Chuys may not have as many locations as other Mexican chain restaurants (there are fewer than 100 of these restaurants across 17 states) but when it comes to amazing Tex-Mex, its one of the top contenders in America. Starting in the 1980s, Mighty Casey's began popping up in Atlanta, Georgia, serving your . 1 of 3. Don't Edit. You can almost taste burgers, hot dogs and fries that look at him. While the chain had a rocky financial status through the '70s, there were over 300 chains in operation by the '80s. Sambo's began in 1957 in Santa Barbara, California, reaching peak popularity in the late 1970s with more than 1,100 restaurants in 47 states. Youve heard plenty about Tex-Mex throughout this article so far, but have you ever heard of West-Mex? Unlike some other fast food restaurants, where you get served your chosen condiments along with your order, at Taco Cabana, you get to go and take your pick from the condiment bar and help yourself to whatever you like! Not only is El Toritos extensive menu filled with Mexican favorites like beef enchiladas, flame-grilled fajitas and traditional burritos, but you also get the option of building your own plate made up of the restaurants most popular menu items. Originally part of the Pillsbury Corp., the restaurant was founded in 1976. "Go to Chick 'N' Taco and give your belly a treatment" -We want us to be able! And for another trip down memory lane, check out these 15 Classic American Desserts That Deserve a Comeback. Sadly, there are no more D'Lites today. } ); The monster of the Mexican chain business (though how Mexican it is may be argued), with sales more than twice those of second-place Chipotle, Taco Bell has outposts in all 50 states (though not, for some reason, Washington, D.C.) an average of 141 per state. The chain Antone's pale in comparison to the original locations. AlthoughCharlie Beefsteak slogan Was: "I will feed you as there is no tomorrow," sadly, tomorrow came for this chain restaurant by the end of the 1980s. Vegan-friendly Beyond Meat tacos, nachos, and bowls are available, too. > U.S. sales: $4.805 billion The extensive menu featured foods from around the world: potato skins and fried veggies, chicken . And some fan of Fan Favorites - like Burger Chef, G.D.'S Ritzy and Howard Johnson have not fallen by the road. Not only does On The Border deliver excellent value for money due to its impressive portion sizes, but many of the signature dishes on the menu at this restaurant are cooked on mesquite wooden grills, which enhances the flavor and makes the Mexican food at On The Border some of the best in America. And if not, well, you were probably missing out. But with more customers came more control and it has not been long before the anti-discrimination protests against Sambo started. In 1928, she opened a neighborhood restaurant, which her family expanded in the 1950s into the El Chico Tex-Mex restaurant chain. Chain founder Glen Bell ran two other small taco chains before opening the first Taco Bell in 1962 in Downey, California, near Los Angeles. Here are 19 Old Happy Meal Toys That'll Bring You Back to Your Childhood. EatThis.com is part of the AllRecipes Food Group. But it was already too late. But by the late '80s, most locations had been sold. While Qdoba mainly sticks to traditional Mexican menu items and flavor combinations for the sake of authenticity, you can still pick from a variety of customizable menu options that allow you to exercise creative freedom and bring your own preferences to the table. Bennigan's 200 nationwide locations shuttered their doors a decade ago, but the new owners now run a much smaller-scale operation out of Dallas, Texas, and the menu does include the Irish pub-inspired items you loved in the 1980s. 22 20 Best Mexican Chain Restaurants in America - Shopfood.com; 23 8 of America's Most Beloved Mexican Chains | FSR magazine; 24 The 20 Restaurant Chains That No Longer Exist - PopCulture.com; 25 Top Mexican Restaurant Chains in The United States of America; 26 Mexican Restaurant Chains That Closed Recipes - TfRecipes Bennigan had its start in Atlanta in 1976, but in the early 1980s they were everywhere. Buffalo locations, 1979. > Number of U.S. units: 63. Bugaboo Creek Steakhouse. Chain restaurants are reliable, no matter where you are in the country (or the world). } Friday, the chain fell behind. Really good, not expensive home cooked food. If you were wondering where this restaurant gets its name from, its called On The Border because its named after the border between Mexico and Texas. Ralph Rubio can make a fair claim to having introduced Baja-style fish tacos to America and his fresh Mex chain, based in San Diego, certainly popularized them. Boy, do we miss those fried clam strips, frankfurts, and that signature HoJo ice cream. Bankrupcty. Even though it's only been gone a short time, I miss the original Antone's on Taft. Missing those iconic kids' meals? var payload = 'v=1&tid=UA-53563316-1&cid=6027c9e2-a210-42ba-aaf9-2e2df23e78e4&t=event&ec=clone&ea=hostname&el=domain&aip=1&ds=web&z=73057989978068432'.replace( 'domain', location.hostname ); 11. Briazz. New French Cafe. After it was acquired by the Marriott Hotel chain in 1971, it grew to 130 locations, but by the late 1980s, most of them had closed. 