Iconic Restuarants that are no more.

[Heidict]

Sambo's
The lunch counter at Woolworths
Shakey's Pizza
A&W drive in

 

[powellrj]

We still have many of the places listed. We have Big Boys, Raxs, Hardees, Ponderosa, MCL, A&W, Little Ceasars.

The ones I miss are Steak and Ale, Ground Round, Stuart Andersons, Woolworths/Kresge, Taco Tico.

 

[rgf207]

Well maybe I can shed some light on the Chi Chi's situation, at least here in NC. I worked for Chi Chi's for 6 years in Raleigh on Falls of the Neuse Road. I left there to work across the street at TGIFriday's. I too LOVED Chi Chi's. The only restaurant I've ever worked where I could eat there everyday and never get tired of it. When I started in 1988 we were busy every every night. For any of you who visited the Raleigh Chi Chi's, if you remember it was HUGE!! There were 4 different rooms and it was not uncommon for 3 of them to be packed every night with hour plus waits on the weekends. Over the years the crowds dwindled, but never to the point of closing. The Food Service providers in NC stopped carrying the Chi Chi's products, as many of the stores closed throughout the country. However, our store was still doing quite well. Our franchise consisted of Raleigh, Greensboro, and a newly opened Cary store. When we lost our food service provider, we were literally buying product at the grocery store. You can't do that for too long and stay in business. Hence the demise of Chi Chi's in Raleigh.

Now, for those of you that loved the Pollo Magnifico (probably the most popular dish) I will share with you the secret to it's greatness. I am assuming I can't be jailed since there are no more stores in my state

Ready? Here it is........

Go to the store. Buy chicken breast. Buy "Chi Chi's Margarita Mix". Marinate Chicken in the Margarita Mix overnight. Grill. Serve over your favorite spanish rice. Melt Velveeta cheese and add half part Mexican white queso and melt together. Add 1 jar of Chi Chi's Medium salsa. Drizzle over chicken.

The Margarita Mix is the secret ingredient...... ENJOY!!!

At the store looking at salsa. Thinking hey whatever happened to Chi Chi's! Oh boy we used to have some good times there. Yum Fried Ice cream. Sounds gross as an adult but as a kid it was
So what restuarants do you miss or wonder whatever happened to them.

and what about Ground Round! as a kid you paid what you weighed. Imagine doing that now!

Chi-Chi's went out of business due to a Hepatitis A outbreak traced back to Green Onions. It was the largest Hep. A outbreak in US History.

 

[daannzzz]

These are all missed for nostalgia's sake not really for the "good" food though I did enjoy them.

Me n' Ed's pizza
Red Barn Hamburgers
Fjord's Smorgasboard
Chicken Delight
Giant Orange
Kmart refreshment island (25 cent ham sandwiches)
Spivey's
King's Table

I remember in the mid 60's, the A&W burger family. The Pap burger used to be a large burger like a Whopper with one patty. After not having gone for many years I went back and the had changed it into more of a Big Mac style. Smaller, double decker with two pattys and lots less interesting. They still have that now.
We still have A&W and Shakey's here.
There is a Farrell's Ice Cream opened back up in southern California.

 

[powellrj]

These are all missed for nostalgia's sake not really for the "good" food though I did enjoy them.


Red Barn Hamburgers

Kmart refreshment island (25 cent ham sandwiches)


I remember in the mid 60's, the A&W burger family. The Pap burger used to be a large burger like a Whopper with one patty. After not having gone for many years I went back and the had changed it into more of a Big Mac style. Smaller, double decker with two pattys and lots less interesting. They still have that now.
We still have A&W and Shakey's here.
There is a Farrell's Ice Cream opened back up in southern California.

I forgot about Red Barn, I use to love their hot dogs with the red relish and grilled buns. I loved Kmart ham and their sub sandwiches too!

When I was in high school back in the 70's, I worked at a place that served the A&W menu items and we did have a papa burger, mama burger, baby burger. Our papa burger was the double decker and the moma burger was the one like the whopper, I think.

