mexican restaurant chains 1980s

In the early 1990s, Bennigan's was sold to Metromedia Restaurant Group. Big Bite expanded to a chain of approximately 30 restaurants. However, it is also a pejorative term used to designate black Americans, which was part of the reason for which this chain restaurant finally failed. At its height in 1984, there were 102 Pup 'N' Taco locations across California and New Mexico. Translating to the crazy chicken in Spanish, El Pollo Loco is one of the most famous Mexican-style chain restaurants in the United States, and definitely the winner of the funniest name contest! You could eat as many shrimp, salad, beer and rib as you could never want - all for less than $ 20, according toBklyner. Its chain, Wag's, had 91 restaurants, all open 24 hours, serving your standard Denny's-esque fare. If youre an investor looking to minimize expenses, consider checking out online brokerages. In 1982, they sold the majority of their restaurants in Marriott. Taco Viva started in 1968, but it was at its peak in the '80s, when it had around 80 locations across the country. Really good, not expensive home cooked food. Customers find the chain's classic fried chicken, and now the menu also includes buffalo wings, chicken fingers and family combos with cheesecake for dessert. This Mexican restaurant chain first opened in Minnesota in the 1970s, but at its peak in the mid-1990s, . Red barn Had a small town debut in the Ohio of the 1960s, but it was destined for greater things. But the chain got an extra boost in the 1980s, thanks to its spokesperson, O.J. 24. (The number of units for each chain was computed at the same time, and may have changed since then.) Second-place Starbucks managed a mere $19.66 billion, just over half the . 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 Of course the sections most of us will head to immediately are . Football Hall of Famer Gino Marchetti opened the first Gino's Hamburgers in 1957, and by the 70s, he was able to boast over 300 locations. Chi-Chi's. Just some of the delicious Tex-Mex options on the menu at this restaurant include slow-smoked ribs, enchiladas, quesadillas, fajitas, and tacos. In 1982, they sold the bulk of their restaurants to Marriott. The trade publication Restaurant Business releases an annual ranking of the nations top 250 restaurant chains. More than half of the locations were eventually converted to Roy Rogers, and the rest were closed. There are even vegan options like the Beyond Beef taco! Unfortunately, it was the beginning of the end for Gino. But all hope was not lost. 20+ New & Recently-Opened Restaurants in Columbus 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. We won't fault you for getting misty-eyed over these failed fast-food chain restaurants from the 1980s. But there is a glow of good news: today, two Gino Rochette burgers remain in the Maryland - and yes, they serve the ginois ginner. Family Style. 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. Its fried chicken articulation quickly became one of the largest chains belonging to the country. Cobb Lane Restaurant, Birmingham, 1948-2009. So, if youre in the mood for some Mexican flavors with an American twist at a reasonable price and an accessible location, Taco Bell is an excellent choice! "I used to eat here as a kid at lunchtime with my father," one Yelper wrote. But as a child of the 70s or 80s knows, Walgreen has also had full restaurants. Personally, we cant get enough of the incredible Tex-Mex menu items at On the Border, and we think you should visit one of the 120 On the Border restaurants in the U.S. if you havent already. > Number of U.S. units: 727. Two Baltimore Colts professional football players helped to create Gino's Hamburgers back in 1957. 6. . Burritos, enchiladas, quesadillas, tacos, nachos, salads, and more are available. Although it was a regional chain (it was mostly centralized to California), All-American Burger was made famous with anyone who came of age in the '80s, thanks to Fast Times at Ridgemont High. Scott Mercer (left) was helped by Bob Scura and Kurt Cameron of Grand American Fare chain in assembling dcor for P.O. EatThis.com is part of the AllRecipes Food Group, Published on September 18, 2019 | 1:49 PM. You can almost taste burgers, hot dogs and fries that look at him. > Number of U.S. units: 118. "Kiki's How a little neighborhood restaurant grew to be a community tradition", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_Mexican_restaurants&oldid=1135522955, Belgium-based restaurant chain that was originally the European branch of the now defunct American company, Based in Mexico, not related to U.S. company, Based in the United States, not related to Mexican company. It took 10 years for the chain to die a slow death, which meant children of the '80s did get to experience the Big Barn and the Barnbuster burgers. Youve heard plenty about Tex-Mex throughout this article so far, but have you ever heard of West-Mex? With increased competition and not enough to distinguish Bennigan's from the likes of Chili's and T.G.I. It served as competition to other taco fast-food chains like Taco Bell, with its burritos, nachos, enchiladas, and six sauces. 