sigma Delta fraternity.
Career
Morton's first Hard Rock Cafe opened near Hyde Park Corner in London, England. The chain began global expansion in 1982 when Morton and Tigrett agreed to develop their own cafes in various cities. Morton (Hard Rock America) opened Hard Rocks in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, and Houston, Las Vegas; San Diego, La Jolla, and Newport Beach, California; Sydney and Melbourne, Australia; Honolulu and Maui, Hawaii; among others. In 1995, The Rank Organisation (now The Rank Group) acquired the cafes owned by Morton, but Morton retained the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.