Employee They Disrespected . From swanky celebrity hot spots to local institutions, take a look back at some of the most iconic restaurants that have, sadly, gone out of business. Opened by John E. Saxe and his son, Thomas, White Tower copied White Castle's menu, style, advertising and even architecture. It should come as no surprise that the red barn was painted red and shaped like a barn. Dees Drive-In catered to University of Utah students back in the 1920s and then expanded. I am wonderinfg if these restaurants still exist: The Cave; Gibbys; Wofies; Po Folks, and the Spiced Apple. However, the international chain ceased operations in 1999. Sound divine. It also had a private locker room, cigar collection, and a two-story view of Manhattan. Minnie Pearl's Fried Chicken was a fast food franchise started in 1966 as a competitor for the nationwide sensation Kentucky Fried Chicken. By the 1960s, it had expanded across the country and featured cheap eats such as "ten burgers for a buck." Were calling this one a lose-win situation. The chain never fully bounced back, but hung on for a long time. A Malaysian company bought the chain restaurant and keeps Kenny Rogers Roasters alive and well in Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, China, the Philippines, and Thailand, but there are no more Kenny Rogers Roasters in North America. Come 1984, Taco Bell bought out 99 of the restaurants and in 2010 the final three Pup N Taco outposts closed their doorsfor good. Today, theres only one Morrisons left in Mobile, thus disqualifying it as being called a chain any longer far removed from the empire it once was. To add to their troubles, Chi-Chis had the largest hepatitis A outbreak in U.S. history. As one Baltimore reporter noted, "It was a favorite of mine as a kidso much so that I had a birthday dinner there once. Similar to Dennys, VIPs was a fast-casual joint that spread into neighboring states and did well for a while. Olga's Diner, Marlton There's little argument that Olga's Diner was South Jersey's best-known diner for decades. While seated, you could take a break from glossing over the delicious menu to stare at celebrity-signed paraphernalia adorning the walls on each of the many Famous Deli locations. But competition grew fierce in the casual-dining chain arena. In 1962, Happy Harry's opened up in Wilmington, Delaware. Regardless, the Miami-based chain did pretty well and eventually expanded to 175 locations. Wendy's Frescata Sandwiches Frescata sandwiches. But in 2011, Marble Slab and MaggieMoo's merged, and the MaggieMoo's brand was folded into Marble Slab locations. One of many iconic Upper East Side eateries owned by the Santo Family Group, the fine dining experience in its garden of stain glass was said to have been magnificent," explained The New York Times. In 1946, Olga and Tom Stavros opened a luncheonette called Mom and Pop's in Camden;. Dun. And it was for a while. There is one location left in Miami, should you wish to have a Birch Beer. Well always have fond memories of this Planet Hollywood-owned eatery. Nowadays, if you want to overspend on hamburgers and chicken wings while watching your favorite team, you have to head to an actual sports arena. ASwiss company purchased Lum's in the late 1970s, but it had bitten off more than it could chew, and Lum's filed for bankruptcy in 1982. 1. But as competition flared up from other chains, like Pizza Hut and Domino's, Pizza Haven struggled to keep up. Chain restaurants like Applebee's, Fridays, Chili's and Outback may dominate highways and mall locations alike, but it wasn't always that way. The family that owned the chain started closing locations in the early 1980s while converting the few remaining franchises to the more upscale Baileys Restaurant & Bar. On the Pizza Haven Facebook page, fans still wax poetic about the chain's glory days. 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 But as Hollywood exited the golden era, so did the Brown Derby, and by 1987 all four locations were closed. What could possibly go wrong? Alas, since 2011 there are no more Kenny Rogers Roasters in the United States, but if you really, really want to, you can fly to Asia, where several franchises still exist. A former employee of Mr. Fables still owns the brands copyright, but so far, it remains in stasis. You can probably come up with a few stores that you used to love that are no longer around anymore. And if your meal didn't end with a sparkling chocolate volcano, you were doing something seriously wrong. We may earn commission from the links on this page. 2 50 Best Healthy Pasta Recipes 3 All Of Dunkin' Donuts' Iced Coffee Flavors, Ranked 4 These Vegetables. With a slogan of, Fit for a king! it was kind of surprising that the joint was best known for its mini hamburgers. American bakery chain, La Petite Boulangerie or "little bakery," did indeed start out small, with only two stores in the beginning. 