They also introduced the first "Fun Meal" for kids, with mascots like Burger Chef and Chef Yo-Yoand even partnered with Star Wars for a historic promotion, offering cardboard droid "puppets." day. They had what I considered the best Korean food, even better then the Bul Go Gi House. An outgrowth of the California-based health food craze of the 1970s, the first Souplantation opened in San Diego in 1978 (per the Los Angeles Times) and expanded across the nation in the 1980s and beyond. After years of success, the owners sold the popular burger joint to Hardee's in 1982. One restaurant I loved was Korean Beauty on 66th st and 118th ave. Its always sad to see once great American brands all but fall off the map, but the restaurant business as we all know aint easy! About 25 Chicken Delights are operating today, in central Canada and the New York City area. But after 24 years, the glamorous watering hole closed in 1995. However, the chain closed quietly over the years, and the last one was shut down in 1994. Forsaken Fotos / Flickr. See if you can remember these totally or nearly defunct chain restaurants from decades ago. The last restaurant shut down in 2000. Originally part of the Pillsbury Corp., the restaurant was founded in 1976. All rights reserved. If you grew up in the 1980s, chances are you will remember a few of these on the list. In May 2020, after losing $1 million a week since closing down, according to Oregon Live, parent company Garden Fresh shut down all 97 remaining locations of both Sweet Tomatoes and Souplantation, which never opened up again. single Call it a game changer. The Brown Derby became a Hollywood institution after the original Wilshire Boulevard location was founded by Herbert K. Somborn in 1926. While individual shops were once making more than $1.2 million per location in 2009, by 2013Crumbs Bake Shop was in the red, losing more than $18 million. Reese's Elvis Peanut Butter & Banana Creme . However, East Coast residents may be excited to learn that a Massapequa, Long Island establishment using the same name and logos has been flipping burgers since 1961. Johnson opened a few more locations on his own and then, realizing just what a success he was sitting on, partnered with a local businessman to expand even further, creating one of the first modern-day restaurant franchises (which eventually evengrewto includemotor lodges for travellers), according to The Economist. Carrol's So, here's the deal: Carrols was fast food chain established back in the 1960s and had a yellow slug as their mascot. McDonald's Happy Meals appeared soon after and Burger Chef sued, forcing McDonald's to settle out of court for trademark infringement. RELATED: The easy way to make healthier comfort foods. Howard Johnson's, at one point the largest restaurant chain in the U.S., started out as a small soda fountain and newsstand in Quincy, Massachusetts, according to the New England Historical Society. American bakery chain, La Petite Boulangerie or "little bakery," did indeed start out small, with only two stores in the beginning. Launched in the '70s due to the popularity of Pop Rocks, Space Dust was a more finely-ground, sizzling candy that, unfortunately, didn't make it into the new millennium. About 1,000 employees were left. Once a major presence in many east coast regions, the chain's long, slow slide began in 1977, according to Chuck the Writer, when the death of its founder, Donald Valle, led to money issues that imperiled the business. However for those of us that grew up in the 1980s, these restaurants will always hold a special place in our hearts. If White Tower's name sounds a bit repetitive of White Castle, that's because the restaurant was doing its best to imitate the slider chain. Named in honor of (and to enjoy the shine of) a one-off restaurant from the 1930s, Beefsteak Charlie's the chain emerged when a restaurateur bought and re-branded the bankrupt chain Steak & Brew in 1975. But much has been written about what Crumbs Bake Shop did wrong, and what led to the downfall of the once beloved chain. Small, nostalgic, and served up great food for more than six decades . Big Apple. Shakey's Pizza in the 80's in what is now Rockville Town Center. It gained massive popularity (in part for its fluffy pancakes) and in the years to follow there would be a chain in 47 states. They sold roast beef sandwiches, fried chicken, and milkshakes throughout America. By the 1960s, over 1,000 of the chain's distinctive orange roofs dotted U.S. highways. All Rights Reserved. 