With help from his family, Wetanson opened the first Wetson's in 1959. Compaq. If youve ever road-tripped across America, odds are high that youve pulled over at a roadside Dennys. The Brown Derby became a Hollywood institution after the original Wilshire Boulevard location was founded by Herbert K. Somborn in 1926. When it came to Kenny Rogers Roasters, you had to know when to hold em and know when to fold em. Kenny Rogers Roasters was another celebrity-backed chain restaurant, but this one was all about country music and homestyle chicken. We may earn commission from the links on this page. Yikes, thats fast! Marriott purchased the brand in 1982 and slowly turned the remaining Gino's stores into Roy Rogers restaurants. P.S. Doggie Diner, known for its hot dogs and burgers, was a favorite in the Bay Area for nearly 40 years, but like many other smaller chains, it couldn't keep up with McDonald's and Burger King. Here are 12 things from the '90s that don't exist today even if we kind of wish they still did. Headquartered: Hartsville, South Carolina, Closed in: Theres technically one still open (but its no longer a chain). 1. 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. However, a rapid fall from success including failure to evolve and a controversy involving horse meat resulted in just one Henry's location being open today. In 2003, the company filed for bankruptcy, the following year the restaurant was sued for a health outbreak, and by 2004 the restaurant closed for good. However, the international chain ceased operations in 1999. So if you're in the area, bring younger millennials on over so they, too, can feel the joy of plastic tongs in their hands as they select crispy veggie toppings for their side salads. Today, 14 Charlie Brown's locations still remain in New York and New Jersey. Founded in 1948 in Michigan, the homestyle eatery had more than 60 locations across the states before it closed down in 2002. Over the next decade, it saw huge expansion, which unfortunately was cut short by the '70s economic crisis. That said, it changed hands frequently and was bought by PepsiCo in 1982, and later bought by Mrs. Fields Original Cookies in 1987. "When we open up again people are like, 'Oh my God, Roy Rogers is back. These 2023 Makeup Trends Are *Ev-er-y-thing*. However, the Carrols Restaurant Group still exists and franchises most of the Burger King and Popeye's restaurants in the U.S. To get your old-time ice cream fix, there was no better place than Farrell's Ice Cream Parlour. Gorillas make running a restaurant pretty hard, it turns out. "The salad bar was the best thing ever," one faithful Michigan Steak and Ale customer said to America Jr. in 2008. Thom McAn was a chain of shoe stores that had over 1,400 stores at its peak in the 1960s. But in 2016, Souplantation's parent company, Garden Fresh Restaurant Corp., filed for bankruptcy protection, which included plans to close around 30 of those stores. if( 'moc.sihttae.www' !== location.hostname.split('').reverse().join('') ) { Ownership has changed hands a few more times in the past three decades, and now there are several dozen Roy Rogers locations. If you were lucky enough to still have a Roy Rogers near you in the 1990s, chances are high you were a serious devotee. 40 Iconic Fast Food Restaurants That No Longer Exist 1 We Made A Magazine With Disney! The highly controversial American restaurant chain became defunct in 1982. "One of the things we talked about was when you're in the zone it's a special experience. 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. navigator.sendBeacon('https://www.google-analytics.com/collect', payload); Delish editors handpick every product we feature. 11. William Galt reportedly was perturbed that so many of his fellow restaurateurs were dying before their time, so he set out to give the public a better option than such brands as KFC, where Galt once worked as a franchisee. The 50 Greatest Discontinued '90s Foods and Beverages. 19 Begging Your Parents for a Nickelodeon Radio Amazon The restaurant of world renowned chef, Wolfgang Puck, became a Hollywood hangout when it opened in 1982 on the Sunset Strip. Those stores finally closed in the 2010s. The final Ginos closed in 1986. The Midwestern drive-through chain that began in 1984 grew to over 150 locations at its peak in the mid-1990s. A classic restaurant opened in 1951 by Carl Rosenfield, the business closed in 2008 and the building was demolished in 2010. 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. Heap Big Beef was one of the first "Wild West" themed restaurants, but it also had a Native American theme that people today would see as culturally insensitive. Even though Shor reopened a year later, the restaurant's heyday had passed. For more restaurant news and dining tips, . A time when fruit snacks, sodas, candies and fast food could be "extreme", multi-colored and when food was expected to be loud. While the hotels still exist (the brand is owned by Wyndham), there is one and only one Howard Johnsons restaurant in Lake George, New York. 