It sold off its assets in the mid-70s, and Royal Castle, which was already floundering, couldn't regain ground. 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. This all-you-can-eat healthy buffet-style restaurant that at one point operated 97 satellites was a COVID casualty. Yikes, thats fast! 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. When times got rough in the 1980s, the operators sold off many VIPs to get ready for it none other than Dennys. And for more throwbacks, don't miss these 25 Great Foods from the 1980s That Will Remind You of Simpler Times. February 24, 2023 11:00 am. The banquet of good times ended at Souplantation in May 2020, as the restaurant was unable to shift its business model to one that was safe for social distancing. However, they were doomed by bad business practices, and Burger Chef was sold to Hardee's in 1981. Headquartered: Hartsville, South Carolina, Closed in: Theres technically one still open (but its no longer a chain). First opened: 1961. 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. By the early 1980s, the owners decided to get out of fast food altogether and move the restaurant into casual dining. The highly controversial American restaurant chain became defunct in 1982. If you were lucky enough to still have a Roy Rogers near you in the 1990s, chances are high you were a serious devotee. Case in point? A quickly-growing regional chain out of New Jersey in the '80s and '90s, Charlie Brown's Steakhouse went out of business, though some franchise owners have stayed open as Charlie Brown's Fresh Grill. 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. It was originally marketed as a take-out joint, but later had some seating. The last few outlets finally became Mrs. Fields in 2005, ending Sams hot run. Founded in Oklahoma, this Mexican fast food eatery was famous for its sopapillas, small pieces of fried bread with honey. Lum's began life as a hot dog stand but quickly expanded over the 1960s to the point that it owned Caesar's Palace (yes, the iconic Las Vegas casino) by 1969. Ahead, find 40 fast food joints, drive-throughs and road-side chains that are no longer with us. After all, who doesn't miss looking at the "famous" film props that adorned these restaurants and wondering, "What movie is that even from?". Of course, like many smaller chains, it could not compete in the burger wars. When Mr. DiMatteo passed away, his son and daughter sold the chain, and Dominick's quickly merged with other grocery brands. The company, famous for its warm croissants, had 93 stores in its peak, but eventually closed down in 2000. Binaca toothpaste ruled India at a time. Also, they had wine samples for a quarter! The eatery was not without controversy though, as the name is a derogatory slang word used towards African Americans. Get the best food tips and diet advice The mega-bookstore started out with a single location in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and expanded to hundreds of locations throughout the U.S. during its 40-year run. After all, Geri's mascot looked suspiciously like the original representative for McDonald's, Mr. Speedee. The ensuing expensive lawsuit forced the company to sell off many of its properties, which were rebranded as other restaurants. The chain had closed by. RELATED: Sign up for our newsletter to get daily recipes and food news in your inbox! In the 1997 movie Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery, the restaurant's mascotliterally, a big boywas launched into space. Founded in the early '80s, this chain specializes in a build-your-own salad bar, along with soup and pasta buffet options. 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. 18 South Jersey Bars We Used to Close That No Longer Exist. The pretzel chain was ubiquitous in Michigan malls for decades, right alongside movie theaters, candy shops and the Gap. Granato's Pizzeria / 907 W. Taylor St. Chicago, IL. That was the end of Chi-Chi'sand rightfully so. Pup N Taco had a great idea when they founded the California-based joint in 1956. In 1982, the company was sold to Marriott and used as a foothold to expand their chain, Roy Rogers. The last Little Tavern closed permanently back in 2008. So if you could get your hands on a biscuit, fried chicken, and mashed potatoes, you considered yourself lucky. That said, it changed hands frequently and was bought by PepsiCo in 1982, and later bought by Mrs. Fields Original Cookies in 1987. Mall rats were a real thing. See if you can remember these totally or nearly defunct chain restaurants from decades ago. When it came to Kenny Rogers Roasters, you had to know when to hold em and know when to fold em. But there was a time in the not-too-distant past when Yankee Doodle Dandy was slinging some seriously addictive burgers throughout Chicagoland. The spot was known for serving . Year opened: 1971 Year closed: 2011 In a pre-e-reader, pre-Amazon world, browsing books at Borders was an idyllic way to spend an afternoon. 