# Late, lamented (or unlamented) fast-food chains



## kenobi65 (Dec 19, 2005)

The "fish & chips" thread, and Mark CMG's comment about Dog & Suds, got me thinking about other fast-food chains that have been sent to the dustbin of history.

So, feel free to add your memories of other chains you remember...you can add your memories of "mom and pop" places, too, but I'm specifically remembering places that probably had a dream of being the "next McDonald's", but never made it.

As Mark noted, Dog & Suds was an A&W-style drive-in, known for its root beer (the "dog" was hot dogs).

Some others I'm remembering:

- Yankee Doodle Dandy was a McDonald's-style hamburger joint that was popular, at least in the Chicago area, in the early-to-mid '70s, when I was a kid here.  When I moved back to Chicago in the late '80s, there were still a few left, but they appear to be all gone now.

- Mars was another McDonald's wannabee.  When we moved to Green Bay WI in 1975, Mars was the #2 fast-food restaurant, behind McDonald's, there.  I have no idea if they existed anywhere else besides Wisconsin.  I seem to remember the restaurants were a little nicer than McDonald's.  They're long gone.

- Burger Chef was a bigger hamburger chain than the first two; when I was a kid, I think they were probably the #3 burger chain, behind McDonald's and Burger King.  IIRC, they had "kid's meals" even before McDonald's did.  They, too, are long gone...according to this site, the Burger Chef name is now owned by Carl's Jr., which also now owns Hardee's (though Hardee's is still around, for now.)

- Chicken Unlimited was another chain that was big in Chicago when I was a kid.  They were a lot like a Kentucky Fried Chicken, IIRC.  Searching the web shows me a few Chicken Unlimiteds that are (or recently were) in operation in various parts of the country; I have no idea if they're related to the one I grew up with.


----------



## Desdichado (Dec 19, 2005)

Rio Bravo was my wife's favorite Mexican chain restaurant.  I didn't really love them as much as she did, but they were alright.  Certainly, we've eaten less Mexican food that we don't make ourselves since they closed down.


----------



## Eternalknight (Dec 19, 2005)

kenobi65 said:
			
		

> - Chicken Unlimited was another chain that was big in Chicago when I was a kid.  They were a lot like a Kentucky Fried Chicken, IIRC.  Searching the web shows me a few Chicken Unlimiteds that are (or recently were) in operation in various parts of the country; I have no idea if they're related to the one I grew up with.




There used to be a chicken chain in Oz called 'Ollies Trollies' or something similiar and just as stupid.  This was quite a few years now, but I remember I loved their food.  IIRC, KFC actually took over the chain.


----------



## Cthulhu's Librarian (Dec 19, 2005)

The one I remember was Carrol's, it was a burger chain in NY, PA, and the northeast. When Burger King began it's big push in the northeast the late 70's, all the Carrol's became Burger Kings. The company is still around, but now they are one of the largest BK francise owners in the country (http://www.carrols.com/). They used to have great burger called The Club Burger, I remember my Mom always used to get that. They had a big promotion when I was about 5 or 6, and they gave away Looney Tunes glasses when you bought a Pepsi. We had tons of them at my house and my Grandmothers for years, but all of them eventually broke except for one of Foghorn Leghorn, which my Grandmother still has.


----------



## Cthulhu's Librarian (Dec 19, 2005)

Another one that I though was long gone, then started popping up at mall food courts, was Arthur Treacher's Fish & Chips. They had a logo of an old fisherman with a pipe, sort of like the Gordon's fisherman logo. My grandmother liked to go there, although I never did. The few around us closed in the early 80s, and I didn't see another one until the mid 90s, and I've seen a few since then. The menu seems quite different, with a variety of deep fried fish and chicken, as opposed to the simple fish & chips menu I remember as a kid. Maybe another company bought the name?


----------



## Nellisir (Dec 19, 2005)

Not "the next McDonalds", but there used to be two Weeks restaurants around here (Concord, NH).  Weeks is a (local-ish?) dairy company that does milk & ice cream, etc, and the restaurants were "family-style" restaurants very similar to Friendlies.

There was also a small place in downtown where I always got grilled cheese, it closed when I was about 8.  The building was a real estate office when I was in high school, and now it's a Mr. Tux.

The food counter at Woolworths.


----------



## WizarDru (Dec 19, 2005)

They're not completely gone, but the only ones that still exist are essentially shadows of their former selves, and I only know of one in existence: specfically Roy Rogers hamburger joints.  I always like the fixins bar, where you could make your hamburger your way.  They all got absorbed by Hardee's, for the most part, whom I abhor.  Geno's was also so absorbed, but I don't remember much about them.


----------



## Cthulhu's Librarian (Dec 19, 2005)

WizarDru said:
			
		

> They're not completely gone, but the only ones that still exist are essentially shadows of their former selves, and I only know of one in existence: specfically Roy Rogers hamburger joints.  I always like the fixins bar, where you could make your hamburger your way.  They all got absorbed by Hardee's, for the most part, whom I abhor.  Geno's was also so absorbed, but I don't remember much about them.




I know of lots of Roy Rogers in New Jersey and New York. They are all along the Jersey Turnpike and the NY State Thruway in rest areas, and some other places as well.


----------



## Belen (Dec 19, 2005)

Cthulhu's Librarian said:
			
		

> Another one that I though was long gone, then started popping up at mall food courts, was Arthur Treacher's Fish & Chips. They had a logo of an old fisherman with a pipe, sort of like the Gordon's fisherman logo. My grandmother liked to go there, although I never did. The few around us closed in the early 80s, and I didn't see another one until the mid 90s, and I've seen a few since then. The menu seems quite different, with a variety of deep fried fish and chicken, as opposed to the simple fish & chips menu I remember as a kid. Maybe another company bought the name?




Treacher's was bought by Miami Subs and Grill.  They sell Treachers fish and chips there.


----------



## kenobi65 (Dec 19, 2005)

WizarDru said:
			
		

> I always like the fixins bar, where you could make your hamburger your way.




That's something I remember about Mars restaurants, too.  IIRC, they advertised that you could order your sandwich "with" (all the stuff on it), or "without" (plain), then add what you like from their condiment bar.

They also had this TV ad with this bodybuilder (probably a minor celebrity of some sort; I don't remember the name, but it wasn't Ahnuld) talking about how much he liked Mars.  However, his diction was *so bad* that, after several months, they had to redub the ad with someone else's voice.


----------



## kenobi65 (Dec 19, 2005)

Cthulhu's Librarian said:
			
		

> Another one that I though was long gone, then started popping up at mall food courts, was Arthur Treacher's Fish & Chips.




BTW, Arthur Treacher was a real man, though he wasn't a chef...he was a British actor.

He was famous for playing the perfect English butler, and so, he was asked to lend his name to the restaurant in the 1960s, since most Americans see "fish & chips" as a British dish.

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0871546/bio


----------



## StupidSmurf (Dec 19, 2005)

I remember Geno's. Kind of. The only truly significant contribution to my past, though, is the joke we used to crack about them. See, Geno's slogan was "Geno's is the place to go." Which led of course to this fine Elementary school vintage joke:

Q: Why aren't there any bathrooms at McDonalds?
A: Because Geno's is the place to go.

Aw, come on...we were in grade school!   

There used to be a hamburger chain up here in New England called Kelly's. Anyone else recall it?


----------



## WizarDru (Dec 19, 2005)

Cthulhu's Librarian said:
			
		

> I know of lots of Roy Rogers in New Jersey and New York. They are all along the Jersey Turnpike and the NY State Thruway in rest areas, and some other places as well.




That's the only place I've seen one in the last decade; at a rest stop on the NJ Turnpike somewhere near the meadowlands.  We used to have them all over in PA and DE.

Arthur Treacher, btw, was in a LOT of Shirley Temple movies.


----------



## Cthulhu's Librarian (Dec 19, 2005)

WizarDru said:
			
		

> That's the only place I've seen one in the last decade; at a rest stop on the NJ Turnpike somewhere near the meadowlands.