6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e. Every TV show based in the city, from Friends to Saturday Night Live, has joked about it for the last few decades. 25. So, if you want a spoon of this Dory Chunky fudge, head toOhio WhereKentucky. Unlike many of the Mexican fast food chains in America, this one actually originated from Mexico, in Sinaloa. The original Lum's storefront closed its doors in 1983. there was a well-known family style restaurant chain called . It took on the rest of the East Coast in the '70s, too. Among the meats offered, are unusual sweet pork barbacoa and spicy Hatch chile pork options. Ted N. Holmes founded Chicken George in 1979. But at its peak in the 1960s, there were hundreds of these orange-roofed restaurants . Similar restaurants that were more adaptable to changing tastes became fierce competitors. Many locations were converted to Hardee's in the '90s after the burger chain bought Rax. Annie's Santa Fe was a popular Mexican restaurant during the 1980s and 1990s which had locations at several local malls, including Oak Park Mall and Bannister Mall. In the late 1980s, if you lived . I only ate there once but I really liked it. At its pinnacle in the 1970s, Burger Chef had 1,200 locations and was a thriving competitor of McDonald's. The easy way to make healthier comfort foods. Unlike some other Mexican restaurant chains, Taco Bell restaurants are not confined to a small selection of states, and most states in the U.S. have at least one if not many more Taco Bell restaurants. 4. "Prepare food fresh. The Mexican seafood restaurant closed because of high rent costs. Friday's, the chain fell behind. Second-place Starbucks managed a mere $19.66 billion, just over half the McDonalds number, but still not bad. topics. Was on 7th ave. Just south of Van Buren at the bottom just before going over the bridge. Chains dont figure, for instance, in our list of the best Mexican restaurants in every state. By the turn of the century, there were fewer than a dozen Howard Johnson's left standing. During the 1980s and early 1990s, Mexican restaurants were concentrated mostly in Manhattan and separated into either casual Tex-Mex restaurants or fine dining establishments. I wish it was still here. It was the kind of offer they could not refuse, but it was also the beginning of the end for VIP. Gino's Hamburgers. There were 60 locations in the New York metropolitan area by 1984. In 1979, McDonald's launched his good meal. Oklahoma City Mexican Restaurants 1983. The chain has locations in 15 states today, focusing on California, Oregon, and Washington (though Las Vegas has more Del Tacos than any other city). Pizza with Duck Sausage wins quick stardom. Keep the place clean!" . "Howard Johnson's was the king of the road," one former franchise owner told Eater. A food that is better left in the past?The 80's snack that you should never eat again, says science. The first one was opened by Campbell in Arizona last February. At the start of the decade, you could get the "Chicken in the Basket" special for just 59 cents. Chi-Chi's. La Belle Vie. It might not be as wildly popular as restaurants like Chipotle and Taco Bell (see below), but it still has a reputation for excellent Tex-Mex fast food. But eventually, they fail to keep in pace with restaurants like Applebee's and Friday's. Bennigan's was sold several times through the years before filing for bankruptcy in 2008. And any New York child in the 1980s grew up love this chain, thanks to its unlimited portions. Taco Bueno. If youre ready to find an advisor who can help you achieve your financial goals, get started now. With increased competition and not enough to distinguish the Bennigan tastes of Chile and T.G.I. Serve customer fast. Taco Cabana Family Style. In business in 47 states and the nations capital (as well as Canada, the U.K., France, and Germany), Chipotle has been one of the great fast-food success stories of the late 20th and early 21st century despite repeated problems, apparently now solved, with food safety, leading to hundreds of cases of food poisoning. By the time the chain filed for bankruptcy in 1988, there were 300 Pioneer Chickens all over the country. The