Seventy-one brand guides to sit-down restaurant chains — who owns each name and which have closed.
Restaurant chains carry their identity on signs, menus and buildings. These guides cover sit-down chains, with ownership changes stated with dates and closures stated plainly.
How to use these guides
Each guide covers who owns the name today, where the products are made — by the maker’s own account and, where it differs, by other sources — and the brand’s visual identity. A company’s description of itself is attributed to the company, and where a business has closed we say so plainly. The table at the end gathers the essentials.
American restaurant chains
Howard Johnson’s, Big Boy, Shoney’s, Sizzler, Boston Market, Roy Rogers and Ponderosa.
- Howard Johnson’s — The name Howard Deering Johnson started in Quincy, Massachusetts, in 1925, known for orange roofs, cupolas and the Simple Simon and the Pieman sign, whose restaurants closed by 2022 while the hotels continue as Howard Johnson by Wyndham.
- Big Boy — The name Bob Wian gave his Glendale, California, hamburger stand in the 1930s, carried by a checked-overall mascot and fibreglass statues, owned by Marriott and Elias Brothers, and split since 2001 between Big Boy Restaurant Group and Frisch’s.
- Shoney’s — The Nashville family-restaurant name that began as Alex Schoenbaum’s Parkette Drive-In in Charleston, West Virginia, in 1947, was a Big Boy franchise renamed Shoney’s in 1954, left Big Boy for its own bear mascot, and has been owned by David Davoudpour since 2007.
- Sizzler — The Sizzler Family Steak House opened by Del and Helen Johnson in Culver City in 1958, later owned by Collins Foods International, Worldwide Restaurant Concepts and Pacific Equity Partners, split in 2011 into Sizzler USA and an overseas brand Minor International bought in 2023.
- Boston Market — Opened as Boston Chicken in Newtonville, Massachusetts, in December 1985, renamed Boston Market in 1995, owned by McDonald’s from 2000, Sun Capital Partners from 2007 and Engage Brands, part of Rohan Group, since 2020.
- Roy Rogers — A 1968 Marriott renaming of the RoBee’s roast-beef chain under a licence for the cowboy star’s name, sold to Hardee’s parent Imasco in 1990 and owned since 2002 by the Plamondon family’s Roy Rogers Franchise Company of Frederick, Maryland.
- Ponderosa — A 1965 Kokomo, Indiana steak house that moved to Dayton in 1971, took its name from the ranch in the TV western Bonanza, joined Bonanza Steakhouse under Metromedia, passed to FAT Brands in 2017 and to the lender group FBG Bid Co., now OHG Brands, in 2026.
Defunct and revived chains
Burger Chef, Bennigan’s, Steak and Ale, Ground Round, Chi-Chi’s, Horn & Hardart, Bonanza Steakhouse and Rax Roast Beef.
- Burger Chef — The Indianapolis fast-food chain opened by an equipment company in 1957, bought by General Foods, fronted by the mascots Burger Chef and Jeff, sold to Hardee’s owner Imasco in 1982 and converted, with its Big Shef name later revived by Hardee’s.
- Bennigan’s — The Irish pub-themed restaurant Norman Brinker created as a Pillsbury division in 1976, later owned by Metromedia, whose company restaurants closed in 2008 and which Paul and Gwen Mangiamele’s Legendary Restaurant Brands has owned since 2015.
- Steak and Ale — The Dallas steakhouse Norman Brinker opened in 1966 with Tudor-style rooms, owned by Pillsbury and Metromedia, closed in the 2008 bankruptcy and owned since 2015 by Legendary Restaurant Brands, which reopened it in Burnsville, Minnesota, in 2024.
- Ground Round — The casual restaurant Howard Johnson’s started in 1969, known for free popcorn and peanut shells on the floor, bought by its franchisees’ cooperative after the 2004 bankruptcy, and revived in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, by Joseph and Nachi Shea in 2025.
- Chi-Chi’s — The Mexican restaurant chain founded in Minnesota in 1975 by Marno McDermott and Max McGee, owned by Foodmaker and Family Restaurants (later Prandium), closed in 2004, carried on by Hormel Foods on grocery packs and revived in 2025 by the founder’s son.
- Horn & Hardart — The Philadelphia food company founded by Joseph Horn and Frank Hardart in 1888, whose Automats opened in Philadelphia in 1902 and New York in 1912 with Art Deco rooms and dolphin coffee spouts, closed its last Automat in 1991 and returned as a coffee brand.
- Bonanza Steakhouse — The steakhouse chain the company says Dan Blocker founded in Westport, Connecticut, in 1963, named after the television western, joined with Ponderosa under Metromedia, owned by FAT Brands from 2017 and part of the lender-owned group renamed OHG Brands since 2026.
