8 Restaurant Chains That Lost Their Shine & 8 That Are Rising Stars

Remember when going to certain restaurant chains felt like a special treat? Times have changed, and so have our tastes. Some once-beloved chains have fallen from grace, serving up disappointment instead of delicious meals.

Meanwhile, new favorites are rising to take their place, winning us over with fresh approaches to dining out.

1. Applebee’s: Neighborhood Grill No More

Applebee's: Neighborhood Grill No More
© Eat This Not That

The sizzle has fizzled at Applebee’s. Once the go-to spot for affordable family dinners, this chain now serves up microwaved mediocrity masquerading as home-style cooking. Menu prices keep climbing while food quality takes a nosedive.

Those famous riblets? Often tough as boot leather. The 2-for-$20 deal has quietly morphed into nearly $30 with smaller portions.

2. Red Lobster: Seafood That’s Lost at Sea

Red Lobster: Seafood That's Lost at Sea
© enewspaper.latimes.com

Red Lobster’s recent bankruptcy filing surprised exactly no one who’s dined there lately. Their seafood arrives frozen, often overcooked, and priced as if it were caught that morning. Those endless shrimp promotions? Tiny portions delivered at glacial pace.

Only the Cheddar Bay Biscuits remain worthy, a buttery life raft in an ocean of disappointment.

3. TGI Fridays: Thank Goodness It’s Forgettable

TGI Fridays: Thank Goodness It's Forgettable
© Barron’s

Back in 1998, TGI Fridays felt like a party. Today it’s more like the sad aftermath – sticky tables, tired decor, and food that makes you question your choices. Last summer, I took my nephew there for his birthday.

His face fell when his burger arrived – dry, flavorless, and somehow both undercooked and burnt. Those famous loaded potato skins? More like loaded sodium bombs.

4. Sbarro: Mall Food Court Mediocrity

Sbarro: Mall Food Court Mediocrity
© Eater

Sbarro somehow manages to make pizza – the world’s most beloved food – completely forgettable. Their slices sit under heat lamps for hours, resulting in rubbery cheese and soggy-yet-somehow-also-stale crust. The sauce lacks any hint of fresh tomato flavor.

Even hungry shoppers with limited options increasingly walk past Sbarro’s displays, seeking anything else to satisfy their hunger.

5. Ruby Tuesday: Faded Gem

Ruby Tuesday: Faded Gem
© The Morning Call

Ruby Tuesday’s salad bar once drew crowds. Now it’s a sad island of wilted lettuce and questionable freshness. The chain has closed hundreds of locations as customers flee from overpriced, underwhelming entrees.

Their signature burgers arrive thin and flavorless, clearly pre-frozen. When I visited last month, my server couldn’t even remember the daily specials – probably because they haven’t changed in years.

6. Boston Market: Rotisserie Regrets

Boston Market: Rotisserie Regrets
© Reddit

Boston Market once revolutionized fast-casual dining with home-style meals. Today’s reality? Dry chicken sitting for hours under heat lamps, sides that taste suspiciously like they came from a box, and cornbread that’s somehow both dry and greasy.

Portion sizes have shrunk while prices soar. The chain has closed numerous locations, leaving behind empty storefronts and memories of when their food actually tasted homemade.

7. Hooters: Wings and Waning Relevance

Hooters: Wings and Waning Relevance
© NewsBreak

Hooters’ famous wings now arrive inconsistently cooked, sometimes rubbery, sometimes dry, but always overpriced. The chain seems stuck in a 1990s time warp, unable to evolve beyond its dated concept. Newer wing chains offer superior food without the uncomfortable vibe.

Even their signature orange shorts can’t distract from the mediocre food quality and sticky tables that have become the norm at most locations.

8. Friendly’s: Unfriendly Decline

Friendly's: Unfriendly Decline
© The Boston Globe

Friendly’s ice cream remains decent, but everything else has plummeted in quality. Their burgers taste mass-produced, their melts arrive cold in the middle, and their breakfast items could easily be mistaken for frozen supermarket fare. The chain has shuttered hundreds of locations.

My grandmother still talks about their heyday in the 70s when everything tasted homemade. Now it’s just another struggling chain coasting on nostalgia rather than quality.