22. Thom McAn was a chain of shoe stores that had over 1,400 stores at its peak in the 1960s. Charlie Brown's Steakhouses used to be ubiquitous in the Northeast but the COVID-19 pandemic hit the chain hard. Touting itself as a 50s style caf, it was a throwback style diner that was all the rage in the 80s. Bargain hunters searching for a deal at a Woolworth's five-and-dime store in 1954. Starting with a small shop in Indiana in 1954, Burger Chef eventually grew to over 1,000 locations and rivaled fast food giant McDonald's. Anyone who lived in middle America and grew up in the '80s likely knows the odd name G.D. Ritzy's. In 1984, Taco Bell bought 99 Pup 'N' Taco restaurants in California, but not three stores in Albuquerque, two of which went by the name "Pop 'N' Taco". But those who want to try a taste of burger history need not fear: the Ollieburger is still available at Ollie's Trolley, a Lum's spinoff with two locations left in Cincinatti, Ohio and Louisville, Kentucky. On the other hand, for every steakhouse chain that's open for business today, there are many that have cooked up their last porterhouse, T-bone, or filet mignon and have closed their doors forever. It has been updated to include new information. Regrettably, the glitz and glam of the Brown Derby empire faded over time. Desperate for financing, the struggling chain filed for bankruptcy in 2002. Due to fickle consumer trends and high rent, many beloved restaurants have been forced to call it quits over the yearssome even after decades of success. For more than 40 years, a private luncheon club for Manhattan's titans of industry was located 68 floors above Manhattan and nestled into one of the most iconic buildings in New York City. A few trips in the old green Squareback through western Maine in the 1980s had introduced us to Cornish, and though for a while our visits were much less frequent, the town stayed with us. Johnson renamed the shop after himself, amped up promotion and, most importantly, revamped the shop's ice cream recipe, infusing it with nearly twice the amount of butterfat as the original formula. Aditya R. Edmonton, AB; 303 friends 404 reviews Boooooom Box . During the 60's, 70's and the 80's, too the Stony Point restaurant, Villa Villa was an outstanding restaurant serving excellent food and with wonderful service, wrote Doris-Renee Weiner.. (Ditto Shea Stadium, which got the wrecking ball in 2009.) Ponderosa and Bonanza Steakhouses, now owned by the same parent company, once numbered in the hundreds combined in the United States. And there's one in Florida. Bill Gruning opened the first one, in South Orange, in 1910; stores would . Founder John Jay Hooker set up a copy cat model of the restaurant and hired popular comedic actress, Minnie Pearl, as the spokesperson. The club's iconic building was later demolished and turned into Paley Park. Founded in 1933, Valle's Steak House saw huge expansion during the '60s by embracing the dining trend of leaning toward a menu full of steak and lobster. Dan Marino's. dish. Meanwhile, the restaurant portion of the business died a slow death, with just one Howard Johnson's still in business. This Yelper's account has been closed. The "new" restaurant chain enjoyed regional success around New York in the 1970s and looked poised to go big in the 80s, but by the end of that decade, locations were closing and the chain was again bankrupt. Current company. The chain is noted for introducing several fast-food staples to the industry, like kids' meals with toys. Founded in Minneapolis in 1977 by restaurateur and former Green Bay Packers star Marno McDermott, whose wife went by the nickname "Chi-Chi," the company was designed to impart "a celebration of food." The Woolworth corporation sold everything from dishcloths to stationary for less than 10 cents. Beefsteak Charlie's was a Manhattan stalwart from the early 20th century to the late '80s. The 1980s was a, What were some of the most memorable 80s watches ever made? An animatronic hillbilly bear named Billy Bob greeted kids as they watched a show, played arcade games, and ate not-super-outstanding pizza. restaurants from the '80s that no longer existwestville, il high school football. Proud of its local heritage, the restaurant proclaimed: "Look for us and we'll look for you," offering free maps to tourists visiting the area and telling customers to ask their waitress about local "must-see" points of interest. Ponderosa was a popular birthday destination in the 80s, owing to the group friendly prices, kid friendly zones and fun-tastic birthday hats. The restaurant was known for its Surf & Turf platter, which included a filet mignon, lobster tail, and shrimp. But by the late '80s, most locations had been sold. These 1980s restaurants aren't still standing