Restaurant chains you wish would come back

[pghvolvo]

Hoss’s as not too many around me

I have drive 45 minutes to an hour out of town to eat at one. They use to be everywhere around me. Still a lot open in central Pa.

The one I miss that only lasted about five years around me, was Red River BBQ. I don't think there are many of them left around the country.

 

[y_p_w]

Maybe the chain buffet places. We used to have Hometown, although that was part of a bigger chain that included Old Country and other names. About all that's left around here is a single Golden Corral.

There are still a lot of independent buffets around here - mostly Asian. I'll go to a few but then I'll regret it later. It's really weird how some of them close and then within a week there's a new name and a sign saying that it's under new management. There were also a few better quality buffets, but those had some controversy over how the owners withheld pay and tips from employees as well as failure to pay taxes.

https://www.sfgate.com/restaurants/...e-buffet-owners-fraud-theft-Kome-16177681.php

 

[SammyChevelleTypeS3]

Howard Johnson's (I think there are a few left?).

Oh yeah. My Dad would stop at a bunch of those to feed and sleep us all on the many 1400 mile or so driving vacations he took us on every year. We loved those places in the 60s and 70s. Most all gone now.

 

[Wolf359]

Maybe the chain buffet places. We used to have Hometown, although that was part of a bigger chain that included Old Country and other names. About all that's left around here is a single Golden Corral.

There are still a lot of independent buffets around here - mostly Asian. I'll go to a few but then I'll regret it later. It's really weird how some of them close and then within a week there's a new name and a sign saying that it's under new management. There were also a few better quality buffets, but those had some controversy over how the owners withheld pay and tips from employees as well as failure to pay taxes.

https://www.sfgate.com/restaurants/...e-buffet-owners-fraud-theft-Kome-16177681.php

A lot of places go out of business for different reason. One popular reason is the stealing of tips from workers. Here's one where a worker got a big tip but was forced to split it and then got fired after the person who left the tip found out and asked for it back so he could give it to the waiter directly.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2021/12/14/waitress-fired-big-tip/

 

[y_p_w]

A lot of places go out of business for different reason. One popular reason is the stealing of tips from workers. Here's one where a worker got a big tip but was forced to split it and then got fired after the person who left the tip found out and asked for it back so he could give it to the waiter directly.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2021/12/14/waitress-fired-big-tip/

I'm kind of hesitant about some of these buffet places - especially the smaller chains. I've heard of some where the owners either own or rent homes and pack the employees like sardines. That and that they probably don't check their immigration status or perhaps flat out know.

 

[Wolf359]

I'm kind of hesitant about some of these buffet places - especially the smaller chains. I've heard of some where the owners either own or rent homes and pack the employees like sardines. That and that they probably don't check their immigration status or perhaps flat out know.

Well yeah and they cheat on their taxes too, only way some can stay in business. You don't need to check immigration status if you pay them cash under the table. They like it when you pay cash.

 

[Leo99]

I'm kind of hesitant about some of these buffet places - especially the smaller chains. I've heard of some where the owners either own or rent homes and pack the employees like sardines. That and that they probably don't check their immigration status or perhaps flat out know.

Hmmm, think my next door neighbor was doing this in their house. Those people that lived in the basement.

 

[vavavroom]

Which one? The Village isn't bad, but I've never actually been to the place on the other side of 101. BTW - I looked it up and I think that location closed. I looked it up and there are only 5 locations left in the Bay Area, and none are in Marin.

Still - there's a classic style A&W (no sharing with KFC) in San Rafael. I wanted to check it out after the Marin County Fair once but it was too late and I was taking forever to get out of the parking lot. But that roof is rather hard to miss.

I believe the Baja Fresh was near the Apple Store. I didn't know it's now gone. On the other side of the freeway is The Cheesecake Factory. That's definitely still there because I recently had a chicken salad sandwich.

 

[97prizm]

Chuy's. There are few left around the west, but none in Vegas anymore. Best breakfast burritos money could buy.

It's weird you said Chuy's. They were non-existent in Colorado 5 years ago and now there are at least 5 or six that have opened up almost overnight. Sometimes it seems like chains "migrate " to new markets if older markets are saturated or declining.

 

[y_p_w]

I believe the Baja Fresh was near the Apple Store. I didn't know it's now gone. On the other side of the freeway is The Cheesecake Factory. That's definitely still there because I recently had a chicken salad sandwich.

