The Once-Popular Steak Restaurant That Went Bankrupt In The '80s

The U.S. culinary scene in the 1960s, '70s, and '80s was host to a range of steakhouse chains that presented an opportunity for Americans to experience everything from an affordable family night out to a fancy date night, promising menus with mouth-watering steak and shrimp cocktail. From lower-end chains like Sizzler and Ponderosa, to tony white tablecloth steakhouses such as Ruth's Chris and Smith & Wollensky, diners were ready and willing to drop some cash for a good steak dinner. At the height of this zeitgeist, there were steakhouse chains that were popular in malls, and themed steak restaurants like Victoria Station.

Not quite inexpensive, but not of fine-dining status, Victoria Station was a middle child in this community of chains, and prided itself on great prime rib, New York strip, Shrimp Victoria, and a fun atmosphere. The railroad-themed restaurants (the first of which opened in San Francisco in 1969) were loosely fashioned after London's Victoria Station, and were outfitted in old service boxcars and cabooses, with similarly themed decor. The bars were large and accounted for a big portion of revenue. Beloved crooner Johnny Cash was recruited to craft an album of train-related songs called "Destination Victoria Station," and the chain partnered with Universal Studios and the U.S. Ski Team, enjoying wide recognition. Unfortunately, by the 1980s, Victoria Station found itself shuttering several of its more than 100 locations and filed for bankruptcy in 1986.

Just as modern-day chains like Red Lobster (whose endless shrimp campaign proved ineffective) and popular Italian restaurant chain Buca di Beppo attempted to rebrand as a last-ditch effort before bankruptcy, Victoria Station switched gears and restructured itself as an upscale hamburger eatery. The restaurant was also acquired by a new company that purchased the Victoria Station trademark and a handful of restaurants in an attempt to absorb a tax liability and keep Victoria Station afloat. Sadly, even the restructuring couldn't contend with $22 million worth of debt, and in 1986, Victoria Station declared bankruptcy.

While other steakhouses were enjoying relative success, Victoria Station couldn't handle the financial losses, and although there was speculation of mismanagement, it was more likely a sign of the times. Themed restaurants in the '80s were losing some steam, and steakhouses that were focused on heavy meals of meat and potatoes were stepping aside for lighter, healthier fare. As more Victoria Station steakhouses began to close, there was eventually only one left in Salem, Massachusetts. It closed its doors in 2017, joining the ranks of themed eateries and mall food court restaurants that quietly disappeared. But for those who remember Victoria Station as a whimsical, family-friendly steak joint that evoked a simpler time of train cars and Johnny Cash tunes, Victoria Station might go down as one of the failed restaurant chains we actually miss.