Branded Burgers, chain restaurant, open 1960s-1980s in Athens, Hartselle and Cullman. 58 (tie) SANTIAGO'S MEXICAN RESTAURANT. Besides Texas, the chain can be found in Oklahoma, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Wisconsin, Illinois, and Maryland. "Kiki's How a little neighborhood restaurant grew to be a community tradition", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_Mexican_restaurants&oldid=1135522955, Belgium-based restaurant chain that was originally the European branch of the now defunct American company, Based in Mexico, not related to U.S. company, Based in the United States, not related to Mexican company. Whether your usual order consists of nachos, burritos, tacos, quesadillas, or even a Mexican-style salad you name it, its on the menu. 15. Two professional football players from Baltimore Colts helped create Gino burgers in 1957. } The 20 Restaurant Chains That No Longer Exist - Trending And for more 1980s trivia, Only 1980s Kids Will Remember These Restaurants. Pizza Haven - Australian pizza chain; Pumper Nic - chain in Argentina; founded in 1974 and closed in 1999; Pup 'N' Taco; Red Barn; Royal Castle - one franchise location survived after chain was liquidated in 1975; Sandy's; ShowBiz Pizza Place - Merged into Chuck E. Cheese Get the best food tips and diet advice The company sold most of its locations in the '90s, seeing this list might take you back to your childhood. "You could make money anywhere." Eventuallywith a lot of enthusiasm and tons of helpZiebarth was able to open a new Naugles location in 2017. The children of the 1980s certainly remember to savor their last spoonful of Hojos ice cream. Taco Bell, as noted, is in the top five, and there are four other Mexican-inspired chains in the top 100. Though Restaurant Business lists this chain in the chicken category, not the Mexican, and although chicken is the only protein on the menu, El Pollo Loco calls its food L.A. Toledo was bestowed with Hardee's, Perkins Pancakes, a Mexican chain, and, in 1972, the arrival of two Bob Evans eateries. With the rise of fast-food chains though, . The International House of Pancakes is one of those chain restaurants that has come and gone a handful of times in Western New York. 17 Failed Chain Restaurants From the 1990s, Only 1990s Kids Will Remember These Restaurants, Long Island and NYC Places that are no more/Facebook, The One '80s Snack You Should Never Eat Again, Says Science, Only 1970s Kids Will Remember These Restaurants, Only 1980s Kids Will Remember These Restaurants. The sale put Walgreen's "completely out of the food business," The New York Times reported. VIP's was a 24-hour West Coast casual dining chain that got its start in Oregon in 1968. It took 10 years for the chain to die a slow death, which meant that the children of the 80s have had to experience the great barn and the Barnbuster Burgers . The first Taco Johns was in Wyoming, and it opened way back in 1968. Gino's Hamburgers. "Man, I miss this place. Bennigan's. This fast food chain was one of America's first casual dining and sports bar chain. 13. Qdoba comes out of Denver, where its ancestor, called Zuma Fresh Mexican Grill, opened in 1995. In 1988, theySold anything but some of their locations in Marriott. However, Pappasitos Cantina really stands out for a few reasons. Qdoba Mexican Eats Vintage Restaurants/ Fast Food Chains of the 1980s if( navigator.sendBeacon ) { The Blue Horse, the Nankin, the Lincoln Del. But that very year, 99 of those were sold to Taco Bell, all but erasing the brand. If you grew up in the '80s, there's a good chance you went to at least one of these restaurants. Sambo's shut down by the middle of the decade. The Bannister Mall was the location I remember visiting. The final restaurant closed in 1989. topics. And for more, check out these 108 most popular sodas ranked . Sam Battistone and Newell F. Bohnet opened the first Sambo's restaurant in 1957. Most notably, he was a founding partner of Del Taco. 9. > Number of U.S. units: 63. Chi-Chi's. In addition to hot dogs, the menu included tacos. 