Check out these nostalgic joints which unfortunately had to shut its doors. :'(
Burger Chef
In the 1950s, Burger Chef was a well-known brand of tasty hamburger restaurants which were founded by General Electric in Indianapolis. When Burger Chef was in their prime, you could find over 1200 branches across the globe. However, they had an even bigger beef with their competitors.
Having so many restaurants resulted in high quantity but low quality, which was no match to the invincible McDonalds. Out of desperation, the chain was sold to General Foods and then sold off again! Eventually, many of the branches were changed to Hardee’s.
Click next to be surprised about your favorite joint:
Isaly’s
This restaurant may sound like a tongue twister. However, many will be surprised to learn that ISALYS stands for “I Shall Always Love You, Sweetheart”.
During the 19th century, this brand made a mark in history. Hungry customers lined up for the signature chipped chopped ham, as well as, the Klondike Bar. As time went on, the branch was sold and slowly diluted to nothing. However, we shall always love you, sweetheart. (Too soon?)
Beefsteak Charlie’s
It is basically impossible not to have a wet mouth when thinking of this fast-food chain. However, the tale is not as lovely as the food. Beefsteak Charlie’s opened up in the year 1914, in the middle of Manhattan. It was not long before they became a confirmed chain in 1976. Following that, the name became even bigger in the year 1980!
Customers were drawn to the tasty meat and the slogan “you’re gonna get spoiled” made them even more curious. Well, Charlie’s was not lying, because spoiling was something they were all too good at. After too much spoiling and giving more than they had, the unlimited food and alcohol parties ultimately led the company to their downfall.
A few attempts were made to keep the name alive. However, Beefsteak Charlie’s was shut down in the year 2009.
Wetson’s
Can anyone spot the difference? No? Well, Wetson's tried to assist when they told their hungry customers to "look for the Orange Circles" for the one. Whilst the 'other' joint said to "Look for the Golden Arches". If that doesn’t help you, the hamburgers joint instructs to "buy a bagful" whilst the White Castles says "Buy em' by the sack".
The differences are just uncanny! (We're being sarcastic by the way). If the loud colors weren’t enough for you, then surely you remember the two clown mascots!
This fast food chain received the name "Wetson's" from the founder Herbert Wetanson. As time went by, the brand collaborated with Nathan's famous hot dog chain in 1975. However, not everyone took too well to the burgers and sausages unison and thus came the ends of Wetson’s burger reign.
Howard Johnson’s
Remember Howard Johnson’s? Or commonly known as HoJo’s? A thousand branches were set up across the globe, giving them the title of the largest chain of restaurants during the 1960s and 1970s. Customers could spot their beloved Hojo’s, either by the orange roof, the weather vanes or the peaks.
As strong as the flavor of that chicken was, it was not enough to keep them in the game. “The downfall of Howard Johnson’s was ultimately their competitors. Friendly’s had their ice cream, KFC was all about fried chicken, and in comparison, HoJo’s was just too basic,” one critic stated. Ouch!
Official All Star Café
Planet Hollywood took ownership of the iconic All Star Café in the year 1995. Big names in that era of sports invested in the brand, such as Wayne Gretzky, Ken Griffey Jr, Shaq, Joe Montana, and Andre Agassi, to mention a few.
During the peak of the All-Star Café’s success, they managed to branch out into 10 different joints which were situated in prime locations. Such as Walt Disney World and Times square. Although the sports-themed restaurant gave birth to branches such as Hard Rock Café, the idea was greater than its success and the last All-Star Café was seen in the year 2007.
Horn & Hardart
Back in the day, this restaurant was pretty much the public first glimpse into the future of what will be for the coming food joints. The Horn & Hardart branches were known as “automats” because instead of a chef and a waitress, preparing and delivering what you just ordered, you could pick a ready-prepared meal from the other side of a glass window.
So in short, the restaurant was basically a walk-in vending machine.
Unfortunately, this nifty idea was not enough to hold up the restaurants thus bringing the reign of Horn & Hardart to an end. However, certain countries such as Japan or Europe, have maintained the idea.
Lums
What was once a little hot dog stand, eventually grew into a family restaurant, situated in Miami Beach during the 1950s. By the time it was 1961, they already had four different locations, which is a lot to stem from a little hot dog stand! Loyal customers were devoted to Lums’ famous beer-steamed hotdogs.
