20 WORST Restaurants From The 1980s, Nobody Wants Back!

kids we know that going to Sand's is a lot of fun he says we're going to gos we go to gos hi we want you to come to Bonanza so here's what we're going to do in the 1980s dining out was an adventure but only sometimes in a good way imagine stepping into a restaurant full of anticipation only to be greeted by disappointment on a plate these were the kind of places that made you wish it chosen takeout instead from soggy fries to meals that tasted like they came straight from a science experiment had gone wrong these restaurants were the stuff of culinary nightmares join us as we journey back to explore the 20 worst restaurants in the 1980s that nobody wants to go back to number one Burger Queen various locations Burger Queen was a fast food chain that started in 1956 in Winter Haven Florida Harold and Helen kite founded it and it flourished especially in smaller towns in Kentucky Tennessee and Indiana welcome to the Burger Queen salad bar salad bar with everything every however by the 1980s the chain struggled to compete with larger fast food giants like Burger King and McDonald's due to sunar food quality and lackluster service in 1981 the company decided to Rebrand itself as DRS which was mostly a cosmetic change the menu remained largely the same the rebranding was an attempt to shift the perception from being a burger only restaurant to one that also offered fried chicken and a serve-yourself salad bar despite efforts to improve the chain could not shake its reputation for subpar quality and service leading to its closure in 1991 subsequently the company transitioned into a Dairy Queen franchise however one former dr's location still operates independently similar to Burger Queen another restaurant from the 1980s also struggled with poor customer reviews number two Benin Benin an Irish Pub theme American casual dining restaurant chain was founded in 1976 by Norman e Brinker in Atlanta during the 1980s it was owned by the Pillsbury Corporation the chain operated Under pillsbury's restaurant division until Pillsbury was acquired by the British liquor conglomerate Grand Metropolitan see Advent we need this now now tonight like tonight tonight like when you need to escape from the everyday tonight escape to benan benan restaurant gained popularity for its cozy Pub likee Ambiance and menu featuring Irish inspired dishes like shepherd's pie and fish and chips however as the 1980s progressed Benin faced increasing criticism for its declining food quality and inconsistent service despite efforts to revamp its image and menu including introducing new items like grilled chicken and pasta dishes benan struggled to regain its former reputation the chain faced Financial challenges leading to the closure of many location ations in the late 1980s and early 1990s ultimately the combination of food quality issues service problems and financial difficulties contributed to benan being widely disliked during the 1980s number three Wags Wags was a familyfriendly restaurant with locations across the USA during the 1980s it was owned and operated by Walgreens and aimed to provide a casual dining experience for families the first Wags restaurant open in the 1960s and by the 1980s it had expanded to various locations one main reason Wags was disliked was its mediocre food quality despite its efforts to offer a diverse menu including Burgers sandwiches and comfort food favorites like fried chicken many customers found the food to be average or below par additionally Wags Decor was often criticized for needing to be updated and to keep up with evolving restaurant Trends these factors combined with increasing competition from other family-friendly chains and a shift in consumer preferences contributed to wag struggle during the 1980s the chain faced Financial challenges and closures of some locations leading to its decline in popularity and reputation during that decade wag's struggle during the 1980s mirrored the challenges faced by other familyfriendly chains such as Shaky's Pizza Parlor which despite its Lively entertainment offerings received criticism for its lackluster food quality number four Shaky's Pizza Parlor Shaky's Pizza Parlor was founded in Sacramento California on April the 30th of 1954 by Sherwood shaky Johnson and Ed plumber it was renowned for its entertainment offerings including live music and arcade games however despite its Lively atmosphere and entertainment Shaky's Pizza was criticized for its Bland taste and greasy texture the first shaky pizza parlor opened in 1954 and by the 1980s it had expanded to various locations nationwide while customers enjoyed the fun Ambiance and activities many found the pizza needed more flavor and needed to be greasy detracting from the overall dining experience despite efforts to improve the quality of their pizza and introduce new menu items shaky struggled to shake off its reputation for mediocre Pizza during the 1980s this contributed to declining customer satisfaction and impa the Chain's overall popularity during that decade number five GD rites GD rites founded by Gren web in Columbus Ohio was known for its ice cream and fast food offerings despite its popularity for ice cream treats like Sundays and Shakes and fast food items like Burgers and Fries it operated in various locations across the USA during the 1980s GD ritzy faced