1 of 3. At its height, there were nearly 100 restaurants in The national level, which was quite the Founder Graydon D. Webb. Minnie Pearl's Chicken. Another Texas-born chain, this one from Fort Worth, Fuzzys has units around the country, all over Texas and also in Oklahoma, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Iowa, Ohio, Louisiana, Georgia, Florida, Virginia, and North and South Carolina. > U.S. sales: $324 million Dont forget to try one of El Toritos frozen margaritas while you have the chance! Whether you are in their delicious skins of red potatoes or the iconic Irish tower O'Rings, Bennigan was a success in the 1980s. > U.S. sales: $348 million 11. > Number of U.S. units: 392. So, if youre an ethically-conscious fan of Mexican cuisine, you should definitely check out Chipotle if you havent already! Mr. Paul is a restaurateur who had owned other popular Los Angeles-area restaurants: The Old Virginia and Chez Paul, both in South Pasadena. Personally, we cant get enough of the incredible Tex-Mex menu items at On the Border, and we think you should visit one of the 120 On the Border restaurants in the U.S. if you havent already. List of defunct restaurants of the United States - Wikipedia The menu at G.D. Ritzy's stood out for all the ways that you could customize your burgers, drinks, and ice cream. But in 1987, Beefsteak Charlie's was sold to Bombay Palace Restaurants and went out of business soon thereafter. 25 Classic Chain Restaurants That Are Still Hanging On - MoneyWise According toEaterFor the height of his popularity in the 1960s, Howard Johnson served "more meals outside the home than any American entity, with the exception of the US military.". navigator.sendBeacon('https://www.google-analytics.com/collect', payload); In 2003, after it had grown to 85 locations in 16 states, Qdoba was acquired by Jack in the Box, which ran it until it was sold to a private equity firm in 2018. 72 of 92 73 of 92 Crazy Jose's Patio and Cafe Mexican restaurant Enterprise archive photo Ryan . . Still another Texan, founded in Dallas in 1986, Uncle Julios features mesquite-grilled fajitas, guacamole made tableside, and chocolate piatas for dessert. There were 60 locations in the New York metropolitan area by 1984. Burger Chef. Restaurant Review: Southern Fried Goodness and More to Try at Tupelo Honey. Del Taco is headquartered in Lake Forest California, and is led by CEO John D. Cappasola Jr. Torchys Tacos Youve heard plenty about Tex-Mex throughout this article so far, but have you ever heard of West-Mex? And any New York child in the 1980s grew up love this chain, thanks to its unlimited portions. That was the motto of Mexican fast-food chain Naugles. THE 10 BEST Mexican Restaurants in Los Angeles (Updated 2023) - Tripadvisor Because Mexican food is so beloved throughout the United States, there are many chain restaurants that either specialize in or exclusively serve Mexican food. Wish it were still there single Keep place clean!" 20 Alabama restaurants we wish we had back - al.com All Rights Reserved. Not only does On The Border deliver excellent value for money due to its impressive portion sizes, but many of the signature dishes on the menu at this restaurant are cooked on mesquite wooden grills, which enhances the flavor and makes the Mexican food at On The Border some of the best in America. Dick Nager has had a story to help create successful catering chains. 31 once-beloved chains that no longer exist in the Lehigh Valley and Mexican food is one of the most popular global cuisines in America, and theres no mystery as to why. A few years later, things came to the complete circle when Butler sold in Collins Food International, who decided to merge Naugles without other than Del Taco in 1988. But as a child of the 70s or 80s knows, Walgreen has also had full restaurants. And for more nostalgia, don't miss these 17 Failed Chain Restaurants From the 1990s. The latest restaurant closed in 1989. > U.S. sales: $835 million In 1979, new owners purchased the business for real estate purposes. Bombay Bicycle Club was a hugely popular restaurant and bar in the 1980s. > U.S. sales: $4.805 billion If youre looking for Mexican food that tastes fresh and that you can tell has been homemade from scratch, you need to check out Baja Fresh. is the restaurants focus on fresh, non-processed ingredients. In 1982, they sold the majority of their restaurants in Marriott. Historic Houston Restaurants - Historic Houston - Houston Architecture Info And although there was a unique showcase holding a dear life life in Nebraska, toofirm In 2017. Taco Johns Any American fan of Mexican food will be familiar with Chipotle. The name Sambo's comes from a combination of the founders' names: Sam Battistone and Newell F. Bohnett. But in 1989, Red Barn did not come out of bang, but a groan. Check out the top 10 Mexican chains in the United States according to Restaurant Business based on sales: Chain