When I was in college, and used to go see the Dead and Phish all over the northeast, we used to hit the Roy Rogers in the rest areas so we could hit the Fixin's Bars to make salads. We'd order a Coke and small fries, then go and pile lettuce, tomatoes, onions, pickles, and use one of the sauces for dressing. It seemed like it was a Deadhead tradition, as we'd see lots of other Heads in the restaurant doing the same thing.


----------



## JoeGKushner (Dec 19, 2005)

Jack in the Box

Ducks

Checkers

Probably some others that I can't think off right now.

All in the Chicago land area. In other places, they might still be around.


----------



## kenobi65 (Dec 19, 2005)

JoeGKushner said:
			
		

> Jack in the Box
> 
> {snip}
> 
> All in the Chicago land area. In other places, they might still be around.




Jack in the Box is still a fairly successful chain out on the West Coast.  They expanded eastward in the '70s, and were in Chicago for a while (this was back when Rodney Allen Rippey did their commericals).  At some point in the late 70s or early 80s, they retrenched, and pulled out of the Midwest.


----------



## Cthulhu's Librarian (Dec 19, 2005)

JoeGKushner said:
			
		

> Checkers




Checker's is still around. can't think of where I sw one recently. It might have been in Richmond, VA or somewhere on the drive back from Indianapolis to Virginia.


----------



## sniffles (Dec 19, 2005)

Skipper's seafood restaurants have all disappeared here in the Northwest, though I don't know if they were a chain anywhere else. We've also lost the Arctic Circle burger chain. A&W's are very rare here; I only know of one in the whole Portland metro area. Hot & Now is another burger chain that came and went, after trying to horn in on BK and McD by being ultra-cheap. 

I miss Boston Market. And why is it that the tv stations advertise chains like Long John Silver's and Sonic, but we don't have them here?


----------



## der_kluge (Dec 19, 2005)

sniffles said:
			
		

> Skipper's seafood restaurants have all disappeared here in the Northwest, though I don't know if they were a chain anywhere else. We've also lost the Arctic Circle burger chain. A&W's are very rare here; I only know of one in the whole Portland metro area. Hot & Now is another burger chain that came and went, after trying to horn in on BK and McD by being ultra-cheap.
> 
> I miss Boston Market. And why is it that the tv stations advertise chains like Long John Silver's and Sonic, but we don't have them here?




A&W is sometimes paired up with Long John Silver's. In KC, there was an A&W, Long John Silver combo restaurant. I think these companies must have some relationship with PepsiCo, since they are often found together. There was a "KenTacoHut" in Kansas City, which was a Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, and KFC all rolled into one place. Here in Richmond, we have a LJS/KFC combo restaurant. I ate lunch there today, as a matter of fact.

My wife misses Boston Market and Fazoli's. I miss Sonic. They had all of those in KC, but none of them are in Richmond. Nearest Boston Market to us is in D.C., and there is a Sonic and a Fazoli's near the coast somewhere, but over an hour away. It makes us sad.


----------



## der_kluge (Dec 19, 2005)

sniffles said:
			
		

> Skipper's seafood restaurants have all disappeared here in the Northwest, though I don't know if they were a chain anywhere else. We've also lost the Arctic Circle burger chain. A&W's are very rare here; I only know of one in the whole Portland metro area. Hot & Now is another burger chain that came and went, after trying to horn in on BK and McD by being ultra-cheap.
> 
> I miss Boston Market. And why is it that the tv stations advertise chains like Long John Silver's and Sonic, but we don't have them here?




A&W is sometimes paired up with Long John Silver's. In KC, there was an A&W, Long John Silver combo restaurant. I think these companies must have some relationship with PepsiCo, since they are often found together. There was a "KenTacoHut" in Kansas City, which was a Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, and KFC all rolled into one place. Here in Richmond, we have a LJS/KFC combo restaurant. I ate lunch there today, as a matter of fact.

My wife misses Boston Market and Fazoli's. I miss Sonic. They had all of those in KC, but none of them are in Richmond. Nearest Boston Market to us is in D.C., and there is a Sonic and a Fazoli's near the coast somewhere, but over an hour away. It makes us sad.


----------



## kenobi65 (Dec 19, 2005)

sniffles said:
			
		

> A&W's are very rare here; I only know of one in the whole Portland metro area.




A&W is now owned by the same company (YUM!; seriously, that's their name, they're a client of mine) that also owns KFC, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, and Long John Silver's.  

While there are very few of the old-style A&W drive-ins left, what you're seeing more of now are "combo" restaurants...for example, an A&W sharing a building, and a kitchen, with a Long John Silver's or a Taco Bell. 



			
				sniffles said:
			
		

> I miss Boston Market.




They're still around, though there may not be any in your area any more.  They grew way too fast in the mid '90s, and have struggled mightily for years.  McDonald's owns them now.



			
				sniffles said:
			
		

> And why is it that the tv stations advertise chains like Long John Silver's and Sonic, but we don't have them here?




Because they're more-or-less national chains, even though they aren't in every single market, and it's more efficient for them to buy ad space nationally than in each market that they're in (and avoid the markets that they're not).

I know what you mean about Sonic ads; I've eaten there a few times when I've been out west, and really like them, but there aren't any in Chicago (the nearest ones look to be in St. Louis).  Sonic is coast-to-coast, but they have pretty much avoided the northern states.  I have a feeling it's because their concept is a drive-in (they generally have *no* inside dining area), and that may not work too well in places where it's really cold for a good chunk of the year.


----------



## kenobi65 (Dec 19, 2005)

der_kluge said:
			
		

> I think these companies must have some relationship with PepsiCo, since they are often found together.




Indeed, you could say that. 

KFC, Taco Bell, and Pizza Hut were all *owned* by Pepsico.  In (IIRC) 1999, Pepsico spun the restaurants off into a separate company, called, at that time, Tricon.

A few years later, Tricon bought another holding company (whose name escapes me at the moment), which got them Long John Silver's and A&W.  At about that same time, Tricon changed their name to YUM! Brands.

I'm not positive, but I'd be willing to bet that Pepsico still owns a chunk of YUM!; all of those restaurants serve Pepsi products.

(Oh, and even though you didn't ask...the A&W Root Beer that you can buy in the grocery store is produced by Dr Pepper / Seven-Up; they licensed the name and formula from A&W Restaurants back in the 1970s, long before the restaurants got bought out.)


----------



## Cthulhu's Librarian (Dec 19, 2005)

der_kluge said:
			
		

> My wife misses Boston Market and Fazoli's. I miss Sonic. They had all of those in KC, but none of them are in Richmond. Nearest Boston Market to us is in D.C., and there is a Sonic and a Fazoli's near the coast somewhere, but over an hour away. It makes us sad.




There is a Boston Market here in Charlottesville.


----------



## loki44 (Dec 19, 2005)

Does anyone remember Sandy's?  I think it was a precursor to Hardees.


----------



## Alenda (Dec 19, 2005)

There is a Sonic in Holly Springs, NC (just minutes from our house). I've only eaten there twice, but their ice cream treats are quite yummy. 

There are also Boston Markets and Checkers here in NC. I didn't realize they were so rare in other parts of the country. 

Restaurants that I remember fondly from my childhood:

Straw Hat Pizza (based in California). I remember that to my childish tastebuds, this was the best pizza ever.

Shoneys (Don't know if these are still around, but I loved their breakfast!)

And the greatest and most missed restaurant of all time:

Little Caesar's. (SIGH) I have yet to find any restaurant that can replicate the sheer yumminess of Crazy Bread. Just thinking about it makes me want to don a toga and chant "Pizza! Pizza!"


----------



## WizarDru (Dec 19, 2005)

kenobi65 said:
			
		

> I know what you mean about Sonic ads; I've eaten there a few times when I've been out west, and really like them, but there aren't any in Chicago (the nearest ones look to be in St. Louis).  Sonic is coast-to-coast, but they have pretty much avoided the northern states.  I have a feeling it's because their concept is a drive-in (they generally have *no* inside dining area), and that may not work too well in places where it's really cold for a good chunk of the year.




