9 Struggling Chain Restaurants That Came Back From Near Extinction

You may have noticed in the past several years that countless chain restaurants seem to be struggling or even closing altogether. This can be attributed to several different factors, including rising food prices, which forces restaurants to raise their prices in turn. As restaurant prices continue to rise, more and more people have started to embrace cooking at home for more budget-friendly meals. As long as food continues to get more expensive, we'll probably see restaurants continuing to struggle with this new economic reality.

However, in spite of these issues, some once-struggling restaurants are coming back from near extinction — and, often, changing how their businesses are run in the process. We're going to take a closer look at several different chains that, until recently, were not doing well but have managed to pull back from the brink (at least for now). It's not clear what the future holds for your favorite chain restaurants, but for the time being, it looks like these spots are making a comeback.

Quiznos is just one example of a chain restaurant that was acquired by a private equity firm before rapidly going downhill, leaving fans of their sandwiches stuck with Subway or other sad, inadequate replacements. This acquisition was completed in 2018, and by 2024, there were only around 150 Quiznos locations throughout the country. Compare that to two decades ago, when there were almost 4,700 stores dotted across the country, and it's clear just how far Quiznos fell thanks not only to the acquisition but to a whole host of reasons, including the 2008 financial recession.

But now, it looks like Quiznos is starting to make a comeback. Starting in 2022, the chain partnered with a gas station company called Pump & Pantry, building Quiznos locations within the existing gas stations. New Quiznos locations are being opened slowly but surely, so grabbing your favorite toasted sub on a road trip may be a lot easier soon.

Roast beef sandwiches, fried chicken, and burgers are Roy Rogers' specialities, but if you were born after the '80s, there's a good chance that your experience with the chain has been limited. That's because in 1990, the chain was sold to Hardee's. Instead of keeping all of those Roy Rogers locations running (which numbered near 600 at the time), Hardee's decided to sell off most of the locations, which were then transformed into other chain locations. In 2002, a pair of brothers bought the chain back from Hardee's and started opening new locations, albeit quite slowly.

But quite recently, Roy Rogers opened up a new location in Cherry Hill, New Jersey — about two to two-and-a-half hours from New York City. The opening was a popular event, with customers lining up to get a taste of the food they once loved. Is nostalgia enough to bring Roy Rogers back in a more meaningful way? Only time will tell, but it looks like the chain is at least moving in the right direction.

There are seemingly countless Tex-Mex chains to choose from these days, but one name that used to be big on the Midwestern Tex-Mex chain scene is making a comeback, and fans couldn't be more excited. It's Chi-Chi's, the casual sit-down Tex-Mex spot known for its indulgent offerings like deep-fried ice cream and chimichangas. It was big in the '80s and '90s, but if you were once a fan of the chain, then you've probably noticed that it's no longer available.

In the early 2000s, Chi-Chi's made an effort to expand, but it wasn't quite as popular most places as it was in the Midwest, especially since it had so many similar restaurants to compete with. By 2002, the chain had declared bankruptcy. But around 20 years after all Chi-Chi's locations closed, the chain has made a comeback, with its first location opening (again) in Minnesota in 2025. For now, it's the only Chi-Chi's in operation, but the chain is planning on expanding to more locations in the near future.

Red Lobster, the iconic seafood chain that once saw a boost in sales after a shoutout from Beyoncé in her song "Formation," filed for bankruptcy in 2024, closing 130 locations and laying off around 200 employees in the process. It marked another recent embarrassment in the chain's long list of questionable escapades, perhaps most notably the endless shrimp deal that cost Red Lobster $11 million and predictably left the company struggling financially. Unfortunately, the brand's image has really struggled, which likely means that the company will have to cut costs even further.

But there is light at the end of the tunnel for Red Lobster's leaders. The chain's new CEO, Damola Adamolekun, says that the chain won't make the same mistakes it has in the past and aims to rebrand to appeal to younger consumers. With new options like seafood boil bags, the chain aims to appeal to Black communities specifically by tapping into the sense of nostalgia the restaurant evokes for some. It's not clear whether the comeback will continue to be as successful as the new leadership ostensibly hopes for, but we have to admit that the seafood boil bags look pretty good.