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. xhr.send(payload); The Earles were on the cusp of the growing appetite for Mexican food, and it was prepared with care and flavor in both locations. 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. single Taco Bueno. > Number of U.S. units: 484. In 1982,Denny's offered the company About $ 12 million to buy 35 VIP locations. They sold roast beef sandwiches, fried chicken, and milkshakes throughout America. 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. with a character named "Family Sam," a friendly senior citizen chef. The stronghold of McDonald's, Pizza Hut,Burger King, and other giants of the '80s made the competition stiff. 1977: Fine Wine and Italian Style. The final restaurant closed in 1989. If you grew up in the '80s, there's a good chance you went to at least one of these restaurants. Support . advice every day. Ever wonder if your favorite is actually the most popular? Lots of Transients ate there. Keep the place clean!" . This Mexican restaurant is the original home of the frozen margarita, tableside guacamole, and the fajita platter, so other Mexican chain restaurants owe a lot to this establishment. And although there was a unique showcase holding a dear life life in Nebraska, toofirm In 2017. Restaurant Review: Southern Fried Goodness and More to Try at Tupelo Honey. The final spot (in Nevada) closed in 1995. Pappasito's Cantina is considered one of the best Mexican restaurant chains in the U.S., and it is easy to see why. But it was already too late. In the mid-1980's. Uncle Julios restaurants can be found in Wisconsin, Texas, Virginia, Oklahoma, Mayland, Missouri, New Jersey, Illinois, North Carolina, Florida, and Tennessee. But in 1989, Red Barn went out not with a bang, but a whimper. To his pinnacle in the 1970s,Burger chef EU 1,200 locations and was a flourishing competitor of McDonald's. Bombay Bicycle Club was a hugely popular restaurant and bar in the 1980s. La Petite Boulangerie wanted to be every neighborhood's neighborhood marketand in the '80s, they made a pretty good run at doing just that. This trap unfortunately brought Chicken George in 1986, when Holmes tabled for liquidation after declining more than $ 1.4 million in debt to private creditors and IRS. > Number of U.S. units: 143. 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. Lucia's Restaurant. 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). According toYelp Examiners, it was going down. Bennigan was becoming one of the most efficient mid-range casual catering chains in America. 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. There were dozens of Pancho's locations by the '80s in the Texas area and surrounding states. Unfortunately, it didn't matter how good the chicken tastedthe business met its untimely end to the dismay of fans everywhere. 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. 13. Of course, the fare offered by Mexican chains, whether fast-food places or sit-down restaurants, is designed for a wide American audience, and rarely reflects the way people eat in Mexico. The One '80s Snack You Should Never Eat Again, Says Science. "Bennigan's was the weakest of the major players," one analyst told the Associated Press at the time. In 1988, theySold anything but some of their locations in Marriott. If you were around the early 80's, you may remember Lum for his hot dogs with signature beer steam, and if you were not a hot-dog person, there was always the beloved Ollieburger. 