3. First opened: 1961. It was a bit like Dave & Buster's with its conceptvideo games and food in one centralized locationbut with the addition of a sports-bar-for-the-whole-family vibe. Sadly, the last storefront with the name closed in 1996. Originally founded in 1977 as a fast food bakery chain, the company grew to 140 locations across the US. Dun. If you were lucky enough to still have a Roy Rogers near you in the 1990s, chances are high you were a serious devotee. (Ditto Shea Stadium, which got the wrecking ball in 2009.). It remained until the end a beacon of proper French bistro cooking . Town Square Cafe Magic Kingdom Before it was Tony's Town Square Restaurant, the restaurant at the start of Main Street, U.S.A., was simply known as Town Square Cafe. By 1986, Gino's was no longer in operation. But all is not lost. and later moved to a location on Highway 153, where Rib & Loin is located today. every day. Yikes, thats fast! } else { Say it with me now: L-O-L. Poor Miller's Outpost was big in the '70s and '80s, but it just could never be as cool as The Limited in the '90s no matter how hard it tried . Kids from the 1990s who grew up near a major city had the glory of experiencing ESPN Zone, yet another themed entertainment restaurant that cropped up in 1998. Yet another chain that sprang up in the Midwest, Burger Chefs founders used that invention to really make their burgers go gangbusters in the late 1960s and 70s. As popular as Carrols was, it could not compete in the burger wars. It was originally marketed as a take-out joint, but later had some seating. We may earn commission from the links on this page. Its true, not all restaurant chains out there traffic in unhealthy food. Now we have Taco Bell, but way back when, Naugles was the place to get your Mexican food fix. "I miss Mighty Casey's," another wrote. Kids from the '90s may also remember they had to stop frequenting Chi's-Chi's because the place went down in flames in 2003. Bars you'd hit with friends until the lights came on and the bartender proclaimed 'last call!'. "It's not like if a sink is backed up, you can just call a plumber," he said to the newspaper. Contact Vickki Dozier at (517) 267-1342 or vdozier@lsj.com. Beefsteak Charlie's commercials are famous for constantly plaguing viewers with their unlimited salad and shrimp barbut, unfortunately, after getting acquired in 1987, the restaurant slowly went out of business. Known for their steak sandwich, the 1910 est. Deep-fried oysters for 80 years. William Bresler started out in the late 1920s with a single creamery in Illinois, and the decades ahead were kind, as Breslers locations spread across the map. ADVERTISEMENT. Check the list. Once a chain, now a singular outpost, Chicago-based Henrys Hamburgers was the go-to spot for burgers and fries (even outdoing Micky Ds!) Howard Johnsons was a line of hotels and restaurants that had been around long before HoJo was making stellar plays at Shea Stadium. Launched in the 1970s by Marno McDermitt and NFL star Max McGee, Chi-Chi's quickly grew, introducing a rudimentary menu of Mexican-style food to many American towns. The first restaurant opened in 1965, and success came quickly after that; by 1973 there were 62 of them. Call us old-fashioned, but sometimes, you just want that fast-food experience. Wendy's Fehn's first opened on the Tennessee River in 1930 (!) RELATED: Sign up for our newsletter to get daily recipes and food news in your inbox! Their attempt to turn Roy Rogers into Hardee's, as one blogger notes, "ended in a customer revolt so serious that they actually aborted the whole idea and returned the Roy Rogers brand to some stores initially converted.". Sholl's Colonial Cafeteria ShopHouse Southeast Asian Kitchen ShowBiz Pizza Place Signatures Restaurant Sisters Chicken & Biscuits - founded in 1979, this was Wendy's first attempt to expand beyond burgers [10] [11] [12] Soul Daddy Specialty Restaurant Group Steak and Ale Steve's Ice Cream That said, it changed hands frequently and was bought by PepsiCo in 1982, and later bought by Mrs. Fields Original Cookies in 1987. And then there are others that maybe had some early success, caught fire but then eventually flamed out whether it took many decades or even less than two years (as youll see). And, as it so happens, Pizza Haven is to thank for your delivery needs. But before said second location came to be, the company scrapped the expansion plans entirely and closed down its original location to boot. The original Beefsteak Charlies was a standalone restaurant that opened in New York way back in 1914. 