This Once-Struggling Steakhouse Chain Is Making A Comeback (And So Is Its Dessert Bar)
Hanging on to 74 locations, either all west of Colorado or in Puerto Rico, after bankruptcies in 1996 and 2020, Sizzler is hoping a redesign can reverse that slide. In 2023, the steak and salad buffet chain began rolling out a redesign led by TNI Design. The chain once had 700 locations and is hoping these adjustments can return it to its 1990s glory. Now, a few years into the comeback, Sizzler is a solid choice for a steak on a budget.
The new design embraces a nostalgic look, with nods to the modern fast-casual dining experience. Reclaimed hardwood accents warm up a clean space alongside large digital menu screens. Some four-person booths have been expanded to seat six. The look of the salad bar has some upgrades. The redesign has added airy space above the bar with planters and pendant lights.
Salad bars are great, but what about the important dessert bar? The unlimited soft serve ice cream is still there. Added to the mix are fresh-baked brownies and an expanded toppings station, making it even more important that you don't fill up on salad.
How is the Comeback Going?
The numbers suggest the bet is paying off. Sales at the locations that have been remodeled have increased by around 47%. Chief Growth Officer Robert Clark is bullish on the changes in appearance, telling QSR Magazine, "Remodeling is probably the single biggest driver of guests in the restaurant," which is already planning to expand. This year will see it return to Australia in the Sydney area, with rumors of more to come. Last year, Sizzler made our list of classic restaurants that are on the comeback trail.
Online, people are noticing. Nostalgic foods were already making a comeback amid stressful times, and, on Reddit, plenty of people have been talking about missing the restaurant. Posters appreciated the ability to fill up on a budget. On another Reddit thread, people are posting about their experiences of going back. "It's becoming a good economical choice in these times," pointed out one commenter. Another enjoyed a return to a childlike ability to make their own plates, writing, "I made sandwiches with meatballs between the cheese toast!" To go with that meatball sandwich, they made a plate of nachos. Where else can you do that?
As for finishing a meal, Reddit commenters look back on the dessert bar fondly. "The dessert bar/unlimited soft serve ice cream slapped," reminisced one user. Having free access to a soft serve machine does something to people — "A cool senior friend of my mum's said she wanted to lie down under the soft serve ice cream spout with her mouth open," wrote a nostalgic fan. Who among us hasn't had this fantasy?