Top 30 Iconic Fast Food Chains That Don't Exist Anymore

[@WatchMojo]

What defunct fast food brand defined your childhood? Let us know in the comments below. For more content like this, click here: kzbin.info/aero/PLmZTDWJGfRq0dhhn7cPWF8GqJXORFKYLP&si=lHiBjSUP9xy47zxv

[@JWParkerPhDDDiv]

you need to do more research. Showbiz Pizza did not seperate they merged with Chucky Cheese which is why they are defunct dumbasses.

[@TheDaquaan]

You do African Americans a HUGE disservice by saying that “ The Little Black Sambo” was a POSITIVE portrayal. The book is written by a white Scottish woman using a racial slur as a name for a Black child….in what world is that positive??? You have got to be kidding…it’s offensive, and regardless if others don’t think so, if one person in my community thinks it’s racist, then it is…do better!!!

[@crispybaconnz]

In New Zealand, Homestead and Georgie Pie.

[@petermiller4953]

For these joints to be known, you'd have to live in specific areas, lived in a specific time period, or both

[@sharennyberg7795]

Sambo's was my family's go to after Sunday church breakfast eatery. I miss them a lot, the food was always fresh and hot. My favorite item at Farrell's was the pig trough lol. It was driving thru San Francisco and seeing the dachshund head on what seemed like every other corner. I miss Doggie Diner - Those were the days 😭

[@lawrencecottone7969]

Being from New York, I have to vote for a chain that featured steak. Beefsteak Charlie's was the best chain resturant ever.

[@YourCeeCeeDuelist]

A Fast Food place that's no longer around (in my state) that i miss very much, was Duke's. The famous pizza burger with a side of Curly fries & cheese dipping sauce. The rec room - which was loaded with arcade machines, pool tables, a jukebox, and even a coin operated horse that the young ones could ride.

[@noahname6695]

Lums!!! Omg awesome And Howard Johnson’s clam fry Wednesday and fish fry Friday!!

[@JohnSmith-nj7vz]

Trainig table in Utah left over a family despute when the original owner died and left it to his kids. The daughter sued her brothers to be able to bring it back. Recently she won and it will be coming back soon.

[@ParisTheGreat]

Dude from the Burger Queen commercial was in Godfather!

[@russelldeane4591]

Bonanza’s Restaurant in Canada was a popular restaurant chain with people coming for the Salad Bar but staying for the Steak Dinner’s and fish and chips. Last restaurant burned down in 2017 in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada.

[@dawnieangel76]

Tears came up seeing Wag's. I lived with my grandparents as a kid in Chicago. That was our breakfast spot every Saturday morning before the day of errands & grocery shopping. One of my few good memories.

[@jaimeparquette7885]

I worked at Walgreens for half my life (20 years) and I knew that they have some extensive food options in their stores mostly on the east coast, but I had no idea they tried to do restaurants!!

[@daveotuwa5596]

I was born in the city.🍔

[@EngineeredChannel]

I was waiting for Rax.

[@DaveMartin-z1r]

I used to love the Doggy Diner in Northern California, whose motto was, "There's nothing finer than the Doggy Diner."

[@crypticmessenger]

I miss the Mom and Pop hamburger stands. Not many of them left. I also miss the price!

[@kenyattaclay7666]

Those prices weren’t actually cheap. In fact once you adjust for inflation those prices then were more expensive than now.

[@jdiwkall]

There's a ton of mon pop burgers everywhere

[@kristinmaguireDeadhead65]

Burger Chef was YUMMY! Also, Food counters in drugstores were once quite common, so Wags wasn't weird. Their food was pretty good.

[@iluv691]

Howard Johnsons was great

[@stephenmiller2337]

HoJo's toasted western and fries was legendary. Their pancakes were awesome too.

[@nicholasharvey1232]

It's impossible for me to watch a video like this without getting a little hungry...

[@theanimeguy13ify]

At least other fast food chains like Burger King, McDonald's, Wendy's, KFC, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, Checkers, Sonic, Meson Sandwiches, Subway, Starbucks, Chick-fil-A, Hardee's, Arby's, Dairy Queen, Firehouse Subs, Krystal, White Castle, Domino's, Dunkin Donuts, Burger FI, Fuddruckers and others are still around to this day.

