One of the Biggest Fast Food Failures Still Has a Location in Illinois

Call me a connoisseur of strange fast food stories. Last summer, I wrote about how Flava Flav of all people once owned and operated a fried chicken restaurant in Clinton, IA of all places. I followed that with a look at Roseanne Barr and Tom Arnold's abandoned mansion in Eldon, IA, which was to be their "vacation house" when they were visiting their fast-food establishment in the same town.

Now, I present to you another story that I recently learned, which currently lives rent-free in my head. Allow me to tell you the story of a fast food chain that's cited as one of the biggest failures in the industry. However, there still exist a small number of locations, one of which about three hours from the Tri-States, in Illinois...

If you have never heard of Rax Roast Beef, you're not alone. This once-mighty-but-now-practically-dormant fast food restaurant specializes in roast beef sandwiches. Its origins story is difficult to follow, due to a slew of name and ownership changes.

When the company was founded by Jack Roschman in 1967 Ohio, it was known as "JAX Roast Beef." Two years later, following a sale to General Foods, the name was changed to "RIX Roast Beef." Later, when General Foods sold the company off in 1972, all but 10 units were closed and sold to a conglomerate that franchised other restaurant chains, such as Wendy's and Long John Silver's.

It was when this conglomerate, known as Restaurant Administration Corporation (RAC), took over that Rax Roast Beef saw its current name incepted and a rapid expansion begin. By the early 1980s, Rax Roast Beef had grown to over 221 locations in 25 states. What followed was a menu expansion, going beyond roast beef and introducing baked potatoes, burgers, tacos, salad bars, and more.

At its peak in the 1980s, Rax Roast Beef had over 500 locations in 38 states.

This would not last, however. Its prolific menu additions and changes consequently led the chain to losing its working-class identity, and drove away customers who believed it became too fancy or too pricy for their tastes. A management buyout of the company in 1991 forced the company into bankruptcy. By summer 1992, the chain had faded into obscurity, shuttering hundreds of stores.

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A particularly pathetic ad campaign involved a cartoon spokesperson named "Mr. Delicious." A balding, middle-aged, sportscoat-wearing, briefcase-carrying dork, who overshared his personal life while also praising a roast beef restaurant for being a fine dining establishment with working class prices? Brilliant move /s.

Sidenote: Shoutout to this YouTube archivist, who has uploaded several different radio/TV commercials featuring Mr. Delicious. I now found something else to annihilate my productivity!

All these management changes, closings, and more has now left only six Rax Roast Beef locations in the entire United States. One of those locations happens to be in Joliet, IL. Located inside the Marycrest Shopping Center, Joliet's Rax Roast Beef surprisingly has pretty favorable reviews. Google reviewers praise the friendliness of the staff (a refreshing change-of-pace), the old school vibe, delicious food, and the waves of nostalgia one experiences from eating there.

Next time I'm back home, I might make a trek to Rax Roast Beef just to experience the now-novelty for myself. The story of Rax Roast Beef is an incredibly fascinating one, and I didn't expect there to still be a location (relatively) close to Dubuque and the Tri-States. For further reading on Rax Roast Beef, check out the restaurant's Wikipedia page!