Late, lamented (or unlamented) fast-food chains

[Steve Jung]

There's still a Boston Market near me. Coincidentally I ate at a Roy Rogers last Saturday on the New Jersey Turnpike. Going to their website, I was surprised to learn, they're opening new restaurants. I remember Gino's, but they've been gone a long time. The location in my hometown turned into a Roy Rogers, then a Boston Market and finally a McDonalds.

 

[mythusmage]

Places still in business around here include Little Ceasar's and Rally's.

Shakey's and Strawhat are gone. We also had a place called Pic Nic 'n Chicken. Cut rate KFC with crappy chicken. But good biscuits. There was another pretender to the KFC crown, but I can't remember the name for the life of me. The last time I saw one was up in the downtown area of LA decades ago. (I think LA closed up their downtown soon after my visit, when they learned it really wasn't necessary.)

Another long gone local institution is Oscars. Owned by the same people who owned Jack in the Box at the time. A dinner place in contrast to the fast food Jack in the Box served.

San Diego also holds of the distinction of being where Wimpy's (British chain) opened and died in the U.S. One location, and it gave way to a 'Bertos.

(Ask anybody from San Diego about 'Bertos and watch as they become violently ill.)

 

[Cthulhu's Librarian]

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

Sambo's became Denny's. Same place, different name. They were preassured to change the name due to the negative stereotyical image that the name has for African Americans.

 

[loki44]

I also seem to recal a place called Raxx, or something like it.

The only fast-food job I ever had was at a Rax (I lasted all of 4 days). Rax was an Arby's knock-off. I was the potato man, in charge of fries, but they also had an array of baked potatoes and potato skins. It was the only job I ever quit and walked out of. I guess I just don't have what it takes to be a potato man.

 

[Scotley]

We still have Little Ceasers, Sonic, Fazolies, and a few Shoney's in the Memphis area. Our Ralley's recently became Checkers. Boston Market is gone as a resturant, but common in the frozen food section at supermarkets. Godfather's Pizza is long gone as is Whataburger, but I think they still exist here and there around the country. We have a Dux is that the same as Ducks that someone asked about. We had an A&W root beer that I remember from my youth in Arkansas, but it is long gone. We no longer have Denny's, but still get their ads. Most of our Applebee's closed down a couple of years ago and are sorely missed. No Jack in the Box around here. We have Krystal, which is a White Castle knock off, but no actual White Castles. Most if not all of the Long John Silver's are gone.

 

[sniffles]

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.

Ah! Nostalgia. We had a Farrell's here until a few years ago, when it was sold, but it remained the same type of restaurant just with a different name. But recently the building was torn down and replaced by an apartment complex/strip mall.

 

[kenobi65]

Most of our Applebee's closed down a couple of years ago and are sorely missed.

Interesting. There must have been a franchisee issue in Memphis, because Applebee's is growing great-guns (and has been for years), and most of their restaurants have been doing pretty well over the past few years.

(I know way too much about Applebee's; they were a client of mine for 4 years, and our office still has the account.)

 

[wingsandsword]

The chain I miss is Druthers. A burger chain that was pretty common in the south (I think), their jingle was "I'd rather go to Druther's, and I think I'll go today". They got bought out by Dairy Queen sometime in the 80's and they changed, a lot. I miss Druther's huge fish sandwiches, a huge seasoned, battered and fried fish on two big slices of rye bread and lots of tartar sauce. I still hold all fast-food Fish Sandwiches to that standard. Oddly enough, I think a few still exist from place to place, as I've seen the signs next to still-open fast food places at a few places in the deep south, but never got the chance to go in. My parents tell me that before it was Druthers, it was Burger Queen back in the 70's.

The other chain I miss is G.D. Ritzy's. It was a 50's themed burger chain. They had great shoestring fries and milkshakes. My favorite thing, above all, was their excellent chili dogs. Then one day around 1992 or so they all closed up overnight, no warning and no explanation. They didn't become another chain, the places just went to rot. I know a handful still existed after that, because on a high school field trip 4 years later we were on the other end of the state, and our bus stopped for lunch. The teacher said we were going to eat at McDonalds, but we saw an actual Ritzy's right next door to McDonalds, we all remembered how delicious their food (especially compared to McDonalds) was and hadn't eaten there in years and begged her to let us eat there, but she steadfastly refused and made us all eat at McDonalds.

