REPORT: Once-mighty steakhouse is cooking up a comeback to its 1980s heyday

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FROM DAILY MAIL: A beloved steakhouse that once helped define the American dining boom is mounting an unlikely comeback — decades after its glory days burned into the memories of millions.

Sizzler, the budget-friendly chain famous for its salad bar, sizzling platters and golden cheese toast, was once everywhere.

In its heyday, the brand operated more than 770 restaurants nationwide, making it one of the largest casual-dining chains in America — as recognizable as Pizza Hut, Red Lobster or Shoney’s.

Born in 1958 in Culver City, California, Sizzler was the creation of Del and Helen Johnson, who opened a simple steakhouse with one irresistible idea: offer middle-class families a taste of steakhouse luxury at fast-food prices. It worked — spectacularly.

Sizzler was a coast-to-coast success in the 1970s and 80s, drawing in hungry families seeking their all-you-can-eat salad bar, cheese toast, and their good-old steak and potato dishes.

The chain lost momentum in the 1990s, and now they are operating just 74 locations in California, Nevada, New Mexico, Idaho, Utah, and Oregon, after filing for bankruptcy twice and closing hundreds of locations.

Now, Sizzler is cooking up some new ideas in a bid to woo new – and old – fans. It is revamping its stores with new tile flooring and paint, and keeping classic Sizzler staples like the all-you-can-eat salad bar.

Chief growth officer Robert Clark says the updated stores are seeing sales increase by about 47 percent.

Clark said the goal is to bring Sizzler into the present without erasing its past.

“Our current leadership is much more focused on ‘hey, let’s take the best of Sizzler and let’s make it even better,'” Clark told QSR Magazine.

“We feel like we have a really great brand here,” he said. “I think what we’re trying to do with the remodel is really stay relevant and have facilities and assets that meet our reputation.

“Remodeling is probably the single biggest driver of guests in the restaurant. It’s the most important thing.”

Did you eat at Sizzler as a kid? Do you still eat there? Tell us about it in the comments.

Enjoy imagery and information about the iconic steakhouse in the X posts below.

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