Eventually, in 1969 the brand had 400 company-owned restaurants across Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and Europe. However, perhaps their buns were bigger than their bites because the branches declared bankruptcy and all stores were closed by 1982.
Steak And Ale
In the year 1966, Steak and Ale offered Dallas, Texas a new take on dining out. Customers were enticed by the ability to have a cheap and affordable steak instead of waiting around for payday or your birthday just to feel spoilt.
Steak and Ale were best known for their low-priced steak and salad bar. As well as their free drinks and desserts. However, what their well-fed customers didn’t know, is that these low costs were an attempt to battle their competition. Unfortunately, their competition got the best of them, resulting in the closing of Steak and Ale. Don’t lose hope!
Because earlier in 2017, a parent company began to suggest different franchise opportunities, so fingers crossed for a comeback!
White Tower
After White Castles success, there was no doubt that would result in a few copy cats. In the year 1921, White Castle had been founded. Following that, came along White Tower. The ‘color’ is not all they had in common.
It was not long before the White Tower chain claimed just about everything except the kitchen sink. They had copied the menu, the style, the architecture, and even the marketing methods. It was not long until they had opened about 230 different branches which led them to a few court cases. The legal action taken against them was caused their slow downfall which ended in the year 2004.
Schrafft’s
In the year 1998, a little candy store grew into a famous brand known as “Schrafft’s”. The tiny candy joint evolved into a full-on restaurant which could be found in several different locations. Moreover, it was also one of the first few restaurants which allowed unescorted women.
Eventually, there were around 43 different Schrafft’s branches to dine at. The branches were most commonly found in New York, Philadelphia and even Boston. During the 1980s, the brand slowly began to dwindle and eventually disappeared completely.
Continue on the next page to continue our little stroll down memory lane…
Minnie Pearl’s Chicken
Well, what do you know, another KFC competitor? Minnie Pearl’s chicken was a chain of fast food restaurants which was co-founded by the infamous country singer, Minnie Pearls and her entrepreneur, John Jay Hooker. At first, the idea projected what could be a huge success in the chicken business.
There was a stage where 500 Minnie Pearl’s chicken branches could be found. However, owing to inconsistent recipes and menus, the chickens had finally come to roost and their business collapsed.
Gino’s Hamburgers
If you weren’t living under a rock during the 1960/1970’s period, then you were a part of the reason their slogan was “Everybody goes to Gino’s”. Gino’s was founded by the football star Gino Marchetti and became a chain of fast food restaurant branches.
It was not long before Gino’s had 300 different branches, mainly found on the East Coast. Eventually, they managed to open a few in the Midwest as well. However, they weren’t around for very long. The brand was then sold to Marriot who changed all Gino’s branches to “Roy Rogers” restaurants.
Sambo’s
In the year 1957, a pancake house called Sambo’s spread across the West Coast to scratch that common pancake itch. By the time 1970 came around, there were about 1100 Sambo spots to choose from. With their undeniable success, the brand decided to branch out to the Northeast and here is where they met their downfall.
One would think that people wouldn’t possibly search for problems in something as delicious as pancakes. However, the problem was not in their food, but rather in their name. “Sambo” is, in fact, a derogatory term which caused a few customers to feel unhappy. The brand pleaded that the name comes from the owner’s names combined together.
However, that explanation and a chocolate covered pancake weren’t enough to calm the public. The business went bankrupt and attempted to rebrand themselves multiple times before shutting down completely. The last Sambo’s location is still standing in Santa Barbara, Calif.
D’Lites
It is almost heartbreaking for us couch potatoes to read about these fallen fast food joints. However, this one may surprise you. The Georgia-base burger chain emerged in the year 1978 and just like any other starting burger brand, D’lites experienced quick success. It only took them under a decade until they had over 100 different burger joints.
Their decline arouse when competing branches, such as Burger King, Wendy’s and Mc Donalds began to add healthy meals to their menu. Even though one would think that whoever goes to a fast-food joint to order a salad is crazy, it was enough to cause D’Lites to meet their end.
Henry’s Hamburgers
This branch stemmed from a little ice cream company who were attempting to expand on their dessert menu. As you can see, Henry’s was essentially sponging off McDonald's and took a surprising lead in the game when they offered 10 hamburgers for only a dollar.