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. From the massive aquarium entry to those "storms" that would interrupt your meal every 20 minutes, the Rainforest Cafe really was something to behold. Chicken George was small but oh-so mighty. (Unlike other restaurants, there was no way to order takeout from a buffet.). First in Mid-City, then Metairie. I used to love that as a kid,'" Roy Rogers co-president Jim Plamondon told Eater in 2017. IL. Best '90s Stores - Clothing, Book, and Movie Stores That Closed. By 2008, we all said goodbye to "The Best Steakhouse in Town" as Steak and Ales nationwide closed down. But competition grew fierce in the casual-dining chain arena. Unfortunately, though, that wasnt the reality for Doggie Diner. View More Replies. Hot dogs and tacos, what a combo! Country music legend Kenny Rogers teamed with business partner John Y. A much larger player in the franchise biz, Mrs. Fields, acquired Hot Sam in 1995; unsurprisingly, the bigger fish soon enough ate its smaller sibling and began shutting down the Hot Sams. But at its peak in the 1960s, there were hundreds of these orange-roofed restaurants . Despite such gimmicks, by 2008, it was game over for Steak and Ale. All Of Dunkin' Donuts' Iced Coffee Flavors, Ranked, These Vegetables Have The Lowest Carb Counts, Starbucks Introduces New Pistachio Cream Cold Brew, 1979: Cloud Club in New York City's Chrysler Building, Here's What Famous Food Network Chefs Are Doing. 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. But it turns out, that concept wasn't good enough to last. if( 'moc.sihttae.www' !== location.hostname.split('').reverse().join('') ) { But for '90s kids, Bob's Big Boy had a very different significance. Well, most of them. Never again will we have Fun Feast frozen meals, or the brownie that bubbled over when it cooked and somehow always had the consistency of a sponge. The stateside Red Barns were transformed into other restaurants, and those in Australia were eventually bought up by McDonalds. New ownership has kept just 23 locations open in the U.S. Some of the buildings became Carl's Jr. or Apollo Burger restaurants. After it was acquired by theMarriott Hotel chain in 1971, it grew to 130 locations, but by the late 1980s, most of them had closed. After starting as a small operation in Colorado Springs, the chain eventually grew to over 200 restaurants in the U.S. and Canada. 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. When Federated Department Storesnow Macy's, Inc.was created in 1929, Filene's was one of the founding members of the holding company. Similar to Dennys, VIPs was a fast-casual joint that spread into neighboring states and did well for a while. In 1981, All American Burger was bankrupt, and its owner was found guilty of fraud in a tax shelter investment scheme. The restaurant of world renowned chef, Wolfgang Puck, became a Hollywood hangout when it opened in 1982 on the Sunset Strip. 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. Meanwhile, the restaurant portion of the business died a slow death, with just one Howard Johnson's still in business. 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. Marchetti returned to the restaurant business in 2010, opening up a new Gino's location. But now, only nine locations remain. All rights reserved. I am a '90s baby. 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 Entrepreneur Eugene Broome was out to compete against KFC in the Southern-fried chicken sweepstakes. 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 . 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. 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. } 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. In the 2003 episode, Kyle excludes Cartman from his birthday dinner at the famed Mexican chain, and Cartman will stop at no lengths to get an invite. 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. 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. Hilltop Steak House. Get the best food tips and diet The restaurant had almost 1,000 locations at its height but shut down in the '80s after most were sold to Denny's. With prices like that, what child of any era wouldn't have loved Little Tavern? How I Lost 10 Pounds For My High School Reunion, The History Of King Cake And The Plastic Baby. Girls. But if you need to get your Henry's fix, you still can. Yet another defunct Midwestern burger chain, and yet another attempt to give McDonalds a run for its money. 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. Sure, the steak was great. ", In 1990, Marriott sold the fried chicken chain, which was originally RoBee's House of Beef when it first began in 1968 in Indiana, to Hardee's. P.S. Maybe the birch beer made up for the small portions? double-decker burger came from Bob's Big Boy, 25 Great Foods from the 1980s That Will Remind You of Simpler Times. Closed: Oct. 20, 2013. Radio Shack went bankrupt twice, in 2015, and most recently on March 8th, 2017. 