This Defunct Restaurant Chain With Michigan Roots Still Sells Its Iconic Baked Goods Online

If you're from Michigan, you may have fond memories of a homey restaurant chain popular among families' for multiple generations. It's one of the failed restaurant chains many of us miss most — but the silver lining is that, whether you nurse nostalgia for the chain Bill Knapp's or are just learning about it now, you can still enjoy a taste of what made it great by ordering its baked goods online.

Baked treats were a main attraction for the Bill Knapp's restaurant chain during its run from 1948 to 2002. Commenters on Facebook and on Reddit threads alike wax poetic commentary about the chocolate cake, orange bread, and ice cream. These Bill Knapp delights have joined the ranks of iconic Michigan foods everyone should try at least once — but, luckily, this is still possible to do even without physical Bill Knapp's restaurants. 

Turns out that baked goods at Bill Knapp's were the work of another Michigan business, Awrey's Bakery, all along. Through a parent company, they now operate their own Bill Knapp's baked goods outlets in Grand Rapids and in Ann Arbor. They also sell their baked goods through distributors in about 30 states at stores like Kroger and Meijer. In Michigan, grocers like D&W Fresh Market sell Bill Knapp's famous chocolate cake for $14.39, as well as donut varieties for $5.99. You can also order a variety of flavors of Bill Knapp's famed "toaster tops" right on the business' website for $39.95 a dozen.

Clinton B. "Bill" Knapp had been working in bakeries in Battle Creek, Michigan and wanted to start his own business serving high-quality eats. He recruited friends, family, and investors, and opened the first Bill Knapp's location in 1948. Diners quickly fell for the restaurant's au gratin potatoes, meatloaf, fried chicken, biscuits, and cake. Bill Knapp's grew to dozens of locations over the years – largely in Michigan but also Indiana, Florida, Illinois, and Ohio. 

The restaurant appealed to families with the comforting fare, low prices, and frequent coupons; on patrons' birthdays, they'd receive a discount based on their age and free chocolate cake with a "happy birthday" singalong. But, the fate of Bill Knapp's followed a trajectory similar to that of other retro restaurant chains who have gone bankrupt. Knapp died in 1974 and the chain was eventually purchased by another company in 1998. This company changed the menu and alienated longtime, loyal patrons. Ultimately, Bill Knapp's filed for bankruptcy in 2001 and closed its last location in 2002.

Bill Knapp's clearly made its mark. On Facebook posts remembering Bill Knapp's, commenters reminisce about family dinners and birthday celebrations there — some recall older relatives making it a goal to live to 100 get a free meal using the restaurant's age-as-discount promotion. For many, it was their favorite place to eat; people seem to miss the chocolate cake most of all. It's heartening news, then, that many can still enjoy it by heading to the outlet or the right supermarket.