mexican restaurant chains 1980s

There will be 31 in Arizona by the end of the year, Campbell said. Click here for the top 15 Mexican chains in America. There were 225 locations by the mid-'80s, but Naugles merged with Del Taco, and locations slowly converted. var xhr = new XMLHttpRequest(); Local Chains - Columbus Restaurant History The first On the Border location was in Dallas, so the choice of name goes beyond the style of cuisine served at this restaurant. During its first 20 years of activity, the chain plunged its claims on 19 states, serving its famous burgers and fries in about 400 restaurants. Taco Bell just getting started in Arizona (1966) Bell started his specialized Mexican food drive-in at Barstow [California] in 1962. That's what Bennigan's, an Irish-themed bar and grill, offered in the 1980s. Oklahoma City Mexican Restaurants 1983 | Steve's Food Blog 16 Best Mexican Chain Restaurants In America - Whimsy & Spice Tortillas at Chuys are handmade daily, all the ingredients are fresh (not frozen), and there are 10 homemade salsas. To determine the famous restaurant chains that are now hard to find, 24/7 Wall St. identified brands that, according to Technomic, had hundreds of U.S. locations at their peak between the 1980s . . 40 Closed Restaurant Chains We Wish Were Still Open And for more restaurants that didn't stand the test of time, Only 1990s Kids Will Remember These Restaurants. But by the late '80s, most locations had been sold. Based today in Salt Lake City, the chain currently has locations in 11 states. These 1980s Restaurants Didn't Stand the Test of Time - Eat This Not That Founded in 1976 and has remained in same location. 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! Heartland. > Number of U.S. units: 148. The original Pioneer Chicken opened in 1961 next to a Pioneer Market, a grocery store chain in Los Angeles. The sale put Walgreen's "completely out of the food business," The New York Times reported. But it was already too late. Historic Houston Restaurants - Historic Houston - Houston Architecture Info Red Barn had small-town beginnings in 1960s Ohio, but it was destined for greater things. Created by former Green Bay Packers star Max McGee and restaurateur Marno McDermit, it launched in 1975 in the unlikeliest of places for a Mexican food chain: downtown Minneapolis. First of all, the tortillas at Pappasitos Cantina are made fresh, from scratch, every hour, and you get the satisfaction of watching your guacamole be prepared in front of you at the table, so you never have to worry about stale ingredients spoiling your meal. He rapidly expanded to 225 outlets by 1986. Mr. Davis was a primary investor in Big Bite. The American company has units all over California (and especially in the southern portions of the state), as well as in Arizona, Nevada, Utah, Texas, and Louisiana. with a character named "Family Sam," a friendly senior citizen chef. 58 (tie) SANTIAGO'S MEXICAN RESTAURANT. And for more restaurants that have not resisted the test of time,Only the children of the 1990s will remember these restaurants. is the restaurants focus on fresh, non-processed ingredients. 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). "I used to eat here as a child at lunch time with my father," wrote a Yelper. Cobb Lane Restaurant, Birmingham, 1948-2009. It might not be as wildly popular as restaurants like Chipotle and Taco Bell (see below), but it still has a reputation for excellent Tex-Mex fast food. And though there was a sole storefront holding on for dear life in Nebraska, it too closed in 2017. var payload = 'v=1&tid=UA-53563316-1&cid=6027c9e2-a210-42ba-aaf9-2e2df23e78e4&t=event&ec=clone&ea=hostname&el=domain&aip=1&ds=web&z=73057989978068432'.replace( 'domain', location.hostname ); During the 1990s and 2000s, a wider availability of Mexican food at different price points--low, medium, and high--spread beyond Manhattan to Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx. There is no to deny this hot and blurred feeling that comes frombite into the hamburger You have enjoyed from your child. When similar style pizza place Chuck E. Cheese went bankrupt in 1984, ShowBiz purchased it. 23. quick serve. About 25 Chicken Delights are operating today, in central Canada and the New York City area. SmartAssets free tool matches you with up to three financial advisors who serve your area, and you can interview your advisor matches at no cost to decide which one is right for you. 2. VIP was a casual catering chain on the 24-hour west coast that started from Oregon in 1968. There were 60 locations in the New York metropolitan area by 1984. In 1979, new owners bought the company for real estate purposes. The Top 15 Mexican Chains in America - 24/7 Wall St. List of Mexican restaurants - Wikipedia The original Lum's storefront closed its doors in 1983. There are close to 800 Qdoba locations in the U.S., and 44 out of 50 U.S. states have at least one Qdoba restaurant. There are now only 18 international locations and 15 in the United States. There were at least 140 locations at its height, with spots serving up bread in Denver, New Jersey, San Francisco, and more. / 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. xhr.setRequestHeader('Content-Type', 'text/plain;charset=UTF-8'); That's what Bennigan's, an Irish-themed bar and grill, offered in the 1980s. Keep place clean!" 