3. > U.S. sales: $10.410 billion The latest edition uses the most recent U.S. sales figures, from 2018, to rank the chains. Regardless, Mexican food and chains, in particular, have become increasingly popular in the United States over the years. What the Torchys menu styles as Damn Good Tacos are the specialty, with more than a dozen varieties available. There will be 31 in Arizona by the end of the year, Campbell said. The company filed for bankruptcy in 1992 and never quite recovered. It quickly expanded 225 points of sale by 1986. But its flame burned short and bright: By the late '80s, the owners filed for bankruptcy, and all of the locations had closed by the 2000s. "They just leave that Ritzy is a little atrophy of Ritzy over the next eight or ten years, and he decreased at seven locations"Webb saidThe observer of Dallas in 2004. Many locations were converted to Hardee's in the '90s after the burger chain bought Rax. Although there is an independent restaurant of the same name in New York, the latest All-American All-American Burger on Sunset Boulevard has since closed. 55 (tie) TEQUILA'S MEXICAN RESTAURANT. 8. One of the reasons Taco Cabana is so popular is that it offers 24-hour service, so when college starts in the fall, you can expect to see a lot of students here in the early hours of the morning! Brought to life by husband-wife team of Juan and Melanie Martinez, the first Don Juan Mexican Grill opened in 2011, and the made-to-order burritos, bowls, and fresh-fruit smoothies were an instant hit on the East Coast. If you're from that neck of the woods, then you probably remember the chain's seven-foot-tall, rotating dachshunds in chef's hats and bowties that stood outside each of the restaurants. The first Taco Johns was in Wyoming, and it opened way back in 1968. And by the early '90s, Chuck E. Cheese became the name of all locations. 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. 12. Boy, do we miss those fried clam strips, frankfurts, and that signature HoJo ice cream. Interestingly, the chain was founded by a Greek family. 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. New Balance > Decline alone for the industry leader, McDonalds, exceeded $38 billion in 2018. 2. Posted September 13, 2004. But increased competition and a slew of unfortunate events . Another extremely popular Mexican restaurant chain in America is Del Taco. Children of the 1980s certainly remember savoring their last spoonful of HoJos ice cream. ", Beefsteak Charlie's has been a part of New York pop culture since it became a chain in the mid-1970s. (Like any expert from the pop culture of the 80s knows, that's where Brad, played by Judge Reinhold, works in the movie. JoJos in the ring around the mall 625 . And thanks to the boom offast food Chains In the 1970s and 1980s, we could sip the same shakes and nibble the same fries for decades. If youre ready to find an advisor who can help you achieve your financial goals, get started now. Mexican food. But not all of them have survived over the years. A 1980 commercial famously featured many happy customers saying Chicken George was better than their wife's or mom's chicken. 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. By 1984, there were 60 locations. Fuzzys Taco Shop But, much like the madness of the mall and a washed jeans with acid, all the channels of your youth have not survived, and there are many fast food restaurants that came. 26. The graveyard of Denver eateries is the subject of a wonderful new book by Colorado authors Robert and Kristen Autobee titled, Lost Restaurants of Denver . El Pollo Loco 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. Torchys Tacos RELATED: Your ultimate survival guide and supermarket is here! Over the course of its first 20 years of business, the chain staked its claim on 19 states, serving its famous burgers and fried chicken in roughly 400 restaurants. > Number of U.S. units: 6,588. Not only does Chuys serve some examples of classic Mexican food, but youll also find menu items inspired by Southern Texan cuisine and the Rio Grande Valley. Franchises dominate in this market, with Taco Bell having more than twice as many restaurants as its nearest non-franchised competitor, and Qdoba and Moe's taking third and fourth place in the list of . Launched by a former Del Taco partner in 1970, Naugles featured simple Cal-Mex food like basic cheese burritos or ground beef crispy tacos. Whether your usual order consists of nachos, burritos, tacos, quesadillas, or even a Mexican-style salad you name it, its on the menu. "They just let Ritzy's somewhat atrophy over the next eight or 10 years, and it dwindled down to seven locations," Webb said to The Dallas Observer in 2004. But in 1970, he left this company to build his own Mexican style chain: Naugles in the south of California. Sambo is closed in the middle of the decade. Sadly, that was the beginning of the end for