During the 1960s, Henry’s hamburgers seemed to be invincible until 1970 came around to show them that they were no match for the competing fast-food branches at hand. Other fast-food chains could offer things such as drive-ins or diversity to their menu and thus came the end of Henry’s Hamburgers.
Sandy’s
This little burger restaurant was born in the middle of Illinois. Sandy’s had four owners who had initially planned to open a few more McDonalds Branches. However, the area they were trying to conquer demanded much higher fees.
The four owners decided simply opening a chain of burger joints instead, which closely resembled McDonald's. This venture stood for around 20 years. However, the competition was high and Sandy’s couldn’t match their opponents' strong marketing strategies. Eventually Sandy’s shut down.
Wimpy
In the year 1934, Edward Gold founded the Wimpy brand in Bloomington, Indiana. The name ‘Wimpy’ is derived from Popeye’s character of the same name. This branch eventually brews about 1500 different locations across the globe.
Sadly, when Edward Gold passed away, all the Wimpy branches in the US began to vanish. Strangely, no one bought the rights to the trademark so legally speaking, no one actually owns the Wimpy name. However, there are still a few Wimpy joints open today.
Childs
In 1989, Child’s was a restaurant chain which was founded in good ol’ New York City. Contrastingly, the branches were found in the US and Canada. The name was derived from the founder, Samuel Childs. The company a good reign during the 1920s and 1930s.
The brand seemed to be taking the food industry by storm with 125 different branches and an estimate of around 50 million meals per year! Sadly, the company went bankrupt come 1940 and was later diluted into what eventually became the Hotel Corporation of America. Following that, the locations were sold to other companies during the 1960s.
Naugles
In the year 1970, a small chain of Tex-Mex restaurants opened up in Southern California. Naugles were known for their slogan “Prepare food fresh. Serve customer fast. Keep the place clean!”. Let’s be real, what more could you possibly want from a restaurant?
After a collaboration with Del Taco, most of the branches shortly changed their names from Naugles to Tel Daco. Today, there are only two locations still open, serving the areas of Fountain Valley and Huntington Beach, California.
Casa Bonita
During the late ’60s, Casa Bonita was the perfect place to be if you were looking for good food and good entertainment. The popular joint offered a great Mexican meal along with some live entertainment, also known as, “eatertainment”.
Casa Bonita had locations in Oklahoma City and Tulsa as well as in Lakewood, Colorado. There is currently only one location left open, in Lakewood, but it is now operating under a different name. The restaurant became commonly known after an episode of South Park, named “Casa Bonita,” aired.
Chi-Chi’s
In the year 1975, Chi-Chi’s opened up their first branch which offered a tasty Mexican meal. The brands' slogan started off as “A celebration of food” and was later changed to “life always needs a little salsa” (which it totally does). However, Chi-Chis “celebration of food” was put to a stop after a Hepatitis A outbreak at one of their 210 locations! (Not exactly what you want from a Mexican joint).
This Hepatitis A outbreak was no small incident and ended up taking the lives of four people! As you can imagine, it became impossible for the brand to come back from that and they shortly shut down. The locations were sold to Outback Steakhouse who then sold them off to other companies.
Surprisingly, there are a number of Chi-Chi’s restaurants which are still operating in Belgium, Luxembourg, the United Arab Emirates, and Kuwait.
House Of Pies
It is hard to believe that this pie restaurant didn’t remain standing. After all, who wouldn’t want pie? In the year 1965, the Original House Of Pies opened and offered any kind of pie you were craving. However, in 1986, the company declared bankruptcy and closed down.
The founder of Original House Of Pies was also the founder of International House of Pancakes. However, have no fear because if you find yourself craving a pie or a pancake, you can find a few operating branches in Houston and Los Angeles.
Charlie Brown’s Steakhouse
New Jersey was the first place to be graced by the arrival of Charlie Brown’s Steakhouse in the year 1966. The public took such a liking to this casual dining chain and in the 1980s and 1990s, they grew into an industry. However, after their customers had enough steak, the company began to dwindle and were forced to close 47 of their branches.
Like most falling businesses, the company was sold for $9.5 million by a private-equity company in New York. and you can still find a few open branches today. The remaining locations are situated in New Jersey and New York State.