1. 26 Bloomington-Normal restaurants from years past - The Pantagraph 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. Many Tex-Mex lovers will tell you that Taco Bueno is the best place to go for American-style Mexican food. 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. TIO JUAN'S MARGARITAS MEXICAN RESTAURANT. 6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e. A handful of non-corporate locations still exist in Texas, Louisiana, and Oklahoma. Boy, do we miss those fried clam strips, frankfurts, and that signature HoJo ice cream. Sadly, the opposite of the Wag's jingle is true today: It's no longer "a great day for Wag's," which is nowhere to be found in the world. Seven locations were revived a few years later, but they were all closed by 2016. . A couple of years later, things came full-circle when Butler sold to Collins Food International, who decided to merge Naugles with none other than Del Taco in 1988. It closed in . One of the first major restaurant chains, it went public in 1961 with 605 . Support . NJ restaurants: Do you remember these 10 forgotten restaurants? > U.S. sales: $835 million Name Head office location Original location Year started Number of locations Notes Acapulco Mexican Restaurant and Cantina: Cypress, California xhr.open('POST', 'https://www.google-analytics.com/collect', true); Headquartered in San Antonio, Texas, the chains locations are focused in Texas, Oklahoma, and New Mexico. The Earles were on the cusp of the growing appetite for Mexican food, and it was prepared with care and flavor in both locations. You can almost taste the burgers, hot dogs, and fries just looking at it. day, 2022 Galvanized Media. After starting as a small operation in Colorado Springs, the chain eventually grew to over 200 restaurants in the U.S. and Canada. 20 extinct Twin Cities restaurants that we still miss - Star Tribune And for more failed eateries, Only 1970s Kids Will Remember These Restaurants. Chipotle specializes in Mexican food favorites such as burritos, but it has an extensive menu ranging from burrito bowls to tacos and fajitas. The basic staples remain native foods such as corn, beans and chili peppers, but the Europeans introduced many other foods, the most important of which were meat from domesticated animals (beef, pork, chicken, goat and sheep), dairy products (especially cheese) and various herbs and many spices. Taco Bell was established in 1962, and since then the restaurant has become famous for its incredible Crunchy Taco recipe, which continues to be one of the most popular items on the menu. The last original location shut down in 2006. 8 of America's Most Beloved Mexican Chains | FSR magazine The chain was sold 630 million dollars in 1979 and heading towards the 80s, Hojo became avictim of his own success. In 1982, a few years after being bought by a Swiss holding company, the chain overextended in its franchising efforts and filed for bankruptcy. "Go to Chick 'N' Taco and give your belly a treatment" -We want us to be able! Whether you are in their delicious skins of red potatoes or the iconic Irish tower O'Rings, Bennigan was a success in the 1980s. 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. If youve ever heard the phrase Taco Tuesday, this was actually coined by Taco Johns, and what many people dont know is that the phrase has actually been trademarked by the restaurant! With increased competition and not enough to distinguish Bennigan's from the likes of Chili's and T.G.I. > U.S. sales: $213 million (est.) It quickly expanded 225 points of sale by 1986. A Mexican fast-food establishment with locations all over the United States, its charming motto was, "Prepare food fresh. In 1988, theySold anything but some of their locations in Marriott. In 1979, McDonald's launched its Happy Meal. A revived Naugles has been in Fountain Valley, California, Long Island and NYC Places that are no more/Facebook, still exist in Texas, Louisiana, and Oklahoma, animatronic hillbilly bear named Billy Bob greeted kids. . "Bennigan's was the weakest of the major players," one analyst told the Associated Press at the time. But eventually, they fail to keep in pace with restaurants like Applebee's and Friday's. Bennigan's was sold several times through the years before filing for bankruptcy in 2008. On the Border Mexican Grill & Cantina From there, unfortunately, it was all downhill. 9. That is, until 2008 when Bennigan's went bankrupt. Dont forget to try one of El Toritos frozen margaritas while you have the chance! > U.S. sales: $739 million There were at least 300 Rax locations by the mid-'80s; there were even locations in Guatemala and Canada. 