90s food was a time for exploration. Photo via Facebook. 18 South Jersey Bars We Used to Close That No Longer Exist. By the early '60s there were over 200 Henry's locations more than McDonald's had at the time. . Big brothers in the '90s really were just like Buzz from Home Alone. For more restaurant news and dining tips, . The pretzel chain was ubiquitous in Michigan malls for decades, right alongside movie theaters, candy shops and the Gap. An unusual tactic on fast food, D'Lites marketed itself based on nutritional value. A time when fruit snacks, sodas, candies and fast food could be "extreme", multi-colored and when food was expected to be loud. "One of the things we talked about was when you're in the zone it's a special experience. . Eventually pieces of the franchise were sold off and it slowly dwindled with the last location closing the mid-1990s. But in the end, he abandons his cause after becoming hooked on the delicious rotisserie chicken. One of the most amazing things about America is its diversity of cuisine. 11 / 11. Heap Big Beef expanded, but it was still fairly short-lived. "The bread was honey wheat roll bread with sesame seeds on it with butter that tasted like ice cream. The first Luby's opened in the '40s, and the chain ballooned to more than 200 locations in the mid-'90s. Brown to launch the Kenny Rogers' Roasters chicken chain in 1990. A deep wine list. Adobo Grill Adriano's Italian Restaurant Alma Angellino's Angellino's Annie Moore Irish Pub Athanasios Greek Italian Cuisine Aunt Heidi's Italian Restaurant Avanzare Bad Ass Coffee Company . While the food was popular, the restaurants were never able to break into the market and were sold off to Nathan's in 1998. The final Ginos closed in 1986. Today, the total of both stands at under 20 across the country. Founded in 1965, in Ponzano Veneto, Italy, it became an instant hit. MaggieMoo's opened in Kansas City in 1989. If you have any concerns about the accuracy or timeliness of our content, please reach out to our editors by e-mailing [emailprotected]. Recognizable by its A-frame buildings, it served a small menu of roast beef sandwiches, French fries, fried pies, and shakes. As the popularity and variety of Mexican restaurants grew, Chi-Chi's began to suffer the consequences. The stateside Red Barns were transformed into other restaurants, and those in Australia were eventually bought up by McDonalds. However, the franchise was bought by South Park creators and Colorado natives, Trey Parker and Matt Stone, who have intentions of at least reviving the last casa in Lakewood. Right around the time that Cold Stone and Marble Slab were opening up their custom ice cream shops, MaggieMoo's opened in Kansas City in 1989. And RIP to . The second Dominick's opened in 1934, and the family continued to run its stores until the '90s. Here are 40 of the closed chains we miss the most. reply. When Federated Department Storesnow Macy's, Inc.was created in 1929, Filene's was one of the founding members of the holding company. So, heres the deal: Carrols was fast food chain established back in the 1960s and had a yellow slug as their mascot. Some of the biggest celebrity athletes of the '90s were behind The Official All-Star Cafe. Founder John Jay Hooker set up a copy cat model of the restaurant and hired popular comedic actress, Minnie Pearl, as the spokesperson. Sounds like a solid business plan. Founded in 1948 in Michigan, the homestyle eatery had more than 60 locations across the states before it closed down in 2002. if( 'moc.sihttae.www' !