If you've spent a lot of time in mall food courts, then chances are that you've come across a Sbarro at least a few times in your life. The Italian fast food chain is known for its quick-service pasta and pizzas, making it one of the few fast food restaurants where you can snag yourself a massive plate of spaghetti. But in years past, the brand was really struggling. Its main market was in malls, and as shopping centers throughout the country began drying up, the restaurant started facing financial problems. By 2014, Sbarro had filed for bankruptcy.

But now, Sbarro has made incredible inroads to building a pizza empire once again. It's opened more than 300 stores in the years since 2023, and in 2025, it hit an 800-store milestone after opening restaurants across the country and abroad. So, pizza and pasta lovers, there's no need to worry — your plate of mall spaghetti isn't going anywhere.

When you're super hungry and find yourself craving some 'za (and maybe some arcade games), pizza buffet chain Cici's Pizza can be the ideal place to go. You don't have to commit to a whole pie — instead, you can choose a variety of different styles and toppings thanks to the chain's all you can eat offerings. But in recent years, Cicis has really struggled. Due partially to the COVID-19 pandemic and the chilling effect that it had on the entire restaurant industry, Cicis Pizza was forced to file for bankruptcy in 2021. In the time since then, Cicis Pizza closed about a quarter of its locations, leaving only 300 operating.

These days, though, Cicis is plotting its comeback. Instead of transitioning to more of a takeout model that would've succeeded during the pandemic, it's investing in its in-person offerings, including its in-house arcade, in the hopes of appealing to families looking for a fun evening out. Although it may not be leaning into re-opening all those closed stores, its focus on better quality and more offerings at its current locations could have it poised for success in the coming years.

Friendly's was once a popular, beloved chain, but for several decades now, the restaurant has been struggling. It had the largest number of restaurants it's ever had — 850 — all the way back in 1996. Since then, its numbers have dwindled, and in 2024, it only had 100 locations left. Things might be turning around for the brand now, though. The chain's strategy has largely been to update the restaurants, revamping the actual locations and updating the menu with new, fresh menu items to attract customers.

Things seem to be going in the right direction, judging by the new Friendly's locations opening up across the country. In 2025, the brand's parent company, BRIX Holdings, was acquired by Legacy Brands International, which, interestingly enough, is owned by a franchisee who owns over 30 Friendly's locations. Perhaps this acquisition will spur new growth within the company.

Those who claim that chain restaurants can't offer healthy food have ostensibly never dined at Sweet Tomatoes, the massively popular buffet chain that prominently featured soups, salads, and other light, refreshing dishes that made for the ultimate casual weeknight meal out. 

Unfortunately, in 2020, Sweet Tomatoes was forced to close its 97 locations, much to the chagrin of longtime fans. This was largely due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, which made buffet restaurants all but irrelevant. Blessedly, the chain is making a comeback, with new locations opening up in Arizona and Florida.

According to Sweet Tomatoes director of corporate affairs, Marlee Lossing, who spoke to Restaurant Business Online, the appearance of these new locations is being upgraded. However, the basic idea of the restaurant — a place to get an affordable, healthy, buffet-style meal — remains intact. If you miss those soups, salads, and the cozy atmosphere that Sweet Tomatoes once provided, you're in luck.

There are seemingly countless steakhouse chains from which to choose in the U.S., but Sizzler, a largely California-based chain, is one particularly beloved brand that's been struggling for quite some time now. The brand's plans to revamp the restaurant have mainly focused around exploiting the nostalgia that some people feel for the chain and to compete with casual fast food restaurants, like McDonald's, to create a family-friendly atmosphere that taps into sentimental feelings. Out of Sizzler's 80 remaining locations, nine have seen recent renovations.

This strategy is seemingly working well, with revamped restaurants marking an increase in sales numbers. However, Sizzler is still far from the success it saw in its heyday. At one point, the brand boasted around 700 stores throughout the country. The chain isn't in the clear yet, either, as more and more diners choose to eat at home thanks to the rising cost of going out to eat. Maybe someday, this beloved steakhouse can get back to that ubiquity on the steakhouse chain market.