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! The first Bud's in Lake Worth was at 928 N. Dixie Highway. Dominick DiMatteo, who was born in Sicily, founded the chain in 1918. In the '90s, better known as the era of gimmicky restaurants, a set of iconic athletes (Wayne Gretzky, Andre Agassi, and Joe Montana, to name a few) teamed up with Planet Hollywood to open the Official All Star Caf. This chain at one point had several-hundred locations in the United States as well as in such faraway lands as Australia. It may have replaced a Swingle. Compaq. Marriott purchased the brand in 1982 and slowly turned the remaining Gino's stores into Roy Rogers restaurants. While you cant get a Little Tavern burger anymore, there is good news: If youre looking to relive the vibe, a White Castles run should do the trick. 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. However, it was memorialized on the sitcom Seinfeld and some remain in operation in Asia. The company, famous for its warm croissants, had 93 stores in its peak, but eventually closed down in 2000. A former employee of Mr. Fables still owns the brands copyright, but so far, it remains in stasis. The company was known for their celebrity endorsements, like Muhammad Ali and comedian Soupy Sales, as well as their monstrous burgers like the "Sirloiner" and the famous "Giant." Closed in: Theres technically one still open. Although it made it until 2000, the weakened economy that followed the 1970s gas crisis is thought to have sealed its destiny. Many contenders attempted to answer this very question at one of the over 100 outposts of the Arizona-based chain Eatza Pizza. Before McDonald's became commonplace in Utah, Dee's was a burger giant. There were 10 locations at its height, but come 1974, the chain succumbed to the competition (otherwise known as McDonalds and Burger King). A hole-in-the-wall with the best Chinese food in Philadelphia. In the mid-1950s, Henry's Hamburgers, started by the Bresler's Ice Cream Company, was so popular that it had 35 locations in the Chicago area, which was more than McDonald's at the time. "I remember them for their chili dogs," one person wrote on a message board in 2007. This Mexican restaurant chain first opened in Minnesota in the 1970s, but at its peak in the mid-1990s, it had 210 locations nationwide. 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. 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. Penny's Diner of 12310 Winchester Road LaVale, MD 21502, a 1997 Starlite (#M4472 ), was moved to Low Moor, VA. Ma'am Sir 4330 W Sunset Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90029 East side Filipino restaurant Ma'am Sir closed its doors at the end of August. Hot dogs and tacos, what a combo! However, in the ice cream flavor wars, there can be only one, and Breslers hung up its paper hat in 2007 after 80 years in business. 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. Mercari/Fabiola Garcia. In the '90s, there were dozens of MaggieMoo's stores. The brand might be making a comeback too. Six decades after its start in the 1920s, Little Tavern had grown to nearly 40 locations. Founded in the early '80s, this chain specializes in a build-your-own salad bar, along with soup and pasta buffet options. "Ill hold onto it until I find another opportunity, even a smaller concept like a quick-serve, and trademark it. Today, the total of both stands at under 20 across the country. Despite its tasty food, variety of cocktails, and a cozy interior, this locale struggled to draw in visitors during off-season months and ultimately closed its doors in 2001. By the mid-1970s, however, the writing was on the wall. In the early 1990s, the . } ); Hot dogs steamed in beer? If you have any concerns about the accuracy or timeliness of our content, please reach out to our editors by e-mailing [emailprotected]. You may recognize Casa Bonita from your '90s youth if you're from Oklahoma, Colorado, Arkansas, or Texas. Long Island-native Herb Wetanson was inspired to found Wetson's after seeing McDonald's while on a roadtrip out west. a local bar or two where everyone knew your name. Radio Shack went bankrupt twice, in 2015, and most recently on March 8th, 2017. You can probably come up with a few stores that you used to love that are no longer around anymore. 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. So if you're lucky enough to live near Lakewood, Colorado, check out the last casa standing. The prestigious hot spot closed in 1965, and although there were talks of it relocating, owner Sherman Billingsley died shortly after. Gorillas make running a restaurant pretty hard, it turns out. Henry's began a quick decline due to management shake-ups, no drive-thru pickup windows and a lack of diversity in its menu. Chicken George was small but oh-so mighty. Chain restaurants like Applebee's, Fridays, Chili's and Outback may dominate highways and mall locations alike, but it wasn't always that way. RELATED: This 7-day smoothie diet will help you shed those last few pounds. 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. 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. What a career, right? The chain, which was owned by Planet Hollywood, first popped up in New York in 1995. It also had a private locker room, cigar collection, and a two-story view of Manhattan. 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. Best '90s Stores - Clothing, Book, and Movie Stores That Closed. Fehn's opened in Dayton as Fehn's 1891 House in 2004 and closed 10 years later. 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. The 50 Greatest Discontinued '90s Foods and Beverages. 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. You could say that Red Barn, well, bought the farm. SaharaLee / Via reddit.com. Elaine's was a New York City institution since opening in 1963 and remained one until it closed in 2011. 25.Pillsbury Waffle Sticks: WHAT HAPPENED: These took the world by storm in 2003. Get the best food tips and diet Fabulous burger if you had abstained from say three previous meals. As in other parts of the country, competition from McDonalds, Burger King and the like was severe, forcing the chain to close in 1988. 