Western Sizzlin’, stylized as WesterN SizzliN, is a chain of privately held and publicly held retail buffet restaurants and
steakhouse
A steakhouse, steak house, or chophouse refers to a restaurant that specializes in steaks and chops, found mainly in North America. Modern steakhouses may also carry other cuts of meat including poultry, roast prime rib, and veal, as well as ...
s,
with its headquarters in
Roanoke, Virginia
Roanoke ( ) is an independent city in the U.S. state of Virginia. At the 2020 census, the population was 100,011, making it the 8th most populous city in the Commonwealth of Virginia and the largest city in Virginia west of Richmond. It is ...
. The company has 46 franchise establishments located across 13
U.S.
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
states generally in the southeast (aside from Florida). It is a subsidiary of
Biglari Holdings
Biglari Holdings Inc. is an American holding company headquartered in San Antonio, Texas, founded by entrepreneur Sardar Biglari. Its major subsidiaries include Steak 'n Shake, ''Maxim'' magazine, First Guard Insurance, and Western Sizzlin'.
St ...
which is controlled by
Iranian American
Iranian Americans are United States citizens or nationals who are of Iranian ancestry or who hold Iranian citizenship.
Iranian Americans are among the most highly educated people in the United States. They have historically excelled in busin ...
businessman
Sardar Biglari
Sardar Biglari ( fa, سردار بیگلری; born August 30, 1977) is an American entrepreneur and is the founder, chairman and CEO of Biglari Holdings, . The Western Sizzlin' business model was conceived in 1962, by Nick Pascarella, and founded the same year in
Augusta, Georgia
Augusta ( ), officially Augusta–Richmond County, is a consolidated city-county on the central eastern border of the U.S. state of Georgia. The city lies across the Savannah River from South Carolina at the head of its navigable portion. Georgi ...
as: WesterN SizzliN Steak & More Restaurant.
In conceiving the business, Pasceralla reasoned that, "If searing the bottom of the steak made it juicy, adding flames to the top would make them twice as good.";
leading to its renowned searing process trademarked as the FlameKist steak.
Establishment
Western Sizzlin' was established in 1962, by Nicholas Pascarella. He was traveling around the United States in search of cheap land on which to build a steakhouse, and he stopped in Augusta because of a
flat tire
A flat tire (British English: flat tyre) is a deflated pneumatic tyre, which can cause the rim of the wheel to ride on the tire tread or the ground potentially resulting in loss of control of the vehicle or irreparable damage to the tire. The mos ...
. It was the employees at the tire store who convinced him to set up his restaurant in Augusta.
Acquisition
Following Pascarella's death in 1988, his spouse and their son decided to sell the business. It was subsequently bought by Frank Carney, co-founder of
Pizza Hut
Pizza Hut is an American multinational restaurant chain and international franchise founded in 1958 in Wichita, Kansas by Dan and Frank Carney. They serve their signature pan pizza and other dishes including pasta, breadsticks and dessert a ...
.
[Bernstein, Charles (February 13, 1989). "Carney Plots Western Sizzlin' Growth," ''Nation's Restaurant News''. p. 3. Retrieved September 8, 2012.] However, after the buyout, Carney experienced difficulties in growing the chain due to the high price his group paid for the business. Subsequently, Western Sizzlin' filed for
bankruptcy, and operated under
Chapter 11
Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code (Title 11 of the United States Code) permits reorganization under the bankruptcy laws of the United States. Such reorganization, known as Chapter 11 bankruptcy, is available to every business, wheth ...
bankruptcy protection for nearly eleven months.
[Carlino, Bill (January 24, 1994). "Western Sizzlin': Back to Basics under Wachtel," ''Nation's Restaurant News''. p. 7.] In 1993, Dave Wachtel acquired the company for $10 million.
See also
*
List of buffet restaurants
References
External links
*
{{Biglari Holdings
Buffet restaurants
Companies based in Roanoke, Virginia
Restaurant chains in the United States
Restaurant franchises
Restaurants established in 1962
Steakhouses in the United States
1962 establishments in Georgia (U.S. state)
Companies that filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 1993