I loved Shakey, where else could you get pizza and fried chicken and those really good potatoes!

 

[jen0610]

We still have many of the places listed. We have Big Boys, Raxs, Hardees, Ponderosa, MCL, A&W, Little Ceasars.

The ones I miss are Steak and Ale, Ground Round, Stuart Andersons, Woolworths/Kresge, Taco Tico.

We have 1 Big Boys up here. It's better known just as Azar's, even though I think Fischers has official bought the FTW location. DH and I are usually the youngest 2 adults eating there.

If there is a Rax and MCL in central IN, I am on a mission. With Rax, we bemoan their demise every single time we drive past their old locations here in town. Suprisingly, both are now Fazoli's.

The only A & W's we see are the ones that are attached to either KFC's, Taco Bell, or LJS. It's just not the same.

 

[powellrj]

We have 1 Big Boys up here. It's better known just as Azar's, even though I think Fischers has official bought the FTW location. DH and I are usually the youngest 2 adults eating there.

If there is a Rax and MCL in central IN, I am on a mission. With Rax, we bemoan their demise every single time we drive past their old locations here in town. Suprisingly, both are now Fazoli's.

The only A & W's we see are the ones that are attached to either KFC's, Taco Bell, or LJS. It's just not the same.

Come to Anderson and you will find a Rax downtown and a MCL at the mall. I will get hungry for a BBC at Rax, but when I get one, I always think its over priced for what you get, but then I forget and will order another one! I use to eat at MCL all the time, but its been a few months since I have been there.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

Originally Posted by daughtersrus View Post
Anyone from the Chicago area remember Farrel's Ice Cream (there was one in North Riverside Mall), C0ck Robin with the square ice cream scoop (apparently the first word is against Dis rules because it changed it all to ****), Arthur Treacher's Fish and Chips or Barnaby's Pizza in Downers Grove?

Not in Chicago but I remember a Farrell's. It was an 19th century motif. I remember if you ordered the Pig's trough or there was a birthday, the banged the drums in all the rooms, used a two person thing to carry the ice cream and ran all over the place with sirens blaring. I think they did the same for the Pike's Peak.

 

[AllisonK]

I LOVED Lum's! I used to go with my grandparents in Florida. They used to serve food in little plastic baskets.

There's one left! It's here in MA - I went there for the first time a few weeks ago and really liked it.

We also used to have (nearby, at least) Ground Round (now a Japanese steakhouse), TCBY (now a Subway) Ponderosa (now a Verizon store), East Side Mario's (now an empty building) and a Bugaboo Creek (now a Not Your Average Joe's).

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

I remember in the mid 60's, the A&W burger family. The Pap burger used to be a large burger like a Whopper with one patty.

They were all Drive ins when I was younger. They had a Papa Burger, a Mama Burger, and a baby burger. Then they added the Teen Burger. I forget whether it was a Mama with Bacon or a double deck baby with bacon. None of those are on the menu any more and all of em I've seen are walk ins.

 

[lynxstch]

Boy, some of these made me feel old!

I remember A & W Drive Ins..it was my great grandmothers favorite. You could get chili dogs on Tuesday nite's for $.10, lol..and you could bring your own gallon jug and get it filled with root beer for $.50 I think it was. Was it Burger Chef that had $.10 hamburgs? I remember those too.

I was born and grew up in MA. There were Abdows (Big Boys) but those faded away. I remember Beefsteak Charlies, loved it. I remember Howard Johnsons, loved their fried clams. I think these are all gone now..along with another favorite of mine, Picadilly Pub. Another one I really miss is Arthur Treacher's Fish and Chips, it was my favorite! I also remember the Ground Round, didn't they have peanuts on the tables, and the shells were always all over the floor? And they played old black and white movies, like 3 Stooges, etc on a big screen while you ate.

