Chi-Chis

Do any still exist? I searched this website and saw a thread that started in 2004 but it was not in the non-roadfood chain section.

This was my place of choice for large groups and first dates in the mid to late '80s. I actually have some fond memories of the place. The "Chahitas," the frozen drinks, the fried ice cream.

The hepatatis outbreak happened about 10 years later.

I think you have to give credit to where its due--I don't remember many Fridays, or Ruby Tuesdays, or Applebees, around in the '80s when Chi-Chis was big. Did they start the "theme chain restaurant" movement? Or was that Red Lobster?

All gone as of 2004, according to an article I found on a Google search. The locations and liquor licenses were all sold to Outback Steakhouse out of bankrupcy court.

Sister chain Casa Gallardo was sold to RealMex resturants, who operate the Chevy's chain among others. I remember eating at a Chi-Chi's out of town about 10 years or so ago, and it was identical to Casa Gallardo, including the menu.

yeah Chi-Chi's is gone. But then again last year I could have sworn that Boston's WBZ Radio was giving away free meals at Chi-Chi's. Is this different from the chain that we know?

The first theme restaurant? Good question !! My guess it was Shakeys Pizza

First Themed??? I would put the Clifton's Cafeteria's Tropical Garden in downtown Los Angeles near the top of that list, and Add the original Knott's Berry Farm Restaurant in there around the 1920's. I don't know if Walter Knott had a theme in mind, or if he opened his stand and restaurant and let the theme form around it???

I guess it is a "Which came first, the chicken or the egg" sort of label?

FYI Chi-Chi's headquarters was here in Louisville. Back in the 80's when the chain was doing quite well, we would have staff social meetings at the headquarters-site store. It was used as a training ground for new Franchise owners and staff (to learn the Chi-Chi's rules and regs.) We had a lot of good times at those sessions, and a lot of Margaritas disappeared during that periiod also.
It really is sad when what was a very good memory turns sour. Chi-Chi's turned sour over a period of time. We tried the company store in 2000 when we first returned to Louisville. It was terrible...musty, terrible service and frankly nobody in the place cared a whit about improving the situation. That's when it is time to pull the plug.

I loved going to Chi Chi's as a kid, especially when the waiters would sing to people on their birthdays. There are still Chi Chi's brand salsa and maybe tortillas on store shelves, distributed by Hormel according to Wikipedia. I think that's about all that's left of Chi Chi's. They even knocked down the old building in Lexington. It's sad to see such a fun place disappear.

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the Creepy Abandoned Chi Chi's blog:

http://creepyabandonedchichis.blogspot.com/

Both of the Chi-Chis near me have been about 10 diffrent things since - one finally ending up as a Sports bar, and the other has, after some creative remodeling been turned into a pagoda looking Chinese buffet. This place was abandoned at least 7 or 8 years after Chi-Chi's left St. Louis in the 80s before becoming a string of diffrent places.

I recall being stationed in Germany and going to a Chi-Chi's that was in Heidelburg. We would always go there for lunch if we had an appointment in the area.

There is still a Chi-Chis in Kuwait. See alot of marines/army folks deployed in Kuwait eating there aswell as fuddruckers, tgi fridays, chillis, applebees, johnny carinos, johnny rockets, etc. :-p

Its not bad.

Is alcohol served at those Kuwait stores?

quote:

Originally posted by chriscubva

yeah Chi-Chi's is gone. But then again last year I could have sworn that Boston's WBZ Radio was giving away free meals at Chi-Chi's. Is this different from the chain that we know?

The first theme restaurant? Good question !! My guess it was Shakeys Pizza

Yeah, I remember Shakey's when I was kid in Manhattan Ks. You could get a pie and a beer for under $5.00> My babysitter use to take me there on dates with her boyfriend. They were the first place to have a video jukebox!!

quote:

Originally posted by Al-The Mayor-Bowen

First Themed??? I would put the Clifton's Cafeteria's Tropical Garden in downtown Los Angeles near the top of that list, and Add the original Knott's Berry Farm Restaurant in there around the 1920's. I don't know if Walter Knott had a theme in mind, or if he opened his stand and restaurant and let the theme form around it???

I guess it is a "Which came first, the chicken or the egg" sort of label?

FYI Chi-Chi's headquarters was here in Louisville. Back in the 80's when the chain was doing quite well, we would have staff social meetings at the headquarters-site store. It was used as a training ground for new Franchise owners and staff (to learn the Chi-Chi's rules and regs.) We had a lot of good times at those sessions, and a lot of Margaritas disappeared during that periiod also.
It really is sad when what was a very good memory turns sour. Chi-Chi's turned sour over a period of time. We tried the company store in 2000 when we first returned to Louisville. It was terrible...musty, terrible service and frankly nobody in the place cared a whit about improving the situation. That's when it is time to pull the plug.

Funny, they shipped me to Farmington N.M for my training. I worked at Chi-Chi's from 1983 - 1986 as I was attending high school and beyond. They used to pay me in beer for working overtime as I was a minor!!!

Glad to see this chain is gone. When I first came to Columbus, OH in the mid 90s people actually thought this stuff was "real" Mexican. Now that there are has been a huge influx of Mexican immigrants and real, authentic, independent Mexican restaurants in the last 5-10 years..people have opened up their eyes, minds, and mouths. I ate at Chi-Chi's once with an ex girlfriend..the Corona was better than the food let's just say that. Taco Bell had better Mexican but I guess for a city like Columbus it sufficed from the 70s to 90s. There are a few abandoned ones around here..maybe I could start updating the "creepy Chi-Chi" blog.