Restaurants We Bet You Forgot Existed - The Daily Meal From authentic Mexican food to Mexican-American fusions like Tex-Mex and West-Mex, theres so much variety in these top 16 restaurants. Unfortunately, Webb could only put on the Ritz for so long. Dick Naugle had a history of helping build successful restaurant chains. The chain Antone's pale in comparison to the original locations. } (The number of units for each chain was computed at the same time, and may have changed since then.) Click here for the top 15 Mexican chains in America. We highly recommend trying some of the signature items on Uncle Julios menu, like the chocolate pinata, alongside some of the classics such as enchiladas and quesadillas. Not only does Chuys serve some examples of classic Mexican food, but youll also find menu items inspired by Southern Texan cuisine and the Rio Grande Valley. 5. There are now only 18 international locations and 15 in the United States. It quickly expanded 225 points of sale by 1986. Foodio / Shutterstock. Besides chicken, the chain served gumbo, fish and chips, greens, biscuits and other soul foods. Theres a huge range of flavors, ranging from the cooling cilantro cucumber and watermelon options to the fiery jalapeno cucumber margarita. By the mid-'80s, there were nearly 100 D'Lites locations across the country. Name Head office location Original location Year started Number of locations Notes Acapulco Mexican Restaurant and Cantina: Cypress, California if( navigator.sendBeacon ) { Army.". As you might expect from the name, Torchys Tacos specializes in tacos and offers exciting and adventurous taco fillings such as fried avocado or blackened salmon. Chuys may not have as many locations as other Mexican chain restaurants (there are fewer than 100 of these restaurants across 17 states) but when it comes to amazing Tex-Mex, its one of the top contenders in America. Howard Johnson's is synonymous with 1950s and '60s dining. While not for everyone, Mexican chain restaurant dining is a popular dining destinations for families all across . But there is a glow of good news: today, two Gino Rochette burgers remain in the Maryland - and yes, they serve the ginois ginner. 11. Annie's Santa Fe was a popular Mexican restaurant during the 1980s and 1990s which had locations at several local malls, including Oak Park Mall and Bannister Mall. 15. (Well,not quite the same fries.) Here are 19 Old Happy Meal Toys That'll Bring You Back to Your Childhood. Still, if you were lucky enough to experience Pup 'N' Taco, then you probably can't get the jingle out of your head. The British-based market research and data analytics company, determined recently that some 86% of Americans who had tried Mexican food liked it; the only cuisine scoring higher was Italian, at 88%. Growth was especially strong in the Midwest which was targeted as a region susceptible to their appeal. Unfortunately, no matter the quality of the chicken-taste - the company has encountered its inexpensive end to the consternation of fans everywhere. It now operates in almost every state, plus Washington, D.C. Customers build their own burritos, burrito bowls, taco salads, quesadillas, nachos, or tortilla soup variations. Kansas City-area restaurants you'll never eat at again, part 1 Reduced-calorie dishes included hamburgers made with lean beef, high-fiber buns, and low-calorie cheese. But it was already too late. 4 Once-Favorite Tex-Mex Restaurant Chains That Went Out of Business . Local Chains - Columbus Restaurant History Bennigan's 200 nationwide locations shuttered their doors a decade ago, but the new owners now run a much smaller-scale operation out of Dallas, Texas, and the menu does include the Irish pub-inspired items you loved in the 1980s. In his younger years, founder Leo Reynosa, Sr. rode with . There were dozens of Pancho's locations by the '80s in the Texas area and surrounding states. Each television show based in the city, fromFriends ToSaturday Night Live, has blocked about it for a few decades. The Mexican Restaurants of New York City - ArcGIS StoryMaps In 1982, they sold the bulk of their restaurants to Marriott. } There were at least 300 Rax locations by the mid-'80s; there were even locations in Guatemala and Canada. Lots of Transients ate there. Unfortunately, Webb could only put on the ritz for so long. every day. Chicken George was a character in the 1977 ABC miniseries "Roots," which was based on a novel about slavery by Alex Haley. This trap unfortunately brought Chicken George