- Rax Roast Beef — The Ohio roast beef chain that began as JAX Roast Beef in Springfield in 1967, became RIX under General Foods and Rax under Restaurant Administration Corporation, ran the Mr. Delicious campaign in 1992, and whose trademark From Rax to Rich’s has owned since 2007.
Cafeterias and family dining
Luby’s, Piccadilly Cafeterias, Perkins, Village Inn and Eat’n Park.
- Luby’s — The Texas cafeteria brand Bob Luby opened in San Antonio in 1947, run for decades by a parent called Cafeterias, Inc., renamed for its founder in 1981, moved to Houston in 2004, and covered in 2021 by an agreement to sell the brand to Calvin Gin after the company’s liquidation.
- Piccadilly Cafeterias — The Baton Rouge cafeteria T.H. Hamilton bought in 1944 from a business trading since 1932, named, the Orlando Sentinel reported, for the idea of picking “a dilly” of a meal, merged with Morrison’s in 1998 and controlled by Falcon Holdings from 2014.
- Perkins — The pancake-house chain Matt and Ivan Perkins started in Cincinnati, renamed several times since, run from Memphis after 1979, bought by Huddle House in 2019, owned by Atlanta’s Ascent Hospitality Management and renamed Perkins American Food Co. with a lighter green logo in 2024.
- Village Inn — The pancake house brothers-in-law Jim Mola and Merton Anderson opened in Denver in 1958 under a name bought with a Colorado Springs restaurant, run by Vicorp, then American Blue Ribbon Holdings, owned by BBQ Holdings since 2021 within MTY Food Group.
- Eat’n Park — The Pittsburgh drive-in Larry Hatch and Bill Peters opened on 5 June 1949 as a Big Boy franchise, named by reversing the roadside sign “Park and Eat,” known for red-and-white signs and the Smiley Cookie, and run today by Eat’n Park Hospitality Group in Homestead.
Pizza chains
Pizza Hut, Little Caesars, Papa John’s, Chuck E. Cheese, Sbarro, Godfather’s Pizza, Round Table Pizza and Papa Murphy’s.
- Pizza Hut — The Wichita pizza chain started in 1958 by Dan and Frank Carney, the red-roof building of 1969, owned by PepsiCo from 1977 and Yum! Brands from 1997, the 2014 tomato-splotch logo and the 2019 retro return, and LongRange Capital ownership outside mainland China since 2026.
- Little Caesars — The pizza chain opened in Garden City, Michigan, in May 1959 by Mike and Marian Ilitch, named for Marian’s nickname for Mike, voiced by a cartoon Caesar shouting “Pizza! Pizza!” since 1979, and redrawn in 2017 with “LC” hidden in the toga.
- Papa John’s — The pizza chain John Schnatter started in 1984 in a broom closet at the back of his father’s tavern in Jeffersonville, Indiana, its founder-fronted advertising, and the November 2021 refresh that dropped the apostrophe and named its colours basil green, marinara red and dough.
- Chuck E. Cheese — Nolan Bushnell’s Pizza Time Theatre, opened in San Jose in 1977 with a mascot bought as a coyote costume that turned out to be a rat, merged with ShowBiz Pizza in 1985, renamed several times, and its animatronic band retired everywhere but Northridge from 2023.
- Sbarro — The pizza chain that traces itself to a Brooklyn salumeria opened in 1956 by Gennaro and Carmela Sbarro, grew through shopping-mall food courts from 1970, passed to MidOcean Partners in 2007, moved its headquarters to Columbus, Ohio, and swapped a flag logo for a slice outline in 2015.
- Godfather’s Pizza — The Omaha pizza chain founded in 1973, franchised by Willy Theisen, owned by Pillsbury, bought out by a management group led by Herman Cain and Ronald Gartlan, and fronted in its commercials by “The Godfather” in a white fedora and pinstripe suit.
- Round Table Pizza — The chain William Larson started in Menlo Park, California, on 21 December 1959, named for a round table his father helped build, given an Arthurian theme around 1961 and three shields in 1970, later employee-owned, then part of Global Franchise Group, FAT Brands and, from June 2026, FBG Bid Co.
- Papa Murphy’s — The take-and-bake pizza chain formed in 1995 when Terry Collins merged Papa Aldo’s of Hillsboro, Oregon, with Murphy’s Pizza of Petaluma, California, based in Vancouver, Washington, listed on Nasdaq in 2014 and owned by MTY Food Group since 2019.
Casual dining
Olive Garden, Red Lobster, Applebee’s, Chili’s, TGI Fridays, Outback Steakhouse, Cracker Barrel Old Country Store and Denny’s.