challenges that led to its criticism and decline the first GD ritzy restaurant opened in the late 1970s and by the 80s it had expanded to multiple locations however one of the main issues GD ritzy faced was food quality inconsistency customers often reported variations in The Taste and freshness of their food which affected their overall dining experience additionally GD ritzy struggled to compete with larger fast food chains with more extensive menus and established brand recognition this competitive pressure and the challenges of maintaining consistent food quality across its locations contributed to its dislike during the 1980s similarly York Steakhouse another popular chain known for its affordable steak dinners faced the same fate due to struggles in maintaining food quality and service inconsistency number six York Steakhouse York Steakhouse gained popularity for its affordable steak dinners the chain opened its first location in the early 1960s and expanded to various locations across the USA however during the 1980s York Steakhouse struggled to maintain quality and consistency in its food and service owned by General Mills restaurants York Steakhouse aimed to provide budget friendly steak options to customers they serve classic steak dishes along with sides like baked potatoes and salads despite its initial success many customers complained about overcooked steaks BL land flavors and slow service leading to a decline in popularity and ultimately resulting in the closure of many of its locations by the late 1980s number seven sambos sambos was an American restaurant chain founded in 1957 by Sam bistone senior and N Bonnet in Santa Barbara California unfortunately the name and the founders names echoed the title character from the children's book the story of Little Black leading to R insensitivity controversy the chain expanded rapidly boasting 1117 locations By 1979 despite its growth sambos face backlash for its name and theme which many consider derogatory the decor included scenes from the book further associating the brand with a controversial character this coupled with what was perceived as mediocre food quality led to widespread criticism the pressure to change the name and the mounting protest eventually took a toll the chain filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy in 1981 and most locations were sold or closed the original location in Santa Barbara continued to operate under the Sambo's name until 2020 when it was finally renamed due to the George Floyd protest Against Racism this contrasted sharply with the success of Howard Johnson's a beloved American dining institution known for its iconic orange roofs and diverse men menu offerings number eight Howard Johnson's Howard Johnson's affectionally known as Hojo was a staple of American Roadside dining famous for its iconic orange roofs and Blue Shutters founded in 1925 by Howard deing Johnson it began as a small soda fountain in Quincy Massachusetts by the 1950s and 60s it had become the most prominent American restaurant Shain however by the 1980s Howard Johnson's began to struggle the once beloved chain faced stiff competition from fast food joints and casual dining establishments that offered quicker service and more modern menus the quality of food at Howard Johnson's once praised for its 28 flavors of ice cream and signature clam strips were perceived to be declining the Marriott Corporation acquired Howard Johnson's from a British conglomerate and the brand shine dimmed as restaurants closed across the country the chains inability to adapt to American Diner rapidly changing taste and expectations ultimately led to its downfall the last Howard Johnson's restaurant closed in 2022 number nine gos hamburgers Goos hamburgers was a fastf food restaurant chain that opened its first location in 1957 in dundock Maryland Baltimore Colts defensive end Gino marchetti founded it with his teammates Alan amichi Joe Campanella and his friend Lewis fiser the chain was known for its hamburgers including the sirlo loiner the jumbo Gino and the Gino giant which competed with the Big Mac despite the celebrity endorsement and initial success Gino's hamburgers fac challenges the expansion into regions where marchet was less known like Massachusetts and Connecticut led to confusion with Pago's Pizza chain and contributed to the closure of those locations additionally inconsistent food quality across various locations led to customer criticism the chain grew to 359 company-owned locations before being acquired by the Marriott Corporation in 1982 Marriott discontinued the gos brand converting many locations to its Roy Rogers restaurants chain the last independently owned genos in pasaden Maryland closed in 1986 speaking of forgettable food experiences there's another restaurant from the80s that people wish they could forget number 10 chi chees chi cheese was a Mexican themed restaurant founded in 1975 in Richfield Minnesota by restaurant tour Maro McDermot and former Green Bay Packers player max McGee Chi-Chi was derived from mcdermitt's wife's nickname The Chain was known for its TexMex Cuisine and festive atmosphere with slogans like a celebration of food and life always needs a little salsa despite its initial popularity ch CH faced significant challenges in the 1980s the Chain's rapid expansion led to management turnover and inconsistent food quality moreover