Restaurant chains that no longer exist

Holy shit I bet you wish you'd somehow hitched a ride on that.

 

There is still, as of last June anyway, a Bonanza in Sanford, Maine. Believe the one in Laconia, N.H. is gone.

The Orlando Sizzler near the airport...something they didn't have in New England. We did lunch there on the honeymoon after we landed, and did lunch there before we flew home.

 

Got beat to the Gino's-Roy Rogers. But the best part of the RR was the 'Fixin's Bar'. All the stuff you wanted to put on there.

I also remember HoJo's. When I was a kid I loved their hot dogs, split and griddled, on a split top roll. The relish was amazing.

 

I didn't realize All American Burger was a real thing. I'd assumed it was just a fictional concoction for Fast Times at Ridgemont High.

So now I'm wondering if the chain that made Brad wear the ridiculous pirate costume was also real.

 

No place did a grilled cheese sandwich to perfection like HoJo's did.
The melted cheese part is easy. The crunchy toasted crust is the hard part.

 

My town has had chains aplenty, but it's surprising the number that didn't make it: Bearno's Pizza (Louisville based), Bellacino's Grinders, Blimpie Subs, CiCi's Pizza, Church's Chicken, Godfather's Pizza/O'Deli's, GrillIt Caribbean Chicken, Moe's Southwestern Grill, Noble Roman's Pizza, Petro's Chili & Chips, TCBY Yogurt, Tumbleweed (closed/burned down; replaced by Olive Garden on site), Uncle' Bud's Catfish/Aunt Vera's.

However, Starbuck's, Culver's, Bojangles, Impellizeri's Pizza (Louisville based) and BoomBozz Pizza (Louisville/Indy based) are all on the way.

 

Wow, Sizzler. They used to have a $1.99 special, I think it was, of a hamburger, fries and a drink - not bad for a sit-down restaurant. Had to have a coupon and it might have been one a particular night a week. Allowed me to splurge during college.

On the demise of HoJo's:, from The Economist: https://www.economist.com/news/unit...od-chain-last-howard-johnsons-restaurant-sale

My hometown still has a Godfather's, I think, but man, there are a bunch of places on this thread that I used to frequent. Mmmmm....

Was Wuv's a thing outside of the Florida Panhandle? I think they had a slogan about their fries that was something like, "We don't peel our potatoes, we just give them a good scrubbin'."

 

Maryland had a couple of Beefsteak Charlie's. Not sure how wide a chain that was, or if it was just a couple of local joints.

I remember they had an all-you-can-eat seafood night that we hit as a large group, and then the bulk of the Hopkins football team was hitting it too. I remember thinking they'd go out of business, and sure enough they did. Some homicides near the parking garage probably had a big negative effect too.

 

I think Hardee's bought them out.

 

I remember frequenting a Beefsteak Charlie's in Lauderdale on my trips there, have no idea how the food was, the all you can drink beer, wine and sangria was a selling point to me

 

Sizzler is opening restaurants in China. I have seen Shakey's in Japan ad the Philippines. And Okinawans love A@W. The drive-ins there are huge. There are Big Boy's in Japan but they do not sell hamburgers.

Does anyone remember Lawson's convenience stores in the Cleveland area? There are 10,000 in Japan.