- Olive Garden — The Italian-American restaurant chain that opened in Orlando on 13 December 1982 as a General Mills unit, dropped “The” from its name in 1998, has belonged to Darden Restaurants since 1995 and swapped its grape cluster for olive branches in a 2014 logo update.
- Red Lobster — The seafood restaurant chain Bill Darden and Charley Woodsby opened in Lakeland, Florida, on 18 January 1968, owned by General Mills from 1970, Darden from 1995, Golden Gate Capital from 2014, Thai Union from 2020 and RL Investor Holdings since September 2024.
- Applebee’s — The neighbourhood grill Bill and T. J. Palmer opened in Decatur, Georgia, in November 1980 as T.J. Applebee’s Rx for Edibles & Elixirs, sold to W. R. Grace in 1983, franchised from Kansas City from 1988, owned by IHOP’s parent, now Dine Brands, since 2007.
- Chili’s — The grill Larry Lavine opened with Malloy Buckner and John Foshee in a converted post office on Greenville Avenue, Dallas, in 1975, taken over by Norman Brinker in 1983, now owned by Brinker International and marked by a chili pepper.
- TGI Fridays — Alan Stillman’s 1965 bar at 63rd Street and First Avenue in Manhattan, a red-and-white striped awning, a Dallas prototype with a raised square bar, owners from Carlson to Sentinel and TriArtisan, and Sugarloaf as owner and franchisor since 2025.
- Outback Steakhouse — A Tampa steakhouse opened in 1988 by Chris Sullivan, Bob Basham, Tim Gannon and Trudy Cooper, an Australian theme, a kangaroo mark replaced by a mountain-range logo in 2006, and Bloomin’ Brands as owner.
- Cracker Barrel Old Country Store — A restaurant and gift shop opened by Dan Evins on Highway 109 in Lebanon, Tennessee, in 1969, an ‘Uncle Herschel’ logo used since 1977, porch rocking chairs and walls of antiques.
- Denny’s — Danny’s Donuts, opened in Lakewood, California, in 1953 by Richard Jezak and Harold Butler, renamed Denny’s Coffee Shops in 1959, Googie roofs by Armet & Davis, a Spartanburg base and private owners since January 2026.
Grills, steakhouses and burger bars
Texas Roadhouse, LongHorn Steakhouse, Ruby Tuesday, Red Robin and Buffalo Wild Wings.
- Texas Roadhouse — The steakhouse Kent Taylor opened in Clarksville, Indiana, in February 1993, named after trips through Dallas, run from Louisville, Kentucky, with an armadillo mascot called Andy, line-dancing staff and the motto “Legendary Food, Legendary Service”.
- LongHorn Steakhouse — The Western-themed chain George McKerrow Jr. and partners opened on Peachtree Road in Atlanta in August 1981 as LongHorn Steaks Restaurant & Saloon, modelled on a Texas honky-tonk, later RARE Hospitality, and owned by Darden Restaurants since 2007.
- Ruby Tuesday — The casual-dining restaurant Sandy Beall opened near the University of Tennessee campus in Knoxville in 1972, named after the Rolling Stones song, part of Morrison Inc. from 1982, based in Maryville, Tennessee, and taken private by NRD Capital in December 2017.
- Red Robin — The burger chain that grew from a tavern by Seattle’s University Bridge, called the Red Robin Tavern from 1942 after the song “When the Red, Red Robin (Comes Bob, Bob, Bobbin’ Along)”, bought by Gerry Kingen in 1969, with a cartoon bird and a “Yummm!” sign-off.
- Buffalo Wild Wings — Opened in 1982 near Ohio State University in Columbus as Buffalo Wild Wings & Weck, shortened by customers to “bw-3”, standardised as Buffalo Wild Wings in 1998 and owned by Inspire Brands since February 2018.
Themed and full-service dining
The Cheesecake Factory, P.F. Chang’s, California Pizza Kitchen, Carrabba’s Italian Grill, Bonefish Grill, Maggiano’s Little Italy, Hard Rock Cafe and Rainforest Cafe.
- The Cheesecake Factory — Evelyn and Oscar Overton’s Detroit cheesecakes, the Los Angeles bakery they opened in 1972, the Beverly Hills restaurant their son David opened in 1978, and dining rooms built around site-specific design and painted murals.
- P.F. Chang’s — The Scottsdale chain founded in 1993 by Paul Fleming and Philip Chiang, named from Fleming’s initials and Chiang’s surname, known for the terracotta horse at its entrances, owned by TriArtisan Capital Advisors and Paulson & Co. since 2019.
- California Pizza Kitchen — The Beverly Hills restaurant opened on 27 March 1985 by former federal prosecutors Larry Flax and Rick Rosenfield, known as CPK almost from the start, fronted by its founders in advertising and sold through malls, a Las Vegas casino and supermarket freezers.