Bennigan’s
Norman Brinker was the vice president of Steak and Ale. However, he had plans of his own. He proceeded to lead an exodus from the company to start Bennigan’s and offered anyone who joined him, a piece of the project. The Irish food-joint was established in 1976 in Atlanta Georgia.
Bennigan’s had a short reign and began to dwindle owing to a lack of brand loyalty. At the time, many branches had a similar menu and style. Slowly, locations in the US and abroad began to close. Currently, there are only around 23 locations left in the US.
Kenny Rogers Roasters
In the year 1991, Coral Springs, Florida, was graced with the first opening of Kenny Rogers Roasters. It only took 4 years until the country music star’s restaurant had expanded to over 250 locations. Its popularity stemmed from a Seinfeld episode in which Kramer develops an obsession for their chicken.
They had a great chicken run (pun intended) until 2011 when the branches in the US and Canada closed down. However, there are still 156 open locations spread around the globe. Kenny Rogers stuck to his country music roots and is no longer involved in the restaurant business.
Ponderosa And Bonanza Steakhouses
Ponderosa and Bonanza Steakhouses gained its popularity from the hit classic TV show, Bonanza. These menus had just about anything your taste buds could want, from steaks to chicken and even seafood! All that and a constant buffet on the side.
During the Ponderosa and Bonanza Steakhouses peak, they had around 600 different locations for you to choose from. If the name of the restaurant isn’t a mouth full, this sure is! The owner sold his successful businesses and now there are only about 20 remaining branches.
Bob’s Big Boy
During the 20th century, Bob’s Big Boy restaurants were considered to be an iconic symbol of America. The branches were spread across freeways around the country. It was not long until they had about 200 different Big Boys around.
This was the kind of restaurant to swing past if you were feeling excessively hungry (or it was "cheat day"). Bob’s Big Boy dishes were famous for the quantity you received. Their burgers included two juicy meat patties and a bun which was sectioned into thirds. There are still a remaining few burger joints which can be found mainly in Michigan and Southern California.
Royal Castle
Now, this was a brand that consistently made an effort to create a family dining experience. Royal Castle offered mini hamburgers (which were similar to those at White Castle) and offered their customers a meal that was “Fit for a king!”.
The restaurants began in Miami, Florida and quickly spread to Georgia, Ohio, and Louisiana. It was not long until they had around 175 open locations to choose from. They even served breakfast and ‘squeezed to order’ orange juice! However, the business slowly began to close its locations and keep the brand afloat with one little joint in Miami.
Pup ‘N’ Taco
In 1965, Pup n Taco opened up and offered Pasadena a whole different type of dining out experience. The menu consisted of tacos, hot dogs and pastrami sandwiches (yum!). It only took them 8 years to open up 62 other locations across the state.
The restaurants were situated in prime locations which only boosted their exposure even further. However, it costs to be cool and the real estate prices were too much for the brand to handle. The business was eventually sold to Taco Bell in 1984 and ‘pup’ went our dreams of having a tasty taco joint.
Mighty Casey’s
Just thinking of this restaurant makes our taste buds dance! Mighty Casey’s was incredibly popular in Atlanta, Georgia and people would literally travel from far just to experience their original and tasty menu. They offered dishes such as hamburgers, chopped BBQ sandwiches, Cajun wings, and Frankfurters.
The brand was established in the year 1980 and continued to offer their original menu to their hungry customers. In 1994, Krystal bought the food chain which led the chain to its downfall. Did you think that was all? Read on to find out other big names which may ring your taco taste bud bells!
Yankee Doodle Dandy
In 1966, two brothers- Chris and Bill Proyce decided to open up a chain of hamburger joints. Before they knew it, the brand became extremely popular in Chicago and bang! 27 friendly locations were established.
It was easy to spot a Yankee Doodle Dandy joint by its red, white and blue motifs. Although the Proyce brothers seemed to be doing pretty well, they were still unsatisfied and wanted to explore a different version of the food business, a sit-down restaurant. In the year 1988, Bill and Chris opened four different branches called Bailey’s Restaurant & Bar. Now that’s some bro power!