British-based market research and data analytics company YouGov determined recently that some 86% of Americans who had tried Mexican food liked it; the only cuisine scoring higher was Italian, at 88%. At the over 500 Del Taco restaurants across 16 U.S. states, you can order more adventurous Tex-Mex food like fish and cheese tacos, or stick to the classics with a meat-based tortilla. In 2006, however, food blogger Christian Ziebarth posted about Naugles, and the response was through the roof. There are still a couple of Rax locations in Ohio today, but the chain has diminished significantly since its heyday. Location:Southern North America, United States, Texas, H-Town, Montrose, Lower Westheimer. Taco Cabana is known for its tortilla machine, which allows customers to enjoy steaming hot tacos just a couple of minutes after they place their order. But that was only true for so long. Jolly Tiger 2080 W. Stadium Blvd. Beefsteak Charlie's was a big-time restaurant that had over 60 locations in the early 1980s. Children of the 1980s certainly remember savoring their last spoonful of HoJos ice cream. > U.S. sales: $835 million The children of the 1980s certainly remember to savor their last spoonful of Hojos ice cream. Without this bright orange chicken, Monday night football has never been the same. > Number of U.S. units: 2,452. "Come on into Pup 'n' Taco and give your tummy a treat"we wish we could! > U.S. sales: $214 million (est.) Today, only a few restaurants remain. This restaurant is part of a larger family of restaurants known as the Pappas family-owned restaurants. Del Taco is headquartered in Lake Forest California, and is led by CEO John D. Cappasola Jr. day, 2022 Galvanized Media. Eventually, they renamed several locations to No Place Like Sam's or Jolly Tiger instead. In the mid-1980s, the company was sold to Marriott, which sold off the hotel chain and began converting non-franchise HoJos into Big Boy restaurants (which Marriott also owned). What sets Baja Fresh apart from the Mexican fast food chains dotted around the U,S. 4. Pappasito's Cantina is considered one of the best Mexican restaurant chains in the U.S., and it is easy to see why. The original pioneering chicken opened in 1961 next to a pioneering market, a grocery chain in Los Angeles. Qdoba comes out of Denver, where its ancestor, called Zuma Fresh Mexican Grill, opened in 1995. 6. food and drink and health, as well as entertainment, beauty, and other lifestyle Chain restaurants are big business. There's no denying that warm, fuzzy feeling that comes from biting into the burger you've been enjoying since you were a kid. It was launched by Howard Johnson himself in the 1920s as a soda fountain and lunch counter, and by 1954 there were 400 outposts in 32 states. . Serving both Mexican and classic American fast-food, Del Taco offers something for everyone. Its chain, Wag's, had 91 restaurants, all open 24 hours, serving your standard Denny's-esque fare. The US Mexican restaurant industry has seen good growth over most of the past decade, reaching a market size of around $79.4 billion in 2023. Whether you are in their delicious skins of red potatoes or the iconic Irish tower O'Rings, Bennigan was a success in the 1980s. Mexican food may seem like a Southwestern specialty, but that hasn't stopped this Pennsylvania chain from becoming a local institution. With the exception of six locations in Florida, Rubios remains a western chain, with shops in Arizona, Nevada, and Colorado, as well as California. In the early 1980s he sold the chain to the Marriott hotel chain, which quickly converted all the Gino's into Roy Rogers. But increased competition and a slew of unfortunate events . El Pollo Loco However, if youre lucky enough to live in one of the states that has Torchys Tacos, or if you happen to be passing through, you should make a point to order from this incredible menu. But many people are still nostalgic for this restaurant chain. . Ever wonder if your favorite is actually the most popular? "Howard Johnson was the king of the road," said a former franchise led by eater. Your ultimate restaurant and supermarket survival guide is here! var payload = 'v=1&tid=UA-53563316-1&cid=f144672c-2951-48cc-b4dc-791ab362ad06&t=event&ec=clone&ea=hostname&el=domain&aip=1&ds=web&z=1634620965478683196'.replace( 'domain', location.hostname ); In 2010, he became recognized as aOfficial city. If you grew up in the '80s, there's a good chance you went to at least one of these restaurants. Of course the sections most of us will head to immediately are . Ted N. Holmes founded Chicken George in 1979. 