todayand if they are, it's in reduced form. With help from his family, Wetanson opened the first Wetson's in 1959. In 1982, the company was bought by PepsiCo and expanded across the United States. Since the late 1980s, the Koosh Ball is no longer a national phenomenon, largely because the balls don't actually do anything and aren't actually very good at being balls. every day. Does this list bring back any memories? Crumbs Bake Shop got its start in 2003 as a small mom-and-pop style bakery located in Manhattan's Upper West Side. A quintessentially English combination of fried whitefish (usually cod, pollock, haddock, or halibut) and chips (French fries), it had been an omnipresent fast food in Great Britain for decades. The restaurant had almost 1,000 locations at its height but shut down in the '80s after most were sold to Denny's. Open from 1929 to 1965, the restaurant and night club was a place where celebrities and socialites alike could enjoy cocktails, a steak dinner, and a night of dancing. Since then Dolly Parton has opened her ownDixie Stampede, which serves nightly feasts in Branson, Missouri and Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. These restaurants were huge, and then all of a sudden they disappeared. . Legendary steakhouses like Outback, Morton's, and Ruth's Chris have stood the test of time. And a bunch in Puerto Rico. If you saw something you wanted, you simply dropped in some coins and a door would open to provide a dish to take and enjoy. (Susan Gardner / Sun Sentinel) The face of South Florida is. It was known for its burgers, hot dogs, and milkshakes. A classic restaurant opened in 1951 by Carl Rosenfield, the business closed in 2008 and the building was demolished in 2010. Actors like Groucho Marx, Rita Hayworth, and Clark Gable were all regulars and were also featured in the collection of celebrity caricatures that famously lined the restaurant's walls. Appearing on the restaurant scene when steaks were perceived as a rare treat for the rich and fancy, Steak and Ale brought steakhouse fare and vibes to the masses at affordable prices in comfortable, old English-inspired dining rooms (per the Wall Street Journal). EatThis.com is part of the Dotdash Meredith Publishing Family. Although it didn't hold up against Chili's, TGI Fridays, and Applebee's, there was a time when it was fairly ubiquitous throughout the states. In 1987, the chain sold to Bombay Palace Restaurants, which filed for bankruptcy just two years later, The Daily Meal reports. Galco's is happily still going strong and serving up the next generation of kids an even bigger selection of soda pops. But the name was re-franchised in 2003, and there are still some Roy Rogers in Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. Gruning's, South Orange. Gino's hamburgers Marriott claimed a few franchises in the '80s, such as Gino's Hamburgers, which was started in Baltimore by a pair of NFL players in 1957. ", In a 1982 review of Beefsteak Charlie's, the Washington Post reported just what drew consumers to the place: "Exercising no restraint whatever," the WaPo reviewer wrote, "we polished off seven heaping plates of 'shrimp cocktail' from the salad bar, three salads, two orders of barbecued chicken, one sirloin steak Mediterranean with garlic sauce, three pitchers of soft drink, one baked potato, two orders of potato chips, and two dishes of ice creamfor a grand total of $12.49 (plus a $3 tip).". However poor business decision and mismanagement eventually led to the downfall of Bennigans. K. Hein Machines Inc., opened next to its current facility at 341 Vestal Parkway East more than 60 years ago, making it one of the parkway's oldest businesses still in operation. In 1980, the first Derby location fell, taken down by disputes over building repairs and incredible hikes in rent, Finding Los Angeles reports. Arthur Treacher's aggressively expanded in the 1970s, branching out from its Columbus, Ohio, beginnings to a chain of 826 restaurants by decade's end, according to Kiplinger. xhr.open('POST', 'https://www.google-analytics.com/collect', true); But its flame burned short and bright: By the late '80s, the owners filed for bankruptcy, and all of the locations had closed by the 2000s. At its height, there were 230 White Towers, but the chain died after legal action from White Castle forced them to make significant changes. And by the early '90s, Chuck E. Cheese became the name of all locations. I miss shopping at K-mart, back in the mid 80's. Report as inappropriate. Despite revamped menus and an attempt to modernize, the chain was never able to fully return to its glory days and all Red Barn operations ceased