Though they’re still around, I miss Friendly’s. They’re not near me, and the menus are uninteresting.
Prior to COVID, I used to go to Cici’s Pizza regularly – it’s kind of a cheap pizza buffet, but I love their Buffalo Chicken pizza.
These days, not only do I not feel comfortable eating at a buffet, but several Cici’s in this area have closed – there are, I think, only two left in the Chicago area, both of them over 40 minutes away from me.
Apparently they are still going in some regions.
When they first opened in my town they were fantastic. Many fond memories of sitting in their dining area, reading a guitar magazine, chompin’ on one of their big sandwiches. But as the franchise owners ( I presume) began to struggle they raised prices and made portions smaller. Pretty soon it was a pale shadow of it’s former glory and closed soon after.
I remember Lums, mentioned upthread. Also, a place called “Baker’s Square” that had great pies. I had a soup there once, by accident, that was fantastic.
I remember Lums.
This was what I was coming in to post. I think the thing about Treacher’s is they existed in a time when demand for certain fish wasn’t too high, so they actually served really high quality fish. At least by today’s standards, the fish they were serving would be cost prohibitive to sell at their price point in modern times.
Fletcher’s corn dogs. They dip the dog right in front of you and fry it up. Also their lemonade was devine.
I miss having an Arby’s close by. They’re becoming almost extinct in Texas, but go right across the border to Oklahoma and they’re everywhere. Weird.
Shakey’s Pizza (the old-timey one). I loved their pizza and Mojo Potatoes.
Swensen’s Ice Cream Parlor. They had a sundae with malt balls and marshmallow on it that was wonderful.
Whataburger. I know they still exist, but not anywhere near me.
Port of Subs. Ditto. There are a bunch of them in the CA central valley area, but the closest one to me is like 200 miles away. They’re my favorite fast-food sub shop by a mile.
Yes, all the local Arby’s closed around here a few years ago, for some reason. Now the closest one to me is 15 miles away.
I think there are still Shakeys here in SoCal, I recently saw an ad and thought the mojo fries looked good, if not a bit heavy paired with pizza.
I loved Roy Rogers burgers back in the day, they sort of petered out though there a few lingered in Jersey Turnpike rest stops for a while, IIRC
There had been a Bob’s Big Boy between the bus stop and my workplace on the southern edge of Crystal City; I’d go in there pretty much every morning and make a buffet version of a Monte Cristo sandwich.
That is Schlotsky’s, as per River Hippie’s link. I’ve eaten there before; most notably when I was on a business trip to Fort Worth, TX, in the late 1990s. My American business associates were anxious to take me to this great deli for lunch, and they did. It was good, but I’m unsure if it was as great as they made it out to be. But hey, it was a good lunch, and they were paying, so I have no complaints.
On the same trip, one of my American associates wanted to check out a place that had recently opened up in Fort Worth. It was some kind of chain steakhouse, and he was pretty sure I’d never heard of it, but he was equally sure that I’d like it. Care to guess what it was?
Ironically, I’d eaten at many Keg restaurants across Canada at that point. I like them; the food is great, and while they’re part of a chain, they are several steps above a typical chain restaurant, and the final bill proves that. Still, though my host was at first a little disappointed that I not only knew Keg restaurants, but had been to many, he saw an opportunity to pick my brain as to what was best on the menu. We had a great time, and again, our American office was paying, so it was even better.
thanks, I forgot about them and Long John Silvers
forgot to add Der Wienerschnitzer, and Winchells donuts
wow, Woolworth’s was Walmart before Walmart, everything you wanted under one roof. Remember Sears had peanut/jellybean combo?
It’s odd to me to hear Schlotzsky’s mentioned in a thread on chain restaurants that people miss – there are a dozen within ten miles of my house.
Seconding Sweet Tomatoes, that mushroom soup was wonderful.
Another one, for me, in the category of “they’re still around, just nowhere convenient” – Rocky Rococo, which is a Madison, Wisconsin-based chain of pizza places, specializing in pan pizza.
I discovered them when I went to college at UW-Madison in the '80s, and ate there a lot. They have franchises throughout Wisconsin, but their locations come and go; they have opened up restaurants in Green Bay (where I grew up, and where my family still lives) several times, but they haven’t been in Green Bay for probably a decade now. There are two of them along the route I drive to Green Bay (one in Racine, one in Sheboygan), and I try to arrange some of my trips up there so that I can stop in there for a meal, but it’s effectively a craving I can only satisfy once or twice a year.
Best roast beef sandwich ever. I was going to say that I wish that I could taste that again, but I’m a dietary vegan, so maybe not. To taste that again, I might make an exception.
Best pizza ever. Good memories.
OMG, I had forgotten about that place. So good.