List of defunct restaurants of the United States

Below is a list of defunct restaurants of the United States.

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by expanding it with reliably sourced entries.

A–M

• The All American Burger – a regional American fast-food restaurant chain founded in 1968 in Los Angeles, California by Aaron Binder and made famous in the movie Fast Times At Ridgemont High^[1][2][3][4] Last location was located in Hollywood and was replaced by a Chipotle in 2010.^[5][6]
• Bajio Mexican Grill – a Mexican food chain that was acquired by Costa Vida in 2011^{[7][8][9][10]}
• Beefsteak Charlie's
• Big Daddy's Restaurants
• Bill Knapp's
• Blue Boar Cafeterias
• Boll Weevil
• Boston Sea Party
• Bresler's Ice Cream
• Briazz
• Brigham's – a Boston-area ice cream parlor and restaurant chain that closed in 2013^[11]
• Britling Cafeterias
• Brown Derby
• Burger Chef
• Carrols Restaurant Group
• Casa Bonita
• Chi-Chi's
• Childs Restaurants
• China Coast
• Clifton's Cafeteria
• Clock
• Coon Chicken Inn
• Crystal's Pizza & Spaghetti
• Cuppy's Coffee
• Deco Refreshments, Inc.
• Dee's Drive-In
• Druther's
• Dubrow's Cafeteria
• Duff's Famous Smorgasbord – at one time, it had 150 restaurants^[12][13][14]
• Dutch Pantry  – chain that stretched from New York, south to Florida, and west to Texas;^[15][16] three locations (Clearfield and Dubois, Pennsylvania, and Williamstown, West Virginia) remain open as of 2015
• Earl Abel's
• Forum Cafeterias
• G.D. Ritzy's – a fast food chain with a 1950s diner theme that specialized in hamburgers, sandwiches, salads, and homemade ice cream; founded in 1980 by former Wendy's executive Graydon Webb in Columbus, Ohio; at one time had 120 locations, but only 3 or 4 franchises survived after the company liquidated by 1991^{[17][18][19][20][21][22]}
• Geri's Hamburgers
• Gino's Hamburgers
• Henry's Hamburgers
• Hobo Joe's – IRE investigated this firm in March 1977^{[23][24][25][26]}
• Holly Tree Inn
• Horn & Hardart
• Horne's
• Hot Shoppes, Inc.
• Howard Johnson's – two restaurants are still open with this name, but no longer constitute a true chain
• Huyler's
• Isaly's
• Kelsey's Neighbourhood Bar & Grill
• Kenny Rogers Roasters
• Koo Koo Roo – chicken restaurant chain; last location closed in 2014 and was replaced by Fuddruckers^{[27][28][29][30][31]}
• La Petite Boulangerie
• Laugh-In Restaurant – theme restaurant based on the television show Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In ^[32][33]
• Laughner's Cafeteria
• Little Tavern
• Lum's
• Luther's Bar-B-Q – a Houston-based barbecue chain that was founded in 1975 and later acquired by Pappas Restaurants in 2006^[34][35][36]
• Lyon's  – the last location closed in Sacramento by 2012
• Major Magic's All Star Pizza Revue^[37][38]
• Manning's Cafeterias
• Mighty Casey's
• Minnie Pearl's Fried Chicken^[33][39]
• Montana's Cookhouse
• Morrison's Cafeteria
• Mr. Fables
• Mr. Steak