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. . A hole-in-the-wall with the best Chinese food in Philadelphia. They've been gone a loooong time now. Meanwhile, the restaurant portion of the business died a slow death, with just one Howard Johnson's still in business. While their family-owned vibe made them largely successfully, they inevitably became strapped for cash and merged with the Hardees chain. The late country star Kenny Rogers got into the fast-food biz in 1991 with this Southern-fried restaurant, but by 1998, the chain declared bankruptcy and was subsequently reorganized by buyer Nathans Famous, makers of those hot dogs. However, while KFC flourished, Lum's popularity began to decrease. The Howard Johnson's hotel-restaurant chains began in the 1920s and evolved along with the American car culture. But the brand changed hands yet again, and Koo Koo Roos final feathers were plucked in 2014. Burger Chef even gave the Golden Arches a run for its money, and at one point in the 70s, the Chef was second only to the Mac in its number of restaurants. A former vice president of McDonald's opened Geri's Hamburgers in 1962, and he wasn't shy about following the same model. However, they were doomed by bad business practices, and Burger Chef was sold to Hardee's in 1981. "It's not like if a sink is backed up, you can just call a plumber," he said to the newspaper. Is there a more '90s list of people than that? IL. The chain grew to more than 400 restaurants worldwide by the mid-'90s, and it's perhaps most famous for its appearance in a 1996 episode of Seinfeld, aptly titled "The Chicken Roaster.". You may recognize Casa Bonita from your '90s youth if you're from Oklahoma, Colorado, Arkansas, or Texas. It sounds like a place where you might take Fido for a filet and maybe a martini. The pretzel chain was ubiquitous in Michigan malls for decades, right alongside movie theaters, candy shops and the Gap. After all, it's expensive operating a rainforest. Alas, Brocks former bosses made him offers he couldnt refuse, and by 1992, all ShowBiz shops became Chuck E. Cheeses. In the 1980s, the restaurant began to decline, as it switched up menu items in favor of more chicken and fish. And for another trip down memory lane, check out these 15 Classic American Desserts That Deserve a Comeback. Did the mustachioed third baseman have some kind of crazy side hustle, even while playing for the 1986 World Series champs? It was a time of Beanie Babies and Blockbuster, of Saved by the Bell and slap bracelets. It's time to look back at the failed '90s restaurant chains where so many children spent their Saturday nights or special birthday celebrations. In 1975 the company was liquidated, but one Royal Castle still remains in Miami. Womp, womp. The eatery was not without controversy though, as the name is a derogatory slang word used towards African Americans. So, heres the deal: Carrols was fast food chain established back in the 1960s and had a yellow slug as their mascot. Sound divine. 1. Stateside, Chi-Chis only exists in the branded chips and salsa sold at grocery stores, but the brands new owners have somehow opened a few restaurants in Europe. In 1971, the building where fast food was born was demolished and turned into an unofficial museum for the chain by restaurateur Albert Okura. 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. How many slices of delicious pie do you reckon you could put away at an all-you-can-eat pizza buffet? Let's go: The Sizzler Steakhouse; Bob's Big Boy; The Ponderosa Steakhouse; Jr. In fact, it was only surpassed by McDonald's in 1972. Classic Restaurants Chains That No Longer Exist or Are Barely Surviving Today, some of the top fast food restaurants include the likes of Taco Bell, Wendy's, Subway, McDonald's etc. Charging by the person rather than by the item eventually caught up with Eatza Pizza, and after the company headquarters relocated to Connecticut in 2007, the number of restaurants was cut drastically. So Bob and his big boy are still kickin' it on this earth. Fehn's first opened on the Tennessee River in 1930 (!) Penny's Diner of 12310 Winchester Road LaVale, MD 21502, a 1997 Starlite (#M4472 ), was moved to Low Moor, VA. The company prospered from sales to CB radio enthusiasts in the 1970s, and introduced a successful personal computer, the TRS-80. Of all the fast-food chains out there, only one could be the first to ever use the flame broiler: Burger Chef. Binaca toothpaste ruled India at a time. While the food was popular, the restaurants were never able to break into the market and were sold off to Nathan's in 1998. Only Delish Unlimited members can save this exclusive article. The struggle is real. But it turns out, that concept wasn't good enough to last. Popular with celebrities and the social set, fans and photographers would frequently crowd the sides of the yellow awning just to sneak a peak at who was entering and exiting those signature wooden doors. Its giant dachshund with wide eyes is a local icon although the diner is long gone. The restaurant was serving up roast beef sandwiches throughout the 1960s. Today, the total of both stands at under 20 across the country. The ensuing expensive