Yeah, that's exactly why, near as I can tell.  Let's face facts, folks aren't that motivated to go to a drive-in when it's 12 degrees out and icy.  We finally went to our first sonic on a road trip this year as we were passing through Virginia.  Until then, I didn't even realize they were a drive-in.   

A&Ws and Long John Silvers are nowheres near us, although they are about.  I just wish there was a LJS nearer to Philly than Allentown...we'd take the family there plenty.


----------



## Cthulhu's Librarian (Dec 19, 2005)

Alenda said:
			
		

> And the greatest and most missed restaurant of all time:
> 
> Little Caesar's. (SIGH) I have yet to find any restaurant that can replicate the sheer yumminess of Crazy Bread. Just thinking about it makes me want to don a toga and chant "Pizza! Pizza!"




There are plenty of Little Ceasar's around, most of them are in K-Mart's and strip malls.


----------



## kenobi65 (Dec 19, 2005)

Alenda said:
			
		

> Shoneys (Don't know if these are still around, but I loved their breakfast!)




Still around; mostly in the Midwest and South.  They always struck me as being pretty much the same as Denny's (and that's not necessarily a compliment):
http://www.shoneys.com/travel/



			
				Alenda said:
			
		

> Little Caesar's. (SIGH) I have yet to find any restaurant that can replicate the sheer yumminess of Crazy Bread. Just thinking about it makes me want to don a toga and chant "Pizza! Pizza!"




As Cthulhu's Librarian notes, they, too, are still around, though there aren't nearly as many of them as there were 10-15 years ago, when they spent like crazy in their knife-fight versus Domino's and Pizza Hut.  Little Caesar's used to have the most imaginative ads, too.  Too bad.


----------



## Alenda (Dec 19, 2005)

Cthulu's Librarian wrote: "There are plenty of Little Ceasar's around, most of them are in K-Mart's and strip malls."

OK, so I did a Google Search online and there's a Little Caesar's in Fuquay-Varina!! Just a scant 15 minutes from our house. Ooooooh, I know what's for dinner tonight!

Thanks, CL.


----------



## kenobi65 (Dec 19, 2005)

Alenda said:
			
		

> Fuquay-Varina




That sounds like a swear word in Elven.


----------



## Cthulhu's Librarian (Dec 19, 2005)

Alenda said:
			
		

> Thanks, CL.




No problem


----------



## Alenda (Dec 19, 2005)

Well, Fuquay-Varina is actually the result of the merging of two previously separate towns: Fuquay Springs (thus named for the natural mineral springs which bubble up from the ground) and Varina. I have heard people "mispronounce" the name of Fuquay-Varina in a way which would offend just about anyone's grandmother.


----------



## Belen (Dec 19, 2005)

kenobi65 said:
			
		

> That sounds like a swear word in Elven.




Yep.  We had an inventive name for this town in High School, but Eric's grandma would kill me for repeating it.


----------



## kenobi65 (Dec 19, 2005)

Alenda said:
			
		

> Well, Fuquay-Varina is actually the result of the merging of two previously separate towns: Fuquay Springs (thus named for the natural mineral springs which bubble up from the ground) and Varina.




Suuuuuuuure it is...


----------



## der_kluge (Dec 19, 2005)

Cthulhu's Librarian said:
			
		

> There is a Boston Market here in Charlottesville.




That's good to know!


On the Little Caesar's and Shoney's - I know there is at least one Shoney's in Richmond, and I think Little Caesar's here as well.


----------



## Bront (Dec 19, 2005)

There was a Rocky Raccoco in my area for a while, which was single serve pan pizza.  I though they went out of business, but I ran into one in a rest stop on the highway a while ago.  I miss them on occasion.

No Shoney's or Perkins in this area.  Never been to a Shoneys, but Perkins is good.

Sonic advertizes like crazy in this area, but I don't know of one within 30 miles of where I live, so seems kind of stupid.


----------



## kenobi65 (Dec 19, 2005)

Bront said:
			
		

> There was a Rocky Raccoco in my area for a while, which was single serve pan pizza.  I though they went out of business, but I ran into one in a rest stop on the highway a while ago.  I miss them on occasion.




Rocky's still exists in Wisconsin, mostly in the Madison area (it was founded there).  Probably 25% of my caloric intake at UW-Madison was from Rocky Rococco pizza. 

They briefly expanded into the rest of Wisconsin and Illinois, but pulled back.



			
				Bront said:
			
		

> Sonic advertizes like crazy in this area, but I don't know of one within 30 miles of where I live, so seems kind of stupid.




All those Sonic ads you see are on national programming (they buy on the major networks, as well as a bunch of cable channels); everyone in the country sees those.  Sonic doesn't specifically buy ads on local Chicago programming -- as you say, *that* would be stupid, as there aren't any Sonics within about 150 miles of here.


----------



## Dannyalcatraz (Dec 19, 2005)

Here in D/FW, we still have Sonic, Boston Market, Lil' Ceasars, and Jack In The Box.

We lost our Shoneys and our Godfathers' Pizza...and up until recently, I thought we had lost our Mr. Gattis Pizza.

However, since I've largely given up on fast food, I don't keep track of their comings and goings anymore.


----------



## Bront (Dec 19, 2005)

kenobi65 said:
			
		

> All those Sonic ads you see are on national programming (they buy on the major networks, as well as a bunch of cable channels); everyone in the country sees those.  Sonic doesn't specifically buy ads on local Chicago programming -- as you say, *that* would be stupid, as there aren't any Sonics within about 150 miles of here.



So they buy programing on the local news, or the syndicated chanels?


----------



## Teflon Billy (Dec 20, 2005)

We used ot go down across the border for American food, but I think the last *Shakey's Pizza* and *Sambo's Fmily restaurants* are long closed


----------



## sniffles (Dec 20, 2005)

I wonder why Little Caesar's seems to have stopped doing any tv advertising? I haven't seen one of their ads in years. And they're all gone here in Portland, although I remember there used to be some around.

Now we can talk about specific fast-food dishes we used to enjoy that the chains don't offer anymore!  I miss chili-cheese burritos from Taco Bell.


----------



## ssampier (Dec 20, 2005)

Wow, I live in the booney's and I have a few of those "mystery" places, such as Sonic and Little Caesar's. Little Caesar's switched to a $5 pizza so it's not quite as good, but for the price, you can't complain.

As for Sonic, meh. I've only had their breakfast, it's decent, but they always mess up the order where the other fast food places really don't (probably just a localized problem). We have an A&W inside the KFC. A Taco Bell is right next door.

Fazoli's and Skipper's are fairly common in the Salt Lake City valley.


----------



## elforcelf (Dec 20, 2005)

Most of Sonics closed here in Az, when they found out nine months of the year a drive-in is too hot to go to.


----------



## loki44 (Dec 20, 2005)

Teflon Billy said:
			
		

> We used ot go down across the border for American food, but I think the last *Shakey's Pizza* and *Sambo's Fmily restaurants* are long closed




Shakey's!!!!  Now that brings back some memories.  Watching guys make pizza, a little banjo pickin', and nary a video game in sight!  Ahhh, simpler times.  They don't make 'em like they used to.


----------



## JamesDJarvis (Dec 20, 2005)

Cthulhu's Librarian said:
			
		

> There is a Boston Market here in Charlottesville.




The chicken was better and so was the cornbread many a year ago back when it was still called  "Boston Chicken".  Never saw one in Boston proper in the good old days they all seemed to be out in the burbs.


"Arthur Treachers" used to have a large shop in Sommerville Mass at the intersection of Broadway and McGrath Highway.  They went out of buisness at that location in th very early 80's and I have not seen one any where else since the mid eighties.  

There used to be a drive-thru burger joint in NH by the name of "Rallys" or "Ralieghs" that had okay burgers but had great french fries. Anyone else recall them?