N–Z

• Naugles
• Nedick's
• Nickerson Farms
• Official All Star Café
• The Original House of Pies
• Pancho's Mexican Buffet – approximately 18 restaurants remain open as independently run restaurants in Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana
• Pantera's Pizza - filed for bankruptcy in 1989 after expanding too fast, absorbing other chains such as Pizza Inn and some Godfather's locations^[40][41][42]
• Pioneer Chicken
• Planet Pizza
• Po' Folk's – once owned by actor Burt Reynolds^[43][44][45]
• Pup 'N' Taco
• Red Barn
• Rio Bravo Cantina
• Roadhouse Grill
• The Royal Canadian Pancake Houses
• Rustler Steak House
• S&W Cafeteria
• Sambo's
• Sandy's
• Schrafft's
• Sholl's Colonial Cafeteria
• Showbiz Pizza Place
• Sir George's Royal Buffet – founded as the Sir George's Smorgasbord House in Orange County California in 1964 and had locations in California, Nevada, Arizona, and Texas^[46][47][48]
• Sisters Chicken & Biscuits – founded in 1979, this was Wendy's first attempt to expand beyond burgers^[49][50][51]
• Specialty Restaurant Group
• Steak and Ale
• Steve's Ice Cream
• Two Pesos
• Valle's Steak House
• Victoria Station – one restaurant remains open in Salem, Massachusetts
• VIP's – Oregon-based restaurant chain
• Wag's
• Weenie Beenie
• Wetson's
• White Coffee Pot
• White Tower Hamburgers
• Wimpy Grills – founded in Bloomington, Indiana in 1934; eventually grew to 25 locations within the United States and 1,500 outside of the U.S.; its international locations were eventually sold to J. Lyons and Co. in the United Kingdom, which remains open while all of the American locations eventually closed by 1978^{[52][53][54][55]}
• Wuv's – Ft. Lauderdale burger chain; filed for bankruptcy in 1981^[56][57]
• Wyatt's Cafeteria – bought by Luby's in 1996^[58][59][60]
• York Steak House – one restaurant remains open in Columbus, Ohio
• Zantigo – a revival of the Zantigo menu and format has seven restaurants in Minneapolis, Minnesota^[61]
• ZuZu's Handmade Mexican Food – an international fast casual Mexican chain that was founded in Dallas by Espartaco Borga and Horatio Lonsdale-Hands in 1989;^{[62][63][64][65][66][67][68]} except for 3 or 4 isolated former franchises in central Texas, the chain did not survive beyond the end of the twentieth century

See also

• Lists of companies
• List of defunct fast-food restaurant chains
• List of defunct retailers of the United States

