Iconic Restuarants that are no more.

[bushdianee]

We still have Godfather's Pizza, Sizzler and a couplle of Hardees in Omaha!

 

[PebblesMK]

Shakey's, so named because one of its founders suffered shaking due to a bout of malaria, was a fairly large national chain at one point but a series of buyouts, each with bad management nearly killed it completely. Today, there are 58 stores left in the U.S. with 51 in California. Ironically, none of them are left in Sacramento where it was founded. Shakey's, back in its day was an example of the California style crust. It was thin, but not wafer thin, crispy on the bottom, and bubbly on the top and never soggy. Today's extra thin crusts aren't the same.

Thanks for the background! I was probably 10 or so the last time I was there, so a good 20 years ago. I don't think it went out of business until a few years ago, but it was in such an off location that it was often forgot about. The smell when walking in was great...though I remember nothing about the food other than the mashed potatoes.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

We used to love the Shakey's in Cheyenne, WY. Drove out of our way to go there several times when I was a kid. Only one I've ever seen. In '93 we went out to visit my sister in Ft Collins, and one day drove up to Cheyenne to go to Shakey's. It'd been closed so long most of the people didn't even remember it LOL

 

[Swank]

Gino's
Little Cesears used to be all over the place but most of them closed, now I see they are making a comeback in our area.




not a chain but a destination. Kapok Tree in Florida.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

We had one of those in the town I went to college in. Students there referred to it as "Burger Death."

Ours turned into a Hardee's and my wife got food poisoning there - does that count?

 

[jl]

Morrison's Cafeteria in the southeast....we well remember the one in Lakeville, FL when we first went to the MK in 1974.

 

[maslex]

We used to have a Bee Bee's Dairy in a local mall. The closed quite a few years ago but they were sooooo good. The foot long hot dogs were the best as a kid. Loved their cole slaw too.

 

[lovesmurfs]

Woolworth's lunch counter

Lum's

Woolworth's counter was my first job after high school! I was able to get a 20% discount on the stuff in the store, which helped outfit my dorm room!

Lum's - Hotdogs steamed in beer!

 

[ChrisFL]

I've been to the Philippines 3 times on business and vacation and its funny, because they have a LOT of American restaurants that I never see in America anymore.

Shakey's is everywhere, I also saw Kenny Roger's Roasters, Mister Donut, El Pollo Loco

 

[daughtersrus]

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?

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!

There's a Ground Round in Tomah WI. Right off I94. I'm not sure if they still weigh the kids.

 

[jen0610]

We have a Ground Round up here in Bangor! I know they still have a kids' special night, but not sure if it's "pay what you weigh" or "kids eat free." In college (in Ithaca, NY) we used to go to Ground Round for chicken wing night... I think it was 10 cents each- of $5 AYCE? Can't remember... age is a sad thing sometimes!

We haven't had a Ground Round here in FOREVER. Back in 92 we were stationed at Roumulas NY and we loved to drive around the area. Needless to say, during one of our road trips to Ithaca, I saw the Ground Round and made DH go there for dinner. I had seen one in Auburn, but every time we were close to it, we were hungry.

i loved Rax! my sister used to work there! i much preferred their food to Arby's.

I totally agree. We ate at Rax's a whole lot more than we did at Arby's.

Places that I loved growing up and miss:

Ground Round
Chi Chi's
Bill Knapps
Godfathers Pizza
Lucky Steers Steakhouse
Sizzlers
MCL Cafeteria

And for those local places only, Charky's and The Dutch Mill.

 

[Squirlz]

We had one of those in the town I went to college in. Students there referred to it as "Burger Death."

We called it that too! It was our High School hangout in Ohio. We were there one day when an elderly woman quietly passed away in a booth.

Our Chi Chi's here in Michigan closed and eventually reopened as an Outback steak house. Not a bad trade.

 

[Shadeaux]

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?

I grew up in the Chicago area....I remember the square ice cream, Arthur Treacher's & Barnaby's (the one that used to be on Touhy). Whenever we're back up there, we go to the Barnaby's in Northbrook. It's still the same yummy pizza I remember from 40 years ago!

 

[yoopermom]

Sambo's!

Remember the wall mural that was so politically incorrect I don't even dare describe it on the DIS?

We didn't know any better, we just enjoyed the food!

Terri

PS I won't go into how much underage drinking we did at Chichis....

 

[nchulka]

Zantigos!!! Loved that place

 

[ChrisFL]

Kapok Tree in Florida.

That's right near where I work...its a music store now.

 

[Handbag Lady]

Trader Vic's!

I know they haven't completely gone out of business, but they're not in any of the cities I visit.

They closed ours here at the Beverly Hills Hotel. Only it is still open, for special events. Makes no sense to me at all. You can get married there but no dinner for you!

 

[A_Princess'_Daddy]

Tony Baloney's and Shakey's Pizza.
Woolworth's counter for the hot dog in the wierd bun that was grilled.

I adored Shakey's as a child! I had at least two birthday parties there.

i loved Rax! my sister used to work there! i much preferred their food to Arby's.

I remember Rax and their taco bar. It was one of only two fast food places my parents would eat (the other appears shortly).

A&W Root Beer Drive In

We discovered A&W when we moved to Iowa and it's fantastic. I love their fried cheese curds and fresh root beer. The rest of their food isn't very good, in my opinion, but I can make a meal (and five meals' worth of calories) with just the cheese curds and root beer.

Zantigos!!! Loved that place

The single best fast food Mexican restaurant EVER! My father and I were discussing them just a few weeks ago and how they melted the colby-jack cheese on the nachos. They converted ours to a Taco Bell when I was probably ten years old and the fact that when my father said, with no context, "you know who had the best nachos" and I immediately responded "Zantigo's," lets you know they were good.

Did they get bought out by Taco Bell, or did they go out of business?

We still have Ponderosa, Houlihann's and Hardee's .


Miss Chi-Chi's, Rax and GD Ritzys

I went to Ponderosa a few times as a child and remembered loving it, so a few years ago my wife and I were driving cross-country and saw one when we were stopping for dinner so, at my imploring, we went there to eat. It was just atrocious. It may have just been the one at which we ate (it was in the middle of nowhere right off an Interstate, so not exactly a dining destination), but I was so disappointed.

 

[pansmermaidzlagoon]

not a chain but a destination. Kapok Tree in Florida.

this is what I thought of when I thought "iconic".....so many great memories from vacations in Florida!

It was part of the Peter Pan chain.

I still have a couple of the Hurricane glasses that my parents brought home!!!

ETA: also have a nice article on the place that my mom saved/

 

[Baliezer]

I still miss Gallaghers. They had great steak and good hot bread. I also loved a place in Houston called the Boston Sea Party. Seafood became too expensive for such an amazing buffet.

I miss Gallaghers as well. I was little when we went, but I distinctly remember the bread and spreadable cheddar cheese.