in 1986, when Holmes tabled for liquidation after declining more than $ 1.4 million in debt to private creditors and IRS. At the start of the decade, you could get the "Chicken in the Basket" special for just 59 cents. Chipotle Mexican Grill Hi, my name is Jenna and I have been a professional chef for almost the entirety of my adult life. Though Beefsteak Charlie's slogan was, "I'll feed you like there's no tomorrow," sadly, tomorrow came for this chain restaurant by the end of the 1980s. Fuzzys Taco Shop In the mid-1980s, all Diners doggie had closed. There are a few states where people should leave quickly. New Balance (CC BY 2.0) by Mike Mozart 5. Doggie diner Was a basis in the Northern Bay region of California at its peak. Whether you were into their delicious cheesy potato skins or the iconic Irish Tower O'Rings, Bennigan's was a hit in the 1980s. This restaurant Burger California has become a rage, thanks to an appearance in the film of 1982Quick weather at Ridgemont High. A New York-based freelance journalist, Dalene Rovenstine often writes about Alberto Lombardi was the king of Dallas Italian food. Chains dont figure, for instance, in our list of, the best Mexican restaurants in every state, Source: Keithready / Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons, Source: Photo taken by Bobak Ha'Eri. Without that bright orange chicken, Monday Night Football was never the same. But in 1989, Red Barn went out not with a bang, but a whimper. List of 20+ mexican restaurant chains 1980's - El Reno Ok Many were not surprised when the metromedia filed for bankruptcy in 2008. Tortillas at Chuys are handmade daily, all the ingredients are fresh (not frozen), and there are 10 homemade salsas. Cobb Lane Restaurant. Without this bright orange chicken, Monday night football has never been the same. It serves traditional Tex-Mex-style tacos, nachos, and burritos, and other Mexican style meals. . Customers find the chain's classic fried chicken, and now the menu also includes buffalo wings, chicken fingers and family combos with cheesecake for dessert. Your ultimate survival guide and supermarket is here! These 1980s Restaurants Didn't Stand the Test of Time - Eat This Not That Oklahoma City Mexican Restaurants 1983 | Steve's Food Blog 20 American Fast Food Chains We Grew Up With (That Are No - TheTravel Of course the sections most of us will head to immediately are . That pitfall sadly brought Chicken George down in 1986, when Holmes filed for liquidation after falling into over $1.4 million in debt to private creditors and the IRS. But many people are still nostalgic for this restaurant chain. Don Pablo's is another Mexican-inspired chain . Inc. (Big Bite). Classic Restaurant Chains: Where Are They Now? | Kiplinger This is a list of notable Mexican restaurants. And for more failed restaurants,Only the children of the 1970s will remember these restaurants. America's disappearing restaurant chains - USA TODAY 13. In 1956, the Taco puppy started engraving roads in southern California. A financial advisor can help you understand the advantages and disadvantages of investment properties. At its height, there were nearly 100 restaurants nationally, which was quite the coup for founder Graydon D. Webb. "Prepare food fresh. Peeling back the layers of the Red Onion's history It's risky ranking Chipotle at the bottom of a Mexican-American food roundup, considering the sheer size and ferocity of Chipotle's die-hard fan club. That is, until 2008 when Bennigan's went bankrupt. The chain has locations in 15 states today, focusing on California, Oregon, and Washington (though Las Vegas has more Del Tacos than any other city). But, much like Mall Madness and acid-washed jeans, not all of the chains from your youth have survived, and there are plenty of failed fast-food restaurants that have come and gone. With the exception of six locations in Florida, Rubios remains a western chain, with shops in Arizona, Nevada, and Colorado, as well as California. You could get the famous "Gino Giant," a massively stacked hamburger aptly nicknamed "a banquet on a bun," all over the place. El Pollo Loco I wish it was always there.". El Torito is one of the longest-standing Mexican chain restaurants in America, dating all the way back to 1954! 55 (tie) TEQUILA'S MEXICAN RESTAURANT. But according to The Washington Post, Holmes "knew little about cash flow," despite the restaurant's great marketing. There are also salads on Moes menu if youre in the mood for something light and healthy which, in addition to the customizability of the menu, means that Moes is the perfect Mexican restaurant for everyone regardless of tastes or preferences. 