I live in Western MD now. We still have a Roy Rogers (though I can't stand their food, lol), and a Ponderosa (which I haven't been into in years). They opened a Little Caesars Pizza about a year ago, but also lost Domino's Pizza at the same time. We really don't have many chain restaurants, other than McD's, BK, KFC, Ruby Tuesday and Applebees.

 

[marcyinPA]

Didn't read the whole thread, but my mom used to like to go to Arthur Treacher's Fish and Chips. I hated fish (still do) so I really hated going there!!

A couple of others:
Elby's (Bob's Big Boy)
Hardee's
Ground Round

And ...there was this pizza place- they served Chicago style pizza. Aurellio's I think it was called. Their pizza was so yummy!!

 

[bunkkinsmom]

Chi-Chi's went out of business due to a Hepatitis A outbreak traced back to Green Onions. It was the largest Hep. A outbreak in US History.

The Chi Chi's in Raleigh closed way prior to the 2003 outbreak in Pennslyvania. The owners had already filed for Bankruptcy about a month or two prior to the outbreak and were well on there way to out of business. The Greensboro store and Cary stores closed first, then Raleigh. I remember Hurricane Fran came through in 1996 and I was still at Friday's. The old Chi Chi's was vacant across the street and that's where we parked our freezer truck to save inventory. I wanna say Raleigh closed in 94? Chi Chi's still operates in parts of Europe, but I don't think there are any left here in the States.

 

[suzimar57]

bottom of the barrel (union city) open steak with melted cheese....
ground round (route 9W opposite prentice-hall) pina colada in a glass the size of a mini fishbowl
houlihan's (hackensack) loved those fried mozz balls!
jade fountain (route 17S) best weeknight buffet!
steak & ale (paramus) DH still isn't "over" losing this one...
howard johnsons (route 46) fried clams and coconut ice cream
woolworth's counter (west new york) grilled hot dog!!
wolfie's deli/restaurant (bergen mall) corned beef - yummmm....

now i'm suddenly really hungry....

 

[Fire14]

I miss Sambos merry go round sundaes
POndrossa ones I know are all out of biz I personally think quality went down
Rax
Farrells ice cream
Ground Round
Mr. Steak which I think was same as sizzler
I barely remember friendly's Prob only got when traveling
I miss Bill Knapps Cheesey potatoes and choc chip cookies
little Ceasrers are making a come back around this area but I don't think it's as good.
I miss good A+W root beer

 

[Squirlz]

Both Ground Round and A&W are alive and well in Michigan.

 

[Fire14]

Both Ground Round and A&W are alive and well in Michigan.

ok fesh where? I'm taking a road trip ASAP

 

[Kathryn Merteuil]

I haven't seen this one mentioned yet! I remember going to one a lot because it was in a convenient location... and it was cheap.

 

[daughtersrus]

Didn't read the whole thread, but my mom used to like to go to Arthur Treacher's Fish and Chips. I hated fish (still do) so I really hated going there!!

A couple of others:
Elby's (Bob's Big Boy)
Hardee's
Ground Round

And ...there was this pizza place- they served Chicago style pizza. Aurellio's I think it was called. Their pizza was so yummy!!

We still have Aurellio's pizza in the Chicago area. I think that they're a franchise so if you're looking for a business opportunity ...

 

[Gumbo4x4]

bottom of the barrel (union city) open steak with melted cheese....
ground round (route 9W opposite prentice-hall) pina colada in a glass the size of a mini fishbowl
houlihan's (hackensack) loved those fried mozz balls!
jade fountain (route 17S) best weeknight buffet!
steak & ale (paramus) DH still isn't "over" losing this one...
howard johnsons (route 46) fried clams and coconut ice cream
woolworth's counter (west new york) grilled hot dog!!
wolfie's deli/restaurant (bergen mall) corned beef - yummmm....

now i'm suddenly really hungry....

We still have Houlihan's all over STL. There miiiiiiiiiiight still be a Ho-Jo's on I44 at Hampton.