'Outdated" burger chain throwdown- Friendlys, Steak'n Shake, Fudruckers, A&W

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Friendly's was founded in 1935 in Springfield, Mass. Specializing in mostly burgers and shakes, the chain embraced the pre-war neighborhood diner atmosphere and was a beloved nostalgia-inducing American institution.

Unfortunately, Friendly's clung to a dated design without plans for improvement. It struggled during the pandemic without delivery or curbside options. Prior to that, it also faced trouble during the economic recession, high ice cream prices, and customer complaints regarding food consistency.

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Ninety-year-old Steak 'n Shake has been struggling with stiff burger competition for decades. Last year, the chain was inching closer to bankruptcy before suddenly paying off its loan just weeks before it was due. Directly after, the chain sued its lender, Fortress Investment Group, claiming the company schemed to gain control of its assets during that time.
To fix these issues, the company recently started on a path of "radical transformation," according to chairman Sardar Biglari. The chain upgraded its restaurants to an advanced self-service model, doing away with servers and installing order kiosks.

In addition, the chain cut superfluous elements from the menu, like breakfast items and chicken sandwiches to further streamline service. While keeping its traditional menu staples cheap (an original double Steakburger with cheese and fries still costs $3.99 as it did in 1997) and paying employees more, Steak 'n Shake hopes to refresh its image with the best of both worlds.

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The chain's parent company Luby's was hit hard during the pandemic. The Texas-based cafeteria chain was in the middle of its liquidation proceedings when Black Titan Franchise Systems swooped in and bought Fuddruckers right before the ship went down. Thanks to the buyout, Fuddruckers lived to see another day.

The chain has been focusing on revitalizing its footprint. This year it announced plans to expand in ten new shopping malls nationwide, including a location in Fresno, with a ghost kitchen intended to capture more delivery and to-go orders.

It has also undergone some menu changes, introducing new plant-based offerings. While the chain is still working to get its legs under it, the comeback is underway.

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In the early 1970s, A&W had more locations than McDonald's. The all-American fast-food chain was known for serving customers with frosty mugs of A&W Root Beer and possibly the first bacon cheeseburgers in the industry. The company changed faces many times over the years. Going from a beverage stand to a family restaurant, to finally being acquired by major fast-food player Yum! Brands in 2002.
Coupled with some poor marketing decisions (including selling third-pound burgers to customers who may have been less mathematically savvy than expected) the brand began to struggle.

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