The 1970s Seafood Chain Restaurant That Only Has 3 Locations Remaining In One US State
No matter how good a fish sandwich can be, there's something about the combination of seafood and fast food chain restaurants that Americans seemingly don't trust. Just look at the rise and decline of Long John Silver's, which had over 1,500 locations in the '80s but maintains less than 500 today. No new chains have really risen up to fill that space, and fish sandwiches play third-fiddle to burgers and chicken at places like Burger King and McDonald's. At one point in time, there was actually another seafood chain that was almost as big as Long John Silver's was, but there's a good chance you've never heard of it, because it only has three locations left, all in Ohio.
Arthur Treacher's was founded in Columbus, Ohio in 1969, with future Wendy's co-create Dave Thomas among the founders. Unlike the more generic seafood menu of Long John Silver's, Arthur Treacher's was specifically a British-style fish and chips restaurant, serving hearty portions of battered and fried cod with fries. The name came from British actor Arthur Treacher, known from playing a butler in Shirley Temple films before becoming the announcer for talk show host Merv Griffin. Treacher licensed his image out as a mascot for the brand, and for a few decades, the chain thrived, peaking at over 800 locations.
Read more: 15 Failed Restaurant Chains We Actually Miss
So what happened to Arthur Treacher's? Mostly a string of bad luck. The British-style chain was dependent on using the fish traditionally used in fish and chips: cod. In the mid-70s, a political showdown between Iceland and the U.K. that spiralled into an event known as the Cod Wars led to the closing of fishing zones, and the price of cod skyrocketed in the States. In 1979, Arthur Treacher's was bought by frozen fish-stick brand Mrs. Paul's.
The new owners wanted to cut costs and boost the sales of their own pre-existing products at the same time. This led to a switch from cod to pollock, which didn't go down well with customers. Arthur Treacher's would change hands several times over the coming years as different companies tried to turn the fortunes of the brand around, eventually being acquired by Nathan's Famous in 2006 following a licensing deal.
Nathan's Famous started introducing some co-branded locations. A few of those Arthur Treacher's inside of Nathan's still survive in the New York area, but only three stand-alone stores are left, all in the Cleveland area. But all is not lost. One of those stores is actually a new location that opened in Cleveland Heights in 2025. Could this be the start of a comeback for a once-famous fast food brand? Only time will tell.
Read the original article on Tasting Table.
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