As for Fazoli's, they are all over the place in Kentucky. Of course, this city has their corporate headquarters, so that probably has something to do with it.

Lee's Famous Recipe was another KFC pretender to the throne, they were really common around here about 20 years ago or so, but slowly died off. Some still exist, getting by, but it's clear they lost the war, and I haven't seen a new one open in more than a decade (and seen a good number close in that time).

Oh, and there are still lots of Applebees around here too. One county went Wet-by-the-drink about 2 years ago (i.e. no liquor stores, but resturaunts can serve alcohol), and Applebees moved in immediately and became a big thing in that small town.

 

[kenobi65]

Just because it's obvious from this thread that I know way too much about the restaurant industry in general....

It might interest you guys to know how the restaurant industry itself classifies different types of restaurants.

- Quick Service is what most people would call "fast food". Fairly limited menu, often with a specialty (hamburgers, tacos, fish, etc.) Almost always has "counter service" (i.e., you go to the counter to place your order), and often has a drive-thru. Usually has a dining area (tables & chairs). Usually open for both lunch and dinner, and maybe breakfast. Fairly inexpensive prices. Alcohol almost never served. Examples: McDonald's, Taco Bell, Subway, and a zillion others.

- Fast Casual is sort of an "upgraded" Quick Service, and is a fairly new segment. Typically positioned as higher-quality food than Quick Service, and is usually a little more expensive. Usually has counter service, and a dining area. Usually open for lunch and dinner. Some offer beer and / or wine. Examples: Boston Market, Chipotle.

- Family Restaurants provide more of a "dining" experience than Quick Service. Almost always has table service (i.e., waitstaff). Frequently has a wide menu, usually including breakfast items. Lunch / dinner items often include sandwiches as well as "dinners". Many are open all day / 24 hours. Typically very family-friendly. Moderately priced. Rarely, if ever, serve alcohol. Examples: Denny's, Cracker Barrel.

- Buffet Restaurants offer a wide range of menu items (usually including breakfast items) served as an "all-you-can-eat" buffet. Has a dining area, but typically no waitstaff. Moderately priced, and usually family-friendly. Rarely, if ever, serves alcohol. Examples: Old Country Buffet, Golden Corral, Luby's.

- Casual Dining Restaurants offer a bit more of an upscale experience than Family Restaurants. Almost always has table service. Usually features a large menu, though menu may be focued on a theme (e.g., Italian, southwest, etc.). Some are more family-friendly than others; many have a decidedly "adult" atmosphere. Many have a bar as part of the establishment. Almost all serve alcohol. Usually open for lunch and dinner; some may offer Sunday brunch. Typically at least a bit more expensive than a Family Restaurant. Examples: Applebee's, Olive Garden, Outback Steakhouse, Chi-Chi's.

- Fine Dining Restaurants (a.k.a. "white tablecloth") are, in most ways, just a more upscale (and pricier) version of Casual Dining. Fairly rare to see families with kids at these, unless it's a special occasion (and most would be considered "family-tolerant", at best). Fairly few chains of any size compete in this segment.

 

[CarlZog]

Sambo's became Denny's. Same place, different name. They were preassured to change the name due to the negative stereotyical image that the name has for African Americans.

That's actually not the case, though this story seems to be taking on urban legend status.

Sambo's was a separate and distinct chain from Denny's. In fact, the two were fiercely competitive. When I was growing up, we had both a Denny's and Sambo's in my town. I liked the food better at Sambo's, which had started in the late 1950s. The name came from a mix of the two owners' names Sam and Bo, although they used the story of Little Black Sambo as the theme of the restaurants.

The chain went bankrupt in the late 1970s. Many of the locations were snapped up by Denny's, which is probably where the roots of the "Sambo's-changed-its-name-to-Denny's" story came from.

As I recall, one of the original owners' grandsons tried to resurrect the chain in the 1990s and did bump up against racial objections. I don't even know if he ever got around to opening any of them. By the way, the original story is about an Indian boy and that's the way he was depicted on all the restaurants' stuff:

As a further aside, you can still find Sambo's stuff on ebay. There is, or was for a while, a pretty active collector's market for it.

Carl