(194?-2016) Rapp's Restaurant / 602 W. Northwest Hwy. At one point, the chain changed its name to Druthers. The company prospered from sales to CB radio enthusiasts in the 1970s, and introduced a successful personal computer, the TRS-80. Starting in the 1980s, Mighty Casey's began popping up in Atlanta, Georgia, serving your classic American comfort foods: burgers, hot dogs, cheesesteaks, and chicken wings. For more restaurant news and dining tips, . Closed: Oct. 20, 2013. Sadly, after legendary proprietor Elaine Kaufman passed away in 2010, the restaurant closed for good. Founded in Maryland, the company eventually expanded to six stores, with the Maryland location having crazy popularity. . In the 1990s, restaurants became a source of star-studded entertainment in and of themselves. Dun. Since it doesnt like its coming back for round two any time soon, we recommend you try our pretzel dog beer cheese dip ASAP. Leggys were 10 inches long, with legs that consisted of at least 75% of that. By 2010, there were only two remaining Zones, and after a great many corporate moves (i.e., Disney selling the restaurants to other corporations), the final Southern California location was officially zoned out in 2018. If you were a Mets fan in the 1980s, chances are you were incredibly confused by the ubiquitous Howard Johnsons chain. But, as The New York Times reported in 1998, the novelty of themed restaurants took a sharp downward turn toward the end of the decade. The chain offered lean beef, high fiber buns, and low-fat cheese. 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. After Pillsbury bought Steak and Ale in the '80s, the chain went national with 280 locations. Pillsbury bought Steak and Ale in the '80s, Only 1990s Kids Will Remember These Restaurants. But by the 2000s, Hot 'n Now was forced to close two-thirds of its locations. The family-owned restaurant became well known for its many fish tanks and novelty decor, but sadly served its last Tiki drink in 2013. Well, most of them. Pepsi Joe's (AKA Happy Paradise) (10th, above Race). navigator.sendBeacon('https://www.google-analytics.com/collect', payload); However, the herbal tea sold at the Good Earth Restaurants is still alive and well in the form of Good Earth Tea. And RIP to . One of those is the Leggy doll. 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 . Founded in 1930, the Cloud Club offered more than just food. This is our formal thank you to DLites for being way ahead of its time. Basically, it was the best publicity Kenny Rogers Roasters could've asked for. 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. In 1982, the company was bought by PepsiCo and expanded across the United States. double-decker burger came from Bob's Big Boy, 25 Great Foods from the 1980s That Will Remind You of Simpler Times. The menu included offerings such as the Grand Slam Hamburger and the Chopped Barbecue Sandwich. There is one restaurant remaining in Benton Harbor, Michigan. The chain is noted for introducing several fast-food staples to the industry, like kids' meals with toys. 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. So sad, yet so true. 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. xhr.setRequestHeader('Content-Type', 'text/plain;charset=UTF-8'); In the 1997 movie Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery, the restaurant's mascotliterally, a big boywas launched into space. The first restaurant opened in 1965, and success came quickly after that; by 1973 there were 62 of them. Arcade games. Shortly after, though, the restaurants started closing. Binaca toothpaste ruled India at a time. The exclusive New York City bar, owned by Bernard Shor served steak and baked potatoes among other things, but the crowd was the real attraction. After all, Geri's mascot looked suspiciously like the original representative for McDonald's, Mr. Speedee. I Became Polyamorous for All the Wrong Reasons. Get the best food tips and diet Were calling this one a lose-win situation. Still, one location remains in Lakewood, CO. Its really no surprise that Chi Chis had to shut its doors permanently in the US. Charlie Brown's Steakhouse Courtesy of Charlie Brown's As beloved for its salad bar as it was for its steak, Charlie Brown's was a staple for kids living in the northeast in the '80s and '90s. 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. Launched in the mid 1960s by a group of disgruntled McDonald's employees, Sandy's offered similar menus to the golden arches, but there were key differences in their business structure. we miss them all. 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. Minnie Pearl's Fried Chicken was a fast food franchise started in 1966 as a competitor for the nationwide sensation Kentucky Fried Chicken. Majority were sold off, but one location remains. Seven locations were revived a few years later, but they were all closed by 2016. Dixons remained as an online brand, but later . It has been updated to include new information. 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. Carrols was an upstate New York favorite that people still reminisce about to this day. And if you happened to be cruising through Oregon during a certain 30-year stretch, you probably encountered a VIPs or two. Some of the buildings became Carl's Jr. or Apollo Burger restaurants. Despite such gimmicks, by 2008, it was game over for Steak and Ale. ADVERTISEMENT. Girls. Snack foods, insta-meals, cereals, and drinks tend to come and go, but the ones we remember from childhood seem to stick with us. Ah, we're sure you remember (and miss!) The iconic Saugus restaurant's giant cactus was shut off for good on Oct. 20. Long story short, the chain was bought and sold a few more times and officially shut its door in 2000. If you put Canadian in the name of your restaurant, then the most sensible place to locate your franchises is in New York City and South Florida, right? One of America's first casual dining/sports-bar chains, Bennigan's often lagged behind similar concepts from contemporaries like Fridays, Applebee's, and Chili's. 