References

1. "SEC Administrative Ruling 3-4857" (pdf). Security and Exchange Commission. June 30, 1975.
2. "All American Burger To File Under Chapter 11". Wall Street Journal. April 20, 1981. p. 38. (subscription required (help)). Alternate Link via ProQuest.
3. "All-American Burger Franchises". Wall Street Journal. January 16, 1980. p. 43. (subscription required (help)). Alternate Link via ProQuest.
4. Delugach, Al (October 8, 1981). "All-American Burger Founder Is Accused of Fraud by the SEC". Los Angeles Times. p. G3. (subscription required (help)). Alternate Link via ProQuest.
5. "Chipotle Lovers Rejoice! New Location Opening on Sunset". Weho Daily. October 9, 2010.
6. Tomicki, Hadley (April 30, 2010). "Is Burritofication Kinda Like Scarification?". Grub Street.
7. "Costa Vida, Bajio to merge". Provo Daily Herald. February 16, 2011.
8. Warnock, Caleb (February 17, 2011). "Bajios to become Costa Vidas". Provo Daily Herald.
9. "Utah firm acquires Bajio brand". Salt Lake Tribune. October 30, 2009.
10. Andrus, Elyssa (January 14, 2003). "Bodacious burros and speedy service at Bajio". Provo Daily Herald.
11. Luna, Taryn (July 17, 2013). "Last two Brigham's stores must change name: Ice cream parlors bear iconic brand's name". Boston Globe.
12. Rakauskas, Christine (July 14, 1990). "From Hometown To Nationwide, Duff's Keeps Original Flavor". Orlando Sentinel.
13. Frydman, Ken (October 5, 1987). "Choice gets new lease on life: revamped buffets rise from defunct Duff's chain. (Choice "All You Care to Eat" Smorgasbord, Duff's Famous Smorgasbord)". Nation's Restaurant News – via HighBeam Research. (subscription required (help)).
14. Chavez, Tim (April 27, 1985). "Restaurant Firm Files Bankruptcy". Oklahoman.
15. Kummerlowe, Richard. "Dutch Pantry Family Restaurant". Host of the highways (blog).
16. Gleiter, Sue (May 15, 2014). "Throwback Thursday: Remember Dutch Pantry Restaurants, the hex signs and apple fritters?". Patriot News.
17. Ball, Brian R. (September 13, 2012). "Restaurant vet Graydon Webb lands at PSB Realty". Business First.
18. Eaton, Dan (April 14, 2008). "New era dawning at Rise & Dine with new leadership team in place". Business First.
19. Brawley, Peggy (June 4, 1984). "Here's the Scoop!". People.
20. Phillips, Jeff (October 22, 1990). "Ritzy's Discussing Sales of Assets". Business First. Link via ProQuest.
21. Phillips, Jeff (February 24, 1992). "Ritzy's Owners Seek $100,000 From Franchisee". Business First. Link via ProQuest.
22. Stuertz, Mark (October 28, 2004). "Ritzy Flitz: Ritzy's making a comeback". Dallas Observer.
23. "Arizona Probe: Where does the money end up?". Wilmington Morning Star. March 19, 1977. p. 24.
24. "'Hobo Jo's' A Pipeline For Mafia Cash". The Hour. March 19, 1977. p. 20.
25. "Reports examine funds diverted From Arizona restaurant chain". Bryan Times. March 19, 1977. p. 10.
26. "Colony Kitchens Buys Hobo Joe's". Los Angeles Times. April 6, 1971. p. C19. (subscription required (help)). Alternate Link via ProQuest.
27. "Koo Koo Roo, Inc. History". Funding Universe.
28. Bernstein, Sharon (April 29, 2010). "Koo Koo Roo to close 10 stores in state; The cuts, part of a bankruptcy plan, will leave the chain three sites in California.". Los Angeles Times.
29. "WeHo Koo Koo Roo Closing Sunday". WEHOville. September 26, 2013.
30. Traeger, Steve (July 21, 2014). "Architectural Review Board Meeting: July 21, 2014" (PDF). City of Santa Monica.
31. Last Koo Koo Roo website at the Wayback Machine (archived June 26, 2014)
32. "Laugh-In Chain Of Restaurants Set". Washington Post. February 27, 1969. p. C12. (subscription required (help)). Alternate Link via ProQuest.
33. Richard, Jr., Elliott J (September 22, 1969). "Home to Roost: Excesses of the Fast Food Franchisers Are Catching Up With Some". Barron's. p. 5. Link via ProQuest.
34. Kaplan, David & Sixel, L.M. (May 6, 2006). "Luther's Bar-B-Q fading as Pappas takes over: Pappas Bar-B-Q takes over, begins converting Luther's". Houston Chronicle.
35. Wollam, Allison (May 7, 2006). "Luther's shift to Pappas a sign of the times". Houston Business Journal.
36. Zuckerman, Dave (January 30, 1984). "Luther's bar-b-que slates massive expansion". Nation's Restaurant New – via Highbeam Research.