Chi-Chi struggled to compete with emerging casual dining chains and changing consumer taste the most damaging blow came in 2003 with a hepatitis A outbreak linked to contaminated green onions at a chii in Pennsylvania resulted in over 600 infections and four deaths this Public Health crisis severely Tarn the Brand's reputation leading to a decline in patronage Chi-Chi filed for bankruptcy in 2002 and the last of its Us locations closed in 2004 the brand continued in Europe for a while but eventually ceased operations there number 11 Sandy's Hamburgers Sand hamburgers was a chain of American fast food restaurants that began in 1956 by four businessmen from kwani Illinois Gus brick Lumber Robert C Winger Paul White and WK Davidson it was known for its Scottish themed brand which aimed to compete with McDonald's the menu featured items like a 15-cent hamburger a 20-cent milkshake and a 10-cent bag of french fries despite early success Sandy faced challenges and food quality in competition eventually many of sy's locations were converted into Hardy's restaurants after a Takeover in the late 1970s the struggle to maintain consistent food quality in the face of stiff competition from larger chains was a significant factor in the dislike s officially ceased operations in 1979 as the flame of sy's hamburgers flickered and dimmed in the harsh Winds of the fast food industry another was kindling in the warm Hearth of Arthur Treacher fish and chips number 12 Arthur Treacher fish and chips Arthur Treacher's Fish and Chips was named after the English actor known for his Butler roles initially called National fast food Corps the franchise company was founded in Columbus Ohio in 1969 its principles included s Robert Davis who built and leased several Colonel Sanders Kentucky Fried Chicken properties and Dave Thomas the future founder of Wendy's and its peak of the late 1970s the chain boasted 826 stores across the United States the menu primary ly featured fried seafood or chicken accompanied by chips the decline of Arthur treaches began in the 1980s attributed to overexpansion and competition from other Seafood chains additionally changes in consumer taste and the rising fish cost led to a decrease in the quality of their offerings this resulted in widespread criticism and the closure of many locations by March of 2023 only three Standalone locations remained the brand struggle symbolize the challenges fast food chains face in adapting to changing markets and maintaining quality during rapid growth number 13 Victoria Station Victoria Station was a chain of restaurants known for its unique train station themed dining experience it opened its first location in the 1960s and expanded to various locations across the USA during the80s the restaurants were designed to resemble train stations with car dining rooms and Railway themed decor owned by Victoria Station Incorporated the chain served various dishes including steaks seafood and salads however Victoria Station faced several challenges during the 1980s despite its intriguing concept and early success one of the main issues was overpricing with many customers feeling that the food quality and dining experience did not justify the menu prices additionally there were complaints about declining food quality with some customers reporting in consistency in preparation and taste these factors contributed to a decline in Victoria station's popularity during the 1980s leading to the closure of several locations by the end of the decade the chain struggled to maintain its unique concept while meeting customer expectations ultimately led to its downfall moving on from Victoria Station here's a look at another restaurant that didn't quite cut it in the80s number 14 Lums Lums was a unique American Family restaurant chain founded in 1956 by Brothers Stewart and Clifford s Pearlman in Miami Beach Florida they started with a simple hot dog stand purchased for $10,000 and expanded over 400 locations by 1972 including in the US Puerto Rico and European sites the chain was known for its signature hot dog steamed in beer a novelty that initially Drew in crowds however the 1980s brought challenge Lums began to struggle after changing hands multiple times including a purchase by the chairman of Kentucky Fried Chicken and later a Swiss holding company the Swiss firm's bankruptcy in 1982 closed many of lum's locations the decline of Lums was due to a combination of factors shifting ownership financial troubles and perhaps a waning interest in their beer steamed hot dogs as dining Trends evolved the last Lums location closed on May the 28th of 2017 marking the end of an era for this once popular chain number 15 Bonanza Stakehouse Bonanza Steakhouse a name derived from the popular TV series Bonanza was founded in 1963 by Dan Blocker who played Eric hos cartright on the show the first location opened in Westport Connecticut and the chain grew to approximately 600 restaurants by 1989 owned by Sam Wy and his brother Charles after they bought the chain Bonanza offered a buffet style menu with steaks seafood and chicken Entre in the 1980s Bonanza faced criticism for the quality of its food particularly for tough stakes and a lack of variety which led to a decline and popularity the chain struggle was part of a broader Trend to casual dining establishments failing to adapt to changing consumer taste and the economic