Bennigan's and Steak & Ale Close Doors

[OKCTalker]

From the Wall Street Journal Online:

National restaurant chains Bennigan's and Steak & Ale have closed their doors and filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy protection, shuttering more than 300 locations and letting go of thousands of employees.

It is one of the country's largest restaurant bankruptcies and eliminates two sit-down chains that have been part of the casual-dining landscape for decades. The chains will liquidate and aren't likely to re-open.

Late Monday, managers at Bennigan's and Steak & Ale were told not to open restaurants the next day, according to two people familiar with the matter. Employees were told there wouldn't be enough money to pay them for the rest of the week, these people said.

How many in OKC? Two of each chain?

[MEvans]

Bennigan's on May/Memorial has been closed for awhile. There is a Steak & Ale next door and there used to be one on NW Expressway.

[Centerback]

I'll certainly miss the S&A salad bar and cold plates.

[JWil]

The Bennigans at I-40/Meridian and Memorial/May have been closed a few weeks now already. Sad... good place to eat and drink.

[OKCisOK4me]

I just ate at a Bennigan's down in Austin this past Thursday evening. I'd hate to be that wait staff, going to work today and finding the doors locked. That place was hopping that night too!

[BabyBoomerSooner]

The Bennigans at I-40/Meridian and Memorial/May have been closed a few weeks now already. Sad... good place to eat and drink.

The last time I visited the Steak and Ale on Memorial I couldn't enjoy my food because of some sort of weird smell. It was like an old person's house! I don't know if they had a water issue or what, but it almost made me sick. Despite the aroma issue, the service and food were fine.

[OKCTalker]

They're in the overcrowded casual-dining industry segment, which is the first to be affected by an economic downturn. For the newly-unemployed local service people, there are certainly a lot of new restaurants that would like to hire them for their experience.

[ddavidson8]

Glad to see Bennigan's go, but I'm really sad about Steak and Ale. Their prime rib and salad bar is the best around.

[OKCMallen]

I was never big on Bennigans. Over-priced and not that good.

[kevinpate]

wasn't there a S&A on 240?

I never had a bad meal at any S&A I ever went to, but perhaps I and many others just never went often enough.

bummer that.

[Superhyper]

I'm not a big fan of Bennigans, but I feel for those who lost their jobs. I hope they're able to move on quickly.

[ddavidson8]

People in the food industry rarely have a problem finding a new job. They jump around a lot as is. Speaking from experience.

[FritterGirl]

I'm not a big fan of Bennigans, but I feel for those who lost their jobs. I hope they're able to move on quickly.

Ditto. Not a fan of either establishment. Whenever my husband and I pass the restaurants at Memorial and May, we've wondered how they stayed in business for so long.

I just hope the corner gets some better restaurants. It's prime real estate, and right now is starting to look really bad because of the empty Bennigan's and surrounding lot, which is getting really long grass.

[rinni]

I had lunch Monday at S&A on I-240. The place was empty (to be fair it was 1 pm). The meal was excellent but I have to admit that I noticed the "deferred maintenance". The varnish on the tables had worn off and the woodwork just looked rough. The restroom was filthy - there was dirt and gunk (??) in the corners and the vanity was cracked. S&A has wonderful food and I hate to see them go.

[ultimatesooner]

I only ate at the S&A on Memorial a few times, going in there was like walking back in time 30 years or so but the food was always good

Bennigans was always hit and miss the handfull of times I ate there

[jbrown84]

I've had Steak & Ale a couple times lately because my parents had gift certificates. I have to say their food is pretty mediocre. Texas Roadhouse is ten times better, and then of course we have so many excellent local steakhouses.

Googlemaps shows 4 in the metro. N. May, May & NWE, I-40 & Meridian, and SW 74th (I-240).

[soonergirl]

The last time I visited the Steak and Ale on Memorial I couldn't enjoy my food because of some sort of weird smell. It was like an old person's house! I don't know if they had a water issue or what, but it almost made me sick. Despite the aroma issue, the service and food were fine.

Too weird that you say that. We stopped at the Bennigan's on Memorial a few weeks ago. The minute we walked in the door we were overwhelmed by a horrible stench that followed us to our (dirty) table. It's the first time I've ever walked out of a restaurant before the waiter even arrived.

[SoonerDave]

Yup, there is (well, was) a S&A on I-240 and Western. Been there for years, at least until today. There used to be four S&A's in OKC: There was also a location at I-40 and Meridian which closed some years ago and is now an Asian/Oriental restaurant, I believe. The other location was on the south side of NW Expressway just west of May, and it closed about seven or eight years ago. It was torn down and paved over as an extension of the adjacent auto dealer's parking lot.

Ironically, I was telling my wife just the other day that we were going to drive by that place (at I-240 and Western) any day and it was going to be closed...sure enough... S&A is old in this area; heck, the location at I-240 predated the ChiChi's restaurant that used to sit where Krispy Kreme now stands.

For those too young to remember, S&A aspired to be more upscale about two decades ago. Dimly lit, quiet atmosphere, "better" service, comfortable chairs, almost like what I understand might roughly emulate an English pub. It was a "special event" place it its day, and my wife and I enjoyed an anniversary dinner there about 12-13 years ago. The salad bar, as many have mentioned, was tops. They had one steak with a wonderful marinade back in the day, but long since left the menu.

Somewhere along the way, their specialty steaks disappeared, S&A lost their way, and they just stopped being relevant. They've been in trouble for years, because we used to get mailers and cards for free or half-price dinners just trying to get us in the door. It wasn't that we didn't *like* S&A, but it just never came up as a place to go.

My wife liked Bennigan's more than I did. They were more of a Chili's variety place, but with a much greater emphasis on the bar, and the food wasn't anything remarkable to me...they did have an awesome chocolate cake/dessert thing....

[ShiroiHikari]

Never been to Steak and Ale, but I meant to take my fiance to Bennigan's to get a Monte Cristo sometime. Guess that's out of the question now.

Bennigan's was okay I guess, but not overly impressive.

[FritterGirl]

Someone locally has a Monte Cristo. I can't remember who right now. I want to say it is Nonna's, which would be an amazing place to propose. Call ahead and they'll really make it a special night for you.

If someone else remembers where the Monte Cristo is, feel free to chime in.

[jbrown84]

It seems like there used to be a Steak & Ale on 39th Expressway? Am I dreaming that? Perhaps it was something else with a English tudor style building.

[OKCDrummer77]

they did have an awesome chocolate cake/dessert thing

Death By Chocolate?

[HOT ROD]

very intersting announcement.

We just had Chili's do a complete pull-out from Seattle! They had 2 restaurants here in the region - both are gone! There's an airport Chili's Express, but it is just THERE, it sucks.

[CCOKC]

It seems like there used to be a Steak & Ale on 39th Expressway? Am I dreaming that? Perhaps it was something else with a English tudor style building.

You are right. It was on the NW corner of 39th and Meridianish. That was a long time ago.

[JWil]

Wildly enough, the S&A sign at Memorial/May is all lit up. Just drove by there a bit ago and the sign on reminded me of this thread.

I think the last time I was in a S&A was like 3/4 years ago. It was definitely awhile.