Steak and Ale
This brainchild of Norman Brinker, who also gave us Jack in the Box and Chili’s, didn’t do quite as well as his other inventions.
Launched in Dallas in 1966, it introduced America to the self-service salad bar and did gangbusters in its first years (selling an 8-ounce filet for $1.95 didn’t hurt), and by 1976, when he sold the chain to Pillsbury, there were 109 restaurants in 24 states.
This was the beginning of a major boom in fast-casual dining, however, and the chain just couldn’t keep up.
Metromedia eventually purchased the brand, and shut down the last 50 locations in 2009.
