Taco Cabana
2000
Thought the grass was greener on the Taco Bell side of the industry and abandoned their quality quasi sit down niche in a failed attempt for more volume at lower quality.

Sonny Bryan’s BBQ
1991
Expansion and then family sold out. Couldn’t maintain the quality of the original as they expanded and then the new corporate owners get jelly of the Dickie’s volume priority model.

Chili’s
1988
Took Chili off the menu and homogenized. Then had a miserable failure at serving breakfast. Tried to please everyone while disappointing most.

Red Lobster, when they were sold.
Olive Garden, same time as above

PS. Taco Cabana just got sold again, to a California company.

Damn near all of them. At least when it comes to chain restaurants.

Whataburger. Sold to yanks.

Haven't been to those you listed in years.

Sonny Bryans was a huge disappointment the last time I went, which was 20+ years ago. Went to the Grand Opening of the one at Alliance airport where they were offering free brisket lunch. I understood why it was free.

Applebee’s was pretty good in the 80s maybe early 90s, then it completely tanked. I’m surprised they are still going

The last time I got food there it was literally inedible. Same location a month prior was fine.

TGIFriday’s. I moved to Dallas in the early 70’s to The Village and the TGIFriday’s in OldTown shopping center was a real destination. It’s gone downhill ever since.

Outback when they changes their pay structure and all the operators ran for the hills. Around 2000, a bunch went to texas roadhouse, a bunch went into business for themselves. Some really great operators came out of the original outback crew. I also remember when Lubys changed their pay, we were getting resumes at a rate of 5 a day from Lubys in the late 90s, in both those concepts the GMs could make 200k a year plus prior to the company screwing up their pay plan. That was real money in the 90s. The loss of that experience and commitment basically destroyed both.

I think what we saw/are seeing is a universal theme of corporate growth junky penny pinchers crushing the passion and spirit of the original restauranteurs.

Food/meal prep and service aren’t like other commodities; it’s an art form.

The McDonald’s/KFC model worked so well in the 60s, 70,, and 80s because low cost, mass produced, assembly line meals were novel and new. Especially when most people still remembered food scarcity and the Great Depression/Dust Bowl.

We used to have to drive to Restaurant Row in Dallas to eat Chilis from Irving back in the early 80's, I thought the food was great back then.

Now of days I only eat Chilis if I am in airport at DFW where the choice are limited, other than that they pretty much sux now of day

I'm pretty sure the beginning of their demise was caused by the same thinking that wouldn't let me use a take out parking space to come and eat a meal 15 years ago........actually the only thing that showed was the intellect and judgement of the people they hire to run the chain type restaurants....and one of the problems these restaurants and most retail businesses have is that the jobs suck....long hours and having to work weekends and holidays makes it hard to attract and keep top notch employees....

I have no clue how they are in business, the food is horrible, I have tried them a few times over the years, their food suxs