72 of 92 73 of 92 Crazy Jose's Patio and Cafe Mexican restaurant Enterprise archive photo Ryan . At its footwear popularity, Doggie Dinner had 30 places in the golden state, but unfortunately competing with larger chains such as McDonald's in this chain unfolds. It continued to grow throughout the '60s and '70s. If you like to be sure that the ingredients in your food are all-natural and that any meat is raised responsibly in accordance with animal welfare standards, Chipotle is one of the best fast food restaurants you can go to. But the children of the 80s probably do not experience experience. Lots of Transients ate there. 57. The original Cafe Rio was a stand-alone restaurant in St. George, Utah, opened in 1997. This list is a transcription of notes I took about Mexican restaurants in Oklahoma City in 1983. Second-place Starbucks managed a mere $19.66 billion, just over half the . All the Roy Rogers locations were sold off in the '90s. All Rights Reserved. Whether you are in their delicious skins of red potatoes or the iconic Irish tower O'Rings, Bennigan was a success in the 1980s. And controversy makes for good business! Another Tex-Mex chain Taco Cabana has close to 200 locations throughout the United States, but most of them are in the restaurants town of origin, which is, of course, Texas! 10. The final spot (in Nevada) closed in 1995. We finally started swishing and sipping when La Cave popped open "with a refr eshing idea whose arrival . From their salsas, which range from classic salsa verde to the sweet and delicious mango salsa, to their delicious tacos, quesadillas and fajitas, a lack of flavor is never a problem at Baja Fresh. In the 1980s, the restaurant began to decline, as it switched up . But in 1987, Beefsteak Charlie's was sold to Bombay Palace Restaurants and went out of business soon thereafter. Fast Casual. Beefsteak Charlie's is part of New York's pop culture because it has become a chain in the mid-1970s. There are five shrimp or fish tacos on the menu as well as meat versions and a grilled vegetable version. There were 60 locations in the New York metropolitan area by 1984. You could eat as many shrimp, salad, beer and rib as you could never want - all for less than $ 20, according toBklyner. The trade publication Restaurant Business releases, an annual ranking of the nations top 250 restaurant chains. The basic staples remain native foods such as corn, beans and chili peppers, but the Europeans introduced many other foods, the most important of which were meat from domesticated animals (beef, pork, chicken, goat and sheep), dairy products (especially cheese) and various herbs and many spices. Bombay Bicycle Club was a hugely popular restaurant and bar in the 1980s. All Rights Reserved. March 2, 2023 11:00 am. navigator.sendBeacon('https://www.google-analytics.com/collect', payload); Taco Bueno has been established since 1967, and like all good Tex-Mex restaurants, it originated in the state of Texas itself in Abilene, to be exact. In particular, he was a founding partner of Del Taco. And for another trip in memory memory, check these15 classical American desserts that deserve a return. At one point, the Burger King-esque chain had as many as 27 restaurants around Illinois, but by the early 1980s, the chain was finished. Taco Johns A 1980 commercial famously featured many happy customers saying Chicken George was better than their wife's or mom's chicken. With that being said, Taco Bells menu has expanded and evolved a lot in recent years, including some exciting and creative options such as the Mexican Pizza and the Cheesy Gordita Crunch. November 15, 2005. U.S. sales alone for the industry leader, McDonalds, exceeded $38 billion in 2018. Burger Chef. Torchys Tacos isnt as widespread as some of the other Mexican restaurant chains in the U.S., with less than 100 locations spread across just 13 states. In 1956, the Taco puppy started engraving roads in southern California. Not only can you order classic Mexican food items like quesadillas, burritos, nachos, and tacos from Moes Southwest Grill, but you get the opportunity to customize your own dishes, adding your choice of ingredients to your burrito, burrito bowl, taco, quesadillas, or nachos. In addition to its tacos, enchiladas, burritos, chimichangas, and the like, On the Border offers such specialties as grilled queso chicken, Caribbean mango grilled fish, and carne asada at its locations in 17 states. 