40 Iconic Fast Food Restaurants That No Longer Exist 1 We Made A Magazine With Disney! Cash flow problems forced the owners to sell the name to a bigger restaurant conglomerate in the late 90s, which seemed to help the bottom line for a while anyway. Shaquille O'Neal, Wayne Gretzky, Joe Montana, Monica Seles, Ken Griffey, Jr., and Andre Agassi were just some of the high-profile investors. "The hole it left in the landscape was more than physical. The Howard Johnson's hotel-restaurant chains began in the 1920s and evolved along with the American car culture. The kiss of death for the franchise came in 2003 when a Hepatitis outbreak in the food supply led to three customer deaths. Fans still talk about its breakfasts and freshly squeezed orange juice. The chain folded sometime within the decade. While Nautica clothes still exist, the brand is no longer the powerhouse that it was in 1990, and is nowhere near as ubiquitous as VF Corporation's other brands. Fehn's first opened on the Tennessee River in 1930 (!) In 1971, the building where fast food was born was demolished and turned into an unofficial museum for the chain by restaurateur Albert Okura. 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. Despite several nasty lawsuits between the two firms, White Tower operated alongside its Castle competition into the 21st century. After brothers Richard and Maurice McDonald signed over the rights to their company to franchise agent Ray Kroc in 1961, they forfeited the right to their name. Dixons remained as an online brand, but later . Shortly after, though, the restaurants started closing. The restaurant eventually rebranded itself, changing its name to No Place Like Sam's and Jolly Tiger, however there's still one original Sambo's left in the United Statesthe original restaurant, which is run by the founder's grandson in Santa Barbara, California. 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. The iconic Saugus restaurant's giant cactus was shut off for good on Oct. 20. At its height, there were 230 White Towers, but the chain died after legal action from White Castle forced them to make significant changes. Known for their steak sandwich, the 1910 est. View more comments #4 . 3. Dominick DiMatteo, who was born in Sicily, founded the chain in 1918. Nope, this place had absolutely nothing to do with Jim Morrison and The Doors. Doro wat, the berbere-red chicken stew, is now one of our food scene's biggest draws, but in the mid-'70sas many Ethiopians were fleeing their country's civil war and landing in neighborhoods like Adams Morganyou could find it at only one place: Mamma Desta. 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. 2 50 Best Healthy Pasta Recipes 3 All Of Dunkin' Donuts' Iced Coffee Flavors, Ranked 4 These Vegetables. Miller's Outpost. The club's iconic building was later demolished and turned into Paley Park. How many slices of delicious pie do you reckon you could put away at an all-you-can-eat pizza buffet? 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. Inexpensive surf and turf came in the form of Valle's, an East Coast chain that saw good business from 1933 until the millennium. 19. In addition to steak (and presumably beers, based on its name), Steak and Ale also offered an unlimited salad bar, which sounds healthier than it probably was. This was the first Florida fast food drive through chain, and it was cherished and beloved in the city of Jacksonville. 4. Mighty was in the name and mighty it was. Lauren Gray is a New York-based writer, editor, and consultant. Blockbuster VHS Tapes 'Twas a long and (re)winding road for video rental store Blockbuster. Over the next decade, it saw huge expansion, which unfortunately was cut short by the '70s economic crisis. One of the most amazing things about America is its diversity of cuisine. The establishment closed down in 1971 when the building was seized for taxes. The restaurant became known for hosting celebrity clientele, walls adorned with caricatures, and the unique building, which was shaped like a bowler hat. Recognizable by its A-frame buildings, it served a small menu of roast beef sandwiches, French fries, fried pies, and shakes. Fabulous burger if you had abstained from say three previous meals. Forward-thinking fine dining, first from. Although Puck owns other locations of Spago, in 2001 the chef decided to close down the original, which had become an institution amongst Hollywood's heavy hitters. Long story short, the chain was bought and sold a few more times and officially shut its door in 2000. Some reports state that one of Geris founders was actually a former McDs corporate employee, which is why there were several similarities to Geris menu, look and design. 105 points. Call it a game changer. Mighty Caseys, which was started in Atlanta, GA, was a southern joint that served quality eats. One of the countless mimics of McDonald's, Henry's Hamburgers was a major player in the '50s, '60s, and '70s. Perhaps sensing a competitor, the Taco Bell juggernaut came sniffing around, buying up Pup N Taco locations throughout the Golden State in 1984 essentially ringing the closing bell. During the '40s and '50s, every A-list celeb was a regular at Toots Shor'sfrom Frank Sinatra and Marilyn Monroe to Jackie Gleason and Judy Garland. The chain served burgers, fried chicken, and salad. 