- Carrabba’s Italian Grill — The Houston restaurant Johnny Carrabba and his uncle Damian Mandola opened on Kirby Drive on 26 December 1986, grown through a 1993 joint venture with Outback Steakhouse, Inc., now Bloomin’ Brands, with family names across its menu.
- Bonefish Grill — The seafood restaurant Tim Curci and Chris Parker opened on St. Petersburg’s Fourth Street North in January 2000, marked by a fish-skeleton logo, built up through a 2001 joint venture with Outback Steakhouse Inc. and today part of Bloomin’ Brands of Tampa.
- Maggiano’s Little Italy — The family-style Italian-American restaurant Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises opened at Clark Street and Grand Avenue in Chicago in November 1991, named for partner Marvin Magid, owned by Brinker International since 1995 and being reimaged from 2025.
- Hard Rock Cafe — The restaurant Isaac Tigrett and Peter Morton opened in London in June 1971, with a round logo by Alan Aldridge modelled on the Chevrolet badge, walls of music memorabilia from 1979, and owned by the Seminole Tribe of Florida since 2007.
- Rainforest Cafe — The jungle-themed restaurant Steven Schussler prototyped in his own Minnesota home and opened at the Mall of America in 1994, with animatronic animals, simulated thunderstorms and neon signs, owned by Landry’s of Houston since 2000.
Fast-casual and family dining
Panera Bread, Panda Express, Qdoba Mexican Eats, Wingstop, Golden Corral and Dave & Buster’s.
- Panera Bread — The St. Louis Bread Company founded in Kirkwood, Missouri, in 1987, bought by Au Bon Pain in 1993, renamed Panera in 1997, owned by JAB Holding since 2017 and redrawn around its “Mother Bread” figure by BrandOpus in 2021.
- Panda Express — The Cherng family’s fast-food offshoot of Panda Inn (Pasadena, 1973), opened in the Glendale Galleria food court in October 1983, run by the family-owned Panda Restaurant Group of Rosemead, California, and dressed in black, white and red.
- Qdoba Mexican Eats — Opened in Denver in 1995 as Zuma Fresh Mexican Grill, renamed Z-Teca in 1997 and Qdoba in 1999 (a name coined by Heckler Associates), owned by Jack in the Box from 2003 and Apollo from 2018, and by Butterfly Equity since 2022.
- Wingstop — Founded by Antonio Swad in Garland, Texas, in 1994, franchised from 1997, owned by Gemini Investors from 2003 and Roark Capital from 2010, listed on Nasdaq since 2015, and decorated around a 1930s-to-1950s pre-jet aviation theme.
- Golden Corral — A family steak house opened in Fayetteville, North Carolina on 3 January 1973 by James Maynard and William Carl, run from Raleigh, remade from the 1990s around a buffet court, a bakery bell and new restaurant designs.
- Dave & Buster’s — David Corriveau’s games and James “Buster” Corley’s restaurant, combined under one roof in a Dallas warehouse in 1982, built around the Million Dollar Midway, public since 2014 and owner of Main Event since 2022.
Pizza and Italian
Marco’s Pizza, Hungry Howie’s, Cicis, Jet’s Pizza, MOD Pizza, Blaze Pizza and Fazoli’s.
- Marco’s Pizza — The pizzeria Pasquale “Pat” Giammarco opened in Oregon, Ohio, in 1978, bought by consultant Jack Butorac in 2004, run from Toledo by Marco’s Franchising, and sold on its founder’s Italian story with trademarked lines such as Ah!thentic.
- Hungry Howie’s — The carry-out pizzeria Jim Hearn opened in Taylor, Michigan, in 1973, named for the nickname “Howie” his managers gave him, franchised with partner Steve Jackson from 1982, and known for its Flavored Crust line and pink October boxes.
- Cicis — The self-service pizza buffet founded in Texas in 1985 by Joe Croce, sold to its management team in 2003, renamed from CiCi’s to Cicis with a new logo and the line “Beyond Pizza.” in 2015, and owned by D&G Investors since 2021.
- Jet’s Pizza — The pizzeria brothers Eugene and John Jetts opened in Sterling Heights, Michigan, in 1978 as Jetts Party Shoppe and Pizzeria, renamed Jet’s Pizza in 1985 by dropping a “t”, run with cousins Jim and Jeff Galloway, and known for square Detroit-style pizza.
- MOD Pizza — The build-your-own pizza chain founded in Seattle in 2008 by Scott and Ally Svenson, whose name stands for “Made on Demand,” and which Elite Restaurant Group has owned since July 2024.
- Blaze Pizza — The build-your-own pizza chain founded by Elise and Rick Wetzel, which opened its original restaurant in Irvine in 2012, traded as Blaze Fast-Fire’d Pizza, and moved its headquarters from Pasadena to Atlanta in 2024.
