15 Illinois Chains Locals Once Rushed To And Now Avoid Completely
Remember when Friday nights meant piling into the family car and heading to your favorite restaurant chain? Illinois was once home to numerous dining hotspots that had people lining up around the block. But times change, tastes evolve, and what was once popular can quickly fade into obscurity.
Why don’t we look back at 15 Illinois chains that locals once couldn’t get enough of but now actively avoid or can no longer visit at all?
1. Steak And Ale
Garlic cheese bread and the Kensington Club steak created magical memories for countless Illinois families. Founded in 1966, this dimly-lit medieval-themed steakhouse made everyone feel like royalty with its dark wood interiors and stained glass accents.
Loyal patrons still reminisce about the legendary salad bar and reasonable prices. When the parent company filed for bankruptcy in 2008, hearts broke across the Prairie State.
2. Old Country Buffet
Walking past row after row of steam tables filled with comfort food was once the highlight of many Illinois weekends. Kids would pile plates impossibly high while parents calculated the impressive value-per-dollar ratio.
Quantity trumped quality at this all-you-can-eat paradise. As health consciousness grew and food preferences evolved, locations gradually disappeared across the state, leaving behind empty big-box spaces in suburban strip malls.
3. Ponderosa Steakhouse
Sizzling steaks and the endless buffet bar created the perfect storm of dining excitement for budget-conscious Illinois families. Named after the fictional ranch in Bonanza, Ponderosa offered affordable steak dinners when eating beef was still considered an everyday luxury.
Lines would form on weekends as hungry patrons anticipated loading up on macaroni salad and soft-serve ice cream. Competition from newer chains gradually eroded its customer base.
4. Bakers Square
Free pie Wednesdays created traffic jams in parking lots across Illinois as dessert lovers scrambled for a slice of heaven. Founded as a spin-off from IHOP, this homestyle restaurant chain became synonymous with award-winning pies.
Locals would finish mediocre meals just to justify ordering the French Silk or Lemon Supreme. Declining sales forced numerous Illinois locations to close their doors permanently, leaving pie enthusiasts with fewer options for their sweet-tooth cravings.
5. Bennigan’s
Monte Cristo sandwiches and potato skins defined casual dining for a generation of Illinois residents. Packed with faux-Irish bric-a-brac and staffed by enthusiastic servers wearing suspenders, Bennigan’s epitomized the fun dining experience of the 1980s and 90s.
Birthday celebrations meant free desserts with embarrassing singing performances. Mass closures in 2008 shocked loyal customers who suddenly found their favorite gathering spots permanently locked.
6. Chi-Chi’s
Fried ice cream and celebratory sombreros created countless birthday memories for Illinois families seeking Mexican-inspired cuisine. Patrons would mindlessly devour baskets of complimentary chips while sipping oversized margaritas in colorfully decorated dining rooms.
Servers would enthusiastically shout “¡Olé!” for special occasions. A devastating hepatitis outbreak in 2003 combined with bankruptcy spelled the end for this once-beloved chain, leaving only memories of its signature chimichangas.
7. White Hen Pantry
Morning coffee runs and late-night snack emergencies made White Hen Pantry an essential part of Illinois neighborhood life. Unlike impersonal gas station convenience stores, these corner markets offered fresh deli sandwiches and surprisingly good coffee.
When 7-Eleven purchased the chain in 2006, the beloved white chicken sign gradually disappeared from Illinois streets, taking with it a piece of local character that chain stores couldn’t replicate.
8. Arthur Treacher’s Fish & Chips
Golden-battered fish and malt vinegar bottles graced every table at this British-themed fast food anomaly. Named after a British actor who frequently played butler roles, this chain brought affordable seafood to landlocked Illinois communities.
Families would splurge on combo meals featuring thick-cut chips and coleslaw. Competition from larger fast-food chains gradually pushed Arthur Treacher’s into obscurity, with locations closing throughout the 1980s and 90s, leaving fishy memories behind.
9. Howard Johnson’s Restaurants
Orange roofs and 28 flavors of ice cream made HoJo’s an irresistible roadside attraction for Illinois travelers. Families on road trips would plan their journeys around these reliable restaurants known for consistent quality and clean restrooms.
Kids would beg parents for just one more scoop of ice cream before hitting the road again. As interstate highways evolved and competition increased, Howard Johnson’s restaurants gradually disappeared from the Illinois landscape, taking their signature fried clams with them.
10. Don Pablo’s
Sizzling fajita platters announced their arrival with theatrical steam clouds and mouth-watering aromas. Decorated with colorful Mexican folk art and terracotta tiles, Don Pablo’s created an immersive dining experience that transported Illinois residents south of the border.
Complimentary chips disappeared at alarming rates. Rising competition from both authentic Mexican restaurants and newer chain concepts gradually eroded customer loyalty, leading to location closures across Illinois and leaving behind only salsa-stained memories.
11. Red Barn
Barn-shaped buildings and the Big Barney burger created childhood memories for baby boomers across Illinois. Fast food felt like a special occasion when served inside these distinctive red structures complete with cupolas and weather vanes.
Kids would beg parents to stop whenever they spotted the iconic roofline. After peaking in the 1970s with over 300 locations nationwide, Red Barn gradually disappeared from the Illinois landscape, leaving only nostalgic conversations about their fried chicken and hamburgers.
12. Kenny Rogers Roasters
Wood-fired rotisserie chicken and country music memorabilia created a unique dining atmosphere for Illinois families seeking healthier fast food options. Celebrity endorsement from the Gambler himself gave this chain immediate credibility when it launched in the early 1990s.
Corn muffins disappeared by the basketful. Despite a famous Seinfeld episode featuring the restaurant, Kenny Rogers Roasters couldn’t sustain its initial popularity and gradually closed locations across Illinois, leaving fans to fold ’em and walk away.
13. Shakey’s Pizza
Player pianos and singing waiters created unforgettable birthday party experiences for generations of Illinois kids. Founded in 1954, Shakey’s combined pizza, fried chicken, and live entertainment in a formula that dominated before Chuck E. Cheese arrived on the scene.
Parents would relax with pitchers of beer while kids played arcade games. Market changes and increased competition from delivery-focused pizza chains gradually pushed Shakey’s out of Illinois markets, leaving behind empty buildings once filled with laughter.
14. Hot Sam Pretzels
Mall shopping excursions always included a detour past Hot Sam’s intoxicating cinnamon-sugar aroma cloud. Watching workers hand-roll and twist dough into perfect pretzel shapes fascinated waiting customers in Illinois shopping centers throughout the 1980s and 90s.
Sweet or savory options satisfied every craving. As mall traffic declined and food court options evolved, Hot Sam gradually disappeared from Illinois retail landscapes, leaving behind only buttery memories for nostalgic shoppers.
15. ShowBiz Pizza Place
Animatronic animal bands and skee-ball machines created sensory overload for hyperactive Illinois children celebrating birthdays. Before merging with Chuck E. Cheese, ShowBiz featured the Rock-afire Explosion band, whose robotic performances mesmerized kids while terrifying some adults.
Pizza quality was secondary to the entertainment value. When the Chuck E. Cheese merger completed in the early 1990s, ShowBiz locations across Illinois were converted, ending the reign of Billy Bob the bear and his musical cohorts.
