Late, lamented (or unlamented) fast-food chains

[sniffles]

I wonder why Little Caesar's seems to have stopped doing any tv advertising? I haven't seen one of their ads in years. And they're all gone here in Portland, although I remember there used to be some around.

Now we can talk about specific fast-food dishes we used to enjoy that the chains don't offer anymore! I miss chili-cheese burritos from Taco Bell.

 

[ssampier]

Wow, I live in the booney's and I have a few of those "mystery" places, such as Sonic and Little Caesar's. Little Caesar's switched to a $5 pizza so it's not quite as good, but for the price, you can't complain.

As for Sonic, meh. I've only had their breakfast, it's decent, but they always mess up the order where the other fast food places really don't (probably just a localized problem). We have an A&W inside the KFC. A Taco Bell is right next door.

Fazoli's and Skipper's are fairly common in the Salt Lake City valley.

 

[elforcelf]

Most of Sonics closed here in Az, when they found out nine months of the year a drive-in is too hot to go to.

 

[loki44]

We used ot go down across the border for American food, but I think the last Shakey's Pizza and Sambo's Fmily restaurants are long closed

Shakey's!!!! Now that brings back some memories. Watching guys make pizza, a little banjo pickin', and nary a video game in sight! Ahhh, simpler times. They don't make 'em like they used to.

 

[JamesDJarvis]

There is a Boston Market here in Charlottesville.

The chicken was better and so was the cornbread many a year ago back when it was still called "Boston Chicken". Never saw one in Boston proper in the good old days they all seemed to be out in the burbs.


"Arthur Treachers" used to have a large shop in Sommerville Mass at the intersection of Broadway and McGrath Highway. They went out of buisness at that location in th very early 80's and I have not seen one any where else since the mid eighties.

There used to be a drive-thru burger joint in NH by the name of "Rallys" or "Ralieghs" that had okay burgers but had great french fries. Anyone else recall them?

 

[trancejeremy]

I used to live on Little Caesar's in college. Especially their crazy bread. But when I moved back to St. Louis after college, I couldn't find any. There don't seem to be any in St. Louis anymore. At least they are very well hidden.

 

[kenobi65]

So they buy programing on the local news, or the syndicated chanels?

If you're seeing Sonic ads on the local Chicago news, or on syndicated programs running on the local Chicago stations, I'm stunned, and it means they've got a really bad problem with their media buying.

Edit: actually, it is possible to see "national" advertising on some syndicated programming. Usually, you'll see this on "big" syndicated shows, like Wheel of Fortune, or reruns of popular shows like Seinfeld or Friends, in which the same show pretty much runs everywhere across the country 5 times a week, and the ad is pre-placed within the program before it's distributed to the local stations. Even then, it's the same as buying ad space on a network show: the advertiser is effectively buying nationally, not your market in particular.

I see Sonic ads a lot, but mostly on cable stations like Discovery.

 

[kenobi65]

Shakey's!!!! Now that brings back some memories. Watching guys make pizza, a little banjo pickin', and nary a video game in sight! Ahhh, simpler times. They don't make 'em like they used to.

Oooh, yah, and the sing-alongs to the lyrics on the TV screens! When I was 10 or so, Shakey's was the location of choice for birthday parties.

My former pastor, before he went to seminary, was the manager of a Shakey's.

There are still a few Shakey's out there, but darn few.

 

[mps42]

The one restaurant I miss the most from WAAAAAAAAAAY back is Farrells. I remember them from my teens in the NW and they had decent food but what always brought ME in was the Ice cream. Simply the BEST. Like Dryers of Bryers good. And if you and a bunch of friends went in you could all pitch in for a "zoo" which was a small vat of multiple flavored ice cream with plastic animal on top that you got to keep.
I miss that place. But my waistline doesn't.

 

[Sigdel]

Hot & Now was all over the place until a few years ago when they pulled out of every place in MI but Detroit. They are sorely missed by us.
I also seem to recal a place called Raxx, or something like it. Good food, I think. I was young. LJS is common, but not Mc D's common. Lee's Famous Recipe Chicken is great, but only one left that I know of in 50 miles and it 4 miles away from me. But the king of them all, The Root Beer Stand! A drive in type of place thats older than I am. Best chili-cheese dogs I have ever had. there is Three locations that I know of and they are always swamped from spring to fall. Damn, now I am hungry.