Similar to other industries, rankings in the restaurant industry change over time, as chains expand, contract, compete for limited consumer demand, and, sometimes, go out of business.
You are probably familiar with Chi-Chi's salsa, but what you might not know is that the name was inspired by a Tex-Mex restaurant chain from the '70s. Chi-Chi's was born in 1975 in downtown Minneapolis.
Before Outback or LongHorn, there was Mr. Steak. Not surprisingly, this restaurant chain which started in Colorado in the '60s specialized in affordable steak dinners.
Beloved for its fried clams, frankforts, and signature ice cream available in 28 flavors, Howard Johnson's was once the largest restaurant chain in the U.S., with a footprint of over 1,000 locations.
Red Barn, founded in 1961 in Springfield, Ohio, was beloved for its Big Barney and Barnbuster burgers (the former of which predates the Big Mac),
Founded in 1954, Henry's Hamburgers got its start as an offshoot of Bresler's Ice Cream, a Chicago ice cream chain. While Henry's was originally intended as a vehicle for Bresler's popular malts and milkshakes.
Burger Chef was founded in 1957 in Indianapolis. Leveraging a number of industry innovations, including a patented flame broiler and fast food's first kids' meal, its popularity and footprint grew rapidly.
Hardee's acquired Burger Chef in 1981 for $44 million and lost no time rebranding most of the chain's restaurants.