challenges of the era despite its efforts Bonanza could not maintain its early success leading to the closure of many locations over time Bonanza Steakhouse may have been a flop but it's nothing compared to the failure of Brewster's Chicken number 16 Brewster's Chicken Brewster's Chicken was a chain of restaurants owned by Frank Carney co-founder of Pizza Hut it was known for its Fried Chicken offerings and had locations across various regions in the USA during the 1980s despite gaining popularity for its crispy and flavorful Fried Chicken Brewsters face challenges maintaining consistency and taste and quality the first Brewster chicken restaurant open in the late 1970s and by the 80s it had expanded to multiple locations customers appreciated Brewers for its signature fried chicken recipe which featured a blend of herbs and spices that created a distinctive flavor profile however Brewsters needed help with maintaining consistent standards across its locations some customers reported variations in The Taste and quality of the fried chicken with some experiences needing to be more satisfying than others this inconsistency in food quality became a point of criticism for Brewster during the 1980s despite efforts to address these issues and improve consistency Brewsters fa challenges in meeting customer expectations across its chain of restaurants this contributed to its reputation for being disliked by some customers during that decade number 17 Steak and Ale established by the Pillsbury company Steak and Ale was a chain of restaurants with various locations across the USA during the 1980s known for its affordable stakes and casual dining atmosphere however despite its initial popularity stake and Ale faced challenges that led to declining food quality and the closures of many locations the first Steak and Ale Restaurant opened in the 1960s and by the80s it had established itself as a go-to spot for Stak lovers seeking reasonably priced meals customers enjoyed the menu variety which included steaks Seafood salads and appetizers unfortunately as the 1980s progressed Steak and Ale faced criticism for declining food quality many customers reported needing to be more consistent in preparing steaks and other dishes leading to dissatisfaction with their dining experiences these issues combined with changes in consumer preferences and increased competition for from other restaurant chains contributed to Stak and ale's decline as a result Steak and Ale closed many of its locations during the 1980s marking a downturn in its once popular reputation for affordable stakes and casual dining if you thought Stak and Ale was bad wait until you hear about this other 1980s restaurant that people wish never existed number 18 gobbler Supper Club Wisconsin Allan and Janet bus own the gobler Supper Club in Wisconsin it was known during the 80s for its Thanksgiving themed decor and dining experience despite its unique and festive Ambiance the restaurant faced criticism for its mediocre food quality the gobler Supper Club featured a menu that reflected traditional American Cuisine including Thanksgiving favorites like roast turkey stuffing and cranberry sauce however customers often found that the food tasted average and needed more flavor than other dining options while the restaurant's themed decor and seasonal offerings attracted patrons seeking a nostalgic dining experience the consistency of food quality ultimately led to customer satisfaction this criticism contributed to the gobler supper club's challenges during the 1980s despite its efforts to maintain its Thanksgiving theme and provide a memorable dining atmosphere the gobler Supper Club struggled to meet diners expectations of food quality leading to a decline in popularity during that decade number 19 wimpies Edward gold founded wimpies known initially as wimpy grills in 1934 in Bloomington Indiana the name was inspired by Jay Wellington Wimpy from the Popeye cartoons despite its early success wimpy struggled to compete with fast food giants like McDonald's and Burger King in the US leading to its closure in 1977 the inconsistency in food quality was a significant factor in its struggle as customers tend to favor reliable and consistent dining experiences the Brand's inability to adapt to the evolving fast food market also contributed to its Decline and popularity Wimpy's menu included hamburgers fries and other typical fast food items but it also offered unique items like hot dog venders and pastries in the UK meanwhile the chain still operates internationally particularly in the UK and South Africa where it has undergone rebranding efforts stepping away from wimpies lent shift our Focus to sloppy spatula another forgettable restaurant from the80s number 20 the sloppy spatula the sloppy spatula opened in 1982 and closed in 1986 under the ownership of Chef Benny mcburns specializing in overcooked burgers and Soggy fries the

Channel: America Before

Views: 126,940

Keywords: 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 20th century, america before, america during the 1970s, american nostalgia, baby boomers, gen x, golden age, memories, old america, old commericals, old hollywood, old movies, oldies, photo album, retro, rock n roll, things only baby boomers will understand, usa before, usa nostalgia, vintage

Id: O4nbm_cKTdk

Length: 23min 48sec (1428 seconds)

Published: Wed May 22 2024