- Fazoli’s — The Italian-American quick-service chain founded in Lexington, Kentucky, in 1988 as Gratzi’s by Jerrico, owned by Sun Capital, Sentinel and FAT Brands, and since June 2026 part of the FBG Bid Co. portfolio now called OHG Brands.
Regional and heritage chains
Wienerschnitzel, Pollo Tropical, Moe’s Southwest Grill, Noodles & Company and Bubba Gump Shrimp Co..
- Wienerschnitzel — The hot-dog chain John Galardi opened in Wilmington, Los Angeles, in 1961 as Der Wienerschnitzel, known for A-frame roofs, a rounded W logo credited to Saul Bass, The Delicious One mascot, and family-held Galardi Group ownership in Irvine, California.
- Pollo Tropical — The Miami grilled-chicken chain brothers Larry and Stuart Harris founded in 1988, sold to Carrols in 1998, spun off with Fiesta Restaurant Group in 2012 and owned by Authentic Restaurant Brands since 2023, with an island-inspired name and look.
- Moe’s Southwest Grill — The Atlanta burrito chain Martin Sprock started in Buckhead in 2000, named for Musicians, Outlaws and Entertainers, known for its “Welcome to Moe’s!” greeting, redrawn in burnt orange and turquoise in 2018, and owned by GoTo Foods (formerly Focus Brands) since 2007.
- Noodles & Company — The noodle restaurant Aaron Kennedy opened in Denver’s Cherry Creek in October 1995, redesigned around warmer colours and a sauté line in 1996, reworked with an open kitchen in 2004, listed on Nasdaq in 2013 and based in Broomfield, Colorado.
- Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. — A name licensed from the 1994 film Forrest Gump, used first on packaged shrimp, then on a restaurant opened on Cannery Row in Monterey in 1996 by the owners of Rusty Pelican Restaurants, and part of Houston’s Landry’s since November 2010.
Diners and drive-ins
Frisch’s Big Boy, Arthur Treacher’s and A&W Restaurants.
- Frisch’s Big Boy — The Cincinnati restaurant business of David Frisch, whose Mainliner drive-in opened in 1939, which licensed the Big Boy from Bob Wian in the 1940s, drew its own running Big Boy, held the mark in its territory from 2001 and passed to NRD Partners in 2015 and a management group in 2024.
- Arthur Treacher’s — The fish-and-chips chain founded in Columbus, Ohio, in 1969 and named after the English actor Arthur Treacher, which passed through Mrs. Paul’s, several investor groups, TruFoods Systems and a 2006 rights deal with Nathan’s Famous, and survives in northeast Ohio.
- A&W Restaurants — The chain that grew from Roy Allen’s 1919 root beer stand in Lodi, California, named for Allen and Frank Wright, owned by A Great American Brand, a franchisee-led company in Lexington, Kentucky, since buying it from Yum! Brands in 2011.
Southern diner
Huddle House.
- Huddle House — The diner brand John Sparks started in Decatur, Georgia, in April 1964 as a 24-hour eatery named after a football huddle, owned by Sentinel Capital from 2012, by Elysium Management from 2018 and by Ascent Hospitality Management from 2020, with a new logo in 2024.
At a glance: founding, owner and base
Taken from each guide’s fact panel, as of October 2026. Ownership changes; follow the link for sources and detail.