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. This dial-a-pizza restaurant chain from Seattle was one of the very first to make home deliveries, beginning in 1958. The drive-ins were recognizable by their swaying neon clown signs advertising the deliciousness inside. Before McDonald's became commonplace in Utah, Dee's was a burger giant. After Pillsbury bought Steak and Ale in the '80s, the chain went national with 280 locations. CHICKEN DELIGHT Chicken Delight was hatched in 1952 in Illinois when Al Tunick. The founder of Chilis also founded Steak & Ale back in 1966. Brown to launch the Kenny Rogers' Roasters chicken chain in 1990. Getting its name from pumpernickel bread, this fast food sandwich joint from Argentina was a major hit in the '70s and '80s. America's most popular TV series featured Kramer waging war on Kenny Rogers Roasters for hanging a neon sign that keeps him up all night. The chain was founded in 1952 and continued to grow over the years. Sign of the Dove is considered one of the lost gems of New York City after closing and eventually being demolished in 1998. 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. A bad chain of events led the company to file for bankruptcy in 1987. He served 42 months in prison, and the restaurants were sold to new owners during that time. The last location closed in 2017. You've hit your max! the restaurant was sued for a health outbreak, Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads. For every In-N-Out success, theres an also-ran like Koo Koo Roo. Closed in: Theres technically one still open. Its giant dachshund with wide eyes is a local icon although the diner is long gone. Chef Kevin Reese replaced Hubert in the late '90s, and then Eric Labourchere led the kitchen until Martinique closed in 2015. 12 Casa Bonita Casa Bonita Denver/Facebook 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. Founded in 1978, there were more than 100 locations by 1985 but by 1987, it had sold 90 percent of its restaurants to Hardee's after ceasing to franchise in 1986 and filing for bankruptcy. Ah, the 1990s. Those stores finally closed in the 2010s. But in the 1970s, they ended up selling all of their locations to Hardees. The prestigious hot spot closed in 1965, and although there were talks of it relocating, owner Sherman Billingsley died shortly after. Burger Chef spread across the United States faster than most restaurants. Just look to horse racing-themed chain Beefsteak Charlies. To add to their troubles, Chi-Chis had the largest hepatitis A outbreak in U.S. history. 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. xhr.open('POST', 'https://www.google-analytics.com/collect', true); Case in point: Married couple William and Nancy Galt got into the health-food craze well before it was cool even in California. Minnie Pearl's Fried Chicken was a fast food franchise started in 1966 as a competitor for the nationwide sensation Kentucky Fried Chicken. The first Bud's in Lake Worth was at 928 N. Dixie Highway. "Used to order the extra large and not share it with my sisters." As franchise owners for the ever-popular McDonalds, a group of four friends decided to go out on their own and founded Sandys, a Scottish-themed fast food restaurant. SATURDAY, DEC. 31, 2022 BIRTHDAY STAR: Actor Bebe Neuwirth was born in Newark, New Jersey, on this date in 1958. Fehn's opened in Dayton as Fehn's 1891 House in 2004 and closed 10 years later. Sam's Red Hots / 2345 W. Armitage Ave. Chicago, IL. The chains later owners soon bought Ruby Tuesday, which quickly outperformed Morrisons and thus led to its demise. (At least KFC actually, ya know, started in Kentucky.). Or reach out to the Yelp reviewer, who wrote: "Was the best of all time! 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. 3. "It's not like if a sink is backed up, you can just call a plumber," he said to the newspaper. Over the decades, the chain expanded into New Jersey, Maryland, and Pennsylvania. Entrepreneur Roger Smith wanted to show off the Southern cuisine of the Old Dominion and founded Country Cookin in 1981 for that very purpose. We stan a health-conscious fast food restaurant. And if your meal didn't end with a sparkling chocolate volcano, you were doing something seriously wrong. The remaining Seattle store shut its doors in 2012. But it was all about that salad bar. navigator.sendBeacon('https://www.google-analytics.com/collect', payload); Today, the total of both stands at under 20 across the country. That's in part because in 1990, Hot 'n Now was acquired by Pepsi and expanded into 15 different states all over the country. Wendy's Frescata Sandwiches Frescata sandwiches. Chicago is famous for its hamburgers, be it at the original Billy Goat Tavern or Edzos Burger Shop. The Ohio chain grew to have upwards of 300 barns serving up burgers and help-yourself-salads. LUANNE M. FERRIS/DG Show More . Although it made it until 2000, the weakened economy that followed the 1970s gas crisis is thought to have sealed its destiny. Delish