Defunct Restaurant Chains That No One Misses
There may be the burned-out husk of an old McDonald's in the shopping center just down the road, but you can probably count on seeing intact Golden Arches just a few miles away. Not all chains can be so ubiquitous. Luckily for us, photographers have chronicled the demise of restaurants from a bygone era wutg rare images of these once-popular eateries. Picking up a burger or taco from them may be tough today, but a walk down photo memory lane will still have you practically tasting the all-American beef.
1. Stuckey's
This humble chain began in Eastman, Georgia, thanks to the hard work of founder William Sylvester Stuckey Senior. It began as a pecan business, but after WWII, Stuckey franchised it with trademark blue roofs! Today, only 20 Stuckey's restaurants remain — and they all have that retro vibe.
2. Arthur Treacher's
Arthur Treacher's was named after the British actor — famous from the 1930s and ‘60s — who pretty much defined "the butler" role when he played Andrews alongside Shirley Temple. We’re not sure what he had to do with fish and chips, but it worked well for business! Today, only seven remain: three in New York, and four in Ohio.
3. Frostop
Founded in Ohio by L.S. Harvey in 1926, Frostop was one of the nation’s first root beer stands. Serving creamy smooth sodas all over America, it peaked in the ‘60s with over 350 locations! This photo was taken in West Virginia, but the few remaining Frostops are scattered all the way down in Louisiana.
4. Isaly's
Rhyming with Italy’s, this was a dairy farm founded by Swiss cheesemakers in 1833. After they immigrated to the US, the founders' ice creams and ham sandwiches were wildly successful, and the chain grew to over 300 locations across the East Coast. Only three remain, all in Pennsylvania.