La Petite Boulangerie
Okay so if you’re not French, this restaurants name is kind of a mouth full. La Petite Boulangerie actually means “The Little Bakery”. In 1977, these restaurants were simply two little stores. However, once the brand was bought by PepsiCo, little La Petite Boulangerie’s started popping up just about everywhere!
When this “little bakery” was at its prime, there were over 140 different locations to choose from. However, the company kept being sold and by the time they were owned by Java city, the branches had officially closed by the year 2000.
Carrols
Well, what do you know, another burger joint was opened up in the ’50s. Carrols was well known for its fast-food burger based branches. Their burgers became so well known that eventually, they claimed the slogan “Home of the Club Burger”.
In the year 1960, Herb Slotnick founded Carrols which stemmed from a little ice cream franchise, Tastee-Freez. Slotnick builds the brand by spreading it across the globe. However, his hard work was not enough to keep the name afloat.
Eventually, each store was converted to a Burger King and now the Carrols Restaurant Group is the franchisee of Burger King locations, owning more than 800 locations in the US. Talk about having beef!
Doggie Diner
If you grew up in San Francisco, then we don’t really need to jog your memory much more than just mentioning “Doggie Diner”. However, if not, it was easy to spot these branches by the little dachshund mascot who was dressed as a chef (even though we hope that wasn’t the case, or at least not a jab at the chef!). They were famous for their good burgers and hot dogs.
Al Ross founded the Doggie Diner in the year 1948. Although the brand closed down, the doggie mascot lived on as a pop culture icon for many years. Many of the old fiberglass Doggie heads were sold off, but one that remained in a public place was given the honor of becoming an official San Francisco landmark in 2006. What can we say except, well, every dog has its day!
Ameche’s Drive-In
During the 1960s, the legendary football star, NFL player, Alan Ameche founded an Ameche’s. Needless to say, he was the mascot of the team this time. Ameche’s was a chain of Baltimore-area drive-ins which had about five different locations at the time.
They became extremely popular for their delicious burgers which were described as “a banquet on a bus”. Rumor has it, that McDonald’s actually got their idea for the infamous ‘Big Mac’ from Ameches. Just when you think you can trust old McDonald, oh well, we’ll never know.
G. D. Ritzy’s
Now if this doesn’t take you back to a better time, nothing will! Back in 1980, by ex Wendy’s exec Graydon Webb, Ritzy’s was considered to be a fancy place to eat with a good 50’s atmosphere. Not only could you treat yourself to a hot dog or a hamburger but you could also indulge in some homemade ice cream. Those were the days my friend.
During their prime, G.D. Ritzy’s had over 120 different locations to choose from. Unfortunately, when the brand was liquidated in 1991, they were left with only about 3 remaining branches. So if you live in Evansville, Indiana or Huntington, West Virginia, well then you’re one of the lucky few to still have this tasty joint around.
Valle’s Steak House
There is nothing better than delicious food, with a hefty quantity and a low price! Valle’s steak house offered customers a chance to enjoy their famous surf and turf meals. The restaurant was opened in 1933 by Donald Valle and eventually became a big name in the food business during the ’70s.
Rumor has it, that these restaurants downfall came about owing to their expansion. However, during this period, there also happened to be an oil crisis caused by economic difficulties. When the year 2000 came around, the last standing Valle’s in Portland Oregon closed their doors for good.
VIPs
Anybody who grew up in the Northwest will remember good old VIPs. In the year 1968, the Oregon-based brand of restaurants was a well known and trusted chain of restaurants with over 53 different locations.
Back in the day, these joints were considered to be coffee shops. However, they were actually little diners which had an uncanny resemblance to Denny’s. The VIP “coffee shops” could be found randomly spread near different freeways. When the ’80s came around, the brand began to dwindle and started selling off each of their locations. Eventually, they had sold over 35 of their diners.
Red Barn
Red Barn’s claim to fame was, well, its red barns. Each location was architecturally designed to look like a barn from the outside and all the wall were red. Although the idea to eat in a farmhouse may seem bizarre, this put them on the map because anyone could recognize their branches anytime.
When Red Barn was at its peak, you could find over 400 different locations nationwide. Eventually, each branch began to close down and now we’re left with just one branch on Racine, Wisconsin. They changed the name to ‘The Farm’, which is almost as creative as Red Barn, we’ll give them that.