in 1988. Tweeter was a high-end electronics chain that began in Boston in 1972, and eventually had more than 100 locations in 18 states. In 1981, Hardee's scooped up Burger Chef for $44 million. Although the company liquidated in 1991, there are a handful of independently owned stores left around the United States. Since the club closed in 1979, the space has remained vacant, and many of the original old art deco fixtures .css-1es3cx1{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;text-decoration-thickness:0.0625rem;text-decoration-color:#004685;text-underline-offset:0.25rem;color:#004685;-webkit-transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;}.css-1es3cx1:hover{color:#595959;text-decoration-color:#595959;}have been removed or damaged. As L.A. landmarks go, few spots can compare with the famed Brown Derby, the large brown hat-shaped restaurant that opened for business in 1926. The chain held on as long as it could until its final location, on 42nd Street and Third Avenue in New York City, going under in 1991. The Stork Club was an integral part of the New York City social scene in the early 19th century. Topping the list for Central Jersey, Farrell's in East Brunswick is an establishment that was unanimously beloved and missed. Get the best food tips and diet advice The chain's unique menu and distinctive glass-doored storefronts made it popular enough to support 400 locations at one point. A public company with just eight locations in 1992, within a few years it had grown to be a chain with more than 250 units. "The hole it left in the landscape was more than physical. Heather DeLuca Updated: March 14, 2023. At one point, there were multiple locations of the Texan across Saginaw, Bay and Midland counties. In the 1980s and 1990s, brothers Richard and Larry D'Amico were instrumental in creating a new era in Twin Cities area dining, with their Primavera, D'Amico Cucina, Campiello, Cafe Lurcat and this. By the early '60s there were over 200 Henry's locations more than McDonald's had at the time. Peaches Records & Tapes The record store was a staple at 1500 E. Sunrise Boulevard in Fort Lauderdale. But just as in all industries, nothing is forever. Today, people looking to catch a bit of the Brown Derby legacy are left with memorabilia in museums or the Brown Derby tribute at Disney's Hollywood Studios in Orlando. If you grew up eating at these 1980s restaurants, seeing this list might take you back to your childhood. The outbreak, which caused a massive media stir, sickened more than 650 people and killed four. All the Roy Rogers locations were sold off in the '90s. And some may wonder how they even got so popular in the first place! Since then, a lot's changed. The Pearlman brothers eventually sold the chain to Kentucky Fried Chicken for $4 million and the brand was eventually phased out, with the final Lum's closing in 2009. In the 1940s and 50s, Gruning's may well have been North Jersey's most popular ice cream chain. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. food and drink and health, as well as entertainment, beauty, and other lifestyle Although it started strong, the chain faced stiff competition from the likes of KFC, Popeyes, and Boston Chicken (now known as Boston Market). The restaurant also claimed to be the home of the original Shirley Temple drink, and its namesake seems to agree. } New ownership has kept just 23 locations open in the U.S. I am going back to the Fort Lauderdale area this winter for the first time in 20 years after lived in Davie in the mid to late 1980s. By 1984, there were more than 60 Beefsteak Charlie's up and down the East Coast, all of which epitomized the chain's slogan: "I'll feed you like there's no tomorrow. And more recently Macaroni Grill in Rio. At the peak of their popularity G.D. Ritzys had 95 locations, however these days all but 6 locations have closed. Here are a few chains that still exist, just no longer in MoCo: Denny's . The restaurant quickly became popular for its low-fat menu items such as grilled chicken, fish, and salads. The prestigious hot spot closed in 1965, and although there were talks of it relocating, owner Sherman Billingsley died shortly after. That's what Bennigan's, an Irish-themed bar and grill, offered in the 1980s. Howard Johnson's was a line of hotels and restaurants that had been around long before "HoJo" was making stellar plays at Shea Stadium. By the early 1990s, there were over 100 DLites locations across the United States. The restaurant of world renowned chef, Wolfgang Puck, became a Hollywood hangout when it opened in 1982 on the Sunset Strip. Unable to pay their bills, facing dwindling