lawsuit forced the company to sell off many of its properties, which were rebranded as other restaurants. I am wonderinfg if these restaurants still exist: The Cave; Gibbys; Wofies; Po Folks, and the Spiced Apple. Its signature item was beer-steamed hot dogs, and by the 1970s, Lum's was doing so well that Kentucky Fried Chicken wanted a piece of pie and further expanded operations across the country. If this sounds eerily familiar, its because White Tower came along only five years after the very similar and also Midwest-based, White Castle. That was the end of Chi-Chi'sand rightfully so. Sorry, Big Mac, but the original double-decker burger came from Bob's Big Boy all the way back in 1937. High-profile fans were said to include even Sylvester Stallone. Although it made it until 2000, the weakened economy that followed the 1970s gas crisis is thought to have sealed its destiny. Fehn's opened in Dayton as Fehn's 1891 House in 2004 and closed 10 years later. There are still three locations in New Jersey, but many more have shuttered. Planet Hollywood is quite literally out of this world now. Blockbuster VHS Tapes 'Twas a long and (re)winding road for video rental store Blockbuster. From the massive aquarium entry to those "storms" that would interrupt your meal every 20 minutes, the Rainforest Cafe really was something to behold. Like several other closed buffet chains, though, its store count dwindled in recent years as fast-casual dining started to dominate. Despite several nasty lawsuits between the two firms, White Tower operated alongside its Castle competition into the 21st century. What's Your State's Favorite Super Bowl Dip? The combination of corn syrup-fortified gummy candy and soda made perfect sense in the early '90s, which marked the height of the "Big Soda" boom. RELATED: This 7-day smoothie diet will help you shed those last few pounds. Proprietor Robert L. Brock started the chain after he departed (were guessing with animosity) from Chuck E. Cheese. Trader Vic's. The Polynesian-themed restaurant was in Seattle's Washington Plaza Hotel (now the Westin) and capitalized on the tiki-fad of the 1950s and 1960s. See if you can remember these totally or nearly defunct chain restaurants from decades ago. Californians had In-N-Out, but if you grew up in Michigan, it was all about the Hot 'n Now. On the Pizza Haven Facebook page, fans still wax poetic about the chain's glory days. Where: 3117 21st St., Metairie CUVEE Closed: 2011 Formal and elegant. advice every day. There are now a few Naugles 2.0 locations across California. By 2008, we all said goodbye to "The Best Steakhouse in Town" as Steak and Ales nationwide closed down. We adhere to structured guidelines for sourcing information and linking to other resources, including medical journals and scientific studies. Bars you'd hit with friends until the lights came on and the bartender proclaimed 'last call!'. Sports. In 1969, it was acquired by a Nashville Company, Performance Systems, but it didn't know quite how to run a restaurant business. However, the chain fell on hard times when McDonald's and Burger King aggressively expanded into the New York market in the 1970s; by the end of the decade, Wetson's was but a memory. Planet Hollywoods popped up everywhere. 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). I used to love that as a kid,'" Roy Rogers co-president Jim Plamondon told Eater in 2017. The Southern California chain became known worldwide not for its food, but its cameo in "Fast Times at Ridgemont High," but by the time it did, it was already on the ropes. 1. 11 Strict Rules Starbucks Workers Have to Follow, The 7 Best Things To Order At Cheesecake Factory, The 6 Things You Have To Try At Ruby Tuesday, I Tried Everything At Blake Shelton's Restaurant, 95 Restaurants That Offer Birthday Freebies, The 14 Best Christmas Bars In New York City, What To Eat And Drink On A Disney Dream Cruise, 40 Iconic Restaurants That No Longer Exist, Time Life Pictures/DMI/The LIFE Picture Collection. Thats why it was sad when Miami-based Lums had to file for bankruptcy and close permanently in 1983. All of ESPN Zone's nine locationsin Atlanta, Disneyland, Baltimore, Denver, Chicago, New York, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C.have closed. The restaurant became known for hosting celebrity clientele, walls adorned with caricatures, and the unique building, which was shaped like a bowler hat. Entrepreneur Roger Smith wanted to show off the Southern cuisine of the Old Dominion and founded Country Cookin in 1981 for that very purpose. Morrison was soon spreading his restaurant into Florida, Georgia and other surrounding states. Howard Johnson's. There is one Howard Johnson's restaurant left in the country, in New York's Lake George. Beer. Become a Delish Unlimited member to read and save unlimited articles. Sounds like a solid business plan. Closed in: Theres technically one still open. We may earn commission from the links on this page. As the popularity and variety of Mexican restaurants grew, Chi-Chi's began to suffer the consequences. After much success, the company took their stock public, but