| Brand | Founded | Owner | Base |
|---|---|---|---|
| A&W Restaurants | Lodi, California (1919 (root beer stand)) | A Great American Brand, since 2011 | Today: Headquarters in Lexington, Kentucky |
| Applebee’s | Decatur, Georgia, near Atlanta (1980) | Dine Brands Global, which has owned Applebee’s since 2007 | Today: Dine Brands Global, which has owned Applebee’s since 2007 |
| Arthur Treacher’s | Columbus, Ohio (1969) | Restaurants in northeast Ohio | Today: Restaurants in northeast Ohio |
| Bennigan’s | Atlanta, Georgia (English Wikipedia) (1976) | Legendary Restaurant Brands, Dallas | Known for: Irish pub theme, Monte Cristo sandwich |
| Big Boy | Bob’s Pantry, Glendale, California (1936) | Big Boy Restaurant Group, Southfield, Michigan; Frisch’s in its own territory | Today: Big Boy Restaurant Group, Southfield, Michigan; Frisch’s in its own territory |
| Blaze Pizza | Pasadena, California (2011–2012) | Founders: Elise and Rick Wetzel | Atlanta, Georgia |
| Bonanza Steakhouse | Westport, Connecticut (company account) (1963) | Part of the lender-owned group renamed OHG Brands | Today: Part of the lender-owned group renamed OHG Brands |
| Bonefish Grill | St. Petersburg, Florida (January 2000) | Bloomin’ Brands, Tampa | Today: Bloomin’ Brands, Tampa |
| Boston Market | Boston Chicken, Newtonville, Massachusetts (1985) | Boston Market Corporation, owned by Engage Brands (Rohan Group) since 2020 | Today: Boston Market Corporation, owned by Engage Brands (Rohan Group) since 2020 |
| Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. | Cannery Row, Monterey, California (first restaurant) (1996) | A division of Landry’s, Houston, Texas, since 2010 | Today: A division of Landry’s, Houston, Texas, since 2010 |
| Buffalo Wild Wings | Buffalo Wild Wings & Weck, near Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio (1982) | Part of Inspire Brands, Atlanta area, since 2018 | Today: Part of Inspire Brands, Atlanta area, since 2018 |
| Burger Chef | Indianapolis, Indiana (May 1957 (IndyStar)) | Founders: Robert Wildman, Frank Thomas, Donald Thomas | Known for: Burger Chef and Jeff, Big Shef, Funmeal |
| California Pizza Kitchen | South Beverly Drive, Beverly Hills, California (1985) | Investor group led by Consortium Brand Partners (deal announced December 2025) | Today: Investor group led by Consortium Brand Partners (deal announced December 2025) |
| Carrabba’s Italian Grill | Kirby Drive, Houston, Texas (1986) | Owned by Bloomin’ Brands, headquartered in Tampa, Florida; the founders’ family runs the original Houston restaurants | Today: Owned by Bloomin’ Brands, headquartered in Tampa, Florida; the founders’ family runs the original Houston restaurants |
| Chi-Chi’s | Minnesota, United States (1975) | Trademarks owned by Hormel Foods; revived restaurant in St. Louis Park, Minnesota | Today: Trademarks owned by Hormel Foods; revived restaurant in St. Louis Park, Minnesota |
| Chili’s | Greenville Avenue, Dallas, Texas (1975) | Chili’s Grill and Bar, owned by Brinker International | Today: Chili’s Grill and Bar, owned by Brinker International |
| Chuck E. Cheese | Pizza Time Theatre, San Jose, California (1977) | CEC Entertainment, based in Irving, Texas | Today: CEC Entertainment, based in Irving, Texas |
| Cicis | Self-service pizza buffet, Texas (1985) | Owned by D&G Investors since 2021 | Today: Owned by D&G Investors since 2021 |
| Cracker Barrel Old Country Store | Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Lebanon, Tennessee (1969) | Headquartered in Lebanon, Tennessee | Today: Headquartered in Lebanon, Tennessee |
| Dave & Buster’s | Dallas, Texas (1982) | Dave & Buster’s Entertainment, Inc., Dallas; owner of Main Event since 2022 | Today: Dave & Buster’s Entertainment, Inc., Dallas; owner of Main Event since 2022 |
| Denny’s | Danny’s Donuts, Lakewood, California (1953) | Owned by TriArtisan, Treville and Yadav Enterprises since 2026 | Today: Owned by TriArtisan, Treville and Yadav Enterprises since 2026 |
| Eat’n Park | Saw Mill Run Boulevard, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (1949) | Eat’n Park Hospitality Group, Homestead, Pennsylvania | Today: Eat’n Park Hospitality Group, Homestead, Pennsylvania |
| Fazoli’s | Lexington, Kentucky (1988 (as Gratzi’s)) | FBG Bid Co. (OHG Brands) | Owner: FBG Bid Co. (OHG Brands) |
| Frisch’s Big Boy | David Frisch; Mainliner drive-in, Cincinnati area (1939) | Owned by a Frisch’s management group, headquartered in Atlanta | Today: Owned by a Frisch’s management group, headquartered in Atlanta |
