10 Restaurant Chains that Flopped

This list brought back memories and I didn’t know that ALL the Howard Johnson’s were gone.  I remember going to Sambo’s when I was growing up – they had great breakfasts and their pancakes were always perfect. Thinking about the brightly colored orange and yellow decor – I wish my kids could see it.. they would be appalled.  I also remember Lums and we Loved Chi Chi’s – it was our favorite Mexican restaurant when we moved back east… in fact it was almost the Only Mexican restaurant.  We moved east from Monterey CA so it was a huge shock not to be able to to get all the fresh and wonderful Mexican food we had gotten used to (don’t get me started on grocery store tortillas !!).  My favorite Chi Chi’s story: my husband at the time was driving with our Japanese Exchange student and he said “Do you like Mexican food?” and she said “I don’t know” … he jumped right on this and said “We have to take you to Chi Chi’s then”  She Burst our laughing and blushed – “Chi Chi” is slang for breasts in Japanese.  *smile*