5. Ponderosa Steakhouse and Bonanza Steakhouse
Ponderosa and Bonanza Steakhouses, now owned by the same parent company, once numbered in the hundreds combined in the United States. Today, the total of both stands at under 20 across the country.
6. Charlie Brown’s Steakhouse
Charlie Brown’s was a quickly-growing regional chain out of New Jersey in the 80s and 90s. The corporation went out of business, though some franchise owners have stayed open.
7. Naugles
Naugles had a very respectable 25-year run from 1970-1995. A Mexican fast-food establishment with locations all over the United States, its charming motto was, “Prepare food fresh. Serve customer fast. Keep the place clean!”
Have to respect that, right?
There were as many as 225 locations by the mid-80s, with the final one — in Carson City, Nevada — closing its doors in 1995.
In 2015, entrepreneur Christian Ziebarth revived the restaurant. There are currently two locations in California.
8. Sambo’s
Sam Battistone and Newell F. Bohnet opened the first Sambo’s restaurant in 1957. The chain’s name was a source of controversy: According to the company, the name was simply a portmanteau of the founder’s last names, as opposed to being a reference to the use of Sambo as a derogatory term for African Americans. The fact that the decor of the restaurants displayed the racist caricature Li’l Black Sambo didn’t help their cause. At its height, the chain had about 1,000 locations but dogged by the controversy, the company shut down in the 80s. Most of the locations were sold to Denny’s, while the others were shut down.
