This Chain Steakhouse Closed Over 600 Locations — Now It Wants A Second Chance

I remember frequently going out for an early dinner on Sundays when I was a child, and given that Dad had three kiddos to feed plus himself and Mom, Sizzler was often where we ended up. It offered cheap eats in the form of an all-you-can-eat salad bar and affordable steaks — all packaged in a relaxed, casual atmosphere. Yet one day, it simply vanished. My memory of Sizzler's disappearance isn't unique. Once boasting over 700 locations, it has dwindled down to just 74.

Some struggling steakhouse chains have turned things around, but Sizzler isn't one of them. Not yet, anyway. There is now hope for fans of the restaurant as chief growth officer, Robert Clark, has indicated that things may be on the upswing. After multiple failed attempts to right the ship, Sizzler's corporate actors have finally found traction in remodeling existing locations.

On average, the steakhouse chain has experienced about a 47% sales boost in stores that have been given a facelift. One particularly successful location saw sales increase by 100%. The hope is that by focusing on the little things that customers appreciate, the chain can come full circle and exemplify its original motto: "Why does a nice juicy steak have to break the bank?" We can think of plenty of popular steakhouse menu items that need a refresh, but who knows? Maybe Sizzler's menu will soon get an update, too.

While no restaurants were doing particularly great during the Covid era, that wasn't the only catastrophe to cause Sizzler to fall on hard times. In fact, the chain's struggles began long before that. After its founding in 1958, the steakhouse quickly opened new locations all over the country, in no small part due to the popularity of its all-you-can-eat salad bar. Once it expanded across the United States, Sizzler grew overseas, introducing Asia, Australia, and New Zealand to an American icon.

However, Sizzler wasn't the only steakhouse with its eye on expansion. Applebee's and Outback Steakhouse (which was the restaurant once labeled as "evil" for some bizarre reason — and not because of the Bloomin' Onion) were also vying for more customers, and Sizzler began to feel the heat from the competition. In 1996, the chain filed for bankruptcy and decided to prioritize making its Australian locations profitable.

That, too, ended in failure. The chain filed for bankruptcy once again in 2020, and all its Australian stores have since been closed. As of now, only Puerto Rico and six states are home to Sizzler restaurants, but with any luck, that may soon be changing.