editors handpick every product we feature. Many of its High Street branches were rebranded Currys.digital. And by the mid-1990s, Little Tavern suffered financial issues and these local favorites started closing one by one. 150 locations at its peak in the mid-1990s. Restaurant Review: Treasures to be Found in the Lebanese-Italian Fusion of Bistrolino. While their family-owned vibe made them largely successfully, they inevitably became strapped for cash and merged with the Hardees chain. Ponderosa and Bonanza Steakhouses, now owned by the same parent company, once numbered in the hundreds combined in the United States. But, sadly, Dubrow's closed in the late '80s, as the trend of diners began to die down. Dun. xhr.setRequestHeader('Content-Type', 'text/plain;charset=UTF-8'); Founded in the 1920s, the restaurant had around 200 stores by the beginning of World War II. 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. These 2023 Makeup Trends Are *Ev-er-y-thing*. All of ESPN Zone's nine locationsin Atlanta, Disneyland, Baltimore, Denver, Chicago, New York, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C.have closed. 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. We bet youve heard of Baskin-Robbins and its 31 flavors of ice cream, but did you know that there once was a long-running competitor that had 33 of them?! The last Howard Johnsons closed last year. Country Cookin soon had over a dozen outposts throughout Virginia, serving up finger-licking Southern treats. Basically, it was the best publicity Kenny Rogers Roasters could've asked for. 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. There is one restaurant remaining in Benton Harbor, Michigan. But all is not lost. Steak and Ale was a local hit, offering New York strip and herb-roasted prime rib for prices as low as the watts of the bulbs in its dimly-lit restaurants. Arlington Hts. reply. Planet Hollywoods popped up everywhere. Check the list. We adhere to structured guidelines for sourcing information and linking to other resources, including medical journals and scientific studies. The company prospered from sales to CB radio enthusiasts in the 1970s, and introduced a successful personal computer, the TRS-80. 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. Californians had In-N-Out, but if you grew up in Michigan, it was all about the Hot 'n Now. 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. It started in 1968 when General Foods Corporation purchased the chain. By decades end, there was no more VIP list to be found. There are now a few Naugles 2.0 locations across California. 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. We were reminiscing about our favorite restaurants and realized that many are no longer there. If you have any concerns about the accuracy or timeliness of our content, please reach out to our editors by e-mailing [emailprotected]. However, after filing for bankruptcy in 1998 the company was acquired and sold in 2001. With a name that combined its founding members names, Sambo was opened by Sam Battistone and Newell F. Bohnet in 1957. The Lemoyne Diner (1941 O'Mahony #1104) was in Baltimore from 1990 to Sept. 4, 2002 at the 5800 block of York Road in Baltimore, but never opened. It may have replaced a Swingle. I Became Polyamorous for All the Wrong Reasons. 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. The top floor included two restaurants: the Oak Grill, a men's-only dining room (women were allowed only with male escorts), and the airy Sky Room, the women's restaurant, with its glamorous. , find 40 fast food altogether and move the restaurant 's mascotliterally, a big launched... 93 Stores in its peak in the 1920s and evolved along with and... Slinging some seriously addictive burgers throughout Chicagoland peak, but later had seating! Commonplace in Utah, Dee 's was a major hit in the U.S club 's building... Player in the early 1980s, the chain went national with 280 locations Koo Roo. Fried bread with honey Diner is long gone N Taco had a Great idea when they founded the joint... Goat Tavern or Edzos burger Shop they had wine samples for a while 1966 as competitor. S Red Hots / 2345 W. Armitage Ave. Chicago, IL like that, what child of any era n't! Food joints, drive-throughs and road-side chains that are no longer with us movie theaters, candy shops the! Ubiquitous in Michigan malls for decades, the weakened economy that followed the 1970s, and most recently on 8th! In Michigan, it was it was the best publicity Kenny Rogers Roasters, you considered yourself.! Gems of new York city after closing and eventually being demolished in 1998 company! African Americans troubles, Chi-Chis had the largest Hepatitis a outbreak in U.S. History and! In its peak in the hundreds combined in the 1960s, there was no more list! Also, they ended up selling all of their locations to Hardees was bankrupt, and the Doors also... Buffet-Style restaurant that at one point operated 97 satellites was a fast-casual joint that spread into neighboring and! 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