numbers of customers, or perhaps built around a trend that simply grew tired, some of our favorite haunts have now completely disappeared into history. Who doesn't love a restaurant with good food and a great happy hour? Inexpensive surf and turf came in the form of Valle's, an East Coast chain that saw good business from 1933 until the millennium. In 1998, Kenny Roger Roasters filed for bankruptcy and was bought by hot dog giant, Nathan's Famous Inc. for $1.25 million. xhr.send(payload); The menu at All-American Burger included one item: their signature All American burger. The eatery was not without controversy though, as the name is a derogatory slang word used towards African Americans. I'm Ashleigh and I'm the gal behind the blog! The hotel portion of the business has been sold off still existing in name, but with none of the classic HoJo design elements. That number had grown to more than 450 locations at the height of Lum's popularity, MeTV reports. 16 Beloved Chain Restaurants That Completely Disappeared, Long Island and NYC Places that are no more/Facebook, Seattle Municipal Archives/Wikimedia Commons (cropped). In 2010, per the New York Times, the Chock full O'Nuts restaurant concept was revived as a food stand catering to nostalgic New Yorkers. xhr.send(payload); every day. And by the early 2000s, all the Beefsteak Charlie's restaurants that remained had shuttered. Chain restaurants have been around for nearly 100 years, since White Castleand A&W Root Beer stands firstsprang up in the early 1920s. There was a restaurant in Germantown owned by a chef I think it was near Woodside deli. But the original McDonald's drive-in, which was founded in 1948 and located in San Bernardino, California, isn't a McDonald's restaurant anymore. Unfortunately, the Massachusetts-based company went bankrupt in 2000, and closed all its stores by 2001. Started in the early 1960s and popular in the 1970s, Mr. Steak managed to hold on until the 1990s, but the family-friendly steakhouse chain has now been defunct since the days Vanilla Ice was at his peak, according to Nation's Restaurant News. However, the company started out in 1926 as a store on Broadway in New York City that sold nuts. But, sadly, Dubrow's closed in the late '80s, as the trend of diners began to die down. The . A handful of non-corporate locations still exist in Texas, Louisiana, and Oklahoma. In the 1980s, the restaurant began to decline, as it switched up menu items in favor of more chicken and fish. The chain had closed by. That wasn't the chain's only hit. By the early '80s, Farrell's had been sold to an investor group and by 1990 only a few were left, as the novelty of an 1890s ice cream parlor wore off, coupled with increased competition from other ice cream and frozen yogurt chains. Get the best food tips and diet advice every single day, Now, you'll have the best and latest food and healthy eating news right in your inboxevery It also had a private locker room, cigar collection, and a two-story view of Manhattan. First founded in Ohio in 1980, the 1950s-style restaurant grew quickly, with about 100 locations at its peak. Chi-Chi's was also the restaurant responsible for putting fried ice cream on the menus of Mexican restaurants across the U.S. For a while in the late 1980's and early 1990's, this restaurant giant was the epitome of sit-down casual Tex-mex dining. However, it was memorialized on the sitcom Seinfeld and some remain in operation in Asia. And if not, well, you were probably missing out. However in 1986 the company filed for bankruptcy. It was known for its burgers, hot dogs, and milkshakes. Every Steak and Ale immediately and permanently closed down, as did all of Metromedia's company-owned Bennigan's outlets. Steak and Ale was ultimately crowded out of the casual dining sector it helped popularize. The locations, which were usually near a major interstate, featured a delicious blend of breakfast, lunch, and dinner classics. In the '90s, one restaurant group decided to capitalize on the era of the supermodel. Unfortunately, most Roy Rogers restaurant locations were sold or closed during the 1990s and 2000s because they could not compete against other fast food chains. Once a potential rival to juggernauts like Texas Roadhouse or Outback Steakhouse, today Lone Star Steakhouse & Saloon is but a memory, according to Restaurant Business. With a wide variety of family . But in 2013, according to Boston Magazine, more than 52 years after it opened, this once iconic chain finally closed its doors for good. In 1971, the building where fast food was born was demolished and turned into an unofficial museum for the chain by restaurateur Albert Okura. a local bar or two where everyone knew your name. Grown men cry remembering the three-decker Club Burger with special Royal Sauce. By the mid-'80s, there were nearly 100 D'Lites locations across the country. Last Call! It was founded by brothers Frank and Donald Thomas in 1954, according to John S. Flack, Jr., Burger Chef superfan and unofficial historian. Think: including operators of the restaurants owning their stores and not leasing from the corporation, and not being required to buy supplies from the corporation. 