Welcome To Case's Column
Let me say a big welcome to all of you for joining me here. I'm going to call these blog meetings Case's Column. I wanted to use "Corner", but that was already taken.
Since 2008, it's been a real privilege to come on here and share some of my life with you, and it's a big world where we live.
In these blogs, I'll just speak whatever is on my mind, but we will be playing within the rules here. I may pick a particular topic, point out an event, or shoot the breeze. I'm a little bit of an essayist at times, so I'll just speak what's on my mind, and I might tell a story or two. Or, I might spew out an opinion or three. There will be some serious moments, some tender, some poignant, but there will also be those moments that you'll just bust out laughing. But, hopefully, everything will be in good fun here. And, of course, there's a place below for your comments and thoughts as we go along here. So feel free to join me for the ride -- I sure as heck hope I'm doing this right and not making any mistakes.
Thanks for taking your time in reading Case's Column. Hopefully, you'll enjoy being entertained by it as much as I've enjoyed putting these writings together. And thanks for the time you spend in City-Data.com, where it's great to be alive!
Regards,
case44
Let me say a big welcome to all of you for joining me here. I'm going to call these blog meetings Case's Column. I wanted to use "Corner", but that was already taken.
Since 2008, it's been a real privilege to come on here and share some of my life with you, and it's a big world where we live.In these blogs, I'll just speak whatever is on my mind, but we will be playing within the rules here. I may pick a particular topic, point out an event, or shoot the breeze. I'm a little bit of an essayist at times, so I'll just speak what's on my mind, and I might tell a story or two. Or, I might spew out an opinion or three. There will be some serious moments, some tender, some poignant, but there will also be those moments that you'll just bust out laughing. But, hopefully, everything will be in good fun here. And, of course, there's a place below for your comments and thoughts as we go along here. So feel free to join me for the ride -- I sure as heck hope I'm doing this right and not making any mistakes.
Thanks for taking your time in reading Case's Column. Hopefully, you'll enjoy being entertained by it as much as I've enjoyed putting these writings together. And thanks for the time you spend in City-Data.com, where it's great to be alive!
Regards,
case44
Chain Reaction Of Chain Restaurants Disappearing
Posted 03-05-2018 at 09:22 AM by case44
Through the mists of time, some things change, and others stay the same. When it comes to venerable eating places, they often go in phases. On other occasions, it's not a phase; it's more of a reality.
Two eateries come immediately to mind. El Chico had been a very active and popular Mexican food chain for seven decades. The franchise, based in Dallas, once had well more than 100 locations in numerous states. It had at least one location in every locale in Dallas-Fort Worth, accounting for about thirty locations in the area at one time. Nowadays, the Metroplex has only a handful of them left, and just one in the northern suburbs (Highland Village). I have seen the Carrollton and Lewisville locations close down in the last four years. El Chico is not replacing any of the stores they lost. Since they aren't rebuilding, one has to think that the franchise is on its last legs. I think it is. Although my parents never cared for the place and, thus, had never taken me there, I would actually visit that place once every few years or so, and just to be different. You know, the enchiladas there are actually pretty good, along with the obligatory rice and refried beans. But my recent visit to Highland Village told the whole story. Very few patrons. Five o'clock in the afternoon on a Thursday. Very few wait staff, forcing double duty in some instances. It's sad. El Chico is disappearing from view, at least in the Dallas area.
The other chain is more of a local chain (although it did boast a location in Utah at one time), and it's Sonny Bryan's BBQ and Smokehouse. Who can possibly forget the original on Inwood Road in Dallas? Legendary. Their chopped beef sandwiches with the savory sauce are second to none. They have other good choices, and I've been to a number of their other locations, many of which have since closed. Carrollton. Las Colinas. North Fort Worth. All gone, though they had good, long runs. You can still go to the Richardson and Dallas locations, as the chain has only about five stores remaining. It used to be, they'd have a vision for taking off and expanding their market. Not anymore, as Sonny Bryan's hasn't opened any new locations in the last ten years or so.
~Sigh~..... I guess that's the thing about restaurant life sometimes. All good things, in this case, can come to an end, like it or not.
Two eateries come immediately to mind. El Chico had been a very active and popular Mexican food chain for seven decades. The franchise, based in Dallas, once had well more than 100 locations in numerous states. It had at least one location in every locale in Dallas-Fort Worth, accounting for about thirty locations in the area at one time. Nowadays, the Metroplex has only a handful of them left, and just one in the northern suburbs (Highland Village). I have seen the Carrollton and Lewisville locations close down in the last four years. El Chico is not replacing any of the stores they lost. Since they aren't rebuilding, one has to think that the franchise is on its last legs. I think it is. Although my parents never cared for the place and, thus, had never taken me there, I would actually visit that place once every few years or so, and just to be different. You know, the enchiladas there are actually pretty good, along with the obligatory rice and refried beans. But my recent visit to Highland Village told the whole story. Very few patrons. Five o'clock in the afternoon on a Thursday. Very few wait staff, forcing double duty in some instances. It's sad. El Chico is disappearing from view, at least in the Dallas area.
The other chain is more of a local chain (although it did boast a location in Utah at one time), and it's Sonny Bryan's BBQ and Smokehouse. Who can possibly forget the original on Inwood Road in Dallas? Legendary. Their chopped beef sandwiches with the savory sauce are second to none. They have other good choices, and I've been to a number of their other locations, many of which have since closed. Carrollton. Las Colinas. North Fort Worth. All gone, though they had good, long runs. You can still go to the Richardson and Dallas locations, as the chain has only about five stores remaining. It used to be, they'd have a vision for taking off and expanding their market. Not anymore, as Sonny Bryan's hasn't opened any new locations in the last ten years or so.
~Sigh~..... I guess that's the thing about restaurant life sometimes. All good things, in this case, can come to an end, like it or not.
Total Comments 1
Comments
-
Don’t know what happened in these instances, but sometimes these chains abandon what led to their success in the first place, and so...Posted 03-05-2018 at 04:55 PM by shoe01