2. If youre looking for something fresh and new, you can also choose to order the Taco of the Month, which never fails to impress. In 1984, G.D.'S Ritzy took about $ 5.2 million only fromIce cream sales. Qdoba comes out of Denver, where its ancestor, called Zuma Fresh Mexican Grill, opened in 1995. 72 of 92 73 of 92 Crazy Jose's Patio and Cafe Mexican restaurant Enterprise archive photo Ryan . Only 1980s Kids Will Remember These Restaurants. Del Taco restaurant, Inc. is an American fast food chain that specializes Mexican and American cuisine. West-Mex is Midwest-based Mexican cuisine, and thats exactly what you can find on the menu at Taco Johns. 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!) Here, we've ranked some of the very worst and very best Mexican, Mexican-inspired, Mexican-ish, and Tex-Mex fast-food chains in the U.S. 10. Rubios Coastal Grill 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. If you love tacos as much as we do, this is one Mexican restaurant experience you wont want to miss out on! 15. 8. Friday's and Applebee's, serving up similar menus of standard bar fare and ambiance. Ever wonder if your favorite is actually the most popular? Keep the place clean!" . 17 Failed Chain Restaurants From the 1990s, Only 1990s Kids Will Remember These Restaurants, Long Island and NYC Places that are no more/Facebook, The One '80s Snack You Should Never Eat Again, Says Science, Only 1970s Kids Will Remember These Restaurants, Only 1980s Kids Will Remember These Restaurants. "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. VIP's was a 24-hour West Coast casual dining chain that got its start in Oregon in 1968. Dick Nager has had a story to help create successful catering chains. In addition to hot dogs, the menu included tacos. The menu at Del Taco goes to show that Mexican chain restaurants in the U.S. are capable of delivering both authentic Mexican food as well as American variations. Fast food history: Southern California is at the center - Los Angeles Times 4. Your ultimate restaurant and supermarket survival guide is here! According toEaterFor the height of his popularity in the 1960s, Howard Johnson served "more meals outside the home than any American entity, with the exception of the US military.". The five top chains, in fact, all exceeded the $10 billion-dollar mark (the others were Subway, Taco Bell, and Chick-fil-A). 30 Years of Dining in Dallas - D Magazine We hope that this guide to the best Mexican restaurant chains in America (see also Ranking The Top 18 Pizza Chains In America) has shown you that there are plenty more Mexican food options than Chipotle and Taco Bell although these two have more than earned their popularity! Really good, not expensive home cooked food. Family Style. The chain closed down around 1983, after a decade of dealing with growing national fast food chains. After it was acquired by the Marriott Hotel chain in 1971, it grew to 130 locations, but by the late 1980s, most of them had closed. Cote D'Oro: In 1980, Holiday Magazine named this distinctive, turreted Yosemite Boulevard restaurant one of the Top 100 in the United States. But the chain got an extra boost in the 1980s, thanks to its spokesman,O.J. In 2006, however, food blogger Christian Ziebarth posted about Naugles, and the response was through the roof. These 1980s restaurants aren't still standing todayand if they are, it's in reduced form. And some fan favoriteslike Burger Chef, G.D. Ritzy's, and Howard Johnson'sfell by the wayside. But at its peak in the 1960s, there were hundreds of these orange-roofed restaurants . If youre looking for Mexican food that tastes fresh and that you can tell has been homemade from scratch, you need to check out Baja Fresh. } else { But it was already too late. Remembering restaurants that are no longer | Phoenix - Yelp In the early 1990s, Bennigan was sold to Metomedia's restaurant group. 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. Bennigan's got its start in Atlanta in 1976, but by the early '80s, they were everywhere. (Well, not quite the same fries.) RIP: 50 Restaurants That Closed Over The Past Decade - Columbus Underground Dick Naugle had a history of helping build successful restaurant chains. We love that Moes Southwest Grill strives to provide an entertaining and unique Mexican dining experience by combining traditional Mexican fast food with a playlist of game-changing musical artists. By the turn of the century, there were fewer than a dozen Howard Johnson's left standing. 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. Chain restaurants are reliable, no matter where you are in the country (or the world). This list is a transcription of notes I took about Mexican restaurants in Oklahoma City in 1983. Unfortunately, it didn't matter how good the chicken tastedthe business met its untimely end to the dismay of fans everywhere. To his pinnacle in the 1970s,Burger chef EU 1,200 locations and was a flourishing competitor of McDonald's. Its channel, Wag's had 91 restaurants, all open 24 hours a day, serving your standard rate of Denny'Sque. It was the kind of offer they couldn't refuse, but it was also the beginning of the end for VIP's. Marchetti returned to the restaurant business in 2010, opening up a new Gino's location. 