----------



## trancejeremy (Dec 20, 2005)

I used to live on Little Caesar's in college. Especially their crazy bread. But when I moved back to St. Louis after college, I couldn't find any.  There don't seem to be any in St. Louis anymore. At least they are very well hidden.


----------



## kenobi65 (Dec 20, 2005)

Bront said:
			
		

> So they buy programing on the local news, or the syndicated chanels?




If you're seeing Sonic ads on the local Chicago news, or on syndicated programs running on the local Chicago stations, I'm stunned, and it means they've got a really bad problem with their media buying.

_Edit: actually, it *is* possible to see "national" advertising on some syndicated programming.  Usually, you'll see this on "big" syndicated shows, like Wheel of Fortune, or reruns of popular shows like Seinfeld or Friends, in which the same show pretty much runs everywhere across the country 5 times a week, and the ad is pre-placed within the program before it's distributed to the local stations.  Even then, it's the same as buying ad space on a network show: the advertiser is effectively buying nationally, not your market in particular._

I see Sonic ads a lot, but mostly on cable stations like Discovery.


----------



## kenobi65 (Dec 20, 2005)

loki44 said:
			
		

> Shakey's!!!!  Now that brings back some memories.  Watching guys make pizza, a little banjo pickin', and nary a video game in sight!  Ahhh, simpler times.  They don't make 'em like they used to.




Oooh, yah, and the sing-alongs to the lyrics on the TV screens!  When I was 10 or so, Shakey's was the location of choice for birthday parties.

My former pastor, before he went to seminary, was the manager of a Shakey's. 

There are still a few Shakey's out there, but darn few.


----------



## mps42 (Dec 20, 2005)

The one restaurant I miss the most from WAAAAAAAAAAY back is Farrells. I remember them from my teens in the NW and they had decent food but what always brought ME in was the Ice cream. Simply the BEST. Like Dryers of Bryers good. And if you and a bunch of friends went in you could all pitch in for a "zoo" which was a small vat of multiple flavored ice cream with plastic animal on top that you got to keep.
 I miss that place. But my waistline doesn't.


----------



## Sigdel (Dec 20, 2005)

Hot & Now was all over the place until a few years ago when they pulled out of every place in MI but Detroit. They are sorely missed by us. 
I also seem to recal a place called Raxx, or something like it. Good food, I think. I was young. LJS is common, but not Mc D's common. Lee's Famous Recipe Chicken is great, but only one left that I know of in 50 miles and it 4 miles away from me. But the king of them all, The Root Beer Stand! A drive in type of place thats older than I am. Best chili-cheese dogs I have ever had. there is Three locations that I know of and they are always swamped from spring to fall. Damn, now I am hungry.


----------



## Steve Jung (Dec 20, 2005)

There's still a Boston Market near me. Coincidentally I ate at a Roy Rogers last Saturday on the New Jersey Turnpike. Going to their website, I was surprised to learn, they're opening new restaurants. I remember Gino's, but they've been gone a long time. The location in my hometown turned into a Roy Rogers, then a Boston Market and finally a McDonalds.


----------



## mythusmage (Dec 20, 2005)

Places still in business around here include Little Ceasar's and Rally's.

Shakey's and Strawhat are gone. We also had a place called Pic Nic 'n Chicken. Cut rate KFC with crappy chicken. But good biscuits. There was another pretender to the KFC crown, but I can't remember the name for the life of me. The last time I saw one was up in the downtown area of  LA decades ago. (I think LA closed up their downtown soon after my visit, when they learned it really wasn't necessary.)

Another long gone local institution is Oscars. Owned by the same people who owned Jack in the Box at the time. A dinner place in contrast to the fast food Jack in the Box served.

San Diego also holds of the distinction of being where Wimpy's (British chain) opened and died in the U.S. One location, and it gave way to a 'Bertos.

(Ask anybody from San Diego about 'Bertos and watch as they become violently ill.)


----------



## Cthulhu's Librarian (Dec 20, 2005)

Teflon Billy said:
			
		

> We used ot go down across the border for American food, but I think the last *Shakey's Pizza* and *Sambo's Fmily restaurants* are long closed




Sambo's became Denny's. Same place, different name. They were preassured to change the name due to the negative stereotyical image that the name has for African Americans.


----------



## loki44 (Dec 20, 2005)

Sigdel said:
			
		

> I also seem to recal a place called Raxx, or something like it.




The only fast-food job I ever had was at a Rax (I lasted all of 4 days).  Rax was an Arby's knock-off.  I was the potato man, in charge of fries, but they also had an array of baked potatoes and potato skins.  It was the only job I ever quit and walked out of.  I guess I just don't have what it takes to be a potato man.


----------



## Scotley (Dec 20, 2005)

We still have Little Ceasers, Sonic, Fazolies, and a few Shoney's in the Memphis area. Our Ralley's recently became Checkers. Boston Market is gone as a resturant, but common in the frozen food section at supermarkets. Godfather's Pizza is long gone as is Whataburger, but I think they still exist here and there around the country. We have a Dux is that the same as Ducks that someone asked about. We had an A&W root beer that I remember from my youth in Arkansas, but it is long gone. We no longer have Denny's, but still get their ads. Most of our Applebee's closed down a couple of years ago and are sorely missed. No Jack in the Box around here. We have Krystal, which is a White Castle knock off, but no actual White Castles. Most if not all of the Long John Silver's are gone.


----------



## sniffles (Dec 20, 2005)

mps42 said:
			
		

> The one restaurant I miss the most from WAAAAAAAAAAY back is Farrells. I remember them from my teens in the NW and they had decent food but what always brought ME in was the Ice cream. Simply the BEST. Like Dryers of Bryers good. And if you and a bunch of friends went in you could all pitch in for a "zoo" which was a small vat of multiple flavored ice cream with plastic animal on top that you got to keep.
> I miss that place. But my waistline doesn't.



Ah! Nostalgia. We had a Farrell's here until a few years ago, when it was sold, but it remained the same type of restaurant just with a different name. But recently the building was torn down and replaced by an apartment complex/strip mall.


----------



## kenobi65 (Dec 20, 2005)

Scotley said:
			
		

> Most of our Applebee's closed down a couple of years ago and are sorely missed.




Interesting.  There must have been a franchisee issue in Memphis, because Applebee's is growing great-guns (and has been for years), and most of their restaurants have been doing pretty well over the past few years.

(I know *way* too much about Applebee's; they were a client of mine for 4 years, and our office still has the account.)


----------



## wingsandsword (Dec 20, 2005)

The chain I miss is Druthers.  A burger chain that was pretty common in the south (I think), their jingle was "I'd rather go to Druther's, and I think I'll go today".  They got bought out by Dairy Queen sometime in the 80's and they changed, a lot.  I miss Druther's huge fish sandwiches, a huge seasoned, battered and fried fish on two big slices of rye bread and lots of tartar sauce.  I still hold all fast-food Fish Sandwiches to that standard.  Oddly enough, I think a few still exist from place to place, as I've seen the signs next to still-open fast food places at a few places in the deep south, but never got the chance to go in.  My parents tell me that before it was Druthers, it was Burger Queen back in the 70's.

The other chain I miss is G.D. Ritzy's.  It was a 50's themed burger chain.  They had great shoestring fries and milkshakes.  My favorite thing, above all, was their excellent chili dogs.  Then one day around 1992 or so they all closed up overnight, no warning and no explanation.  They didn't become another chain, the places just went to rot.  I know a handful still existed after that, because on a high school field trip 4 years later we were on the other end of the state, and our bus stopped for lunch.  The teacher said we were going to eat at McDonalds, but we saw an actual Ritzy's right next door to McDonalds, we all remembered how delicious their food (especially compared to McDonalds) was and hadn't eaten there in years and begged her to let us eat there, but she steadfastly refused and made us all eat at McDonalds. 

As for Fazoli's, they are all over the place in Kentucky.  Of course, this city has their corporate headquarters, so that probably has something to do with it.

Lee's Famous Recipe was another KFC pretender to the throne, they were really common around here about 20 years ago or so, but slowly died off.  Some still exist, getting by, but it's clear they lost the war, and I haven't seen a new one open in more than a decade (and seen a good number close in that time).

