Weird History: Favorite Restaurants No Longer Around

Facebook commenter.Jeannine Cox Calhoun:

Ponderosa Steakhouse.

Context: Description of 'Ponderosa Steakhouse and Bonanza Steakhouse' in the list 'Weird History: Favorite Restaurants No Longer Around'Actor Dan Blocker founded Ponderosa steakhouse in 1963.BonanzaPonderosa was a popular buffet-style restaurant. It had a fame with 1,305 locations.It had one point three zero five locations.The company, including the sister Bonanza steakhouse, had 75 locations worldwide now. The company filed for bankruptcy in 2008.

Facebook commenter.Aubryonna Remington:

Ryan’s was the buffet before Golden Corral. It offered better quality food and much better service.

Context: Description of 'Ryan’s' in the list 'Weird History: Favorite Restaurants No Longer Around'Buffets, Inc. owned Ryan’s. At one time, Ryan’s had many locations across the United States.The company filed for bankruptcy in 2012.This caused many Ryan’s locations to close suddenly.

Facebook commenter.Tonya J. Adams:

Shoney’s breakfast buffet on Saturday morning was the best; my grandmother loved it!

Context: Description of 'Shoney's' in the list 'Weird History: Favorite Restaurants No Longer Around'Shoney’s opened in Charleston, West Virginia, in 1947. It served southern comfort food. The company filed for bankruptcy in 2000.Shoney’s is still in business.With over 200 locations, this is far from its peak. It operated over 1,300 locations at its height.

Facebook commenter.Michael Ottaviano:

Bob's Big Boy...

Context: Description of 'Bob's Big Boy' in the list 'Weird History: Favorite Restaurants No Longer Around'Bob’s Big Boy earned major name recognition in California and across the country for many years. The original opened in 1938. Many franchises operated in the US, but the original restaurant was the one most linked to the brand. It closed in 1989, with many others converting to Allie’s.Others converted to Allie’s..

Facebook commenter.Joan Ryan Bernhardt:

...Howard Johnson’s (loved their Friday clam fry night)...

Context:Howard Johnson’s was once the largest restaurant chain in the United States. It faced tough competition from various fast food chains.The last location...It closed its doors in Lake George, New York, in 2022.

Facebook commenter.Kathleen Close:

Steak and Ale.

Context:Steak and Ale opened in Dallas in 1966. It offered fine dining and a casual feel. After struggles in the 1990s, all chain locations closed in 2008.All of the chain’s locations closed in 2008.

Facebook commenter.Angela Brotherton:

Chi-Chi's Mexican restaurant.

Context: Description of 'Chi-Chi’s' in the list 'Weird History: Favorite Restaurants No Longer Around'Chi-Chi’s is a chain of Mexican restaurants founded in Minneapolis in 1975. After struggles, including a 2003 bankruptcy filing, a hepatitis outbreak from tainted green onions ended it. Though it has some international spots, none remain in the US.None remain in the US..

Facebook commenter.Shirley Wood:

Burger Chef. They offered a topping bar where you could dress your own burgers.

Context:Burger Chef had about 1,200 locations in its peak. It was second only to McDonald’s. The company also claims to have invented the happy meal; it had a "fun meal" before McDonald's released the happy meal.

General Foods, the company that owned Burger Chef, sold it to Hardee's.Hardee'sIn the 1980s, Burger Chefs quickly turned into Hardee's. The General Foods chairman cited overly ambitious expansion as the reason for the sale. One Burger Chef owner held out, winning a lawsuit against Hardee's and kept his store as a Burger Chef for another 14 years. Many disliked this, but the chain is now gone.

From a Facebook commenterSam Scholten:

A decade ago, living in Columbus, OH, you could drive to Lancaster where they STILL had a Rax and an Arthur Treacher's! We would find a reason to make a day trip just to get that.

Context: Arthur Treacher’s, named after the British actor, started in 1969. It had over 800 spots during its peak. By 2021, only one location remained. Nathan’s Famous Frankfurters, however, worked to revitalize the brand and keep it relevant.worked to bring the brand back to life and keep it current.

From a Facebook commenterWendy Lindig Miller:

[Pancho's] Mexican all you could eat! Raise the flag at your table and they bring more of whatever you want!

Context:Pancho’s Mexican Buffet served Tex-Mex food. It had over 50 locations when it peaked in the 1980s. After the company folded in 2012,the company shut down in 2012, but a few non-corporate locations stayed open in Houston.

From a Facebook commenterSam Scholten:

A decade ago, living in Columbus, OH, you could drive to Lancaster where they STILL had a Rax and an Arthur Treacher's! We would find a reason to make a day trip just to get that.

Context:Rax Roast Beef started in 1967. Jack Roschman founded it in Springfield, OH. It was mostly regional, with spots in Indiana, Ohio, Illinois, and Kentucky initially. It grew to 504 locations across 38 states. The company filed for bankruptcy several times; though most locations shut down, a few still exist.a few places remain.

From a Facebook commenterKevin LaBombard:

Lum's. I remember going as a kid, it was really good…

Context:Lum’s, founded in Miami Beach in 1955, was a restaurant chain famous for beer-steamed hotdogs. After another company bought it, it began to disappear after 1982.it began to vanish after 1982. The last one closed in 2017.

From a Facebook commenterJamal J. Johnson:

[Souplantation]. They closed at the start of the pandemic.

Context:Souplantation, based in San Diego, started in 1978. It was a popular buffet-style restaurant until it closed in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

From a Facebook commenterPatcharles Iovanella:

Beefsteak Charlie’s.

Context:For seven decades, Beefsteak Charlie’s was known as one of the best restaurants in Manhattan. It started in 1914 but did not start franchising until the 1970s.It joined another company before closing in 1986.

From a Facebook commenterMelissa Mattison Schwenn:

Mr. Steak. We always ate there when I was a kid.

Context:Mr. Steak started in Colorado during the 1960s. It hit peak popularity in the 1970s, hitting 278 spots in 1978. The chain saw a slump in the 1980s and 1990s.The final Mr. Steak location shut down in 2009.This location was in Missouri.

Facebook commenter Hilary Musacchio said:Hilary Musacchio.:

York Steak House.

Context:York Steak House opened in Columbus, OH, in 1966. Berndt Gross and Eddie Grayson founded it. The place grew to nearly 200 locations by the 1980s. It shrank fast after that. Only one location stays open, located in Columbus.It was located in Columbus..

Facebook commenter Jackie Lutz said:Jackie Lutz.:

Zantigo Mexican Restaurant.

Context:Zantigo began as Zapata in 1969. Ownership changed, and the name became Zantigo in 1974. All its spots closed by 1988, but the chain later reopened. Four locations are now open.four revitalized locations are currently open.

Facebook commenter Jim Barry said:Jim Barry.:

Carrol's loved that spot. It was a great treat to visit as a kid. All the memories from that place are good!

Context: Carrol's opened in 1960. It became very popular across upstate New York, especially in Syracuse. However, it stopped operating in the 1970s.It closed down in the 1970s., with the last spot closing in the 1980s. Most locations became Burger Kings.