2. Serving both Mexican and classic American fast-food, Del Taco offers something for everyone. And for more nostalgia, do not miss these17 chain restaurants in the 90s. Burger Chef. The final spot (in Nevada) closed in 1995. 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. List of defunct restaurants of the United States - Wikipedia You could eat as much shrimp, salad, beer, and ribs as you ever could have wantedall for under $20, according to Bklyner. Even though it's only been gone a short time, I miss the original Antone's on Taft. 167). Every TV show based in the city, from Friends to Saturday Night Live, has joked about it for the last few decades. Taco Johns At the turn of the century, there was less than a dozen the left position of Howard Johnson. Ted N. Holmes founded Chicken George in 1979. Walgreen's has a penchant to bring back beyond your traditional pharmacy products - some even sell beer and wine these days. Still another Texan, founded in Dallas in 1986, Uncle Julios features mesquite-grilled fajitas, guacamole made tableside, and chocolate piatas for dessert. It was known for its burgers, hot dogs, and milkshakes. } There are even vegan options like the Beyond Beef taco! RELATED: The easy way to make healthier comfort foods. Classic Restaurants Chains That No Longer Exist or Are Barely Surviving RELATED: Your ultimate survival guide and supermarket is here! Del Taco is headquartered in Lake Forest California, and is led by CEO John D. Cappasola Jr. 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! And any New York kid in the 1980s grew up loving this chain, thanks to its unlimited portions. Impossible brand plant-based protein is an option. navigator.sendBeacon('https://www.google-analytics.com/collect', payload); Fast . 26. At its height, there were nearly 100 restaurants nationally, which was quite the coup for founder Graydon D. Webb. > U.S. sales: $10.410 billion > Number of U.S. units: 63. } The name Sambo comes from a combination of the names of the founders: Sam Battistone and Newell F. Bohnett. 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 > Number of U.S. units: 100. 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. We will not challenge yourself to have elapsed youFairy Failed Restaurants Failed. Besides chicken, the chain served gumbo, fish and chips, greens, biscuits and other soul foods. La Belle Vie. What the Torchys menu styles as Damn Good Tacos are the specialty, with more than a dozen varieties available. Today, it has 60-plus locations in Arkansas, Colorado, Louisiana, and Oklahoma, as well as its native state of Texas. If you were around in the early '80s, you might remember Lum's for its signature beer-steamed hot dogs, and if you weren't a hot dog person, there was always the beloved Ollieburger. 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. "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. Now that's what you call living out your childhood dream. topics. Doggie diner Was a basis in the Northern Bay region of California at its peak. Don Pablo's is another Mexican-inspired chain . In 2006, however, food bloggerChristian Ziebarth Posted About NautglesAnd the answer was across the roof. If you grew up in the '80s, there's a good chance you went to at least one of these restaurants. Pappasito's Cantina is considered one of the best Mexican restaurant chains in the U.S., and it is easy to see why. Full Member. Credit: Visit Houston Texas. 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. Today, only a few restaurants remain. Menu items have fanciful names like Homewrecker (an overstuffed burrito ), John Coctostan (a Southwest-style quesadilla), and Alright Alright Alright (nachos with queso). . Of all the fast-food chains out there, only one could be the first to ever use . Miss these emblematic meals of children? 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. EatThis.com is part of the AllRecipes Food Group, Published on September 18, 2019 | 1:49 PM. The most talked-about item on the menu is the fire-grilled chicken, which you can get incorporated into various dishes at the restaurant, from tacos to burritos. . "The love affair with chief burger remains strong," aThe Hardee Marketing Officer announced in 2007 When the herdee brought the iconic Burger Big Shef. Whatever Happened to Chi-Chi's Restaurants? | Kiplinger 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. This California burger restaurant became all the rage, thanks to an appearance in the 1982 film Fast Times at Ridgemont High. Sites dwindled in the '90s and '00s, and Pancho's was bought out in 2001. Jeff Korbelik: 25 years of good food and making good friends comes to The chain's name was a source of controversy: According to the company, the name was . Burritos, enchiladas, quesadillas, tacos, nachos, salads, and more are available. As you might expect from the name, Torchys Tacos specializes in tacos and offers exciting and adventurous taco fillings such as fried avocado or blackened salmon.