[@melissagrant4178]

In my town we don't have KFC, Pizza Hut or Burger King anymore

[@theanimeguy13ify]

@@melissagrant4178 That's okay!

[@melissagrant4178]

​@@theanimeguy13ifywe didn't know that KFC closed, we drove past it to get icecream and I notice that it was all board up

[@pooky-bellegaming4089]

Fuddruckers? For how much longer? Last I heard, the chain was on its last legs.

[@castlejrichardson6308]

I miss all them places even Roy Rodgers and Arthur Treaches and Gino's and Jack in the Box just to name a few other's 🍔🍗🍟🍣

[@JulieCaptivatedinFl]

Do you remember Ruby Tuesdays, Boston Market, Bob Evans?

[@melissagrant4178]

When my family went on vacation somewhere we ate at Big Boy or maybe it was Bob Evan I don't remember

[@johntyson]

I ate a turkey carver at Boston Market yesterday.

[@erniejones5008]

I think all 3 are still around

[@pooky-bellegaming4089]

@@erniejones5008 Boston Market’s on its last legs, however.

[@erniejones5008]

@ wouldn’t be surprised if other 2 are also. They closed them all in my area.

[@beyond13reaper]

The Red Barn building is still there in Chicago Heights, Illinois, USA. The building has been reused a lot over the years as different businesses, but it's still the same barn building.

[@GoddessLadyRei]

Burger Chef was my favorite. I still miss it.

[@16gauge90]

Their mustard was great.

[@demetriaparks3849]

What about Skippers seafood on the west coast? It was 10k times better than Long John Silvers. They used to have an all you can eat menu. The kid's meal came with yummy clam chowder and jello. They closed down the one in my hometown in the early 90s. I still miss it to this day.

[@demetriaparks3849]

Also, I still remember eating fish and chips at Lyons when I was a little kid. I didn't know it was on par with Denny's. As a little kid I thought it was a fancy restaurant. Lol

[@wolftickets1969]

One of Seattle's most famous defunct fast food chains was Dag's, the last of which closed in the early '90s. Another was Triple X, the last of whose locations in Issaquah closed about a year ago. A third was Herfy's, though the franchise was later resurrected in name only. Most recently there's the short-lived Burbs Burgers, which only lasted from October 2020 to February of this year.

[@kandipiatkowski8589]

The first commercial seems to star "Jan" from the Brady Bunch (Eve Plumb). Burger Chef.

[@stone1andonly]

I got to dine at a Lum's restaurant once, in Gatlinburg, TN during a vacation. Don't know about their burgers, but they served a hell of a breakfast. Also, lived in West Virginia growing up, and when we made road trips to Beckley, we'd go hit the local Burger Chef there, which was awesome for me because one of mascots (Jeff) shared my first name.

[@jdiwkall]

I drove into Winchester wva from Maryland... Its like going back to 1980s

[@stone1andonly]

@@jdiwkall Are you sure it wasn't Winchester, Virginia? I've heard of a Winchester in Virginia, but not in West Virginia. And gods help me, you have *no* idea how many times I've heard people get their geography confused!

[@jdiwkall]

@@stone1andonly oh it's Martinsburg WVa just slight north east of Winchester

[@jdiwkall]

@@stone1andonly i drove to Berkeley plaza... Looks like so depressing

[@stone1andonly]

@@jdiwkall You want depressing? Try some of the mining areas in the north and south of the state, or maybe the areas around Charleston that are pretty much industrial chemical wastelands. WV is the Disneyland of depressing, and this is coming from someone who grew up there! Oh, before I forget, let's not forget the Greenbrier Valley I grew up in, where within a 10 mile radius of one of the most renowned resorts on the entire planet is some of the worst poverty you could imagine.

[@winniebae4alwayyz963]

6:45 *Abe Vigoda went from eating at Burger Queen to working at Good Burger.*

[@homerthompson416]

I'm 45 and the only one of these places I have ever been to was Showbiz. Only other one I had even heard of was Howard Johnsons.