Oh, and there are still lots of Applebees around here too.  One county went Wet-by-the-drink about 2 years ago (i.e. no liquor stores, but resturaunts can serve alcohol), and Applebees moved in immediately and became a big thing in that small town.


----------



## kenobi65 (Dec 20, 2005)

Just because it's obvious from this thread that I know way too much about the restaurant industry in general....

It might interest you guys to know how the restaurant industry itself classifies different types of restaurants.

- Quick Service is what most people would call "fast food".  Fairly limited menu, often with a specialty (hamburgers, tacos, fish, etc.)  Almost always has "counter service" (i.e., you go to the counter to place your order), and often has a drive-thru.  Usually has a dining area (tables & chairs).  Usually open for both lunch and dinner, and maybe breakfast.  Fairly inexpensive prices.  Alcohol almost never served.  Examples: McDonald's, Taco Bell, Subway, and a zillion others.

- Fast Casual is sort of an "upgraded" Quick Service, and is a fairly new segment.  Typically positioned as higher-quality food than Quick Service, and is usually a little more expensive.  Usually has counter service, and a dining area.  Usually open for lunch and dinner.  Some offer beer and / or wine.  Examples: Boston Market, Chipotle.

- Family Restaurants provide more of a "dining" experience than Quick Service.  Almost always has table service (i.e., waitstaff).  Frequently has a wide menu, usually including breakfast items.  Lunch / dinner items often include sandwiches as well as "dinners".  Many are open all day / 24 hours.  Typically very family-friendly.  Moderately priced.  Rarely, if ever, serve alcohol.  Examples: Denny's, Cracker Barrel.

- Buffet Restaurants offer a wide range of menu items (usually including breakfast items) served as an "all-you-can-eat" buffet.  Has a dining area, but typically no waitstaff.  Moderately priced, and usually family-friendly.  Rarely, if ever, serves alcohol.  Examples: Old Country Buffet, Golden Corral, Luby's.

- Casual Dining Restaurants offer a bit more of an upscale experience than Family Restaurants.  Almost always has table service.  Usually features a large menu, though menu may be focued on a theme (e.g., Italian, southwest, etc.).  Some are more family-friendly than others; many have a decidedly "adult" atmosphere.  Many have a bar as part of the establishment.  Almost all serve alcohol.  Usually open for lunch and dinner; some may offer Sunday brunch.  Typically at least a bit more expensive than a Family Restaurant.  Examples: Applebee's, Olive Garden, Outback Steakhouse, Chi-Chi's.

- Fine Dining Restaurants (a.k.a. "white tablecloth") are, in most ways, just a more upscale (and pricier) version of Casual Dining.  Fairly rare to see families with kids at these, unless it's a special occasion (and most would be considered "family-tolerant", at best).  Fairly few chains of any size compete in this segment.


----------



## CarlZog (Dec 20, 2005)

Cthulhu's Librarian said:
			
		

> Sambo's became Denny's. Same place, different name. They were preassured to change the name due to the negative stereotyical image that the name has for African Americans.




That's actually not the case, though this story seems to be taking on urban legend status.

Sambo's was a separate and distinct chain from Denny's. In fact, the two were fiercely competitive. When I was growing up, we had both a Denny's and Sambo's in my town. I liked the food better at Sambo's, which had started in the late 1950s. The name came from a mix of the two owners' names Sam and Bo, although they used the story of Little Black Sambo as the theme of the restaurants.

The chain went bankrupt in the late 1970s. Many of the locations were snapped up by Denny's, which is probably where the roots of the "Sambo's-changed-its-name-to-Denny's" story came from.

As I recall, one of the original owners' grandsons tried to resurrect the chain in the 1990s and did bump up against racial objections. I don't even know if he ever got around to opening any of them. By the way, the original story is about an Indian boy and that's the way he was depicted on all the restaurants' stuff:







As a further aside, you can still find Sambo's stuff on ebay. There is, or was for a while, a pretty active collector's market for it.

Carl


----------



## CarlZog (Dec 20, 2005)

kenobi65 said:
			
		

> It might interest you guys to know how the restaurant industry itself classifies different types of restaurants.




KFC has actually been using the phrase "casual dining restaurant" in its ads lately, and I've really had NO idea what they meant by that until now.

Thanks.

Carl


----------



## wingsandsword (Dec 20, 2005)

CarlZog said:
			
		

> KFC has actually been using the phrase "casual dining restaurant" in its ads lately, and I've really had NO idea what they meant by that until now.



Yeah, apparently they are trying to make themselves out to be more than they are.  I wouldn't put KFC in the same league as Outback Steakhouse, Olive Garden, or Applebees.  

Of course, using industry jargon in your ads to promote yourself as a fancier restaurant than you really are seems like the work of a marketing guy who has lost sight of the customer (how many customers are going to know what they mean by "casual dining restaurant", especially ones who don't already see Kentucky Fried Chicken as "fast food" (er, "quick service", whatever), and even if they did think it's in the same class as "casual dining" when they decided to go there, one foot in the door and you know instantly that's not what it is.


----------



## kenobi65 (Dec 20, 2005)

wingsandsword said:
			
		

> Yeah, apparently they are trying to make themselves out to be more than they are.  I wouldn't put KFC in the same league as Outback Steakhouse, Olive Garden, or Applebees.




Actually, those KFC ads are ours. 

And, they're not saying "KFC is a casual dining restaurant."  They're saying, "you can get a meal at KFC for a lot less than you'd pay for the same meal at a casual dining restaurant."  

In the ads (we've done several different ones with the same general message over the past three years), a KFC diner has a laugh at the expense of the casual dining diner, who clearly overpaid for his chicken-strip dinner.

Now, whether people understand what "casual dining restaurant" means, that's a fair question...our research says that most people figure it out.


----------



## Wombat (Dec 20, 2005)

Actually, there is still one Sambo's left, down in Santa Barbara, CA.  I think it was the flagship of the whole chain, but I could be wrong.

(sidenote:  Santa Barbara is also the origin point for the Egg McMuffin.  Odd that way...)

And any Left Coasters (or ex-Left Coasters) old enough to remember Doggie Diner?  

http://doggiediner.com/


----------



## Cthulhu's Librarian (Dec 20, 2005)

CarlZog said:
			
		

> The chain went bankrupt in the late 1970s. Many of the locations were snapped up by Denny's, which is probably where the roots of the "Sambo's-changed-its-name-to-Denny's" story came from.




Huh, interesting. I always assumed that they changed their name, as the two Sambo's that were near me both became Denny's at the same time.


----------



## Scotley (Dec 20, 2005)

kenobi65 said:
			
		

> Interesting.  There must have been a franchisee issue in Memphis, because Applebee's is growing great-guns (and has been for years), and most of their restaurants have been doing pretty well over the past few years.
> 
> (I know *way* too much about Applebee's; they were a client of mine for 4 years, and our office still has the account.)




Yeah, it was a local franchiser that ran into some kind of legal trouble if the rumors are to be believed. There are still two in the Memphis area, but at least 4 closed.


----------



## Alenda (Dec 20, 2005)

Wow, Shakey's Pizza! About 10 years ago this chain was still going strong in Okinawa, Japan (where I lived for about 3 years). 

The Shakey's Pizza Delivery guys drove these crazy little souped-up motorcycles which they used to swiftly and dangerously navigate busy intersections and zip through narrow back alleys. 

We actually took to calling the motorcycles "Shakey Mobiles" because that was really the best way to describe them.


----------



## CarlZog (Dec 20, 2005)

kenobi65 said:
			
		

> And, they're not saying "KFC is a casual dining restaurant."  They're saying, "you can get a meal at KFC for a lot less than you'd pay for the same meal at a casual dining restaurant."




Right. I got that.



			
				kenobi65 said:
			
		

> Now, whether people understand what "casual dining restaurant" means, that's a fair question...our research says that most people figure it out.