9. Chick-fil-A: Chicken Sandwich Champions

Chick-fil-A: Chicken Sandwich Champions
© Indigo9 Digital Inc.

Chick-fil-A continues to dominate with a simple formula: consistently excellent chicken sandwiches, genuinely friendly service, and drive-thru efficiency that puts competitors to shame. Their waffle fries arrive perfectly crisp, and that signature sauce is practically addictive.

While other fast food joints cut corners, Chick-fil-A maintains quality standards that keep cars wrapped around buildings even with higher-than-average prices.

10. Culver’s: Midwest Magic Goes National

Culver's: Midwest Magic Goes National
© Eat This Not That

Culver’s ButterBurgers deserve their cult following – always fresh, never frozen, and cooked to order with that signature buttered bun. Their frozen custard makes ordinary ice cream seem like a sad compromise.

The menu strikes a perfect balance between comfort classics and seasonal specialties. Farm-fresh ingredients and Midwestern hospitality create an experience that chains twice their size can’t match.

No wonder they’re expanding rapidly beyond their Wisconsin roots.

11. First Watch: Breakfast Game-Changer

First Watch: Breakfast Game-Changer
© Forbes

First Watch has revolutionized morning dining with fresh ingredients that make other breakfast chains look lazy. Their seasonal menu changes keep things interesting – pumpkin pancakes in fall, citrus in winter – while maintaining consistent quality.

Coffee arrives in personal pots, avocado toast comes with perfectly poached eggs, and the juice is actually fresh-squeezed. I’ve never waited less than 30 minutes for a table on weekends, and honestly? Totally worth it.

12. Cava: Mediterranean Fast-Casual Marvel

Cava: Mediterranean Fast-Casual Marvel
© Nation’s Restaurant News

Cava brings Mediterranean flavors to the masses without compromising quality. Build-your-own bowls feature impossibly creamy hummus, perfectly spiced falafel, and veggies that actually taste garden-fresh.

Their harissa honey chicken converts even the most devoted meat-and-potatoes types. The chain balances healthy options with craveable flavors, proving fast food doesn’t have to leave you feeling guilty or unsatisfied.

Every ingredient tastes like someone actually cares about food.

13. Raising Cane’s: Chicken Finger Perfection

Raising Cane's: Chicken Finger Perfection
© Nation’s Restaurant News

Raising Cane’s does one thing – chicken fingers – and does it better than anyone else. Their limited menu means nothing sits around waiting; everything’s fresh and hot. That Cane’s sauce might contain actual magic. The Texas toast comes buttery and perfect every time.

My teenager’s friend visited from Boston last summer and insisted on eating there three days straight – he’d never experienced chicken fingers that weren’t frozen and reheated.

14. Shake Shack: Fast Food Gets Fancy

Shake Shack: Fast Food Gets Fancy
© Marketing Dive

Shake Shack transformed from a NYC hot dog cart to a global phenomenon by focusing on quality ingredients normal fast food chains wouldn’t touch. Their burgers feature 100% Angus beef with no hormones or antibiotics, cooked to a perfect medium unless requested otherwise.

Those crinkle-cut fries achieve the impossible balance of crispy outside, fluffy inside. Their shakes use real ice cream that makes the drive-thru variety taste like flavored plastic.

15. MOD Pizza: Personalization Pioneers

MOD Pizza: Personalization Pioneers
© PMQ Pizza

MOD Pizza cracked the code on personalized pizza without sacrificing quality or speed. One price regardless of toppings means you can pile on premium ingredients without watching the bill skyrocket. Their crust achieves that perfect chewy-crisp balance that bigger chains miss.

The employees seem genuinely happy, probably because MOD prioritizes living wages and hiring people with employment barriers. Good food that does good? That’s a winning combination.

16. Jersey Mike’s: Sub Shop Superiority

Jersey Mike's: Sub Shop Superiority
© Thrillist

Jersey Mike’s makes Subway look like a sad sandwich experiment. Meats and cheeses sliced fresh for each order create a difference you can actually taste. Their bread has real texture and flavor rather than that weird chemical smell some chains can’t shake.

Getting your sub “Mike’s Way” with the oil and vinegar blend transforms an ordinary lunch into something special. I’ve driven 30 minutes past three Subways just to get to Jersey Mike’s – the quality gap is that noticeable.