[@julieanderson1179]

Me too lol but I guess cause I’m on the East Coast

[@johnmassoud930]

Howard Johnsons and Gino's were the best! Miss those Orange Freezes at HoJo's. Gino's burgers 🍔 were awesome.

[@lucideirune1635]

Village Inn and JBs were some of my childhood favorites along with Circus World Pizza and Peter Piper Pizza. None of these are around today which I miss a lot. Also for me, when a fast food place changes their recipes which end up making the food taste worse than droppings, this can also cause them to close. Glaus Bakery suffered this fate (and yes, their food was way worse than droppings when they changed the recipe) and ultimately the building it was in was destroyed.

[@hunterpratt5899]

Frost Top and Fast Track were big ones in Louisiana that closed down.

[@RobSchellinger]

D'lites, I think, started a temporary 80s fad of adding a sunroom to restaurants. I remember Wendy's & Hardee's doing it. Wish I still had my set of Star Wars glasses and toys from the Burger Chef kids meal.

[@CandiceVidito32]

Yankee Doodle Dandy name is hilarious! But I've never heard of any of these places before

[@andrewbatts7678]

I love breakfast for dinner and dinner for breakfast, id love to see burgers and fries in the morning at Burger King

[@waheedabdullah6371]

So will this happen to McDonald's, Burger King, Wendy's, and others in 50 years?

[@DCJ9]

I’ll say no

[@mister_vulgar]

I think McDonald's is too big to fsil at this point. Wendy's is reaching that point also. BK however has been on a steady decline for over a decade now so i can see them shutting down at some point

[@kevinrowland7942]

In 50 years? No... Try 20 years....fast food is not a sustainable business model like it once was. After all just look how the prices have been jacked way up...in some cases its cheaper to eat in a sit-down restaurant than eating at McDonald's or Wendy's. Just my 2 cents

[@LucienSabre]

⁠​⁠​⁠@@kevinrowland7942 Except half or more of McDonald’s locations (most of them if we talk locations abroad) _are_ sit-down places which still remain a lot cheaper than the classic sit-down restaurants in those areas.

[@joshfrench5858]

We already know Taco Bell wins the restaurant wars.

[@roughrider3772]

Loved Dog and Suds, Great place to eat back in the 60's.

[@rkirschner7175]

Burger Chef and Jeff. Had one few blocks away. Take our chore money, Big Chef,fries and a coke. Early 70's. Later? The burger bar was cheap eating. Miss that place.

[@TheJAEME]

Oh, Elby's Big Boy ... or Friendly's!! Their Slim Jim sandwich was SO yummy!

[@SnappingTurtle801]

I remember Sambos, Red Barn and Burger Chef's commercials only, but Winky's was my family's go-to fast food joint in the mid to late 70's. I hadn't even heard of McDonald's or Wendy's until the early 80's.

[@gramps2matt]

There was a Howard Johnson's 2 blocks from my house growing up. They boasted 28 flavors of ice cream. But, as the info here states, the main draw were the clam strips. They also had whipped hot chocolate which I always got during cold months. It was a treat to be taken there for dinner or lunch by Grand Ma. There was also a Lums about a mile and a half away. Their big claim was hot dogs steamed in beer. We never ate there.

[@LamontRustamova]

This should have been titled: 30 USA "Iconic" fast food chains

[@MattParkent]

I went to a Howard Johnson's with my Old Man about 8 years ago. They did really good roast beef sandwiches and fries.

[@MajinK]

Out of all these, ive only heard of Farrell's and Howard Johnson. Never heard of the others.

[@jeffm9770]

We never had a Burger Chef near me, but there was one near my grandparents house in Cincinnati.

[@Lady.Luthien]

Pup 'n Taco was great! Had some birthday parties at Farrell's too.

[@davidpumpkinsjr.5108]

I miss Mighty Casey's. It had great burgers and the restaurant always smelled like onion rings, even when they weren't actively cooking them.

[@12HpyPws]

D'Lites was ahead of time. Their concept would have thrived if they began 15 years ago.

[@goldenheart3887]

Save for Howard Johnson’s (and even then, only as a hotel chain) and Burger Chef, I have heard of none of these, and save for Howard Johnson’s (again, only as a hotel chain); I have experienced none.

