Red Barn was also the first chain to let customers have salad their way, with a massive self-service salad bar filled with countless salad fixings and every type of salad imaginable. Wimpys does live on internationally with its headquarters moving to the UK and then eventually South Africa. At one time, the chain was a giant in the restaurant industry in more ways than one. New ownership has kept just 23 locations open in the U.S. The restaurant chain was a huge success because of its impeccable customer service and food quality. 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. Some of these chains you will surely remember; others may be news to you, but were once near and dear to many. It was a horse-racing-themed restaurant chain. 6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e. Despite having a taco on their name, they served a variety of dishes like hamburgers, pastrami sandwiches, and hotdogs. The chain was sold to TV entrepreneur Marcus Lemonis, who revamped the business and tried to bring it back, but those efforts failed as well. 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This restaurant was one of a kind. American bakery chain, La Petite Boulangerie or "little bakery," did indeed start out small, with only two stores in the beginning. Skip to main content Get top content in our free newsletter. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Following a Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing in 1984 (according to Columbus Business First), the network shrunk to just 27 outlets by 2010. Get our money-saving tips and top offers direct to your inbox with the Mirror Money newsletter. The remaining Seattle store shut . They started out as a hot dog stand and slowly became a full fast food restaurant that served hot dogs that were steamed in beer and their famous Lumburger. During the popularity of this restaurant, it had 10 stores in different in famous locations like Times Square and Walt Disney World. It also had a private locker room, cigar collection, and a two-story view of Manhattan. Corporations, like people, are not immortal. Thousands benefit from our email every week. Healthy fast food operator Leon passed a CVA restructuring in December which secured the future of its 670 workers. As always you can unsubscribe at any time. Similar to a modern day Denny's or other late-night diner, VIP's was one of the first 24-hour restaurant chains in the U.S.. It was an unusual business model from the start: York Steakhouse was owned by the cereal manufacturing company General Mills, while the restaurants themselves were operated in a cafeteria style instead of with traditional sit-down service. Customers left the chain in droves and sales plummeted, causing the remaining restaurants to eventually close as well. As the popularity and variety of Mexican restaurants grew, Chi-Chi's began to suffer the consequences. Some chains were just regional, like the West Coast-based VIP's diner, and others had thousands of locations nationwide. Customers could order char-broiled burgers, bar-b-que sandwiches, homemade soups, entrees like hickory smoked ham steak or clam strips, or eggs, pancakes, and French toast. Minnies Pearl Chicken was one of KFCs main competitors. 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 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. Additional shops then quickly sprung up around the state, in cities such as Salem and Seattle, before eventually sweeping throughout neighboring Washington, Nevada, and Northern California. Henrys hamburgers was owned by an ice cream company and was one of McDonalds competitors during the 1960s. 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. However, due to a lack of cohesive menu or recipes, the chain quickly fell apart within a few years. Even with the overall success of the fast food and sit down restaurant industry, many chains have been unable to survive recessions, depressions, and major changes in the food industry. The chain said the affected restaurants were "no longer financially viable" and had unsustainable rental costs for the current trading environment. Food-to-go chain Itsu turned to a CVA to secure rent cuts at 53 of its sites after sales in central London were battered by dwindling commuter numbers. It was a major brand well into the '80s; by the time Black died in 1983, according to the New York Times, the company touted an annual revenue of $115.8 million, with 80 percent of that coming from grocery store coffee. Chi-Chi's restaurants still exist today in Europe, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates. Just look to horse racing-themed chain Beefsteak Charlie's. Known for their steak sandwich, the 1910 est. Today, there are an estimated 88,000-plus chain restaurants in the U.S, IBIS World reports. It was renamed as well in 2020. After years of success, the owners sold the popular burger joint to Hardee's in 1982. The group was rescued by Boparan Restaurant Group, five months after its similar deal for Carluccio's. Founded in 1933, this chain was around for nearly seven decades, the