Gino's. I wish it was always there.". "The love affair with Burger Chef remains strong," a Hardee's marketing executive said in 2007when Hardee's brought back Burger Chef's iconic Big Shef. Taco Bell is probably one of the first Mexican chain restaurants that come to mind when you think about Mexican fast food, which is hardly surprising since there are more than 7,000 Taco Bell Restaurants across the United States. Still, if you were lucky enough to experience Pup 'N' Taco, then you probably can't get the jingle out of your head. If youve never been to Torchys Tacos, we suggest you do so as soon as possible, especially if you enjoy spicy tacos and margaritas. This page was last edited on 25 January 2023, at 04:55. "The love affair with chief burger remains strong," aThe Hardee Marketing Officer announced in 2007 When the herdee brought the iconic Burger Big Shef. In 1977, Mr. Paul purchased the steakhouse. If you love tacos as much as we do, this is one Mexican restaurant experience you wont want to miss out on! There are five shrimp or fish tacos on the menu as well as meat versions and a grilled vegetable version. Fast-food chains continued to grow, with the number of companies increasing by about two-thirds. Mr. Paul is a restaurateur who had owned other popular Los Angeles-area restaurants: The Old Virginia and Chez Paul, both in South Pasadena. And for more failed restaurants,Only the children of the 1970s will remember these restaurants. Refuge. The chain closed down around 1983, after a decade of dealing with growing national fast food chains. We highly recommend trying some of the signature items on Uncle Julios menu, like the chocolate pinata, alongside some of the classics such as enchiladas and quesadillas. Originally part of the Pillsbury Corp., the restaurant was founded in 1976. That's what Bennigan's, an Irish-themed bar and grill, offered in the 1980s. But at its peak in the 1960s, there were hundreds of these orange-roofed restaurants . 15. "You could make money anywhere." See more ideas about denver history, denver, childhood memories. In the early 1980s he sold the chain to the Marriott hotel chain, which quickly converted all the Gino's into Roy Rogers. Minnie Pearl's Chicken. > Number of U.S. units: 392. Taco Bell Rip Vip's. The trade publication Restaurant Business releases, an annual ranking of the nations top 250 restaurant chains. We finally started swishing and sipping when La Cave popped open "with a refr eshing idea whose arrival . At the start of the decade, you could get the "Chicken in the Basket" special for just 59 cents. According to Eat This, Not That!, Pup "N' Taco was a popular southern California quick service restaurant.When it opened in 1956, the brand's founder, Russ Wendell, took an un-traditional approach to his menu. There are a few states where people should leave quickly. New Balance (CC BY 2.0) by Mike Mozart 5. Briazz. 1982 Having introduced nouvelle cuisine at Ma Maison in Los Angeles, Chef Wolfgang Puck presents "California cuisine" to patrons of his new chic-casual Sunset Strip restaurant, Spago. Red Barn had small-town beginnings in 1960s Ohio, but it was destined for greater things. Hi, my name is Jenna and I have been a professional chef for almost the entirety of my adult life. Qdoba Mexican Eats After starting as a small operation in Colorado Springs, the chain eventually grew to over 200 restaurants in the U.S. and Canada. 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. Keep place clean!" The restaurants your family ate at when you were growing up might not have been the finest dining establishments, but they probably hold a special place in your heart. Of all the fast-food chains out there, only one could be the first to ever use . The original Del Taco opened in the Mojave Desert town of Yermo, California, in 1964. 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. Theres no doubt that we love our Mexican food. In 1985, Beefsteak Charlies, Inc, changed its name to Lifestyle Restaurants and then merged with . Nine years, Naugle sold its modest three-locate chain to a businessman named Harold Butler, who took the concept and ran with her. Bresler's Ice Cream. And for another trip in memory memory, check these15 classical American desserts that deserve a return. By the 1980s, there were more than 350 Gino's locations throughout the East Coast. LIME FRESH MEXICAN GRILL. navigator.sendBeacon('https://www.google-analytics.com/collect', payload); > Number of U.S. units: 35. Whether you were into their delicious cheesy potato skins or the iconic Irish Tower O'Rings, Bennigan's was a hit in the 1980s. 23. quick serve. According to Yelp reviewers, it was going downhill. Chipotle. Jim's Tiffany Place originally opened in Lansing in 1937 and served customers until 1993. That was the motto of Mexican fast-food chain Naugles. 