== location.hostname.split('').reverse().join('') ) { Little Tavern was a chain of charming, cottage-style restaurants that felt like a home away from home for many children of the '90s in the Baltimore-Washington, D.C. area. Planet Hollywood. Proprietor Robert L. Brock started the chain after he departed (were guessing with animosity) from Chuck E. Cheese. It gained massive popularity (in part for its fluffy pancakes) and in the years to follow there would be a chain in 47 states. Although it went bankrupt in 2008, the chain sold all of its menu items and brand property to Legendary Restaurant Groupso here's hoping for a comeback! This 7-day smoothie diet will help you shed those last few pounds. Learn how to harness the power of tea to lose weight. This funky restaurant, which started in the mid-'90s in the Hollywood District before moving to the Belmont Dairy development, featured spicy Caribbean-style barbecue like Jamaican jerk chicken . When times got rough in the 1980s, the operators sold off many VIPs to get ready for it none other than Dennys. Dee's was so popular it had a franchise in South Africa due to the Mormon missionaries who had fallen in love with it when visiting the state. A Tribute to Chi Chi's Mexican Restaurant/Facebook, largest Hepatitis A outbreak in the country, 14 Charlie Brown's locations still remain, Bring Back Hot'n'Now to Wisconsin Now/Facebook. "It's an experience you don't want to leave because you may not get back there real soon." Hot dogs and tacos, what a combo! There were nearly 90 worldwide during the chain's heyday in the mid-1990s, as The Telegraph reported. Inexpensive surf and turf came in the form of Valle's, an East Coast chain that saw good business from 1933 until the millennium. Since 2006, we've watched Guy Fieri travel coast to coast visiting some of the country's greatest establishments for Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. Many a Gen-X kid had their birthday party there. The California-based hamburger and hotdog joint closed officially in 1986 after a 38-year stint. The Silver Grille was an elegant, 1930s Art Deco restaurant located on the 10th floor of the Higbee's department store on Public Square. And if you happened to be cruising through Oregon during a certain 30-year stretch, you probably encountered a VIPs or two. As in other parts of the country, competition from McDonalds, Burger King and the like was severe, forcing the chain to close in 1988. Burger King bought all the Carrols restaurants by the mid-1970s. Another Midwestern burger chain was the Michigan-based Mr. Fables, which was regionally famous for its olive burger, onion rings and secret sauces. Heck, you could even order a deluxe Mr. For every McDonalds, there are dozens of failed restaurant chains. Filed Under: burger king, discontinued fast food items, discontinued taco bell food, fast food, Fast food menu items that no longer exist, food, kfc, mcdonalds, McRib, taco bell, taco bell . But it turns out, that concept wasn't good enough to last. But if you need to get your Henry's fix, you still can. In the 1980s, the restaurant began to decline, as it switched up menu items in favor of more chicken and fish. To read and save unlimited articles, sign up to become a Delish member. Headquartered: Los Angeles, California; Houston, Texas. The iconic Saugus restaurant's giant cactus was shut off for good on Oct. 20. The Stork Club was an integral part of the New York City social scene in the early 19th century. A pair of brothers started this Southern California chicken chain in the late-1980s, and for a while, things seemed like they were headed in the right direction. Delish editors handpick every product we feature. For a great many Angelenos, going to Jerrys for the best approximation of a New York-style Jewish deli on the Left Coast was a rite of passage especially in the late hours after the bars closed. Burger Chef spread across the United States faster than most restaurants. The Ponderosa at 8000 Melton Road was a community gathering place where high school kids got their first jobs and there was a line out the door on Mother's Day. It has been updated to include new information. Dixons. The chain is noted for introducing several fast-food staples to the industry, like kids' meals with toys. And yes, that includes the olive burger. Football Hall of Famer Gino Marchetti opened the first Gino's Hamburgers in 1957, and by the 70s, he was able to boast over 300 locations. These Classic Restaurants No Longer Exist Jan 14, 2023 | Natasha Taylor . Ice cream closed in 1996 compete in the '90s really were just like Buzz from Home Alone right movie. 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