last location closing in the year 2000. The chain also helped popularize such now-standard restaurant practices as dinner items on sale at lunch for less money, an all-you-can-eat salad bar, and free soda refills (alongside its menu of steaks, chicken, and pasta dishes, and a large selection of wine and beer) according to AmericaJR. A rescue . The company slowly declined after a Hepatitis A outbreak in one of their stores resulting to death of four people. Throughout its history, Burger Chef was considered an industry innovator. Boston Sea Party. The company, famous for its warm croissants, had 93 stores in its peak, but eventually closed down in 2000. It quickly became popular because they served steaks at a very affordable price. Chain restaurants like Applebee's, Fridays, Chili's and Outback may dominate highways and mall [], By Libby Birk 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. But like brick-and-mortar stores, not every restaurant can survive in the long run. as well as other partner offers and accept our. 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." Picture a fierce competitor to McDonald's with over 1,000 locations and you're picturing Burger Chef in its heyday. The majority of branches got sold off, and one remained. However, its administrators secured the sale of the UK business and 15 sites to newly-formed business BrunchCo. Old restaurant chains that no longer exist or are now barely hanging on . During the 1960s Childs remaining locations were sold off to other companies. Opened by John E. Saxe and his son, Thomas, White Tower copied White Castle's menu, style, advertising and even architecture. Founded in 1977, the chain focused on gourmet burgers. Over the years the West Hollywood restaurant became famous for its Academy Award after parties as much as it was known for its chili. He converted his Steak & Brew to Beefsteak Charlies. A chain spot might be where Mom took you for snacks after school, or the place where your grandparents took you to celebrate birthdays. Sadly, the last storefront with the name closed in 1996. The marketing worked and by 1986, the chain had exploded to more than 200 different locations across the U.S. As with all the most popular brands, competition gradually weakened the Chi-Chi's brand. The nautical-themed restaurant that served up unbelievable deals on seafood (as waiters wore colonial garb, no less) was scattered across the country. The chain began in Philadelphia in 1902 and during its golden years from 1920 through 1950, it expanded to more than 180 locations, primarily in New York and Philadelphia, according to Entrepreneur. By the late '70s, though, the company had been sold. as well as other partner offers and accept our, Charles Phelps Cushing / ClassickStock / Getty Images, Eugene Gordon / The New York Historical Society / Getty images, Daily Mirror / Mirrorpix via Getty Images, Hyoung / Chang The Denver Post / Getty Images. 4 Beefsteak Charlie's Steak and Ale Two Pesos Wag's Wetson's White Tower Hamburgers - one location remains in Toledo, Ohio [citation needed] In 1981, Hardee's scooped up Burger Chef for $44 million. Chain restaurants have been around for nearly 100 years, since White Castle and A&W Root Beer stands first sprang up in the early 1920s. 16 Beloved Restaurants Only '70s Kids Will Remember They are in Fountain Valley and Huntington Beach, California. However, a Massapequa, Long Island based company is using the same name and logos in the East Coast and they have been flipping burgers since 1961. It said insolvency was necessary after the pandemic proved the death knell for its already unprofitable sites. At the end of the month, it was bought in a rescue deal by former TGI Friday owner Epiris, which saw the restaurant group rebranded as The Big Table. Horn & Hardart isn't just a restaurant chain that has completely disappearedit's a restaurant concept that's almost extinct in the U.S.: the automat. Here are some of the classic fast food restaurants that no longer exist. Just think of all the history Hilltop Steakhouse lived through: Founded in 1961, it was around for the Vietnam War, the moon landing, the fall of the Berlin Wall, and so much more. The chain changed its name multiple times to survive. What was only supposed to be a temporary shutdown became permanent just two months later. And then, just a month after the filing, disaster hit. Plus, don't miss 7 Steakhouse Chains With the Best Quality Meat in America and5 Outdated Steakhouse Chains That Are Making a Comeback. Their food became popular but came up against stiff competition with KFC, Boston Market and others. We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. While many other restaurants moved to a takeout-only operational model, that proved difficult for a buffet-style business. The US convenience store was originally open from, you guessed it, 7am to 11pm. Top editors give you the stories you want delivered right to your inbox each weekday. Copyright 2023 PopCulture.com. Once those competitors started offering healthier food choices, it put Dlites out of business.