I’ve been to The Village many times and have definitely been to Cheesecake Factory there. I do remember this really odd location for a Denny’s by the freeway on-ramp. The location just seemed so random.

As for Bay Area staples, Chevy’s is a shadow of what it used to be. There was one near my high school, and I’d sometimes just buy chips and salsa to take home. It would be in a big paper bag. The one in Richmond closed down and later burned down. The last one in San Francisco (on Mission) closed down. Maybe it wasn’t the most authentic, but it was a good value. I have fond memories of going to the one in San Leandro after an A’s game, where I’d park my car at the Bayfair BART station. Now I know now the neighborhood is kind of sketchy but back then I never saw anything.

 

[y_p_w]

Nobody has a soft spot for Howard Johnson’s?

 

[pghvolvo]

Well yeah and they cheat on their taxes too, only way some can stay in business. You don't need to check immigration status if you pay them cash under the table. They like it when you pay cash.

I use to be in sales in the eighties and even now I know people in the restaurant business that pay 50% legit and the other half is cash under the table. I knew one restaurant back in the mid eighties that stuffed 30% of the cash receipts in the safe and never reported it to the Government.

Another industry that is notorious for under reporting their incomes is hair salons including hair stylists and barbers. If they're renting a chair they are almost guaranteed to be holding back what they are reporting to the government. I'd say almost all hair salons not in a chain, are paying all or some or the wages under the table. Pizza shops are another industry that hides a lot of income.

 

[Wolf359]

I use to be in sales in the eighties and even now I know people in the restaurant business that pay 50% legit and the other half is cash under the table. I knew one restaurant back in the mid eighties that stuffed 30% of the cash receipts in the safe and never reported it to the Government.

Another industry that is notorious for under reporting their incomes is hair salons including hair stylists and barbers. If they're renting a chair they are almost guaranteed to be holding back what they are reporting to the government. I'd say almost all hair salons not in a chain, are paying all or some or the wages under the table. Pizza shops are another industry that hides a lot of income.

Well yeah, any business that's a cash business like a restaurant is always ripe for tax evasion. Probably really hurt them in the pandemic as the support they got from the government was a percentage of their reported income.

 

[ChrisMU]

I miss Chi-chi’s, which I know is gone for sure. I realize it was the Olive Garden of Tex-Mex, but it was delicious to childhood me. I also miss the Ground Round and Tumbleweed, which still exist, but nowhere near me. On a positive note, still plenty of Chuy’s and Taco Cabana near Austin/San Antonio. I’m concerned about some other chains on deathwatch, particularly Luby’s/Fuddruckers, Carl’s Jr./Hardee’s (in my area), Quizno’s, Arby’s (in my area), Steak N’ Shake, Perkin’s, and Blimpie. I purposely make it a point to stop at a Blimpie on my summer vacation… many existing locations are in inaccesible locations like college buildings, airports, or military bases. Even the one I stop at in Joplin, Missouri, is located at the separate fuel depot building of the truck stop.

 

[nthach]

My problem with the chains we all know and love, is that they get bought out, the recipes and formulas change and get cheapened out, and become nasty. The name remains but the recipes are nowhere near what they used to be.

Current chains are just a step above the ghost kitchen model Doordash/Grubhub and Uber wants(as a matter of fact, the co-founder and ex-CEO of Uber, Travis Kalanick is betting the farm on ghost kitchens and delivery apps). Except everything comes from a central kitchen or Sysco’s Sygma division/US Foods in a heat/plate/serve model not unlike meals in first/business class on a plane or the dining car on Amtrak.

Except for Olive Garden, Cheesecake Factory, BJ’s, Outback and Sizzler who do a lot more prep and cooking onsite, many chains work this way.

 

[nthach]

Can't believe no one from CA mentioned SoupPlantation. Definitely left a hole in the restaurant choices

OMG, I had many a lunch in college at Fresh Choice or Sweet Tomatoes.

 

[y_p_w]

Current chains are just a step above the ghost kitchen model Doordash/Grubhub and Uber wants(as a matter of fact, the co-founder and ex-CEO of Uber, Travis Kalanick is betting the farm on ghost kitchens and delivery apps). Except everything comes from a central kitchen or Sysco’s Sygma division/US Foods in a heat/plate/serve model not unlike meals in first/business class on a plane or the dining car on Amtrak.