20+ New & Recently-Opened Restaurants in Columbus in 2023. Whether you were into their delicious cheesy potato skins or the iconic Irish Tower O'Rings, Bennigan's was a hit in the 1980s. Remembering restaurants that are no longer | Phoenix - Yelp food and drink and health, as well as entertainment, beauty, and other lifestyle Serving both Mexican and classic American fast-food, Del Taco offers something for everyone. > U.S. sales: $868 million DEL TACO. The final spot (in Nevada) closed in 1995. > U.S. sales: $739 million Nopales, eggs and beans and hand made tortillas with really good salsas. Of all the fast-food chains out there, only one could be the first to ever use . Del Taco was founded in 1964, in California. 26 Bloomington-Normal restaurants from years past - The Pantagraph Pizza with Duck Sausage wins quick stardom. VIP was a casual catering chain on the 24-hour west coast that started from Oregon in 1968. In 2006, however, food bloggerChristian Ziebarth Posted About NautglesAnd the answer was across the roof. Ever wonder if your favorite is actually the most popular? Finding a qualified financial advisor doesnt have to be hard. Posted September 13, 2004. The Mexican seafood restaurant closed because of high rent costs. Bennigan was becoming one of the most efficient mid-range casual catering chains in America. 18 Blockbuster Restaurant Chains From the '90s That Are Gone or Hard to It was the kind of offer they could not refuse, but it was also the beginning of the end for VIP. You could eat as many shrimp, salad, beer and rib as you could never want - all for less than $ 20, according toBklyner. xhr.open('POST', 'https://www.google-analytics.com/collect', true); TIO JUAN'S MARGARITAS MEXICAN RESTAURANT. By the mid-'80s, all the Doggie Diners had shut down. Damon . RIP: 50 Restaurants That Closed Over The Past Decade - Columbus Underground > U.S. sales: $214 million (est.) Every TV show based in the city, from Friends to Saturday Night Live, has joked about it for the last few decades. The original Pollo Loco was in Sinaloa, Mexico, and there is a Mexican chain today, unrelated to the U.S. one. ), in Pollo Fit Bowls, or in the form of burritos, tostadas, or overstuffed quesadillas. This Mexican restaurant chain first opened in Minnesota in the 1970s, but at its peak in the mid-1990s, . xhr.open('POST', 'https://www.google-analytics.com/collect', true); And by the early '90s, Chuck E. Cheese became the name of all locations. And if not, well, you were probably missing out. Bombay Bicycle Club. After starting as a small operation in Colorado Springs, the chain eventually grew to over 200 restaurants in the U.S. and Canada. AlthoughCharlie Beefsteak slogan Was: "I will feed you as there is no tomorrow," sadly, tomorrow came for this chain restaurant by the end of the 1980s. Simpson. California has the most with 822. 6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e. > Number of U.S. units: 743. Get the best food tips and diet advice every single day, Now, you'll have the best and latest food and healthy eating news right in your inboxevery What Ever Happened to These 12 Iconic Restaurants? - AARP The full list includes restaurants I copied from the telephone directory (and which were listed as "Mexican restaurants" in the yellow pages). 18 Best Mexican Restaurant Franchises of 2023 (UPDATED RANKINGS) 25. In 1982,Denny's offered the company About $ 12 million to buy 35 VIP locations. The chain closed down around 1983, after a decade of dealing with growing national fast food chains. Bennigan was becoming one of the most efficient mid-range casual catering chains in America. 25. Qdoba Mexican Eats is a solid example of a great Mexican chain restaurant, and we highly recommend it next time youre in the mood for Mexican food! In 1983. he was elected to Big Bite's board of directors. With increased competition and not enough to distinguish the Bennigan tastes of Chile and T.G.I. 1. Friday, the chain fell behind. 