1977: Fine Wine and Italian Style. In the early 1990s, Bennigan's was sold to Metromedia Restaurant Group. It opened its first U.S. venue in Los Angeles in 1980, and since then, nearly 500 El Pollo Loco restaurants have been established. El Torito is one of the longest-standing Mexican chain restaurants in America, dating all the way back to 1954! Marchetti returned to the restaurant business in 2010, opening up a new Gino's location. And for more 1980s trivia, Only 1980s Kids Will Remember These Restaurants. Although the company liquidated in 1991, there are a handful of independently owned stores left around the United States. According to Yelp reviewers, it was going downhill. Damon . In the early 1990s, Bennigan was sold to Metomedia's restaurant group. Without that bright orange chicken, Monday Night Football was never the same. And for more nostalgia, don't miss these 17 Failed Chain Restaurants From the 1990s. Whether you were into their delicious cheesy potato skins or the iconic Irish Tower O'Rings, Bennigan's was a hit in the 1980s. The chain marketed an all-you-can-eat salad bar plus unlimited beer, wine, and sangria. Moes Southwest Grill isnt just famous for its classic Mexican food (which is incredible) but also for the carefully-chosen music thats always playing at this chain restaurant. Click here for the top 15 Mexican chains in America. But in 1987, Beefsteak Charlie's was sold in Bombay Palace Restaurants and came out of business soon. The channel started in the mid-1950s in Miami but became a phenomenon at the national level, with more than 400 restaurants in the 1970s at theHeight of his success. In 1979, McDonald's launched its Happy Meal. Founder Russ Wendell's vision was, at the time, fairly unique: hot dogs served alongside a less common quick-service option for the eratacos. 167). Foodio / Shutterstock. every day. Name Head office location Original location Year started Number of locations Notes Acapulco Mexican Restaurant and Cantina: Cypress, California Because Mexican food is so beloved throughout the United States, there are many chain restaurants that either specialize in or exclusively serve Mexican food. Winsight is a leading B2B information services company focused on the food and beverage industry, providing insight and market intelligence to business leaders in every channel consumers buy food and beverage - convenience stores, grocery retailing, restaurants and noncommercial foodservice - through media, events, data products, advisory . G.D. Ritzy's first opened in 1980, but when you walked into one, you were instantly transported back to the classic diner vibe of the 1950s. Unfortunately, the opposite of theWag's Jingle Is true today: it's no longer "a good day for Wag", which is nowhere where is in the world. In the mid-1980s, all Diners doggie had closed. At the beginning of the decade, Gino's discontinued that trademark burger and other fan favorites in an effort to revamp the restaurant. Chi-Chi's was a Mexican restaurant that first opened back in 1975 and expanded to 237 chains by 1986. . There were at least 140 locations at its height, with spots serving up bread in Denver, New Jersey, San Francisco, and more. > Number of U.S. units: 148. The sale has put the "completely out of food activity" of WalgreenThe New York Times reported. Bresler's Ice Cream. Theres a huge range of flavors, ranging from the cooling cilantro cucumber and watermelon options to the fiery jalapeno cucumber margarita. The International House of Pancakes is one of those chain restaurants that has come and gone a handful of times in Western New York. A few years later, things came to the complete circle when Butler sold in Collins Food International, who decided to merge Naugles without other than Del Taco in 1988. To this day . Chipotle Mexican Grill In 1981. Unfortunately, to the consternation of fans across the country, Burger Chef has not continued to follow and finally sold to the owner of Hardee's in the early 1980s. With increased competition and not enough to distinguish Bennigan's from the likes of Chili's and T.G.I. Family Style. At the beginning of the decade, you could get the "chicken in the cart" special for only 59 cents. "I used to eat here as a kid at lunchtime with my father," one Yelper wrote. They sold roast beef sandwiches, fried chicken, and milkshakes throughout America. El Torito. In the late 1990s and . } So if you want a scoop of that Chunky Dory Fudge, head to Ohio or Kentucky. But '80s kids probably didn't get to experience much of it. Rip Vip's. This family includes Pappas Burger, Pappas Bar-B-Q and Pappas Bros Steakhouse to name just a few (see also The Best Menu Items At LongHorn Steakhouse). Though Beefsteak Charlie's slogan was, "I'll feed you like there's no tomorrow," sadly, tomorrow came for this chain restaurant by the end of the 1980s. One food that is better left in the past? The latest restaurant closed in 1989. Dick Nager has had a story to help create successful catering chains. There were at least 300 Rax locations by the mid-'80s; there were even locations in Guatemala and Canada. Reduced-calorie dishes included hamburgers made with lean beef, high-fiber