I guess I'm in the minority then. I had no idea what you were trying to compare it to, and I wonder if it makes sense from a competition standpoint. Is lunch at say, an Applebee's, really comparable to grabbing KFC? Would someone thinking about going to Friday's really stop and say, "I could get the same thing cheaper at KFC."?

Given the nature of the dining-out experience, they just don't seem to be in the same league. I guess that's the other part of what made it confusing. I couldn't imagine they'd be trying to make that comparion.


Carl


----------



## CarlZog (Dec 20, 2005)

Wombat said:
			
		

> Actually, there is still one Sambo's left, down in Santa Barbara, CA.  I think it was the flagship of the whole chain, but I could be wrong.




I think you're right. I remember reading that was the first one.




			
				Wombat said:
			
		

> And any Left Coasters (or ex-Left Coasters) old enough to remember Doggie Diner?
> 
> http://doggiediner.com/




The dog keeps showing up in the Zippy comic strip. I was wondering where it came from. I'd never heard of Doggie Diner.

Carl


----------



## kenobi65 (Dec 20, 2005)

CarlZog said:
			
		

> Given the nature of the dining-out experience, they just don't seem to be in the same league. I guess that's the other part of what made it confusing. I couldn't imagine they'd be trying to make that comparion.




If you're comparing the overall experience, no, you're right, they aren't in the same league.

If you're making the point, "why are you paying $8.99 for chicken strips, when you could pay $4 for chicken strips", then, for many consumers, it's a relevant point.

And, note that, in the most recent version of this ad, the characters aren't eating in the restaurant(s)...they've carried the food back to their workplace.  Making that the frame of reference helps make the comparison more relevant.

Finally...that particular promotion did well for KFC.


----------



## CarlZog (Dec 20, 2005)

kenobi65 said:
			
		

> Finally...that particular promotion did well for KFC.




Well, you can't argue with what works.

Carl


----------



## Krieg (Dec 20, 2005)

One local Ohio/Indiana chain that is long gone is Red Barn. To this day I still think they had the best tasting hamburger I ever found at a fast food place.



			
				kenobi65 said:
			
		

> - Burger Chef was a bigger hamburger chain than the first two; when I was a kid, I think they were probably the #3 burger chain, behind McDonald's and Burger King.  IIRC, they had "kid's meals" even before McDonald's did.  They, too, are long gone...according to this site, the Burger Chef name is now owned by Carl's Jr., which also now owns Hardee's (though Hardee's is still around, for now.)




Burger Chef...and Jeff! Rocked!

I loved Burger Chef when I was a kid. Of course in those days McDonalds didn't have drive through's and still had western themed decors. lol




			
				kenobi65 said:
			
		

> Still around; mostly in the Midwest and South.  They always struck me as being pretty much the same as Denny's (and that's not necessarily a compliment):
> http://www.shoneys.com/travel/




Personally I'd say more like a Frisch's...but that's just me. 



			
				loki44 said:
			
		

> Rax was an Arby's knock-off.




Rax had the best shakes you could find at a fast food place, bar none. They also had a great salad/nacho/pasta bar. 



			
				Scotley said:
			
		

> Godfather's Pizza is long gone




Wow I had forgotten all about Godfather's. That was the local hangout for kids. Dumped a lot of quarters in their video games...but rarely actually ate the pizza. 



			
				wingsandsword said:
			
		

> Lee's Famous Recipe was another KFC pretender to the throne, they were really common around here about 20 years ago or so, but slowly died off.  Some still exist, getting by, but it's clear they lost the war, and I haven't seen a new one open in more than a decade (and seen a good number close in that time).




I really...REALLY miss Famous Recipe's chicken gizzards! MMMmmm.....


----------



## kenobi65 (Dec 20, 2005)

Krieg said:
			
		

> Burger Chef...and Jeff! Rocked!




I fear that, in this era, a middle-aged chef and his young male companion would be seen by some as having certain unwholesome connotations.


----------



## CarlZog (Dec 20, 2005)

I particularly miss:

*Lum's Hot Dogs* They had sitdown restaurants and specialized in hot dogs steamed in beer. Disappeared in the '70s. Wonderful places.

*Wuv's Hamburgers* This was an extremely short-lived Florida chain in the early '80s. The stupid name matched the ugly decor (everything was purple), but they made GREAT fries and burgers.

*Sambo's* Already mentioned in this thread, Sambo's was a lot better food than Denny's and often featured cool stuff for us kids.


Carl


----------



## Krieg (Dec 20, 2005)

ALL HAIL KENNY ROGERS' ROASTERS!!!


----------



## Darth K'Trava (Dec 22, 2005)

Although they're in other locales, I was saddened to see Taco Time go. Their stuff is better, MUCh better than Taco "Hell".


----------



## ssampier (Dec 22, 2005)

I (heart) Taco Time. Luckily they'll are in my small town in the boonies of Utah. They are world ahead of Taco Bell in my mind.

They did get rid of the shredded beef soft flour taco, but their chicken B.L.T. soft flour taco almost makes up for it.


----------



## ssampier (Dec 22, 2005)

sniffles said:
			
		

> Now we can talk about specific fast-food dishes we used to enjoy that the chains don't offer anymore!  I miss chili-cheese burritos from Taco Bell.




Burger King: I loved the Big King, but they don't offer it anymore.
McDonalds: McRib, but I was afraid what it was made of (lampooned as the RibWhich on _The Simpsons_).
Taco Time: They had a Tai Wrap made of fried boneless chicken breast and rice with spicy peanut sauce, mmm good.


----------



## Krieg (Dec 22, 2005)

ssampier said:
			
		

> McDonalds: McRib, but I was afraid what it was made of (lampooned as the RibWhich on _The Simpsons_).





FWIW the McRib is making one of it's periodic reappearances here in SW Ohio.

Anyone remember when BK had a breakfast burrito of their own?


----------



## Darth K'Trava (Dec 22, 2005)

Krieg said:
			
		

> FWIW the McRib is making one of it's periodic reappearances here in SW Ohio.
> 
> Anyone remember when BK had a breakfast burrito of their own?




I had a friend comment on which was "better": The McRib or monkey brains. He then proceeded to try to gross out the girl at Micky D's about that.....   I threatened to take away his ice cream cone for that.

I thought it was ok. But about as good as a TV dinner patty of "pork". It was about the same in taste and appearance.


----------



## Krieg (Dec 23, 2005)

Darth K'Trava said:
			
		

> I thought it was ok. But about as good as a TV dinner patty of "pork". It was about the same in taste and appearance.




The McRib has always been a strange one for me. Every couple of years they'd bring it back...I'd get one because it had been forever....then I would be rudely reminded of why I never get more than one during their limited runs....but inevitably by the time they come back again I have completely forgotten just how nasty they are. lol


----------



## wingsandsword (Dec 23, 2005)

I normally go out of my way to avoid eating at McDonalds, there is only one thing they have that they periodically bring back.

No, it isn't the McRib.  I liked it when I was a kid, but it just wasn't good enough to go back to McDonalds for.

It's the Cheddar Melt.  A rye bun, a tasty cheddar goo-sauce, and carmelized onions sure make for a nice burger.  I'd probably get sick of it fairly quick if it was common, but on the rare occasions they bring it back it's the only time I really go to a McDonalds and enjoy it.

What money I give to the McDonalds corporation is usually through Chipotle, their food is actually good, spending $7 there for a burrito and coke is usually tastier and better than spending twice that as a "casual dining" place.  It disturbs me a little that it's owned by McDonalds, but the food is so good that it outweights my dislike of their parent corporation.


----------



## Shemeska (Dec 23, 2005)

I miss Roy Rogers and Friendly's because I adored them as a kid in New Jersey, and they don't exist down south as far as I can tell.

Roy Rogers Fried Chicken... *drool* Life was good for a while when Hardees bought them and started serving their fried chicken at Hardees restaurants. And then at some point in the 90s as far as I can tell, they just stopped serving it.

Does Hardees still do the Roy Rogers chicken anywhere? And does Roy Rogers still sell their friend chicken?