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. 25. A food that is better left in the past?The 80's snack that you should never eat again, says science. This health-conscious fast-food chain offered healthier options than their competitors, but when chains like McDonald's, Burger King, and Wendy's began to do the same in the form of salads, baked potatoes, and other items, it spelled the end for D'Lites. Mexican food may seem like a Southwestern specialty, but that hasn't stopped this Pennsylvania chain from becoming a local institution. All the Roy Rogers locations were sold off in the '90s. if( navigator.sendBeacon ) { > Number of U.S. units: 2,452. 13. Another Texas-born chain, this one from Fort Worth, Fuzzys has units around the country, all over Texas and also in Oklahoma, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Iowa, Ohio, Louisiana, Georgia, Florida, Virginia, and North and South Carolina. Cafe Rio Mexican Grill } else { > U.S. sales: $213 million (est.) But in 1970, he left that company to build his own Mexican-style chain: Naugles in Southern California. Star ratings are for the ones I visited. Chicken George was a character in the 1977 ABC miniseries "Roots," which was based on a novel about slavery by Alex Haley. In 1956, the Taco puppy started engraving roads in southern California. 4. 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. 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. Mr. Robert Davis (and others) founded Big Bite. 6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e. > U.S. sales: $371 million 58 (tie) SANTIAGO'S MEXICAN RESTAURANT. . Beefsteak Charlie's was a big-time restaurant that had over 60 locations in the early 1980s. 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 ); Buffalo locations, 1979. 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The Bannister Mall was the location I remember visiting. 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. In many cases, these restaurants serve a variation of Tex-Mex (Americanized Mexican cuisine) but its also possible to find authentic Mexican food at several of these chains. 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! 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. Family Style. But in 1987, Beefsteak Charlie's was sold in Bombay Palace Restaurants and came out of business soon. The company sold most of its locations in the '90s, though, before they all fizzled out. 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. / Wikimedia Commons, ALSO READ: The 15 Most Popular Food Orders in America, ALSO READ: These Are the Top 15 Foods on the Rise for 2020. But as any child of the '70s or '80s knows, Walgreen's once had full-on restaurants, too. Originally Sambo's Restaurant (chain) in the 1960's, then rebranded as Jolly Tiger in the early 1970's. Oddly, it was changed back to Sambo's in the early 1980's rebranded (again!) Ted N. Holmes founded Chicken George in 1979. 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. Serving both Mexican and classic American fast-food, Del Taco offers something for everyone. El Torito is one of the longest-standing Mexican chain restaurants in America, dating all the way back to 1954! document.addEventListener( 'DOMContentLoaded', function() { The name Sambo's comes from a combination of the founders' names: Sam Battistone and Newell F. Bohnett. Serve customer fast. Impossible brand plant-based protein is an option. Fast-food chains aren't necessarily known for their healthy options (especially in 1980s America), but that's what D'Lites sought to do with its menu. By the 1980s, there were more than 350Gino places throughout the east coast. Taco Bell, as noted, is in the top five, and there are four other Mexican-inspired chains in the top 100. Howard Johnson could simply hold the title of the most failed failed restaurant chain, not only the 80s, but a time. March 2, 2023 11:00 am. Nine years in, Naugle sold his modest three-location chain to a businessman named Harold Butler, who took the concept and ran with it. 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. Location:Southern North America, United States, Texas, H-Town, Montrose, Lower Westheimer.

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