| Godfather’s Pizza | Omaha, Nebraska (1973) | Godfather’s Pizza, headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska | Today: Godfather’s Pizza, headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska |
| Golden Corral | Golden Corral Family Steak House, Fayetteville, North Carolina (1973) | A privately held company headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina | Today: A privately held company headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina |
| Ground Round | Massachusetts, by Howard Johnson’s (1969) | Co-op era: Ground Round Independent Owners Cooperative | Known for: Free popcorn, peanut shells, Pay What You Weigh |
| Hard Rock Cafe | London, England (June 1971) | Hard Rock International (Seminole Tribe of Florida) | Today: Hard Rock International (Seminole Tribe of Florida) |
| Horn & Hardart | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (1888) | Founders: Joseph Horn and Frank Hardart | Last New York Automat closed: East 42nd Street, Manhattan |
| Howard Johnson’s | Wollaston, Quincy, Massachusetts (1925) | Howard Johnson by Wyndham hotels; trademarks held by Wyndham since 2006 | Today: Howard Johnson by Wyndham hotels; trademarks held by Wyndham since 2006 |
| Huddle House | Decatur, Georgia (1964) | Ascent Hospitality Management, Atlanta, Georgia | Today: Ascent Hospitality Management, Atlanta, Georgia |
| Hungry Howie’s | Former hamburger shop in Taylor, Michigan (1973) | Hungry Howie’s Pizza & Subs, Inc., Madison Heights, Michigan | Today: Hungry Howie’s Pizza & Subs, Inc., Madison Heights, Michigan |
| Jet’s Pizza | Jetts Party Shoppe and Pizzeria, Sterling Heights, Michigan (1978) | Jet’s America, Inc.; the company says it is family-owned | Today: Jet’s America, Inc.; the company says it is family-owned |
| Little Caesars | Garden City, Michigan (1959) | Ilitch family group, headquartered in Detroit | Today: Ilitch family group, headquartered in Detroit |
| LongHorn Steakhouse | LongHorn Steaks Restaurant & Saloon, Peachtree Road, Atlanta (1981) | Darden Restaurants, headquartered in Orlando, Florida | Today: Darden Restaurants, headquartered in Orlando, Florida |
| Luby’s | Luby’s Cafeteria, San Antonio, Texas (1947) | Luby’s Cafeteria brand, agreed for sale to Calvin Gin in 2021 | Today: Luby’s Cafeteria brand, agreed for sale to Calvin Gin in 2021 |
| Maggiano’s Little Italy | Chicago, Illinois (November 1991) | Brinker International, Dallas | Today: Brinker International, Dallas |
| Marco’s Pizza | First shop in Oregon, Ohio, just east of Toledo (1978) | Marco’s Franchising, LLC, based in Toledo, Ohio | Today: Marco’s Franchising, LLC, based in Toledo, Ohio |
| MOD Pizza | Seattle, Washington (2008) | Elite Restaurant Group | Owner: Elite Restaurant Group |
| Moe’s Southwest Grill | Peachtree Road, Buckhead, Atlanta (2000) | GoTo Foods (formerly Focus Brands), Atlanta | Today: GoTo Foods (formerly Focus Brands), Atlanta |
| Noodles & Company | Cherry Creek, Denver, Colorado (1995) | Noodles & Company, headquartered in Broomfield, Colorado | Today: Noodles & Company, headquartered in Broomfield, Colorado |
| Olive Garden | Orlando, Florida, as a unit of General Mills (1982) | Darden Restaurants, which has owned the chain since 1995 | Today: Darden Restaurants, which has owned the chain since 1995 |
| Outback Steakhouse | Outback Steakhouse, Tampa, Florida (1988) | Bloomin’ Brands, headquartered in Tampa | Today: Bloomin’ Brands, headquartered in Tampa |
| P.F. Chang’s | Scottsdale Fashion Square, Scottsdale, Arizona (1993) | P.F. Chang’s, headquartered in Scottsdale; owned by TriArtisan Capital Advisors and Paulson & Co. since 2019 | Today: P.F. Chang’s, headquartered in Scottsdale; owned by TriArtisan Capital Advisors and Paulson & Co. since 2019 |
| Panda Express | Glendale Galleria food court, Glendale, California (1983) | Panda Restaurant Group, family-owned, headquartered in Rosemead, California | Today: Panda Restaurant Group, family-owned, headquartered in Rosemead, California |
| Panera Bread | St. Louis Bread Company, Kirkwood, Missouri (1987) | Panera Brands, owned by JAB Holding; headquarters in Fenton, Missouri | Today: Panera Brands, owned by JAB Holding; headquarters in Fenton, Missouri |
| Papa John’s | Jeffersonville, Indiana (1984) | Papa John’s International, offices in Louisville and Atlanta | Today: Papa John’s International, offices in Louisville and Atlanta |
| Papa Murphy’s | Merger of Papa Aldo’s and Murphy’s Pizza (1995) | MTY Food Group, since 2019; support centre in Vancouver, Washington | Owner: MTY Food Group, since 2019; support centre in Vancouver, Washington |
