What chain restaurant does Lexington miss most? Readers picked this 24-hour eatery

Jackie Starkey
·3 min read

This month, following news the last remaining O’Charley’s location in Lexington had permanently closed, we asked readers which once-popular chain restaurant they missed most.

O’Charley’s Restaurant and Bar, known for its yeast rolls and headquartered in Nashville, Tenn., didn’t fare well in the poll results, garnering only 28 votes, or 1%, as of noon Monday.

Its closure comes as chain eateries across the country fight to stay afloat. Other chains expected to close locations in the U.S. this year include Applebee’s, Hardee’s, Burger King and more, trade publication Eat This, Not That! reports.

According to the National Restaurant Association, the industry added nearly 25,000 jobs in April as establishments beefed up their staff to meet summer demand. But the restaurants that survived mass pandemic closures starting in 2020 are still facing uphill challenges with hiring.

The restaurant association reports as of 2021, Kentucky was had more than 8,000 restaurants that employed 192,800 individuals.

What chain restaurant do Lexington residents miss most?

In the top five spots, respectively, readers chose Perkins, Chi Chi’s, Darryl’s, Chop House and GD Ritzy’s as the most-missed chains once prominent in the Lexington area.

Here’s how to the total poll results shook out:

  • Perkins, 302 votes or 16%

  • Chi Chi’s, 227 votes or 12%

  • Darryl’s, 188 votes or 10%

  • Chop House, 154 votes or 8%

  • GD Ritzy’s, 136 votes or 8%

  • Max and Erma’s, 132 votes or 7%

  • Kenny Rogers Roasters, 93 votes or 5%

  • Long John Silver’s, 91 votes or 5%

  • Jerry’s Restaurant, 72 votes or 4%

  • Morrison’s, 71 votes or 4%

  • Ruby Tuesday, 66 votes or 4%

  • Boston Market, 59 votes or 3%

  • Jozo’s Bayou Gumbo, 58 votes or 3%

  • TGI Friday’s, 46 votes or 2%

  • Don Pablo’s 41 votes or 2%

  • Shoney’s, 38 votes or 2%

  • O’Charley’s, 28 votes or 1%

  • Druther’s, 22 votes or 1%

  • Sizzler, 21 votes or 1%

  • I Can’t Believe It’s Yogurt, 15 votes or 1%

  • Bennigan’s of Lexington, 14 votes or 1%

The poll results aren’t scientific, rather just for fun. We’ll leave the poll open, in the event you didn’t get to cast a vote.

Readers also emailed in with choices that didn’t make it into the poll, including The Fresher Cooker, The Magic Pan, Steak and Ale and more.

What happened to your top pick?

According to previous Herald-Leader reporting, the Perkins Family Restaurant location once on Richmond Road closed in 2012 after 21 years of business.

The closure followed a high-profile legal battle between the restaurant and Lexington Mall Properties Inc., which owned the property Perkins occupied. The settlement was confidential and no details were released at the time.

The chain advertises “homestyle cooking” and the menu features breakfast all day. The Perkins corporate website indicates there are no locations left in Kentucky.

Do you have a question about Lexington history for our service journalism team? We’d like to hear from you. Fill out our Know Your Kentucky form or email ask@herald-leader.com.