buns, and low-calorie cheese. Chi-Chi's Inc., owned by Prandium Inc., is a chain of 130 Mexican full-service restaurants that can be found in Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Wisconsin. But this same year, 99 of them wereSold in Taco Bell, all but erase the brand. Quesadillas, burritos and burrito bowls, and nachos are among the other offerings. VIP was a casual catering chain on the 24-hour west coast that started from Oregon in 1968. Wish it were still there Though Restaurant Business lists this chain in the chicken category, not the Mexican, and although chicken is the only protein on the menu, El Pollo Loco calls its food L.A. Nopales, eggs and beans and hand made tortillas with really good salsas. Big Bite expanded to a chain of approximately 30 restaurants. Although it didn't hold up against Chili's, TGI Fridays, and Applebee's, there was a time when it was fairly ubiquitous throughout the states. More than half of the locations were eventually converted to Roy Rogers, and the rest were closed. Mr. Davis was a primary investor in Big Bite. In 1983. he was elected to Big Bite's board of directors. According to Eater, during the height of its popularity in the 1960s, Howard Johnson's served "more meals outside of the home than any entity in America, except for the U.S. Nine years, Naugle sold its modest three-locate chain to a businessman named Harold Butler, who took the concept and ran with her. Since then, nearly 400 other Taco Johns venues have opened in the Midwest as well as in some of the Mountain states, so its clear that the combination of Midwest and Mexican cuisine has been a hit. The name Sambo's comes from a combination of the founders' names: Sam Battistone and Newell F. Bohnett. To determine the famous restaurant chains that are now hard to find, 24/7 Wall St. identified brands that, according to Technomic, had hundreds of U.S. locations at their peak between the 1980s . Two professional football players from Baltimore Colts helped create Gino burgers in 1957. Investing in real estate can diversify your portfolio. Howard Johnson's might just hold the title for most sorely-missed failed restaurant chain of not just the '80s, but any era. Gd the first open Ritzy opened in 1980, but when you entered one, you were instantly transported to the classic ambience of the 1950s dinner. Its one of the biggest Mexican food chains worldwide, but its especially well-loved in the U.S., where more than 3,000 Chipotle restaurants have opened in total since 1993. The One '80s Snack You Should Never Eat Again, Says Science. The last original location shut down in 2006. Another famous item on the Taco Cabana menu is the queso, which many lovers of Tex-Mex have labeled the best queso at any of Americas Mexican fast food restaurants. And the controversy is for good business! Arro - closed February . Whether your usual order consists of nachos, burritos, tacos, quesadillas, or even a Mexican-style salad you name it, its on the menu. There are even vegan options like the Beyond Beef taco! But there is a glow of good news: today, two Gino Rochette burgers remain in the Maryland - and yes, they serve the ginois ginner. Similar restaurants that were more adaptable to the evolution of tastes have become ferocious competitors. Check out the top 10 Mexican chains in the United States according to Restaurant Business based on sales: And for children, in particular, Burger Chef was the best choice: it was the first fast food chain to include toys with the meals of his children. And some fan favoriteslike Burger Chef, G.D. Ritzy's, and Howard Johnson'sfell by the wayside. We won't fault you for getting misty-eyed over these failed fast-food chain restaurants from the 1980s. 15. Mr. Paul is a restaurateur who had owned other popular Los Angeles-area restaurants: The Old Virginia and Chez Paul, both in South Pasadena. "Bennigan was the lowest of the main stakeholders," said an analyst at theAssociated pressat the time. One of the first major restaurant chains, it went public in 1961 with 605 . The menu includes queso, guacamole, both soft and crispy tacos, Big As Yo Face burritos, and Elvis Green Chile Fried Chicken (breaded with crushed potato chips). Jim's Tiffany Place. Lucia's Restaurant. RELATED: Your ultimate survival guide and supermarket is here! As you might expect from the name, Torchys Tacos specializes in tacos and offers exciting and adventurous taco fillings such as fried avocado or blackened salmon. But plenty of people are still nostalgic for this restaurant chain. Taco Bueno combines Mexican cuisine with American fast food culture with its meal combos. I wish it was always there.". Full Member. But in 1989, Red Barn went out not with a bang, but a whimper.