[@purplepanther2771]

Most were regional, not national. I knew four of them.

[@burtonwilliams5355]

I miss Burger Chef, and Red Barn: they were in Middle Tennessee.

[@Roger-fs5yo]

We had Druthers here in Kentucky💁‍♂️

[@TimS-v7m]

There is an Ollies Trolley still open in Louisville, KY

[@MegaDarkpichu]

I've heard of Burger Queen, Druther's, Chicken George, and Howard Johnson's.

[@JulioLopez-e2d]

there were a lot of drive ins of diners burger restaurants chains and more burgers and goofy toon character mascots that’s a true nostalgic lane in the golden age of fast food chains which is awesome now that's retro vintage aesthetic makes me want to create a toon burger puppet or a toon 8bit mascot animal or object or kajiu burger that awesome like action park

[@kellarsmith1997]

Hot and Now, it was local in Charlotte I think but had some franchises.

[@olleselin]

I miss these

[@MagickSprite]

I remember going to Geri's as a kid. One of my friends remembers going to Sambos as a kid - the rest of us thought she was making it up, but apparently not.

[@user-em6ie2be7x]

57 Chevy & Crusiers - This restaurant had the best Season Fries, Sloppy Joes, Apple Tots, & Milkshakes.

[@stevenkidd6761]

Ohhh, I miss that one from Argentina!!!!

[@BJI82a]

It would be intresting if someone made a sci fi book about alternate worlds where most of these chains are alive and kicking while the fast food chains of micdonalds and Wendy’s that we are filmair with now didn’t last 5 years. I wonder if someone in the future will try and restart some of these chains with better food options or make their own restaurant with nods to these past icons.

[@TheFrugalAudiophile]

When I was a kid, growing up in Central Iowa, we had a fast food restaurant called taco time. They had the best deep fried burritos! That’s right, deep fried burritos! The last one in Ames Iowa closed down a few years ago. Sad day!

[@rileyfuckingrifle]

There are Taco Times out in Oregon still.

[@Axphyl]

Here in the PNW, we have Taco Time.

[@TheFrugalAudiophile]

@@Axphyl Wonder if it is the same place? Do they sell a crisp meat burrito? That was there classic menu item!

[@irish80-93]

Burger Chef Big Chef had tartar sauce /mayo mix for their secret sauce sounds bad but sooo good🤘🤘

[@artbyjuwecurfew1896]

jolibee food corp should buy this

[@michaelzickefoose3545]

Ponderosa/Bonanza steak houses, Brown Derby, Ryan's buffet, Arthur Treacher's Fish and Chips

[@PerfectlyImperfect93]

Pretty sure I won’t recognize any of these 😂

[@ChattieCathie]

LOL..18:12 Britney Spears in the Farrell Ice Cream Parlor commercial. Shes at the beginning of the commercial too

[@JulieCaptivatedinFl]

I saw Jan from The Brady Bunch in the Burger Chef one..

[@ChattieCathie]

@JulieCaptivatedinFl I thought I saw Cynthia Nixon in that one but couldn't confirm. Thx. Now Im going to check for Jan!!!! 😄

[@BrainDamage922]

The only 1's I've ever heard of was Farrell's and Howard Johnson's.

[@michaeljebbett160]

Not exactly fast food, but Friendly's was a restaurant chain with the best damn ice cream anywhere, and I'll fight you all over it!

[@BlowWord.]

Red Barn looks delicious ! Bring back salad bars !

[@jeffm9770]

I remember La Petite Boulangerie at the mall near me in the 80s

[@raymatthews43]

Ponderosa. IYKYK. Miss it everyday

[@MartyWiggins-x2k]

What about Sizzler now that was great food for a great price all you can eat I loved the dessert bar it was magic

[@chelseacanales8763]

They all looked like a great restaurant to eat and hangout

[@tylergoodman3560]

I don't remember any of these, but they seemed good. 🎉

[@seantlewis376]

I've only heard of a few of these, but I think that's because most of them are regional chains. I really miss Farrell's. I went there with family as a kid, and with friends in high school and college. There is no place else like it. Not here anyway.

