Ruth's Chris Steak House facts for kids
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Formerly
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Chris' Steak House (1927–1976) |
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| Division | |
| Industry | Restaurants |
| Genre | Fine dining |
| Founded | 1927 in Broad Street, New Orleans, Louisiana |
| Founder | Chris Matulich (1927, namesake) Ruth Fertel (1965, namesake) |
| Headquarters | Winter Park, Florida |
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Number of locations
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100+ steakhouses |
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Area served
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United States (including Puerto Rico) Canada Aruba Panama Mexico Singapore China Indonesia Japan Taiwan Hong Kong Philippines |
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Key people
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Rik Jenkins(President) |
| Products | Food service |
| Revenue | US$468 million (FY 2019) |
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Number of employees
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5,000+ (2020) |
| Parent | Darden Restaurants |
Ruth's Chris Steak House is a well-known chain of over 100 steakhouse restaurants. You can find these restaurants in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The company's main office is located in Winter Park, Florida. This restaurant chain is now part of a bigger company called Darden Restaurants.
Contents
History of Ruth's Chris Steak House
The First Steak House: Chris' Steak House (1927–1965)
The story of Ruth's Chris Steak House began on February 27, 1927. A man named Chris Matulich opened a restaurant called Chris' Steak House in New Orleans, Louisiana. It was a small place that could seat about 60 people. Over 38 years, Chris Matulich sold the restaurant six times. But each time, the new owners couldn't make it work, so Matulich would buy it back for a low price.
Ruth Fertel Takes Over (1965–1999)
How Ruth Bought the Restaurant in 1965
In 1965, a determined single mom named Ruth Fertel needed money to send her sons to college. Even though her friends and advisors told her not to, Ruth decided to buy Chris' Steak House. She used family recipes and ideas from her brother's restaurant to get started. On her very first day, May 24, 1965, she sold 35 steaks. Ruth was very involved in every part of the business. For many years, her restaurant was special because it had an all-female wait staff.
The Name Change to Ruth's Chris Steak House in 1976
In 1976, a fire sadly destroyed the original Chris' Steak House building. Ruth had to move her restaurant quickly. She found a new spot just a few blocks away. Since her agreement with the original owner, Chris Matulich, didn't let her use the name "Chris' Steak House" at a different address, she added her own name to it. That's how it became Ruth's Chris Steak House. She later said she didn't love the name, but it helped people remember the restaurant.
Growing Bigger: Franchising (1976–1999)
The first Ruth's Chris Steak House outside of New Orleans opened in 1977. It was started by a loyal customer named Thomas J. "T. J." Moran in Baton Rouge. Ruth said that all the people who opened new Ruth's Chris restaurants were customers who loved her food. The chain grew quickly, reaching 66 locations in the U.S. and other countries by the late 1990s.
New Owners and Going Public (1999–2005)
In 1999, Ruth Fertel, who was 72 at the time, sold most of her share in the company to an investment group called Madison Dearborn Partners. She remained a shareholder until she passed away in 2002. During this time, the chain continued to grow, reaching 86 restaurants, including 10 in other countries.
In 2005, Ruth's Chris Steak House became a public company. This means that people could buy shares of the company on the stock market.
Moving to Florida in 2005
In August 2005, Hurricane Katrina caused a lot of damage in New Orleans. Because of the storm, Ruth's Chris Steak House moved its main office to Heathrow, Florida. Two of its restaurants in the New Orleans area had to close. The original flagship restaurant on Broad Street was permanently closed and later given to Tulane University. It was rebuilt and reopened in 2012 as a community health center. In May 2008, a new Ruth's Chris restaurant opened in downtown New Orleans. In 2011, the company's headquarters moved again to its current location in Winter Park, Florida.
More Growth and Changes
In 2008, the company bought two other restaurant brands, Mitchell's Fish Restaurant and Columbus Fish Market. The company then changed its name to Ruth's Hospitality Group (RHGI) to include all its different restaurant brands. Ruth's Chris Steak House has continued to open new restaurants in different cities, including Las Vegas, Denver, and Reno, Nevada.
The COVID-19 Pandemic and Loans
During the coronavirus pandemic, Ruth's Hospitality Group received some loans from a government program meant to help small businesses. However, the company was larger than many small businesses. After some discussion, the company decided to return the money to the government in April 2020.
Darden Restaurants Acquires Ruth's Chris (2023)
On May 3, 2023, Darden Restaurants, a very large restaurant company, announced that it was buying Ruth's Hospitality Group Inc. This means that Ruth's Chris Steak House is now part of the Darden Restaurants family.
Images for kids
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Ruth's Chris Steak House in Charlotte, North Carolina