----------



## Teflon Billy (Dec 23, 2005)

Cthulhu's Librarian said:
			
		

> Sambo's became Denny's. Same place, different name. They were preassured to change the name due to the negative stereotyical image that the name has for African Americans.




Oh, allright. 

We have about a million Denny's up here, and they are almost universally crap, so I guess I have nostalgia glasses on


----------



## Teflon Billy (Dec 23, 2005)

CarlZog said:
			
		

> That's actually not the case, though this story seems to be taking on urban legend status.
> 
> Sambo's was a separate and distinct chain from Denny's...




Ahh...now I feel better


----------



## Teflon Billy (Dec 23, 2005)

Krieg said:
			
		

> a message from Krieg




Holy Crap! Krieg!

You had vanished there for awhile and we thought you had been gravely injured or something.

So what's the story man? Where've you been?


----------



## diaglo (Dec 23, 2005)

The Little Tavern in the DC area. i tried sending Queen D and The Universe there for a meal a year or so ago... and found out it went under.

i spent my hard earned pennies there during college for a sack full of burgers.


----------



## Krieg (Dec 23, 2005)

Teflon Billy said:
			
		

> Holy Crap! Krieg!
> 
> You had vanished there for awhile and we thought you had been gravely injured or something.
> 
> So what's the story man? Where've you been?




The short story...

Laying low through the divorce, which has at times gotten pretty nasty.

Other than that I've mostly been breathing fresh mountain air while playing security contractor.

The long story is of course...longer.


----------



## Psychic Warrior (Dec 23, 2005)

I miss The Olive Garden.  Most of the locations closed across Ontario (and most of Canada from what I understand).


----------



## Bront (Dec 23, 2005)

Krieg said:
			
		

> The McRib has always been a strange one for me. Every couple of years they'd bring it back...I'd get one because it had been forever....then I would be rudely reminded of why I never get more than one during their limited runs....but inevitably by the time they come back again I have completely forgotten just how nasty they are. lol



The McRib makes an appearance in chicago every summer.  Not sure why. :\

I LOVE their Arctic Orange shakes.

There's a place in Chicago that since I moved is just a bit too far away to go to regularly, but I love them, is Bueno Beef.  Good Itallian Beef, Ribs, Pannini's, Sausage, Burgers, and now even Pizza.  They're beggining to pop up, and seem to be doing well against the other popular place like that, Portillo's.


----------



## Arnwyn (Dec 23, 2005)

Psychic Warrior said:
			
		

> I miss The Olive Garden.  Most of the locations closed across Ontario (and most of Canada from what I understand).



Really? Wow - I did not know that. We got lots, here...

I miss Fuddruckers, and especially Chi-Chi's. 



			
				der_kluge[/QUOTE said:
			
		

> There was a "KenTacoHut" in Kansas City, which was a Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, and KFC all rolled into one place.



We have tons of those in Canada.

I am very thankful that we still have tons of Taco Times here.


----------



## diaglo (Dec 23, 2005)

Arnwyn said:
			
		

> I miss Fuddruckers, and especially Chi-Chi's.



got them here still.


----------



## Arnwyn (Dec 23, 2005)

diaglo said:
			
		

> got them here still.



Yeah, I know...


----------



## Krieg (Dec 23, 2005)

Arnwyn said:
			
		

> I miss Fuddruckers, and especially Chi-Chi's.




Olive Garden is still going strong here, Fuddruckers seems to be just getting by and Chi-Chi's are going bye-bye.


----------



## MrFilthyIke (Dec 23, 2005)

I so miss Fuddruckers...I love mispronouncing that name 

They closed the orlando locations.


----------



## Teflon Billy (Dec 23, 2005)

Krieg said:
			
		

> The short story...
> 
> Laying low through the divorce, which has at times gotten pretty nasty.
> 
> ...




Short form is good enough for me, as it described neither injury nor sickness. Divorces can be rough, but at least they _definitely_ go away

In any event, welcome back man


----------



## Krieg (Dec 23, 2005)

Teflon Billy said:
			
		

> Short form is good enough for me, as it described neither injury nor sickness.




FWIW my cancer appears to be gone (at least for now) and everything else is just superficial. So it's all good.



> Divorces can be rough, but at least they _definitely_ go away
> 
> Yep, they just take too damn long to do it.
> 
> ...


----------



## kenobi65 (Dec 24, 2005)

Krieg said:
			
		

> Olive Garden is still going strong here, Fuddruckers seems to be just getting by and Chi-Chi's are going bye-bye.




More generally:

- Olive Garden is generally doing really well in most places in the U.S., though the slowdown in the economy in recent months has pinched all of the Casual Dining places a little bit.  It's possible that they've retrenched from Canada for whatever reason.  I have a contact at Darden (the owners); maybe I can find out what's going on there.

- Fuddruckers' big time was in the late '80s, when they positioned themselves as "gourmet burgers for yuppies."  They've been in a slow decline ever since.

- Chi-Chi's does seem to be slowly vanishing.  Little-known fact: the founder of Chi-Chi's was a guy named Max McGee; he was a wide receiver for the Green Bay Packers in the 1960s (he and Paul Hornung were drinking buddies).  He sold Chi-Chi's to W.R. Grace (probably in the late '70s or early '80s) for a fortune.


----------



## Torm (Dec 24, 2005)

wingsandsword said:
			
		

> It's the Cheddar Melt.  A rye bun, a tasty cheddar goo-sauce, and carmelized onions sure make for a nice burger.  I'd probably get sick of it fairly quick if it was common, but on the rare occasions they bring it back it's the only time I really go to a McDonalds and enjoy it.



You have NO idea how *angry* I would get sometimes when passing a McDonald's (or worse, when friends or family would want to stop at one) because they only brought the Cheddar Melt around every decade or so - until I learned how to make them at home:

1. Take four ounces of Velveeta loaf, mix with 4 tablespoons of shredded cheddar and 1 level tablespoon of mustard powder. Microwave to melt, and stir until of even consistency.

2. Put about 3 tablespoons (you can eyeball this, precision not necessary) of minced onion (available in a handy shaker on the spice aisle, usually) in a frying pan. Turn on High heat and add two tablespoons of Kikkoman's teriyaki sauce. Stir fry until the onions have absorbed the sauce, then remove them and set aside.

3. Brown eight hamburger patties. I use the cheaper patties they sell that have soy protein added - seems more true to Mickey D's.  

4. Put 'em on rye patties, add the cheese mix, sprinkle with the onions. Serve.

Share And Enjoy!


----------



## Torm (Dec 24, 2005)

I miss Chi-Chi's - I know they're still around, but not here. I wish we had a Long John Silver's here, too. And a Rocky Rococo's - but not the way they are now, the way they were in 1985. (They say they haven't changed their recipe, but I say BS: I REMEMBER how they tasted, and what we had in Champlain, IL a couple of years ago was NOT it.) Taco Bell is still around, but I wish they still had the BellBeefer. (Yes, I can make them at home, but sometimes it would be convenient to pick one up from them.)

I seem to remember Shakey's having excellent pizza, but that may just be because one of the few times I can remember going anywhere with both my parents without there being a fight was at one.

I miss Pizza Inn. I know they're still around - I even have one within about 45 miles - but they aren't the same at all since they ditched the castle motif interiors. The ambiance of brick and sconces in enclosed booths somehow made the pizza taste better.

I miss Master Wang. They were a chain, now they're back down to the one restaurant in Springfield, MO. I was hoping they would spread all over - can't get Springfield style cashew chicken far outside of Springfield.

And finally, I miss Showbiz Pizza. I know Chuck E Cheese is still around, and they bought Showbiz - but back when they were "Showbiz" they still had an actual ARCADE.