[@JANINEMGN]

Yes there's still a Yankee Doodle Dandy it's in New York

[@Masotervivi84]

Sizzlers...

[@kenyattaclay7666]

First, they are still open. Second, they aren’t fast food.

[@davemathews7890]

I miss Sambo's which went bankrupt in part because of its unfortunate name. They had separate bars attached to the restaurant, through which dine-and-dashers could make an easy escape, another reason that the chain went bankrupt.

[@cedcole702]

Howard Johnson's restaurants are done. However, the hotel division which does serve breakfast, still exists

[@mojo3318]

It sucks that all these fast food chains don't exist anymore. I would eat at all these places. Showbiz Pizza is the only one I'm familiar with.

[@russelldeane4591]

I’d like to see a video of popular restaurants chain that may or may not still exist based off one man or woman’s dream, weather they are still alive or created in memory of them. Vern’s Pizza is one of those places. It’s only located in a few city’s in Canada but was created from the idea Vern had and when he passed away his partner and friend made his dream a reality. The original location is still called Vern’s Place in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. Also known for their famous 10 lbs. pizza, the Mama Mia.

[@lori4762]

When my oldest son was little we had a place called Central Park in Danville, IL

[@lori4762]

Also had a Weiner Works

[@haroldcook5360]

Wow!! Old school!!😊

[@terri7308]

Sorry Ollie's Trolley in DC closed this year. They had the best seasoned fries

[@pooky-bellegaming4089]

There’s an Ollie’s Trolley in Louisville, Kentucky!

[@kristinmaguireDeadhead65]

I remember the decor in Sambos. Jesus.

[@dawnieangel76]

Showbiz Pizza was FAR superior to Chuck E Cheese. 😢

[@Willchannel90]

Crazy it got replaced by McDonald's, burger king and Wendy's. The company got big greens.

[@ohErza]

I'm 27 and I knew I wouldn't recognize anything.

[@Hgould]

I’m 29, and same. We have the big box stores though, and some restaurants. Like O’Charley’s and Toy’s R Us. Blockbuster!!

[@CommentBotHater]

So folks Who has eaten at/heard of these places (from someone/somewhere else) before watching this video

[@DizzyTheStoat]

Gotta be me here.

[@melissagrant4178]

I heard most of these from a different KZbin channel called Recollect road

[@hopegrimsley3427]

I’m from Speedway, Indiana, so Burger Chef is very familiar to me, albeit for a really sad reason.

[@Josh-g1h9n]

I remember J.Bs here in Arizona but no longer here

[@Djjoeyd1167]

Hot Shoppes! Shakey’s Pizza.. Ponderosa.. rustler….Ahhhh the good old days 😊❤

[@sheilaholmes8455]

I loved Doggie Diner.

[@gryphonlaw2138]

I remember hamburger stand 1 cent burgers

[@fumaclan08]

Not having GRANDY’S on this list is diabolical

[@TeeAichTee]

as a born and raised new yorker it has to be jahn's ice cream parlor. over 20 locations and only one remains,

[@EasrterRising1fan]

I only know of HJ because of the Blues Brothers.

[@angelbaby9137]

I think the little tavern building here is still standing, it looks just like the first pictures

[@bonita5527]

A&W Drive Inn & King Leo's

[@EngineeredChannel]

A&W still exists. There is one 3 minutes away from where I am currently sitting.

[@christopherduffey3703]

A&w still exist it’s a couple out here in south east Michigan

[@melissagrant4178]

The first time I remember eating at A&W was when my family went on vacation to Kentucky and it was right down the road from our hotel

[@kenyattaclay7666]

I ate at an A&W last month when I was in Vancouver. Also, there are some that are split with Long John Silver.

[@mluna6702]

I never ate at any of these and I've only heard of maybe five of them. Maybe next time

[@tomlevick2935]

Is that Sandra oh in the wags ad?

[@jamesdiehl8690]

Griffs Hamburger in Kansas City KS

[@jdrock9623]

I remember Rax's. Not sure what happened to them.

[@MarkAnthonyLuna-mk1dy]

Bonanza buffet!!

[@blugreen123]

I remember Showbiz Pizza Place! The animatronics freaked me the f*ck out as a kid.