| Perkins | Cincinnati, Ohio, as Smithies Pancake House (1957) | Ascent Hospitality Management, Atlanta, Georgia | Today: Ascent Hospitality Management, Atlanta, Georgia |
| Piccadilly Cafeterias | Piccadilly Cafeteria and Coffee Shop, downtown Baton Rouge, Louisiana (1932) | Piccadilly Restaurants, controlled by Falcon Holdings from 2014 | Today: Piccadilly Restaurants, controlled by Falcon Holdings from 2014 |
| Pizza Hut | Wichita, Kansas (1958) | LongRange Capital outside mainland China; Yum China in mainland China | Today: LongRange Capital outside mainland China; Yum China in mainland China |
| Pollo Tropical | Miami, Florida (1988) | Authentic Restaurant Brands, via Fiesta Restaurant Group | Today: Authentic Restaurant Brands, via Fiesta Restaurant Group |
| Ponderosa | Kokomo, Indiana (1965) | Franchised by OHG Brands (formerly FBG Bid Co.), which acquired the brand in 2026 | Today: Franchised by OHG Brands (formerly FBG Bid Co.), which acquired the brand in 2026 |
| Qdoba Mexican Eats | Zuma Fresh Mexican Grill, Grant Street and Sixth Avenue, Denver (1995) | Butterfly Equity; chain based in San Diego, California | Today: Butterfly Equity; chain based in San Diego, California |
| Rainforest Cafe | Mall of America, Bloomington, Minnesota (1994) | Landry’s, Houston | Today: Landry’s, Houston |
| Rax Roast Beef | As JAX Roast Beef, Springfield, Ohio (1967) | Trademark owned by From Rax to Rich’s Inc., Ironton, Ohio | Today: Trademark owned by From Rax to Rich’s Inc., Ironton, Ohio |
| Red Lobster | Lakeland, Florida (1968) | Red Lobster, owned by RL Investor Holdings since 2024 and based in Orlando | Today: Red Lobster, owned by RL Investor Holdings since 2024 and based in Orlando |
| Red Robin | Named: Red Robin Tavern, Fuhrman Avenue East, Seattle (1942) | Red Robin Gourmet Burgers, Inc., Greenwood Village, Colorado | Today: Red Robin Gourmet Burgers, Inc., Greenwood Village, Colorado |
| Round Table Pizza | El Camino Real, Menlo Park, California (1959) | FBG Bid Co., since June 2026 | Owner: FBG Bid Co., since June 2026 |
| Roy Rogers | Falls Church, Virginia, as Roy Rogers Roast Beef Sandwich restaurants (1968) | Roy Rogers Franchise Company, Frederick, Maryland — owned by the Plamondon family since 2002 | Today: Roy Rogers Franchise Company, Frederick, Maryland — owned by the Plamondon family since 2002 |
| Ruby Tuesday | Next to the University of Tennessee campus, Knoxville (1972) | Ruby Tuesday, headquartered in Maryville, Tennessee | Today: Ruby Tuesday, headquartered in Maryville, Tennessee |
| Sbarro | Brooklyn, New York (1956) | Sbarro LLC, headquartered in Columbus, Ohio | Today: Sbarro LLC, headquartered in Columbus, Ohio |
| Shoney’s | Parkette Drive-In, Charleston, West Virginia (1947) | Shoney’s North America, LLC, Nashville, Tennessee | Today: Shoney’s North America, LLC, Nashville, Tennessee |
| Sizzler | Sizzler Family Steak House, Culver City, California (1958) | Sizzler USA, Mission Viejo, California; outside the U.S., Minor International since 2023 | Today: Sizzler USA, Mission Viejo, California; outside the U.S., Minor International since 2023 |
| Steak and Ale | Dallas, Texas (26 Feb 1966 (English Wikipedia)) | Legendary Restaurant Brands, Dallas | Known for: Tudor-style rooms, Kensington Club, Hawaiian Chicken |
| Texas Roadhouse | Green Tree Mall, Clarksville, Indiana (1993) | Texas Roadhouse, Inc., headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky | Today: Texas Roadhouse, Inc., headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky |
| TGI Fridays | TGI Fridays, First Avenue and 63rd Street, Manhattan (1965) | Owned and franchised by Sugarloaf since 2025 | Today: Owned and franchised by Sugarloaf since 2025 |
| The Cheesecake Factory | Cheesecake Factory bakery, Los Angeles; restaurant in Beverly Hills (1972 / 1978) | The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated, a publicly traded company with bakeries in Calabasas Hills, California, and Rocky Mount, North Carolina | Today: The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated, a publicly traded company with bakeries in Calabasas Hills, California, and Rocky Mount, North Carolina |
| Village Inn | Denver, Colorado, as Village Inn Pancake House (1958) | BBQ Holdings, part of MTY Food Group | Today: BBQ Holdings, part of MTY Food Group |
| Wienerschnitzel | Hot-dog stand in Wilmington, Los Angeles (1961) | Galardi Group Inc., Irvine, California | Today: Galardi Group Inc., Irvine, California |
| Wingstop | Garland, Texas (1994) | Wingstop Inc., listed on Nasdaq, headquartered in Dallas, Texas | Today: Wingstop Inc., listed on Nasdaq, headquartered in Dallas, Texas |
See also all collections.