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. Next Post: Lindsey Buckingham Suffers Vocal Cord . The first Planet Hollywood opened in New York City in 1991, backed by Sylvester Stallone, Bruce Willis, Demi Moore, and Arnold Schwarzenegger. The sports-themed restaurant had 10 outposts once upon a time, but after the last official store closed its doors at the Walt Disney World location in 2007, we had to say our goodbyes once and for all. Gino's Hamburgers 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. Girls. Founded in Maryland, the company eventually expanded to six stores, with the Maryland location having crazy popularity. Headquartered: Los Angeles, California; Houston, Texas. we miss them all. Learn how to harness the power of tea to lose weight. Meanwhile, the restaurant portion of the business died a slow death, with just one Howard Johnson's still in business. the restaurant was sued for a health outbreak, Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads. document.addEventListener( 'DOMContentLoaded', function() { According to the New York Times, America's passion for the sugary, carbonated beverage soared from the '60s to the '90s before beginning a steep downward trend in the aughts.By 2015, soda consumption had taken a nosedive to the tune of a 25 percent . The drive-ins were recognizable by their swaying neon clown signs advertising the deliciousness inside. 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. Minnie Pearl's Fried Chicken was a fast food franchise started in 1966 as a competitor for the nationwide sensation Kentucky Fried Chicken. Mighty was in the name and mighty it was. 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. This Texas steakhouse first opened in the 1960s, and it remained an independent chain throughout the Dallas area. The Howard Johnson's hotel-restaurant chains began in the 1920s and evolved along with the American car culture. Become a Delish Unlimited member to read and save unlimited articles. 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. It sounds like a place where you might take Fido for a filet and maybe a martini. 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. Lauren Gray is a New York-based writer, editor, and consultant. Here are 12 things from the '90s that don't exist today even if we kind of wish they still did. What am I gonna do?" . Ownership has changed hands a few more times in the past three decades, and now there are several dozen Roy Rogers locations. Marchetti returned to the restaurant business in 2010, opening up a new Gino's location. Let's go: The Sizzler Steakhouse; Bob's Big Boy; The Ponderosa Steakhouse; Jr. xhr.send(payload); "The salad bar was the best thing ever," one faithful Michigan Steak and Ale customer said to America Jr. in 2008. 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. Thats why it was sad when Miami-based Lums had to file for bankruptcy and close permanently in 1983. 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. But now, only nine locations remain. The Chipotle conglomerate opened up the first Tasty Made in 2016 and envisioned it as a burger chain that would compete against the likes of Five Guys and Shake Shack. Located at 2 Archibald St., Spiak's had been a corner bar, lunch counter and restaurant for 90 years, according to past news articles. The Stork Club was an integral part of the New York City social scene in the early 19th century. Their restaurants looked like tiny castles painted in white, and from within, they dispensed tiny little burgers. We feel ya, Terminator. And by the mid-1990s, Little Tavern suffered financial issues and these local favorites started closing one by one. There are also major chains of sit down restaurants like Outback Steakhouse, Chili's and many more. We should start a campaign to bring back Geri's." Well, for awhile most of them had their midday meal at the Stock Exchange Luncheon Club, a members-only dining club located on the seventh floor of the New York Stock Exchange, which was founded in 1898. But as competition flared up from other chains, like Pizza Hut and Domino's, Pizza Haven struggled to keep up. But the idea soon caught on and Chi-Chi's couldn't compete. Like several other closed buffet chains, though, its store count dwindled in recent years as fast-casual dining started to dominate. Californians had In-N-Out, but if you grew up in Michigan, it was all about the Hot 'n Now. TechSpot. The chain was doing poorly even before COVID came along, which closed all Casas Bonita. Today, 14 Charlie Brown's locations still remain in New York and New Jersey. 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. Sadly, in 1991 Chicken George filed for bankruptcy and was dissolved. But if you need to get your Henry's fix, you still can. After all, Geri's mascot looked suspiciously like the original representative for McDonald's, Mr. Speedee. 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. 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.". 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. } else { The California-based hamburger and hotdog joint closed officially in 1986 after a 38-year stint. There is one restaurant remaining in Benton Harbor, Michigan. Depend on your area maybe. 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 . SATURDAY, DEC. 31, 2022 BIRTHDAY STAR: Actor Bebe Neuwirth was born in Newark, New Jersey, on this date in 1958. 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. By 1987, the chain concept was abandoned, and the last Beefsteak Charlies shut down in 2009. Case in point? Howard Johnson's. There is one Howard Johnson's restaurant left in the country, in New York's Lake George. They still exist. 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. Only 1970s Kids Will Remember These Restaurants. 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. (Ditto Shea Stadium, which got the wrecking ball in 2009.). Royal Castle had mini-burgers much like White Castle andBirch Beer, which is similar to root beer. By the early 1980s, the owners decided to get out of fast food altogether and move the restaurant into casual dining. Mall rats were a real thing. The chain was founded in 1952 and continued to grow over the years. February 24, 2023 11:00 am. In 1962, Happy Harry's opened up in Wilmington, Delaware. BEST WINES FOR VALENTINE'S DAY Stir up romance with a bottle. Unfortunately, after filing for bankruptcy in 1998, all but one of the stores were closed. The causal diner opened during the peak of roadside dining in 1957. If you grew up in Michigan in the last century, chances are you patronized many a Hot Sam pretzel stand in your time. This restaurant opened with Disney's Polynesian Village Resort in 1971 and remained in operation until 1994, when it was replaced by 'Ohana. Michigan in the 1920s and evolved along with soup and pasta buffet options painted... 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