10 Restaurant Chains That Flopped

[ghuns]

Penguin Point holds a special place in my heart.

When I was young ('70s) we hardly ever went out to eat, but every once in a while, my Mom and I would meet my Dad at the Penguin Point on Bristol Street in Elkhart across the street from the Miles headquarters where he worked.

I drive by it twice a day. It's still open. Haven't eaten a Penguin Point for years though. Grandpa used to take me to the one in Goshen if we had to run to the John Deere store around lunch time.

When I was a wee lad, every year, the day before Thanksgiving, we would go through Ft Wayne on the way to Grandma's house. We always ate Duff's Smorgasbord and then went to Spiece and got new cowboy boots.

I remember thinking that my dad was genius when he taught me to grab a soup bowl from the salad bar to get ice cream in.

 

[Mark 1911]

Lums hotdogs were great, there was one walking distance from my house. It's an Edwardo's Pizza now. Years ago I had a night job as a waiter at Steak & Ale when I lived in Houston. I had a lot of fun working there.

 

[Indy_Guy_77]

Rax, best roast beef sandwiches.

Rax ain't totally dead, yet!

Rax Roast Beef* I'd Rather Rax, Wouldn't You?

There used to be one in Richmond - not too far from Earlham's campus on US 40. An attempt to Google it leads me to believe that one is gone now.

Google Maps shows one in Anderson, IN, too... But the link above doesn't show any in Indiana at all. Who knows.

I VAGUELY remember the Burger Chef on the east side of Crawfordsville being bought/shifted to Hardee's. (Kind of like I remember the old Target having once been an Airway store)

-J-

 

[Sigblaster]

Some of them were in business an awfully long time to be called "flops". I think of a flop as something short lived and unsuccessful. Sure, they may have failed to adapt and gone out of business, but some of them were quite popular in their day.

I remember that I loved going to Howard Johnson's when I was a kid. I don't really remember the menu, but I do remember that I loved their hot dogs with that toasted-on-the-outside bun. I just remember it was fun, especially when we were traveling.

 

[JettaKnight]

I hope Cracker Barrel makes the list!

Too funny!

If they depended on food for income then yes, they could. I do believe a huge source of there profit is sales of rocking chairs.

 

[RangerRider]

there was still a Don Pablos in laffyette next to lowes ,or was around christmas time anyway

 

[Jack Burton]

I miss Farrell's Ice Cream Parlor.

Ferrell's was our favoritie place in San Diego. Were they here in Indiana?

 

[Indy_Guy_77]

there was still a Don Pablos in laffyette next to lowes ,or was around christmas time anyway

I'm sure individual stores may have closed for various reasons - but as a franchise they're still viable.

-J-

 

[irishanimal917]

Bonanza Steakhouse, Burger Chef, Rax. There were a lot of restaurants here on the west side of Indianapolis around the airport at one time however they've all left for the most part right along with several businesses. Don't get me wrong there still a lot left but not a great variety like there used to be. But in all honesty, the one business I missed the most, is definitely Dunkin' Donuts close to the airport, if you want it now you have to either go to the downtown location or out to Avon. Thank God Man's Grill is still here though!

 

[ghuns]

Bonanza Steakhouse

My only trip to Bonanza was one in Iowa back in '87. I nearly ate them out of all you can eat shrimp. Then we went out to John Deere's 150 anniversary expo. I spent the whole 90 degree afternoon in a port-o-pot begging God to take me home. To this day my stomach turns at any mention of the word "Bonanza".

 

[LockStocksAndBarrel]

Penguin Point tenderloin with cheese and mustard only. Nirvana!
3 in Warsaw, and also in Elkhart, Auburn, Ft. Wayne, etc.

 

[LEaSH]

Has anyone ever ate a Big John's Steak and Onion and Mushroom sandwich?

There a few Big John's still up north, but they're pretty good. You don't need chapstick after you eat on account of all the grease coating your mouth for the rest of the day.

 

[vvet762]

I worked at the Burger Chef in Franklin after graduating high school in 1968. I really liked their tartar sauce on the French fries. I remember how bad the store smelled when the manager chopped onions for sauce. My main job was to machine peel the potatoes and blanch them for later use. It was all from scratch back then. Good memories.

 

[HoughMade]

I drive by it twice a day. It's still open. Haven't eaten a Penguin Point for years though. Grandpa used to take me to the one in Goshen if we had to run to the John Deere store around lunch time...

Cool.....Miles isn't though, much to Elkhart's detriment.

My wife's first job in high school was the Bristol Street Penguin Point.

 

[perry]

Loved when we stopped at HoJo while traveling as a kid. I still count fried clams as one of my favorite foods.

 

[IndyBeerman]

Penguin Point was a great fish/chicken/slaw/ff chain. They had them around auto plants throughout michigan. Last sign I saw of one was in Anderson, In and i thought I was halucinating.

I need to go back and investigate.

Pretty sure there is still one in either Warsaw or Wabash...It's one of those "W" towns.

I have eaten at both of them when I used to deliver beer up to both Warsaw and Wabash. That was a few years ago though.

 

[IndyBeerman]

Ponderosa, Shoneys, Ryan's. There may still be some around but not around here.

Shoney's was a great place for breakfast with their breakfast bar, Ryan's was great, miss Burger Chef and hate that Hardee's can't even make the Big Chef right when they bring it back from time to time.

Poor Folks's was a great place also.

It sucks getting old.

 

[PistolBob]

My favorite missing food joints:

Po' Folks
Sambos - best french dip ever
Arthur Treachers near 38th and Post
Famous Recipe Fried Chicken at Stop 11 and US 31
Chick'n Lick'n in Lawrence, they used to even deliver
Shakey's Pizza

 

[Fishersjohn48]

My favorite missing food joints:

Po' Folks
Sambos - best french dip ever
Arthur Treachers near 38th and Post
Famous Recipe Fried Chicken at Stop 11 and US 31
Chick'n Lick'n in Lawrence, they used to even deliver
Shakey's Pizza

Yeah!!! Shakey's was our family night out place. It's been forever but I remember one being on the West side of Elkhart. We would stand on the bench and watch the guys make the pizza through the window while the banjo and piano player would do sing a longs!

If I remember right it was on Nappanee Street?

 

[madswede]

There used to be a chain that served buffet meals called Shakey's. Great pizza and broasted chicken. My mom would drop me and my older brother off there twice a week cause we ate so much. Funny we are both healthy despite it all. Probably less chemicals in our food in late 70's.