Except for Olive Garden, Cheesecake Factory, BJ’s, Outback and Sizzler who do a lot more prep and cooking onsite, many chains work this way.

The dining car on Amtrak has a real grill but obviously a moving train isn't the best place for a deep fryer. But the cafe car basically just reheats stuff. I've been on Amtrak and the weird stuff about the cafe car is that the breakfast items are served any time and are the first to sell out because they're cheaper than the lunch/dinner items. I had a burger that was more or less like a large frozen White Castle burger. The attendant just cut a couple of holes in the plastic and put the whole thing in a convection oven. Not the greatest burger, but better than just eating cold snacks.

Here's an article on their "reinvention" where they claim the choices are actually better.

https://www.trains.com/trn/news-rev...mtrak-reinvents-traditional-dining-car-meals/

I've certainly heard of the central kitchens used solely for takeout or delivery orders. When I heard that Fatburger supposedly had something in San Francisco, I traced it to one of these central kitchen in a tiny little alley, but with a dozen different "restaurants".

The king of commissaries was Howard Johnson's. Jacques Pépin was hired personally by Howard Johnson to help scale recipes for large quantities that would be made in their commissaries.

https://www.bu.edu/hospitality/2016...the-importance-of-mindfulness-in-the-kitchen/​

While at Howard Johnson, he was challenged to develop new recipes that could be produced for large quantities of guests. This new style of cooking led him to test new equipment and cooking styles – he even worked with chemists to understand the molecular science necessary to mass produce high quality meals. This successful learning experience proved to be particularly useful to him in his later ventures; in 1970 he opened a New York City soup restaurant, La Potagerie, and later was hired to launch and run food operations at the World Trade Center commissary.​

 

[pghvolvo]

We have a local family style restaurant by me that has two satellite take out only locations.

 

[nthach]

The dining car on Amtrak
Here's an article on their "reinvention" where they claim the choices are actually better.

https://www.trains.com/trn/news-rev...mtrak-reinvents-traditional-dining-car-meals/


I've certainly heard of the central kitchens used solely for takeout or delivery orders. When I heard that Fatburger supposedly had something in San Francisco, I traced it to one of these central kitchen in a tiny little alley, but with a dozen different "restaurants".

The king of commissaries was Howard Johnson's. Jacques Pépin was hired personally by Howard Johnson to help scale recipes for large quantities that would be made in their commissaries.

I was actually on the Coast Starlight to San Luis Obispo a few weeks ago. I did spring for a business class seat and good thing I did - I wanted to check out the dining car. They were charging $25 for lunch and $40 for dinner - all meals are included for passengers in sleeping cars, but not for coach. I did take a gander on the cafe/viewing car - I got a Bud Light on it. The frozen DiGiorno pizzas and Hebrew National hot dogs seemed to be best sellers.

I got the baked potato loaded with vegan chili with the works, it also came with dessert and as many soft drinks(no beer or wine was offered) as you like. It was nice to sit down and have an actual hot meal(that wasn’t fast food like at the airport or in a car). I chatted with someone at the next table - she was a regular and told me things were quite different before the change. I had to get the carrot cake, Amtrak’s signature dessert.

Now, the Pacific Surfliner between Santa Barbara and LA was very reminiscent of the Capitol Corridor between San Jose/Oakland and Sacramento but with an expanded cafe car. I got a hot dog and can of Cutwater’s pre-mixed margarita on the ride to LA. Everyone seemed to be buying hot dogs and booze on the train. The Pacific Surfliner offered beer and Cutwater cocktails from San Diego, Firestone 805 from Paso Robles and cinnamon rolls from a bakery in SLO.

Now I want to ride a longer distance train to try out dinner.

There was a vegan restaurant chain that got into hot water for central kitchens. And Gordon Ramsay did as well.

 

[bullwinkle]

I've heard rumors that Wendy's (& possibly McDonald's) are testing a "ghost kitchen" concept in urban areas (Columbus OH is what I heard) exclusively for Uber Eats, Grubhub, Door Dash, and other app delivery services-no dining room, no conventional DT, just a window for delivery services, that's it. Take a corner of a parking garage, wall it off, turn into one (or more) franchised ghost restaurants. Another vote for Zantigo-if I'm ever in Minnesota, apparently there is only ONE location left that was not assimilated by Taco Bell, I'm going for chilitos & a taco burrito!