Another chain restaurant topic - which ones are gone or just missing in action in your area?

[penn19]

I miss Roy Rogers. They used to have the best chicken.

 

[soccerdad72]

I mention this because I remember one named Rax. It was based in the midwest, but had locations close to NY. They were well known for their roast beef the same as Arby's.

Surprisingly, they still exist, and have 8 locations. Although, I don't know how up-to-date that all is.
http://raxroastbeef.com/

I remember Rax! We had one outside of the mall that we always hung out at as teens (in PA). My first "date" (e.g. parents drive us to a movie and then pick us up later) included shakes at Rax.

 

[sksjasams]

I loved Pasta Pomodora!!!! Weak alfredo, but everything else was awesome. I also miss Baker's Square! Every Christmas season, DH and I would go for cocoa and candy cane pie. I was so bummed when they closed.

There is a Baker's Square near my mom, and she brings a chocolate silk and a candy cane pie every year when she comes for Christmas!

 

[sksjasams]

Really miss Quiznos. We loved their subs.

If I could bring back one restaurant from the long ago past, it would be ChiChi's.

 

[KPeterso]

Restaurants I miss:

• Ruby Tuesday - loved it when I lived in IL and was shocked it was not in CA even though we frequently see commercials for it
• Lonestar Steakhouse - suddenly closed all in CA, still miss it a ton
• Lou Malnati's - probably the thing I most miss from IL--- good Chicago style pizza

Dunkin Donuts would have been on the list, but it has finally arrived in CA about 3-4 years ago now after missing it for many years. And I now have 3 within reasonable distance of my house so that makes me happy.

 

[mamacatnv]

Coming from the San Francisco Bay area - Swenson's was a favorite as was Farrell's.
Since moving to central Texas the one I really miss is The Old Spaghetti Factory, they are predominately on the west coast, so still in existence, just not nearby.

 

[tluvstink]

Another place I miss is Burger Chef. That was the first fast food restaurant to open in our small town and we ate there all the time.

Terri

 

[ChrisFL]

I used to love Fazoli's, but they closed them all in Florida

 

[bcla]

Ruby Tuesday - loved it when I lived in IL and was shocked it was not in CA even though we frequently see commercials for it

Yeah - I watched enough cable TV that I remember their commercials with Scott Glenn doing the voice work.

The only one I'd ever seen was their location down the main drag in Woodland, California. We occasionally gambled and that was on the way to a tribal casino. We wouldn't have really wanted to stop there since we were going to one of the casino restaurants. I kind of wondered what it was like, but I'm not sure I really missed anything.

I saw a lot of national ads for chains that I didn't know, such as Chick-Fil-A and Sonic. They started slowly filtering into my area. Even then, Sonic seems to have scattered locations here and there. I think the closest for either is at least a 20 mile drive for me. Maybe even a bridge toll.

 

[SteveH]

I really don't miss many of them, those from my childhood were good memories but the food wasn't that great.

In Oregon we had a small chain called Bob's Burger Express and that was a highlight as a kid. I think there is one left, but it's nostalgia was never that great.

Of course my dad loved going to Roy's ChuckWagon, I really don't miss that but I do remember it was a highlight for my dad.

In Florence Oregon there is what I call one of the Original style A&W, not one that mixes in with Taco Bell or KFC. I respect it because they haven't changed, still the old style and food is still about the same. They still serve root beer in chilled mugs too.

 

[bcla]

I really don't miss many of them, those from my childhood were good memories but the food wasn't that great.

In Oregon we had a small chain called Bob's Burger Express and that was a highlight as a kid. I think there is one left, but it's nostalgia was never that great.

Of course my dad loved going to Roy's ChuckWagon, I really don't miss that but I do remember it was a highlight for my dad.

In Florence Oregon there is what I call one of the Original style A&W, not one that mixes in with Taco Bell or KFC. I respect it because they haven't changed, still the old style and food is still about the same. They still serve root beer in chilled mugs too.

There was one like that reasonably close to me, but that closed down. I couldn't even pick out where it was since the entire block has been redeveloped.

