Sizzler

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For the Russian cruise missile, see Sizzler (missile).

Sizzler is a United States-based restaurant chain with headquarters in Culver City, CA, serving steak, seafood, salad (from a large salad bar), and similar food items.

Sizzler sign at The Myer Centre at Queen Street Mall in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

1 History
2 Photos
3 Pop Culture References
4 External links
- 4.1 References
- 4.2 Recipes

[edit] History

Sizzler musashino City japan

The chain was founded in 1958 as Del's Sizzler Family Steak House by Del and Helen Johnson in Culver City, CA^[1]. The chain is comprised of more than 270 locations throughout the U.S.^[2]. Most of Sizzler's U.S. locations are in the west.

1980 In the late 1970's into early 1980's, Sizzler promoted mainly steak and combination steak dinners with the optional salad bar. The resturant wanted to give the customer the feel of a full-service resturant, but at a price just slightly more then that of the fast food chain. To keep costs down many of the resturants had their own in-house meatcutters where they would cut their own steaks and make their own hamburgers. Heading into the mid 1980's competition began to appear from other casual-dining restaurants. After promotions such as "All-you-can-eat" fried shrimp, the chain decided to expand its popular salad bar into a full buffet promoted as the "Buffet Court". Patrons began to use the buffet as their meal instead of an add-on to an entree. In response Sizzler began to lower the quality of food in other areas of the menu^[3]. Customers took notice and Sizzler's reputation suffered.

1990's Sizzler filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy in 1996 and closed 140 of 215 stores. They reemerged from chapter 11 in 1997. During the late 1990's new management upgraded the quality of food but also increased prices.

2000's Sizzler's revenue flat-lined and in 2001 21 stores were closed. Sizzler began an image makeover around 2002. A new restaurant concept was created featuring a lighter and more open dining room. The changes are accompanied with a new menu. In an effort to return to their roots, steaks, seafood, and the salad bar are being reemphasized while the all-you-can-eat buffet is being phased out^[4].

Sizzler also has restaurants throughout the world including Australia, China, Indonesia, Japan, Singapore, and Thailand.

[edit] Photos

Sign for Sizzler at
The Myer Centre (photo taken at Elizabeth Street in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia)

Sizzler restaurant at The Myer Centre in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

Sizzler restaurant at Toowong Village in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

Sizzler musashino City japan

[edit] Pop Culture References

On a second season episode of the TV show Seinfeld, Kramer is at a hospital and comments on the food saying, "It's like a Sizzler's opened up a hospital!"

In the 1992 film White Men Can't Jump, Sidney (Wesley Snipes) promises Junior (Kadeem Hardison) that they'll go to Sizzler after he beats Billy Hoyle (Woody Harrelson) in a free-throw contest. During the contest, Junior starts taunting Billy by chanting, "We goin' Sizzler! We goin' Sizzler!"

In the 1995 film Heavyweights, the character Josh, after being sent home from camp by Tony Perkis, eats a meal at a Sizzler, and after arriving back at camp, mentions this to one of the other characters: "First I went to the Sizzler, got that all-you-can-eat meal. I closed the place."

In "Weird Al" Yankovic's song Albuquerque, the narrator achieves his lifelong dream by getting a part-time job at a Sizzler. He also gets awarded Employee of the Month after he puts out a grease fire with his face.

In the Jamie Foxx Show, after Jamie and his co-star/girlfriend Fancy have reconciled after a long fight about a birthday present, Jamie promises to take Fancy to "some place really fancy," she replies, "Really?" To which Jamie responds, "Sizzler," then everyone laughs.

In the 1996 film Carpool, Tom Arnold's character is unable to prevent his mother from patronizing a Sizzler restaurant. Her abuse of the "all-you-can-eat" meal results in a police standoff.

In the 1998 film Slums of Beverly Hills, Alan Arkin's character considers Sizzler gourmet food, repeatedly exclaiming "Ok, let's go to the Sizzler."

In several episodes of Family Matters, the characters talk about going to Sizzler as a "fancy" meal.

Sizzler is mentioned several times in Full House episodes, including one in which Joey Gladstone is said to have pranked members of the family while there.

Actress Jennifer Love Hewitt has said that she is a huge Sizzler fan.

In Ghostbusters II when Egon, Ray, and Winston go to pick up Peter prior to investigating the sewer wearing full rubber hazmat gear and galoshes, Peter surmises that they are on the way to "All you can eat, barbeque rib night at the Sizzler".

In Happy Gilmore, Joe Flaherty's character, Donald, offers Shooter McGavin a meal at the Sizzler.

In the Scooby-Doo movie, Shaggy sees a feast on a table in a presumed-to-be-haunted castle and remarks that it's "like a Medieval Sizzler!"

In an episode of Saved by the Bell, Lisa's father exclaims "Let's go to the Sizzler!" after Lisa confesses to spending excessively on his credit card, in an attempt to console her guilt.

[edit] External links

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