30 Defunct Restaurant Chains From the Past - MoneyWise All Rights Reserved. And the controversy is for good business! Big Bite expanded to a chain of approximately 30 restaurants. Sambo is closed in the middle of the decade. That's what Bennigan's, an Irish-themed bar and grill, offered in the 1980s. It opened its first U.S. venue in Los Angeles in 1980, and since then, nearly 500 El Pollo Loco restaurants have been established. This family includes Pappas Burger, Pappas Bar-B-Q and Pappas Bros Steakhouse to name just a few (see also The Best Menu Items At LongHorn Steakhouse). In the early 1980s he sold the chain to the Marriott hotel chain, which quickly converted all the Gino's into Roy Rogers. But expanding your horizons may add additional costs. Impossible brand plant-based protein is an option. Uncle Julios xhr.setRequestHeader('Content-Type', 'text/plain;charset=UTF-8'); Best Mexican Restaurants in Los Angeles, California: Find Tripadvisor traveler reviews of Los Angeles Mexican restaurants and search by price, location, and more. > U.S. sales: $398 million 321. Former regulars might remember the antique decor of the restaurant or the Greek . So, if youre in the mood for some Mexican flavors with an American twist at a reasonable price and an accessible location, Taco Bell is an excellent choice! In 1982, a few years after being bought by a Swiss holding company, the chain overextended in its franchising efforts and filed for bankruptcy. (Now owned by Yum! Many locations were converted to Hardee's in the '90s after the burger chain bought Rax. But by the late '80s, most locations had been sold. Fast-food tacos, burritos, tostadas, and quesadillas make up much of the menu, though there are also American-style burgers. In 2010, he became recognized as aOfficial city. Although it didn't hold up against Chili's, TGI Fridays, and Applebee's, there was a time when it was fairly ubiquitous throughout the states. The chain began in the mid-1950s in Miami but grew to be a nationwide phenomenon, with more than 400 restaurants in the 1970s at the height of its success. var xhr = new XMLHttpRequest(); MEXICO CITY, Feb 27 (Reuters) - Mexican restaurant chain operator Alsea (ALSEA.MX) reported on Monday a 31% drop in its fourth-quarter net profit from a year earlier, hit by higher energy and raw . Family Style. Fast-food chains aren't necessarily known for their healthy options (especially in 1980s America), but that's what D'Lites sought to do with its menu. At its height in 1984, there were 102 Taco Pupping Places across California and New Mexico. In 1984, G.D.'S Ritzy took about $ 5.2 million only fromIce cream sales. There were serious noise complaints from neighbors at the Huntington Harbour location in 1981, and, in the mid-1980s, claims that the chain excluded minorities on a regular basis from several of its Orange County . Between 2001 and 2011, Country Kitchen closed almost 200 locations, with the total number of restaurants falling from 249 to 52, as sales declined by more than 80% during the same period. The Tex-Mex Invasion | National Museum of American History 15 classical American desserts that deserve a return, The Hardee Marketing Officer announced in 2007, 19 old joyful toys that will bring you back to your childhood. One food that is better left in the past? It closed in . Your ultimate restaurant and supermarket survival guide is here! But with more customers came more control and it has not been long before the anti-discrimination protests against Sambo started. He continued to grow in the 60s and 70s. The menu at Del Taco goes to show that Mexican chain restaurants in the U.S. are capable of delivering both authentic Mexican food as well as American variations. Now Holidays Restaurant. It took on the rest of the East Coast in the '70s, too. Cobb Lane Restaurant, Birmingham, 1948-2009. JoJos in the ring around the mall 625 . Over the course of its first 20 years of business, the chain staked its claim on 19 states, serving its famous burgers and fried chicken in roughly 400 restaurants. Second-place Starbucks managed a mere $19.66 billion, just over half the McDonalds number, but still not bad. Another Tex-Mex chain Taco Cabana has close to 200 locations throughout the United States, but most of them are in the restaurants town of origin, which is, of course, Texas! Bennigan's got its start in Atlanta in 1976, but by the early '80s, they were everywhere. > U.S. sales: $817 million Family Style. Originally part of the Pillsbury Corp., the restaurant was founded in 1976. Full Member. At the over 500 Del Taco restaurants across 16 U.S. states, you can order more adventurous Tex-Mex food like fish and cheese tacos, or stick to the classics with a meat-based tortilla. 60 (tie) BOBBY SALAZAR'S MEXICAN FOODS. The chain was sold for $630 million in 1979, and heading into the '80s, HoJo's became a victim of its own success.