Bennigan's facts for kids
Bennigan's current logo
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| Privately-held company | |
| Industry | Restaurant Franchising |
| Founded | 1976 |
| Headquarters | Dallas, Texas, U.S. |
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Key people
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Paul Mangiamele (CEO) |
| Owner | Legendary Restaurant Brands, LLC (Paul Mangiamele) |
Bennigan's is a restaurant chain known for its Irish pub theme. Its main office is in Dallas, Texas, in the United States. It was started in 1976 in Atlanta, Georgia, by a person named Norman E. Brinker.
Bennigan's was one of the first "casual dining" restaurants in America. This means it was a relaxed place to eat, not too fancy, but nicer than fast food. A famous item on their menu was the "Monte Cristo" sandwich. It had different meats, was dipped in batter, fried, and then sprinkled with powdered sugar.
For a while, Bennigan's was part of the Pillsbury company. But in 1989, Pillsbury was bought by another company called Grand Metropolitan. Because of certain laws, companies that make alcohol couldn't also own places that sell alcohol. So, Bennigan's was sold to Metromedia.
At its busiest, Bennigan's had over 300 restaurants. However, the company didn't change much over time. The quality of food and service also went down. People's tastes changed, and sales started to drop. In 2008, the company had serious money problems and closed most of its restaurants. Later, a new company bought Bennigan's. In 2015, Paul Mangiamele, who was the CEO, bought the company himself.
Today, Bennigan's has 21 regular restaurants. They also have 21 "Bennigan's On The Fly" locations, which are only for delivery.
The Story of Bennigan's
Bennigan's began in 1976 in Atlanta, Georgia. It was part of the Pillsbury company. The idea came from Norman E. Brinker, who also started the Steak and Ale restaurant. The very first big Bennigan's restaurant opened in Tysons Corner, Virginia, the next year.
In 1983, Norman Brinker and other leaders left Bennigan's and Steak and Ale. They bought a different restaurant chain called Chili's. Chili's was known for its gourmet hamburgers.
In 1989, Pillsbury was bought by Grand Metropolitan. This company sold a lot of alcohol. Laws in the U.S. stopped companies that make alcohol from owning places that sell it, like restaurants. So, Bennigan's and Steak and Ale were sold to Metromedia.
Why Sales Dropped
At its best, Bennigan's had more than 300 restaurants. But the company did not keep up with new trends. They didn't change their restaurants or their menu enough. The food quality also got worse. People started wanting different kinds of restaurants. All these things made sales go down.
In May 2006, Bennigan's closed all its restaurants in New York and Connecticut.
In July 2008, the company that owned most Bennigan's restaurants had to declare bankruptcy. This meant they had serious money problems. They closed all 150 of their company-owned Bennigan's locations in the U.S.
At first, the 138 restaurants owned by other people (franchisees) stayed open. But many of these also closed in the years that followed. In South Korea, over 30 Bennigan's restaurants kept operating until they closed in January 2016.
A Fresh Start
In October 2008, a company called Atalaya Capital Management bought the Bennigan's and Steak and Ale brands. They planned to open new restaurants as franchises.
In May 2012, the new management announced big plans. They wanted a new logo and a new look for the restaurants. They also planned new ways to run the business and a new menu. The new restaurants would be smaller and look more modern. But they would still have some of the old Bennigan's style.
In February 2015, the CEO, Paul Mangiamele, and his wife, Gwen, bought the company. They did this through their company, Legendary Restaurant Brands, LLC.
In 2018 and 2019, Bennigan's announced plans to open over 100 new restaurants. These included places in other countries like Amsterdam, Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador, and Pakistan.
In 2021, the company started a new idea called "On The Fly." They let hotels use the Bennigan's name to offer delivery-only meals. These are like virtual restaurants.
See also
In Spanish: Bennigan's para niños
- List of Irish restaurants
