I remember Flaming Pit – several outlets around St. Louis IIRC, and one of my favorite upper-class establishments when I was there. Can’t remember Jacks, tho.
The following may be Indiana chains.
**Penguin Point **- had good double cheeseburgers
Mister Fifteen, later Burger Man (later Mac’s? I remember that’s what some of them became)
Frendly Fosters- a White Castle clone
I know Taco Tico was mentioned a few years ago in this thread. I liked it better than Taco Bell because you could order mild, hot, or extra hot, and they had chili and tamales.
I miss restaurants. I can’t eat out much because of heart troubles and a low-sodium diet.
The only “Red Coach” I knew of was “Wayne’s Red Coach” in Springfield IL…It was not a chain though. I worked there…
Any one remember Heritage House Smorgasbord? Worked there too!
tsfr
Swiss Chalet closed all their locations in Buffalo, and thus all their outlets in the United States, not too long ago. Montana’s Steakhouse, another Canadian chain, closed all of their Buffalo locations a couple of years ago. The lone 241 Pizza in the US, on Elmwood Avenue in Buffalo, is now a locally-owned calzone joint. Kelsey’s Buffalo locations are also all closed.
The American chains mostly steer clear of Buffalo, and the Canadian chains, with the exception of Tim Horton’s and Jack Astor’s, have all pulled out of the area.
For those of us geezers who remember the 1950s of our childhood, I give you SPUDNUTS.
Okay, not a chain (there was one other in Longmont, maybe.)
Boulder: Back around Q*Bert time ,or maybe it was Tempest O’Clock, and the freakin’ coolest place to eat ever. Tucked back in a strip mall that had both waterbeds and telescopes for sale.
Inside? The regular booths and tables on on side, set at many levels, with mirrors and plants and stairs that were never close to code to confuse things. Past the giant baseball mitt next to the Crystal Castles machine-- a multi level bar, with free cocktail munchies, and more.
While I’m getting all nostalgic-- If the Dark Horse ever closes, I’ll pee in the wrong room for a week.
Huh! And here I always thought that was just another childhood taunt back in West Texas.
Jacks R Better was on Watson road across the street from the Old savings and loan, right before the first mall entrance to the parking lot at Stixx Buer and Fuller (Dillards). It was kinda like Ground Round with the peanuts and shells every where. The sign had a jack off a playing card and playing cards The R was reversed. No wonder they went out of Business, everyone I ask thinks Im crazy but of course my brother and parents remember.
Recovered memory of Lums here. I lived in Buffalo as a toddler in 1969-'70, and Lums hot dogs were a real treat. Had mom and dad known that the puppies were cooked in beer, they might have saved me from a lifetime of alcohol abuse. 
Does anyone remember a hot roast beef chain back in the '60s called Gentleman Jim’s? I am 99% sure that was the name of it but I can’t find anything on the web.
That guy sure looks familiar. Maybe he just has one of those faces…
I loved House of Pies when I was a kid. Banana cream pie! It looks like one still exists in L.A., but apparently, they can’t pull together a real website.
I think I may have to wander down to Sambo’s for old times sake.
Anybody here remember Laughner’s Cafeterias in Indiana? I believe they’re all gone now.
I hope I didn’t ask this earlier in this thread’s childhood…
We used to go to Rustler’s Steakhouse when I was a kid. I don’t think they are around anymore.
Also, as several people mentioned, Gino’s no longer exists. But that’s where Kentucky Fried Chicken started from I think. Could be wrong.
No, Kentucky Fried Chicken did not start from Gino’s. The company that owned Gino’s also owned the franchise for KFC in one area, but they did not in any sense start KFC:
I remember Jacks or Better. There was one on Watson road in Crestwood (the building is still there, it’s medical offices and a Ryder truck rental now) and there was another one on Manchester Road in the Rock Hill area. What I remember most vividly about the place was it was the first restaurant I ever saw of the ‘throw the peanut shells on the floor’ variety.
Flaming Pit was all over the St. Louis area. They were one of my parents’ favorites. I can recall two other locations (one on Manchester in Des Peres and one on Chippewa near Hampton) and there were surely more. What I recall most about them is the ‘treasure chest’ kids could pick a toy from at the end of the meal. Cool stuff when you’re ten. 
A 2010 update in case anyone was planning a roadtrip: the Lums in Elmira and Plattsburgh have closed since I originally posted in this thread in 2006.
I was fairly certain that Arctic Circle drive-ins were long defunct, but apparently they are alive and well. Sort of.
I used to work for Gino’s HQ in King of Prussia. They also owned the Rustler Steakhouse chain. Gino’s was different than many of the chains in that the corporation owned all of the outlets instead of franchising the stores to individual owners. We did a massive weekly payroll on punched cards. The KFC franchise was in a limited area. They seem to be restarting now as a franchised operation, adding the tagline ‘Burgers and Chicken’ to the name Gino’s. Adopting the name Gino’s in 1957 makes them one of the oldest of the chains in the modern fast food category.