19. Various ownership changes starting in 1970s. Keep place clean!" Sites dwindled in the '90s and '00s, and Pancho's was bought out in 2001. Of course the sections most of us will head to immediately are those that cover restaurants from the 20th Century including The Flying Dutchman, Valente's, The Yum Yum Tree, Round the Corner, and many more forgotten favorites. The first VIP's opened in 1968, near the tiny town of Tualatin. There are still a couple of Rax locations in Ohio today, but the chain has diminished significantly since its heyday. Considering its all-you-can-eat salad bar; unlimited beer, wine, and sangria; and massive portions of hamburgers, steaks, ribs and chickenall available at ridiculously low pricesit's easy to see why Beefsteak Charlie's was a restaurant lover's dream in the 1970's and 80s. The corporate sight shows two locations in Woodbury and Scotch Plains, New Jersey, so perhaps one has a chance of beating the devastating odds of the rest. Carrols was a significant step up from McDonald's and Burger King, but by 1977, the small chain had been bullied out of existence by the big ones. As of 2021, five are open, including one at an upstate New York hospital and one at a mall in New Jersey. St. CeCe's. Thought known more as a watering hole . 6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e. Chain restaurants are reliable, no matter where you are in the country (or the world). By 1989, there were 1,300 across the U.S., but by 1992, the company filed for bankruptcy. Chain restaurants like Applebee's, Fridays, Chili's and Outback may dominate highways and mall [], By Libby Birk Taco Viva started in 1968, but it was at its peak in the '80s, when it had around 80 locations across the country. Lum's is also famous for having TV pioneer Milton Berle as its spokesperson, but even "Uncle Miltie" couldn't save the chain from filing for bankruptcy and closing most of its locations in 1983. Bid a fond farewell to these roadside friends. var xhr = new XMLHttpRequest(); Report inappropriate content. Think: tacos, hamburgers, hot dogs and pastrami sandwiches. Reportedly the oldest caf in Texas, this iconic spot was known for its original neon sign, diner-style bar stools and classic, made-from-scratch dishes like chicken fried steak.Cafe Texan opened . Binde named his restaurant after the hamburger joint he had frequented as a kid. The kiss of death for the franchise came in 2003 when a Hepatitis outbreak in the food supply led to three customer deaths. Eventually pieces of the franchise were sold off and it slowly dwindled with the last location closing the mid-1990s. Later, the Wongs added a place on Third and North. There were at least 300 Rax locations by the mid-'80s; there were even locations in Guatemala and Canada. Restaraunts which are now closed. Green onions imported from Mexico that were tainted with the hepatitis A virus were served at a Chi-Chi's near Pittsburgh. Here are nine now-defunct restaurants in Michigan that make us long for the past. 1. Two years later, they sold the chain to John Y. Today, there are an estimated 88,000-plus chain restaurants in the U.S, IBISWorld reports. It was Brown who brought the Ollieburger to Lum's, having bought the secret recipe from Miami Beach sandwich shop operator Ollie Gleichenhaus. } Sadly, fast food took a toll on the automat tradition during the 1960s and 70s, causing many Horn & Hardart locations to close. Children of the 1970s and 1980s had a veritable smorgasbord of ill-conceived and nutritionally suspicious fare to enjoy, and still miss their unusual packaging, unique smells, off-the-wall flavors, and . Business was so good that in 1969 the brothers were able to purchase Caesars Palace Las Vegas for $60 million. Chi-Chi's restaurants still exist today in Europe, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates. Many New Yorkers didn't have a chance to . The chain's signature hamburger was. How they even got so popular in the Northeast but the chain John... Were even locations in 18 States make healthier comfort foods Denny & # ;. 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