Along with Bennigan’s, let’s not forget the niche Steak and Ale had to serve the public in classy setting offering casual, family dining with reasonable prices. We were just celebrating our birthdays there and remembering the announcement of our engagment when POOF! The chain goes out. 
And, I should add, they’re “Early Bird” specials were awesome!
The one in Raleigh closed several years ago; they finally tore down the restaurant not too long ago. I really liked that place…the steaks were always awesome, the salad bar was good, and they had a nice wine selection.
On of my first jobs out of college in 1988 was finishing divesting Bennigans and Steak and Ale from Pillsbury - they were both Pillsbury companies but when Grand Met - who owned liquor - bought them, they had to be sold.
I thought they (along with Bennigans) shut down in the 80s. Huh.
My husband and I ate there just 2 nights before the bankruptcy story broke. I had jokingly observed that they must be in trouble because the usual crumbled blue cheese was absent from the salad bar. But our meals were good, the service was impeccable, and there was no hint that anything was wrong.
The one around here closed at least 20 years ago. I liked the place, and was sorry to see it go, but there are plenty of other good and better places, so I didn’t really notice the loss.
That would freak me out. Were you able to finish your dinner, or did that POOF!too?
Daniel
There hasn’t been one of those in this area in probably 15 years. Around the big cities, I feel like McDonald’s buys up so much realestate that no one else can develop. Or then they do and McD’s comes along and buys them out at the first sign for trouble.
I ate at a Steak & Ale once; they didn’t have any chives for the baked potatoes, and the decorative swords on the wall all had their quillons on backwards. Never ate there again, yet the pleasure of having something to complain about has kept the memory alive more than a perfect meal would have. Ah, yes.
Well, if you can’t even trust them to get their quillons right…
I liked Steak and Ale, although it hasn’t crossed my mind to go to one in years. They had pretty good ambiance, as mass-produced ambiance goes, and the steaks weren’t bad at all. Lotsa cheese in the French Onion Soup, too.