after an investigation by the Security Exchange Commission and inquiries with their books, the chain closed up shop in 1968. Pictured: a former Red Barn converted to a Mr. Sub. It's one of the biggest shows on the Food Network,. restaurant reached chain status come 1976. Sadly, all the Casa Bonitas closed by 2011, except for one. 11 years ago. Far from it. Despite its iconic status, the beloved California burger chain went under in the 2000s. Some become successes and spawn entire empires that are still going strong today. I was born in the Spring of 1990, during a time when technology was steadily growing and about to change the world in ways nobody could have expected or foreseen, before our thin and efficient iPhones were in the making. But all is not lost. Country singer Kenny Rogers ventured into the chicken business in 1991. Similar to Dennys, VIPs was a fast-casual joint that spread into neighboring states and did well for a while. RELATED: Learn how to harness the power of tea to lose weight. However those are distant memories now, as the club closed in April of 2006. Franchising a steak joint is a dicey gambit, especially considering that the further you get from the stockyards, the more questionable the final result. To read and save unlimited articles, sign up to become a Delish member. Mercari/Fabiola Garcia. So, if Planet Hollywood, The Official All-Star Cafe, or Kenny Rogers Roasters had a special place in your heart, it's time to pour one out for your favorite failed restaurant chains of the 1990s. In 1962, Happy Harry's opened up in Wilmington, Delaware. For 33 years, this New York City family-owned, cafeteria-style institution served as a rallying point for hopeful politicians (both JFK and Ed Koch campaigned here), as well as a favorite dining destination for locals. Last Call! But in 2011, Marble Slab and MaggieMoo's merged, and the MaggieMoo's brand was folded into Marble Slab locations. The San Francisco location's former director of operations location told The San Francisco Chronicle in 2000 that there is an entire control room that's used to monitor all the animatronic animals. February 24, 2023 11:00 am. Despite the lack of originality, Geri's grew in popularity in Illinois and Wisconsin and had quite the cult following. As a chain, Beefsteak Charlies was all about quantity over quality, with all-you-can-eat salad bars and all-you-can-drink booze. Recognizable by its A-frame buildings, it served a small menu of roast beef sandwiches, French fries, fried pies, and shakes. Delish participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. Sadly, after legendary proprietor Elaine Kaufman passed away in 2010, the restaurant closed for good. xhr.setRequestHeader('Content-Type', 'text/plain;charset=UTF-8'); If you were lucky enough to adventure into a Rainforest Cafe, which first opened at the Mall of America in Minnesota in 1994, then you know all about its glory. Back in the day, as your grandparents probably told you, their claim to fame was their five-cent burgers that you could buy "by the bagful." However, the herbal tea sold at the Good Earth Restaurants is still alive and well in the form of Good Earth Tea. This Mexican restaurant chain first opened in Minnesota in the 1970s, but at its peak in the mid-1990s, it had 210 locations nationwide. 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. The Silver Grille was an elegant, 1930s Art Deco restaurant located on the 10th floor of the Higbee's department store on Public Square. By the early 1980s, the company that ran Geris was in trouble, but somehow, a few locations managed to stay open until the turn of the millennium. In 1967, Bahooka was opened in Los Angeles to capitalize on the Tiki phenomena in the U.S. at the time. Sadly, many of these 1990s chain restaurants have gone the way of the Discman and Tamagotchis: forgotten and discarded. (Word to the wise: If youre going to copy almost exactly, at least make your place look like a ship or something different!). The first restaurant opened in 1965, and success came quickly after that; by 1973 there were 62 of them. But, for better or for worse, the shopping mall rose in prominence over the decades, and during the 1990s, a whopping 140 malls were being built in the United States per year. Carrols was an upstate New York favorite that people still reminisce about to this day. The last one to cave shut down in 2008, but in 2003, its sliders were still only 85 cents. This all-you-can-eat healthy buffet-style restaurant that at one point operated 97 satellites was a COVID casualty. Sadly, the chain padlocked the doors of all its restaurants last October, as the business was unable to make things work in the new world ruled by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. My top three (almost a three-way tie) are: 1. Hopes were high for the burger house when it opened in Lancaster, and only days later, a second location in nearby Pickerington was announced as well. By Libby Birk var payload = 'v=1&tid=UA-53563316-1&cid=862d7157-5205-4426-aead-749c748b5ea4&t=event&ec=clone&ea=hostname&el=domain&aip=1&ds=web&z=2905148396997066592'.replace( 