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. Eventually, Outback Steakhouse bought majority of the restaurants properties. The chain, which was owned by Planet Hollywood, first popped up in New York in 1995. The chain was sold several times over the years, and filed for bankruptcy in 2008. Sadly, the restaurant wasn't a home run and ceased operations in 2007. Granato's Pizzeria / 907 W. Taylor St. Chicago, IL. Is there a more '90s list of people than that? 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. College students and late-night drunk eats? Case in point: Married couple William and Nancy Galt got into the health-food craze well before it was cool even in California. Entrepreneur Eugene Broome was out to compete against KFC in the Southern-fried chicken sweepstakes. Their attempt to turn Roy Rogers into Hardee's, as one blogger notes, "ended in a customer revolt so serious that they actually aborted the whole idea and returned the Roy Rogers brand to some stores initially converted.". Call us old-fashioned, but sometimes, you just want that fast-food experience. As the popularity and variety of Mexican restaurants grew, Chi-Chi's began to suffer the consequences. (Unlike other restaurants, there was no way to order takeout from a buffet.). 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 last Little Tavern closed permanently back in 2008. Founded in Oklahoma, this Mexican fast food eatery was famous for its sopapillas, small pieces of fried bread with honey. 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. In addition to ethnic foods of all types, the U.S. has a history of self-founded restaurants. Various outposts continued operating, but the last Mr. Steak had sizzled out by 2009. restaurant reached chain status come 1976. And if you want to host a '90s party today, you can still pick some up at Walmart. TechSpot. But at its peak in the 1960s, there were hundreds of these orange-roofed restaurants . 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. 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. Like all the other themed restaurants you've read about here, Rainforest Cafe struggled to maintain its luster. However, Mr. Steak attempted to expand its menu beyond steaks around that time, driving away a significant section of its customer base. 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. At its height, there were more than 100 locations across the country. Originally founded in 1977 as a fast food bakery chain, the company grew to 140 locations across the US. But the brand changed hands yet again, and Koo Koo Roos final feathers were plucked in 2014. Call it a game changer. For a great many Angelenos, going to Jerrys for the best approximation of a New York-style Jewish deli on the Left Coast was a rite of passage especially in the late hours after the bars closed. Marriott purchased the brand in 1982 and slowly turned the remaining Gino's stores into Roy Rogers restaurants. All rights reserved. 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. Did the mustachioed third baseman have some kind of crazy side hustle, even while playing for the 1986 World Series champs? High-profile fans were said to include even Sylvester Stallone. This Colorful House From The '90s Is Completely Untouched Inside. Well always have fond memories of this Planet Hollywood-owned eatery. Ahead, find 40 fast food joints, drive-throughs and road-side chains that are no longer with us. If you have any concerns about the accuracy or timeliness of our content, please reach out to our editors by e-mailing [emailprotected]. 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. So if youre looking to pay tribute to the creator of the toy with burger purchase, say a prayer for Burger Chef. Headquartered: Los Angeles, California; Houston, Texas. The Brown Derby became a Hollywood institution after the original Wilshire Boulevard location was founded by Herbert K. Somborn in 1926. 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. IL. xhr.open('POST', 'https://www.google-analytics.com/collect', true); People Are Decorating Their Fridges On TikTok, 58 Cult-Favorite Items You Have to Try at ALDI, 40 Iconic Fast Food Joints That No Longer Exist. But before said second location came to be, the company scrapped the expansion plans entirely and closed down its original location to boot. 1. The hamburger joint was founded in 1959 when Colts captain Gino Marchetti joined forces with owners Joe Campanella, Louis Fisher, and Alan Ameche. document.addEventListener( 'DOMContentLoaded', function() { Planet Hollywood. Steak, steak and more steak were served up hot and juicy at Steak and Ale, a chain of chuck houses that operated out of Texas. The prestigious hot spot closed in 1965, and although there were talks of it relocating, owner Sherman Billingsley died shortly after. 40 Iconic Fast Food Restaurants That No Longer Exist 1 We Made A Magazine With Disney! The outbreak left four dead and affected over 650 others. Country music legend Kenny Rogers teamed with business partner John Y. Sadly, the last storefront with the name closed in 1996.