But there is one in of all places, San Rafael, California - in the heart of chain-averse Marin County. That's where I saw a long-time Denny's shut down. And where an In-N-Out wasn't even allowed to open with a drive-thru on the premise that it would create traffic problems. It's easy to spot from US-101. Different color scheme than that one in Oregon, but still easy to spot.

https://www.yelp.com/biz/a-and-w-restaurant-san-rafael

 

[superme80]

Coming from the San Francisco Bay area - Swenson's was a favorite as was Farrell's.
Since moving to central Texas the one I really miss is The Old Spaghetti Factory, they are predominately on the west coast, so still in existence, just not nearby.

I loved Swenson's. It was the "expensive" ice cream parlor and a treat only!!!!

 

[bcla]

I loved Swenson's. It was the "expensive" ice cream parlor and a treat only!!!!

The original Swensen’s location in San Francisco is still open. However, there’s basically no corporate infrastructure to support it, and it more or less operates as an independent business that’s allowed to use the name.

https://www.yelp.com/biz/swensens-ice-cream-san-francisco

At least it gets good reviews. There’s one last Howard Johnson’s Restaurant holdout left. It’s left finding its own suppliers, when HoJo was known for quality control at its commissaries that sent out partially prepared food.

https://www.yelp.com/biz/howard-johnsons-family-restaurant-lake-george

 

[klacey1]

The closest Outback steakhouse is about 30 minutes from me, which is a bummer because it's definitely my favorite chain! All of the other major northeast chains are within 15-20 minutes tops, most within 10.

There are four Dunkin Donuts within a two mile radius of my house. I live in Massachusetts (duh!).

 

[bcla]

The closest Outback steakhouse is about 30 minutes from me, which is a bummer because it's definitely my favorite chain! All of the other major northeast chains are within 15-20 minutes tops, most within 10.

There are four Dunkin Donuts within a two mile radius of my house. I live in Massachusetts (duh!).

It's kind of random in my area. There's one nearby shopping center with about a half dozen chain restaurants, so I've got access to those. As for Dunkin' Donuts, there are lots of random locations opening up in the San Francisco Bay Area. And I really mean random. The first was in Half Moon Bay, which is hardly a high traffic area.

But around here, the mom and pop donut shop rules.

 

[klacey1]

But around here, the mom and pop donut shop rules.

Jealous! The closest mom-and-pop bakery (aka, not a Dunkin or Honey Dew) is over the border in Rhode Island, and it's a Portuguese bakery. No donuts :'(

 

[bcla]

Jealous! The closest mom-and-pop bakery (aka, not a Dunkin or Honey Dew) is over the border in Rhode Island, and it's a Portuguese bakery. No donuts :'(

Long story, but for whatever reason a large number of Cambodian immigrants in California started buying or opening up donut shops in the 1980s. Here are a couple of stories on the guy who made it possible. He started under the management program at Winchell's, but then bought his own shop then started expanding. Apparently they all had the same name, but he didn't change that much because customers at those locations didn't like change. Then when fellow Cambodian immigrants came to him, he helped them by first employing them, then selling/leasing those shops.

https://story.californiasunday.com/ted-ngoy-california-doughnut-king
https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/society/article/2152031/cambodian-donut-king-who-came-full-circle

Not all mom and pop donut shops around here are Cambodian owned or run by the descendants of Cambodian immigrants, but there are a lot of Asian immigrants running them.

 

[TheFloatingBear]

Another place I miss is Burger Chef. That was the first fast food restaurant to open in our small town and we ate there all the time.

Terri

My mom used to take me to a Burger Chef in NH when I was a kid. It's been gone for a long time but I used to love it! I believe I used to get a Fun Meal, not to be confused with a Happy Meal!

 

[crazylady]

I miss Friendlys. I work there for a few Summers and I like their ice cream.

 

[usnuzuloose]

Oh the old Mcdonalds Farm here.....

There was an old A&W and then it burnt down

Bob's big Boy

Sambo's

Farrell's Ice Cream