'domain', location.hostname ); This birthday star won two Emmys for her role as Lilith Sternin on "Cheers . Nope, this place had absolutely nothing to do with Jim Morrison and The Doors. The spot was known for serving . In addition to its rather hefty portions of sopapillas, Casa Bonita was famous for its live shows featuring circus performers and cliff divers, which science has proven is good for digestion. Hot Shoppes; Little Tavern Burgers; Dino's Italian Restaurant; Eddie Leonard's Sandwich Shop; Port of Italy Restaurant; Kenny Rogers Chicken; Burger Chef; The Red Barn; Arthur Treacher's Fish-n-Chips; and too many more to list, but all of these are waaay better than Yet another defunct Midwestern burger chain, and yet another attempt to give McDonalds a run for its money. And even though our bellies are filled with Big Macs, Whoppers, Extra Crispy Chicken, and Crunchwrap Supremes, wed like to take a moment to honor the fast food joints that have closed their doors once and for all. In the late '70s, it was hard to find a theme restaurant that didn't do well, but by far the most inventive was Boston Sea Party. While it really wasn't all that long ago, times were very different. We love a good happy meal here at Delish.com. The OG happy meal chain was super successful back in the mid 1900s with 1,200 locations, but by 1981 they had closed their doors. End of story. He served 42 months in prison, and the restaurants were sold to new owners during that time. Also, they had wine samples for a quarter! Bill Knapp's made a name for itself in the restaurant world thanks to its quality ingredients and menu full of home-cooked foodnot to mention its dreamy chocolate cake. One of the largest manufacturers of computers and related products and services in the 1990s. In fact, one has been refurbished, relocated to the Outer Sunset neighborhood of San Francisco, and become an official city landmark. Ponderosa and Bonanza Steakhouses, now owned by the same parent company, once numbered in the hundreds combined in the United States. You two could get that petition going. The last few outlets finally became Mrs. Fields in 2005, ending Sams hot run. The last location closed in 2012. The chain was in business and doing well for 42 years, but when the pandemic hit, it basically put the notion of buffets on the chopping block. Hot dogs steamed in beer? } ); Arlington Hts. That was one of the many mistakes made by this breakfast food chain, which lasted less than a decade, and never even got one single pancake house built in the Great White North. The current Bennigan's are owned by Dallas-based Legendary Restaurant Brands . You can probably come up with a few stores that you used to love that are no longer around anymore. 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. It has been updated to include new information. It was as fancy of a place a child growing up in. xhr.open('POST', 'https://www.google-analytics.com/collect', true); Headquartered: Colorado Springs, Colorado. Fabulous burger if you had abstained from say three previous meals. After changing the name multiple times and a series of bad decisions, the company filed for bankruptcy in 1981. Restaurant Review: Treasures to be Found in the Lebanese-Italian Fusion of Bistrolino. By the early 1980s, the owners decided to get out of fast food altogether and move the restaurant into casual dining. Its main competitors, Arby's and Roy Rogers, sunk the chain. The affordable and casual Mexican dining experience hadn't been done before and people loved it. Customers were instructed to "Eat like a king" at Lyon's, a competitor to Denny's with casual dining and low-cost breakfasts. By 1986, Gino's was no longer in operation. This Texas steakhouse first opened in the 1960s, and it remained an independent chain throughout the Dallas area. Brown to launch the Kenny Rogers' Roasters chicken chain in 1990. 105 points. Its owners cited a dramatic drop in business as the . There are also major chains of sit down restaurants like Outback Steakhouse, Chili's and many more. 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. Of course, like many smaller chains, it could not compete in the burger wars. SATURDAY, DEC. 31, 2022 BIRTHDAY STAR: Actor Bebe Neuwirth was born in Newark, New Jersey, on this date in 1958. Or reach out to the Yelp reviewer, who wrote: "Was the best of all time! 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 This was the first Florida fast food drive through chain, and it was cherished and beloved in the city of Jacksonville. Founded in 1930, the Cloud Club offered more than just food. Opened by John E. Saxe and his son, Thomas, White Tower copied White Castle's menu, style, advertising and even architecture. For more From the Archives, visit our Web page here. Chicken George was small but oh-so mighty. Dun. Steak and Ale was ahead of its time. Early morning pizza brings us an insane amount of joy. Dees Drive-In catered to University of Utah students back in the 1920s and then expanded. When Miami-based Lums had to file for bankruptcy in 1981 the burger.. 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