1 month ago
If 1 point rings existent astir nan American taste fabric, it's our enduring emotion matter with accelerated food.
Over nan past 100 years aliases so, countless fast-food chains person emerged that connection convenience, affordable fare and unsocial eating experiences.
But arsenic user preferences alteration complete time, immoderate franchises neglect to support up.
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Sometimes, bad business decisions bring astir nan downfall of a brand.
Even fast-food franchises that erstwhile rivaled manufacture titans tin yet slice into obscurity. And successful uncommon cases, they tin travel back.
- Burger Chef
- Lum's
- Sambo's
- Steak and Ale
- Pizza Haven
At its peak, nan fast-food concatenation Burger Chef astir matched McDonald's successful number of restaurants. (Michael Nagle/Bloomberg via / Getty Images)
The emergence and autumn of Burger Chef
1965-1996
The communicative of Burger Chef is 1 of a meteoric emergence to nan tallness of manufacture dominance, only to spell bust aft coming wrong arm's scope of McDonald's title arsenic nan largest edifice concatenation successful nan U.S.
At its highest successful 1971, Burger Chef boasted complete 1,200 locations, astir 100 awkward of McDonald's numbers astatine nan time, pinch a paper featuring hits for illustration nan "Big Shef" and "Super Shef" burgers.
The first Burger Chef was founded successful Indianapolis, Indiana, successful 1957 aft its proprietors invented and patented nan occurrence broiler. The edifice pioneered nan combo repast pinch their "Triple Threat" woody consisting of a burger, fries and a drink, which sold for conscionable 45 cents. Despite its early prominence, Burger Chef yet fell unfortunate to mismanagement, changing owners galore times earlier yet being bought by Hardee's successful 1982, aft which astir of its locations were converted. The past Burger Chef was changed into a Pleasers edifice successful 1996.
Lum's: Not moreover KFC's president could prevention it
1957-2017
At 1 point, Lum's was a thriving franchise pinch complete 400 restaurants successful America, Europe and Puerto Rico. Founded successful Miami successful 1957, Lum's offered nan unsocial fare of basking dogs steamed successful beer, a first for accelerated food.
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Lum's, Inc., purchased Caesars Palace, nan edifice and casino successful Las Vegas, for $60 cardinal successful 1969. In 1971, John Y. Brown, then-chairman of Kentucky Fried Chicken, bought Lum's nutrient operations, though he intended to enactment arsenic an investor and return a backmost spot erstwhile it came to moving nan chain.
Then, nan Swiss genitor institution of nan Wienerwald edifice concatenation purchased Lum's, which comprised 273 locations astatine nan clip of acquisition successful 1978. But erstwhile Wienerwald and Lum's revenge for bankruptcy successful 1982, nan 70 remaining locations were abruptly closed, prevention for 1 past Lum's, which ceased operations successful 2017.
The conception of nan kid's repast was first introduced by Burger Chef arsenic nan "Fun Meal," and Burger Chef really sued McDonald's complete it, but today, McD's Happy Meals are sold everywhere, and Burger Chef is nary more. (Cate Gillon/Getty Images / Getty Images)
Controversy killed Sambo's
1957-2020
The saga of Sambo's began successful Santa Barbara, California, successful 1957, and serves arsenic a cautionary communicative astir getting entangled successful group controversy. Despite initially flourishing, nan concatenation faced expanding disapproval complete its name, which referred to a racist stereotype of a Black kid who was contented to serve. This archetype had been utilized arsenic a defense of slavery. Sambo's attempted galore sanction changes, switching its mascot from nan stereotypical kid to a tiger, but nan institution yet folded.
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A bid of protests and lawsuits coupled pinch unrelated soul challenges led to Sambo's filing for bankruptcy successful 1982. Restaurant Business reports that nan past remaining location operating arsenic Sambo's changed its sanction successful 2020 amid wide protests pursuing nan decease of George Floyd, drafting mixed reactions from nan public.
Steak and Ale's communicative of triumphant return
1996-2008 … until April 2024
The Dallas-based Steak and Ale was erstwhile a beloved fast-casual eatery wherever patrons could bask a steakhouse filet for conscionable $1.95 surrounded by Tudor-style decor. This pioneer of nan crockery barroom operated 280 locations astatine its zenith.
However, nan marque revenge for Chapter 7 bankruptcy successful 2008, starring to nan closure of its remaining 58 outlets.
After Bennigan's closed successful 2008, it was successfully revived by Paul and Gwen Mangiamele — who intend to do nan aforesaid pinch Steak and Ale. (HUM Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images / Getty Images)
But it would not beryllium agelong earlier Steak and Ale's return was announced. Restaurant Business reports that Paul and Gwen Mangiamele acquired Steak and Ale successful 2015. After reviving nan Irish-themed bar-and-grill concatenation Bennigan's, nan Mangiameles announced that nan iconic Steak and Ale would beryllium resurrected successful April 2024 successful Burnsville, Minnesota. The comeback was guided by nan input of complete 52,000 group successful a Facebook group.
Pizza Haven, erstwhile a powerhouse, now passé
1958-2012
Beginning successful Seattle successful 1958, Pizza Haven was a trailblazer successful pizza delivery. It was 1 of nan first brands to connection nan "dial-a-pizza" experience.
Pizza Haven went connected to grow its services beyond nan U.S. to Russia, Poland and nan Middle East, pinch 42 locations astatine its peak.
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But nan emergence of pizza titans for illustration Domino's and Pizza Hut proved excessively much, and Pizza Haven was incapable to compete, yet submitting to bankruptcy by nan precocious '90s. The institution made a Facebook station connected April 13, 2012, announcing nan closure of its past location successful Seattle. Despite its demise, Pizza Haven is simply a cherished representation for galore Pacific Northwesterners.
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