One of the saddest things to me is to drive past a restaurant with a closed sign on it.
Think of all the good times.
All the good food.
Now just memories.
And what’s worse…
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The beloved restaurants I’m talking about today were all pretty big names.
Many of them are closed for good, while some are hanging on to a last handful of locations, down from hundreds or even thousands in the past.
How far they’ve fallen.
It’s a real shame.
And this first one was perhaps the most iconic of them all…
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Boston Market was absolutely iconic – and a force to be reckoned with at its height.
I still remember the commercials showcasing their creamy mac ‘n cheese, delicious rotisserie chicken, and juicy meatloaf.
Now it’s just a shadow of itself, with only 20 left in the whole USA.
Sad, but true.
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Burger Chef was HUGELY popular in the 1970s, when it crossed over 1,000 restaurants.
And that wasn’t its only innovation. Remember the McDonald’s Happy Meal? Burger Chef actually invented the first version, called the Funmeal.
The last Burger Chef closed in 1996.
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Arthur Treacher’s was the better Long John Silver’s (but with admittedly a much less catchy name).
With great prices and delicious fried shrimp and hush puppies (plus amazing funnel cakes), they were a beloved fixture of the American dining scene, with over 800 stores at their peak.
At this point, there are just a handful left in the US (I count five, although I could be missing a couple).
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There are still a handful of Kenny Rogers Roasters in Asia, but there are none in the US left at all. (In fact, the last one in North America closed down in 2011 – in Canada.)
Their family chicken platters and chicken pot pie were both great values, and quite delicious too.
(Heck, you could get a whole chicken for about the same price as a rotisserie chicken in a grocery store – and at much higher quality!)
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Ever had the Chi-Chi’s salsa?
It’s great, right?
Well, it also used to be a fantastic Mexican restaurant, starting in 1976 and expanding to over 200 locations before a long decline that ended with the final Chi-Chi’s closing down in 2004.
But if you’ve been desperate for some amazing Mexican food, I’ve got good news – Chi-Chi’s may be making a comeback!
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Ponderosa is another one of those chains that isn’t “totally” dead, but it’s pretty close.
From a peak of almost 700 locations, there are now just 21 left in the US (with three of those “temporarily closed” right now).
If you haven’t been to one, think of them like a Golden Corral…with MORE steak.
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Another great Mexican chain that disappeared, Don Pablo’s was famous for its delicious enchiladas, superb fajitas, and general great value.
It even managed to snag the spot of second-largest Mexican chain in the late 90s!
Unfortunately, the last Don Pablo’s closed in 2019, and unlike Chi-Chi’s – there’s no plan as of now for a comeback.
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You’ve probably stayed at a HoJo hotel at some point (you’ll remember the orange roof if nothing else), but did you know Howard Johnson used to also operate restaurants?
Over 1,000 of them at their peak, in fact – the largest restaurant chain in the US at the time.
Sadly, the last Howard Johnson restaurant closed in 2022, but it lives on in our hearts.
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A good friend of mine used to wait tables at a Bennigan’s, so I know from personal experience how great of a restaurant it was – just a fantastic place to get good, solid American food, with juicy burgers and a fantastic Monte Cristo sandwich.
Bennigan’s once had well over 200 locations, but now they’re down to just six restaurants in the US. (Plus a couple dozen ghost kitchens that do delivery only.)
On the plus side, they have 15 international locations, with several more planned. So that’s something, at least!
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Another delicious buffet that unfortunately aged out, Old Country Buffet had been on a downward spiral long before the COVID-19 pandemic closed it down for good.
I miss their biscuits most of all.
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So there you have it – 10 beloved restaurants that have largely (and in some cases completely) disappeared.
Many of them were big, important, national chains before gradually fading away into obscurity.
Time comes for us all in the end, I guess.
But here’s the big question:
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What beloved restaurant do YOU miss most?
Is it on the list?
Or is it someone I didn’t include?
Let us know in the comments!
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