----------



## Darth K'Trava (Dec 24, 2005)

Torm said:
			
		

> I miss Chi-Chi's - I know they're still around, but not here. I wish we had a Long John Silver's here, too. And a Rocky Rococo's - but not the way they are now, the way they were in 1985. (They say they haven't changed their recipe, but I say BS: I REMEMBER how they tasted, and what we had in Champlain, IL a couple of years ago was NOT it.) Taco Bell is still around, but I wish they still had the BellBeefer. (Yes, I can make them at home, but sometimes it would be convenient to pick one up from them.)




I haven't been to Chi-Chi's but once. They had good food.



> I miss Pizza Inn. I know they're still around - I even have one within about 45 miles - but they aren't the same at all since they ditched the castle motif interiors. The ambiance of brick and sconces in enclosed booths somehow made the pizza taste better.




We still have one in town. Right around the corner from where I work. We used to have KAG meetings there.



> And finally, I miss Showbiz Pizza. I know Chuck E Cheese is still around, and they bought Showbiz - but back when they were "Showbiz" they still had an actual ARCADE.




Arcade: the _real_ reason you went there!


----------



## wingsandsword (Dec 24, 2005)

kenobi65 said:
			
		

> - Chi-Chi's does seem to be slowly vanishing.



Huh, I thought they were gone completely.  After that big food poisoning outbreak a little more than a year ago with the hepatitis and several deaths, they all closed down around here.  Something about 4 people dying from food poisoning at your places in rapid succession being extremely bad for business.  This news article (http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3190/is_40_38/ai_n6232955) also says the entire chain closed as of September 2004.

If there are any around, where are they?  

Oh, and Torm, thanks for the recipe


----------



## Torm (Dec 24, 2005)

wingsandsword said:
			
		

> If there are any around, where are they?
> 
> Oh, and Torm, thanks for the recipe



No problem.  

And you're right - Chi-Chi's IS gone. Didn't realize they had sold out their locations to Outback Steakhouse. Not sure if the _company_ still exists and is licensing the Chi-Chi's name to Hormel for their line of grocery store products, or if Hormel bought what was left of them, but they sell the salsa at the Bi-Lo about two miles from here.


----------



## kenobi65 (Dec 24, 2005)

wingsandsword said:
			
		

> This news article also says the entire chain closed as of September 2004.




Huh, I'd missed that.  Ah, well...I was never a fan of their food, anyway.

Side note: when I worked on the Applebee's account at our ad agency, I once did focus groups in Boston.  A *lot* of the people we talked to there told us that Chili's was where they went for Mexican food there.  (While you *might* call some of Chili's menu "Tex-Mex", it's a real stretch to call it Mexican food.)  If there's anyone from Boston reading this thread: is Mexican food really that hard to come by in New England?


----------



## kenobi65 (Dec 24, 2005)

Torm said:
			
		

> Not sure if the _company_ still exists and is licensing the Chi-Chi's name to Hormel for their line of grocery store products, or if Hormel bought what was left of them, but they sell the salsa at the Bi-Lo about two miles from here.




Acc. to that article that wingandsword found, the company (a holding company called Prandium) still exists...or did as of that writing...but they'd sold the Chi-Chi's trademark to Hormel, at least for use in products sold in grocery stores.


----------



## Darth K'Trava (Dec 24, 2005)

Torm said:
			
		

> No problem.
> 
> And you're right - Chi-Chi's IS gone. Didn't realize they had sold out their locations to Outback Steakhouse. Not sure if the _company_ still exists and is licensing the Chi-Chi's name to Hormel for their line of grocery store products, or if Hormel bought what was left of them, but they sell the salsa at the Bi-Lo about two miles from here.




Around here, Bi-Lo changed their name to Southern Foods. Don't know if it was a buyout or what...


----------



## Barendd Nobeard (Dec 24, 2005)

Teflon Billy said:
			
		

> We used ot go down across the border for American food, but I think the last *Shakey's Pizza* and *Sambo's Fmily restaurants* are long closed




Still have Shakey's in the Milwaukee area.  At least one, anyway; it's so bad that one of my friends refuses to eat there.  I've never been, so I can not verifiy to horribleness of the establishment.

Does anyone remember Red Barn?  I used to go to one in Northern Virginia, somewhere between Seven Corners and Bailey's Crossroads (or that general area).


----------



## Krieg (Dec 24, 2005)

Barendd Nobeard said:
			
		

> Does anyone remember Red Barn?  I used to go to one in Northern Virginia, somewhere between Seven Corners and Bailey's Crossroads (or that general area).




Yep...



			
				Krieg: Post #72 said:
			
		

> One local Ohio/Indiana chain that is long gone is Red Barn. To this day I still think they had the best tasting hamburger I ever found at a fast food place.


----------



## Templetroll (Dec 25, 2005)

I remember a Gino's in Philly, but not Geno's.  Gino's had better burgers but guess couldn't fight the big guys.

QD, we actually have one of the Little Ceasar's stuffed dolls.  Only 4 inches high, in a toga and an artistically placed strand of chest hair....  you can put your finger in the back of his head to make his mouth move when you said "Pizza! Pizza!"    

There used to be a drive-in restaurant in philly, just down the street from the tastycake factory.  It was one you could eat in the car, with a tray on the window.   They had burgers and all that, and fried chicken.  the mascot was a hillbilly I think, at least for the fried chicken.


----------



## pogre (Dec 25, 2005)

Jack in the Box is still huge in the St. Louis area, but nothing north of Litchfield, IL. Although they used to be everywhere, but I don't know of any Stuckeys still in biz.


----------



## mythusmage (Dec 25, 2005)

I kinda pity the folks back east. Not because they get snow and blizzards this time of year, but because they miss out on all the Jack in the Box commercials.


----------



## Torm (Dec 25, 2005)

pogre said:
			
		

> I don't know of any Stuckeys still in biz.



I pass at least two Stuckey's on a semi-regular basis - one off exit 115 of I-20, and one off exit 181 off I-95. They aren't really a fast food place in my experience, though, so much as a particular line of merchandise carried in those truck stops.


----------



## Darth K'Trava (Dec 25, 2005)

Torm said:
			
		

> I pass at least two Stuckey's on a semi-regular basis - one off exit 115 of I-20, and one off exit 181 off I-95. They aren't really a fast food place in my experience, though, so much as a particular line of merchandise carried in those truck stops.




I passed a few when I went down to Florida earlier this month.


----------



## StupidSmurf (Dec 27, 2005)

kenobi65 said:
			
		

> Huh, I'd missed that.  Ah, well...I was never a fan of their food, anyway.
> 
> Side note: when I worked on the Applebee's account at our ad agency, I once did focus groups in Boston.  A *lot* of the people we talked to there told us that Chili's was where they went for Mexican food there.  (While you *might* call some of Chili's menu "Tex-Mex", it's a real stretch to call it Mexican food.)  If there's anyone from Boston reading this thread: is Mexican food really that hard to come by in New England?





Never had trouble finding Mexican food up here, and I'm a Mass native who now lives in Nashua NH. I used to love Chi-Chi's...wasn't aware the chain's gone. I used to hit the one in Framingham MA near Shoppers World/Natick Mall.

There's a restaurant here called Marguerita's, which I think is part of a chain...Great food, and great, well, margueritas!


----------



## PirateMary (Dec 28, 2005)

I didn't feel like looking through all of this thread, just wanted to add my own.  So please forgive me if they've been added already. 

There were two places around here when I first moved here 14 yrs ago called Burger Park.  It was drive through and walk up only.  There were only picnic tables in front for those who didn't want to drive while eating, or just couldn't drive.  It was cheap, fast and good.  The french fries were just right and the burgers were fresh.  Everything was fresh.  The taste was amazing.  It was a sad day when going to get a burger, I drove up and saw a Freddie's Subs had taken over.  Horrible, horrible.  I decided to give them a try and waited 20 min. for a 6 inch Italian sub and cola.  Never went back.  Now I long for the Park that was Burger...


----------



## weiknarf (Dec 28, 2005)

mythusmage said:
			
		

> I kinda pity the folks back east. Not because they get snow and blizzards this time of year, but because they miss out on all the Jack in the Box commercials.





Jack in the Box is springing up in Tennessee


----------

