Zesto started in 1945 as a subsidiary of Taylor Freezer Corporation, a Rockton, Illinois company that manufactured soft serve ice cream machines. The machines were called "Zest-O-Mat" and thus the name Zesto. Originally meant to compete with Dairy Queen, Zesto was conceived as an ice cream only store with no other food items. By late 1949 Zestos were operating in 46 states. In 1948, in Columbia, South Carolina, John Livaditis received a franchise for his own Zesto, and was also employed by Taylor to oversee the opening of new stores in the southeastern U.S. In 1949 John opened his first store in Atlanta on Peachtree Road across the street from Brookwood Station.