Tommy's has become known to many Southern Californians as the "Word of Mouth" hamburger. This is largely due to the lack of advertising by the Company. Amazingly, the saying that the "word of mouth travels fast" has proven true for Tommy's.

Tommy's has also been the beneficiary of much free advertising. Tommy's Fortieth, Forty-fifth, Fiftieth, Fifty-fifth and most recently the Sixtieth Anniversary Celebrations all generate Considerable interest from media organizations. Many motion pictures have included Tommy's in scenes as well.

Tommy's can lay claim to the slogan "World Famous" due to the inordinate attention given by the foreign press. The Swedish magazine, Chic, mentions Tommy's as L.A.'s quintessential fast food. Australian, Korean, Japanese, and Taiwanese television featured Tommy's as part of their 1984 Summer Olympic coverage. In addition, tourist groups from all over the world frequently include the original Tommy's on Beverly Blvd. as one of their regular stops. Needless to say, this kind of publicity can only help business.

The University of Southern California has long provided Tommy's with new customers as well. Many graduates remember the Trojan ritual of a Tommy's Hamburger eating contest. All students, current and former, enjoy the tradition of visiting Original Tommy's during football season.