I was a big fan of Burger Chef when I was a kid. That was fine dining for me. I looked them up on Wiki, and they've been gone since 1996.
Restaurant chains you wish would come back
- Thread starter 97prizm
- Start date
Village inn Pancake house
Love the flaming German apple pancakes
I really wish there were Golden Corrals left, every one has been replaced with a Pizza Ranch
Every reason I’ve been given that Golden Corral is terrible is far worse at Pizza Ranch.
Loved cheap AYCE steaks and mushrooms that was about all I ate except for a roll.
Pizza Ranch, mediocre salad, chicken is always empty, cold cheese pizzas and screaming kids. I always have to order the delux pizza I want and sit and wait for it to come while trying to time the chicken refill so I don’t get a smashed petrified example that’s been under the lights all day.
Very very few buffets of any type left in this area. Used to be 4 Asian Buffets two of which were quite fancy hibachi and sushi rolled before your eyes, now only the crappiest one is left.
Another general comment is that I like to eat out but now that 2 people is easily $50 instead of the $16 it was 4 years ago is a major turnoff, the trend of ALL restaurants forcing me to prepay for the sit down meal and auto select a 35% tip is a real turn off. Little do they understand many folks simply stop eating out so the high rate just thins the crowd.
Love the flaming German apple pancakes
I really wish there were Golden Corrals left, every one has been replaced with a Pizza Ranch
Every reason I’ve been given that Golden Corral is terrible is far worse at Pizza Ranch.
Loved cheap AYCE steaks and mushrooms that was about all I ate except for a roll.
Pizza Ranch, mediocre salad, chicken is always empty, cold cheese pizzas and screaming kids. I always have to order the delux pizza I want and sit and wait for it to come while trying to time the chicken refill so I don’t get a smashed petrified example that’s been under the lights all day.
Very very few buffets of any type left in this area. Used to be 4 Asian Buffets two of which were quite fancy hibachi and sushi rolled before your eyes, now only the crappiest one is left.
Another general comment is that I like to eat out but now that 2 people is easily $50 instead of the $16 it was 4 years ago is a major turnoff, the trend of ALL restaurants forcing me to prepay for the sit down meal and auto select a 35% tip is a real turn off. Little do they understand many folks simply stop eating out so the high rate just thins the crowd.
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Fuddrucker's was mentioned...
I've been to five within 500 miles of me, and four of them are now closed. The one that remains open is Sunset Hills (St. Louis) Missouri.
The four that are now closed are Matteson (Chicago) IL, Terre Haute IN, Knoxville TN, and Springfield MO.
There is apparently one in Branson, Missouri that I have repeatedly missed eating at (my own dang fault, I was just down there in October)... and one at Sevierville/Pigeon Forge which I've seen and driven by, but I haven't been back through there in several years... for good reason.
I've been to five within 500 miles of me, and four of them are now closed. The one that remains open is Sunset Hills (St. Louis) Missouri.
The four that are now closed are Matteson (Chicago) IL, Terre Haute IN, Knoxville TN, and Springfield MO.
There is apparently one in Branson, Missouri that I have repeatedly missed eating at (my own dang fault, I was just down there in October)... and one at Sevierville/Pigeon Forge which I've seen and driven by, but I haven't been back through there in several years... for good reason.
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2 Fuddruckers near me in Pa.
Chi-Chi's Mexican. I know most of their meals were pre-prepared, but I liked them anyway.
There used to be 4-5 in the area near me, 3 I could get to easily but now they're just down to two. It's a good burger but maybe their locations were too big to stay in business. Their buns are better and it's nicer than 5 guys.
MrQuackers
Site Donor 2024
HOT 'n NOW
There were four in the San Francisco Bay Area, but one ended up closing. However, that closing was an odd thing as there was plenty of business. It was at a hybrid mall/residential development called Bay Street in Emeryville. Fuddruckers was also the closest restaurant to the AMC movie theater, so that naturally got them a lot of walk up traffic.
But there were gaps in the "restaurant row" that they had and they've since redeveloped that area. A couple of the restaurants closed and I guess they decided to go a different direction even though the restaurants still there were doing OK. But there was one place that closed and it stayed empty for years. They even had a patio in front and they had entertainment there where they couldn't seem to get a new restaurant tenant. I'm not sure why they haven't found a new location, although maybe they don't see a new one working out.
twouvakind
Site Donor 2024
Seven locations operating in SC
Looks like Fuddruckers went bankrupt but got bought out. Hard to say exactly how many locations, somewhere in the 92-97 range. I think back in 2019 it mentions about 150+ stores.
There's a few around which just sit empty.... One in particular (Addison IL) has been closed for years and the site has become an eyesore! Last time I drove by it looked like someone had pulled down one of the sheets of plywood on the front doors, so it is probably trashed inside now. This location used to host a Tuesday night cruise night, which was always well-attended. I miss it.
Fuddruckers reminds me of a guy I used to know..... Who was the character on the old Popeye cartoon who would only eat hamburgers? Wimpy I think? That was this guy. I don't know what he'd eat if hamburgers weren't on the menu, and Fuddruckers was his favorite restaurant. No variety.
And Chili Spaghetti
I can’t even think of a good chain restaurant. They are always a letdown. Southern most California is all about private or very small “chains” of just a few. The big chains are leaving except the trash like McD’s and Jack In the Box. They can leave if they want. Marie Callender’s had good pies but the bake yourself frozen ones are almost just as good.
I've seen that with that mall I mentioned. For some reason they couldn't get new tenants for empty spots in a restaurant row so they decided to just ax the whole place other than one restaurant. I mentioned Elephant Bar. Those were kind of weird - especially their standalone locations that had their own unique architecture. Once one closed I saw the building we empty for years until the building owner finally gave up and had it razed to build something else.
There are some really weird fast food fails too. Around here there's a Taco Bell that was build just for it in the 90s but then closed. The building has remained empty for maybe a decade with a "for lease" sign. Also another Church's Fried Chicken that was closed (had to look it up) about five years ago. That had been open for at least 30 years. There's been talk about razing the building for housing for at least 4 years, but nothing has happened.
Soup and salad buffet, not the best idea after pandemic hit.Can't believe no one from CA mentioned SoupPlantation. Definitely left a hole in the restaurant choices
Restaurant business is hard business. They close for a reason and it is hard to give you what you want for the price you want. The future is self service in all sorts of business to save YOU and THEM money other than the very high end place.
Chain will still be around but the franchise model is done, chain will either have to be mid-upper scale and mid-upper scale price (like Panera Bread or Starbucks), or DIY cater for the poor folks / young teens like McD near school or Chipotle for $10 (lots of rice, not much meat and veges). They also have to do a lot of catering to make it works, rather than relying on walk in customers.
The good news is the freezer section in stores are getting fancier, you can always microwave your own stuff. We also have a lot more gadgets like instant pot, air fryer, sous vide machine, pannini press, K-cup, etc, you don't have to eat out if you are cheap.
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Zantigo
Came to post Souplantation. Kids loved it. Fuddruckers was always fun too.Can't believe no one from CA mentioned SoupPlantation. Definitely left a hole in the restaurant choices
Boston Market, Chevys, Godfathers, sub sammich shops & a few others mentioned are nothing short of terrible. They won't be missed. Gordon Biersch had a location in San Diego, also sub-par for the price.
I'm no where near a food snob, or even critic, but the only chains we eat at aside from fast food....is Costco food court. So many good places that cost no more than the cookie cutter chains
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