37. Chavez, Jon (July 8, 2010). "Major magic not enough to keep restaurant open". Toledo Blade.
38. Beckmann, Dan (July 20, 2010). "R. I. P. Major Magic". Schmonews.
39. Carey, Bill (September 28, 2000). "Failed Fortunes – Nashville Will Never Forget the Business Debacle That Was Minnie Pearl's Fried Chicken". Nashville Scene. Retrieved February 12, 2012.
40. "Pantera's pact places pizza operator on map; adding former Godfather's outlets". Nation's Restaurant News. April 7, 1986 – via HighBeam Research. (subscription required (help)).
41. "Acquisitions". Los Angeles Times. July 31, 1987.
42. "Pantera's Makes Chapter 11 Filing". New York Times. September 26, 1989.
43. Bruno, Karen (June 20, 1988). "Po Folks plans reorganization: top priority: raise capital to wipe out $20M debt". Nation's Restaurant News – via HighBeam Research. (subscription required (help)).
44. "Po Folks Inc. Files For Chapter 11 Status, Posts Loss for Quarter". Wall Street Journal. December 31, 1987. (subscription required (help)). Alternate Link via ProQuest.
45. Sword, Doug (December 9, 1985). "Tennessee Firm to Buy Folks Restaurants Inc.". Cincinnati Business Courier. Link via ProQuest.
46. "Sir George's Smorgasbord Stock". Wall Street Journal. April 14, 1969. (subscription required (help)). Alternate Link via ProQuest.
47. "Restaurant Acquires New Headquarters". Los Angeles Times. June 22, 1969. (subscription required (help)). Alternate Link via ProQuest.
48. "Welcome Owner at Sir George's". Van Nuys Valley News. June 27, 1969. p. 30.
49. "Wendy's Plans National Market For Chicken, Biscuit Outlets". Ocala Star-Banner. October 12, 1982.
50. Keegan, William O. (January 14, 1991). "Sisters buyer seeks to revive troubled chain. (Sisters Chicken and Biscuit chain)". Nation's Restaurant News – via HighBeam Research. (subscription required (help)).
51. Mooney, Barbara (October 5, 1992). "Sisters' Rescuer Regrets Decision: Chicken Chain's Ills Stifle Latest Venture". Crain's Cleveland Business. Link via ProQuest.
52. "Edward V. Gold, 70, the Founder Of the Wimpy's Restaurant Chain". New York Times. October 16, 1977. p. 42. (subscription required (help)). Alternate Link via ProQuest.
53. "Restaurant Chain Formed". New York Times. April 5, 1957. p. 50. (subscription required (help)). Alternate Link via ProQuest.
54. Lazarus, George (July 28, 1978). "Wimpy's for sale; is there 2d Ray Kroc?". Chicago Tribune. p. D9. Alternate Link via ProQuest.
55. "Edward V. Gold, 'Wimpy' Entrepreneur". Washington Post. October 17, 1977. p. C6. (subscription required (help)). Alternate Link via ProQuest.
56. "Wuv's Chain Files Under Chapter 11". New York Times. December 23, 1981.
57. Edwards, John G. (September 30, 1986). "ESM Can Keep Money Awarded In Earlier Fraud". Sun Sentinel.
58. "Wyatt's Cafeterias files Chapter 11 reorganization plan". Business Wire. July 28, 1995.
59. "Luby's agrees to acquire 22 Wyatt's Cafeterias". Nation's Restaurant News. July 1996. Link via EBSCO.
60. "Triangle gets OK on Wyatt's bankruptcy reorganization". Nation's Restaurant News. December 1995. Link via EBSCO.
61. Gilyard, Burl (September 19, 2014). "These Cult Food Brands Still Live On Long Past Their Heyday". Twin Cities Business Magazine.
62. Stovall, Waltrina (September 1, 1989). "ZuZu". Dallas Morning News (Home Final ed.). p. 7. Link via NewsBank.
63. Zimmerman, Martin (August 4, 1992). "ZuZu to take stab at franchising jungle - Restaurant chain is hot on expansion". Dallas Morning News (Home Final ed.). p. 1D. Link via NewsBank.
64. "Borga steps down as ZuZu prexy, coo. (Espartaco Borga resigns as president and chief operating officer of ZuZu Franchising Corp.)". Nation's Restaurant News. October 10, 1994 – via HighBeam Research. (subscription required (help)).
65. "Charity begins on bank auction block". Houston Business Journal. November 30, 1997.
66. Morrison, Melissa (November 8, 1989). "Authenticity makes Zuzu - Assembly-line tostadas not on menu of SMU-area eatery". Dallas Morning News (Home Final ed.). p. 6K. Link via NewsBank.
67. Parker, Penny (February 16, 1995). "ZuZu opening 35 health-Mex outlets in Colorado". Denver Post (Rockies ed.). pp. C–1. Link via NewsBank.
68. Tannenbaumm, Jeffrey A. (August 12, 1997). "Venture Gives Arby's Some Serious Indigestion". Wall Street Journal.