No More Monte Cristos

Been to Bennigan's? Never againigans.

by Joe P. Hasler
Posted July 31st, 6:00am | News/Pop Culture

Late night Monte Cristo cravers and casual dining aficionados were sent reeling Tuesday with news that Metromedia Restaurant Group, the conglomerate that owns esteemed fine cuisine franchises such as Bennigan’s and Steak & Ale, has become the latest casualty of the American economic downturn.

It seems that with rising food prices and the ever-increasing cost of gas, fewer diners are heading out to faux-Irish pubs in the mall parking lots and generic steakhouses out by the Interstate. Also worth considering, are the facts that these establishments uniformly suck (extra emphasis on the uniformly) and any place that serves something called “Irish Ale Queso” should be viewed with considerable suspicion and probably, nay, definitely doesn’t deserve your patronage.

But whatever the cause, Bennigan’s is expected to close at least 200 restaurants now that MRG has filed for bankruptcy. At locations across the country, angry and confused would-be customers reacted with indignation. As one would-be Chicagoland diner told the Beacon News when she showed up a lunch date, only to find her destination shuttered, “I just bought this sheet of coupons.” In Colorado Springs, local NBC affiliate KOAA reported another customer saying “Can you believe that?”

Honestly? Yes. Now take this opportunity to find some real food. 

» Back to the Dose