This Old-School Mall Steakhouse Chain Almost Disappeared But One Location Remains

The chain restaurant business can be an unforgiving one. Companies must battle tight margins, changing consumer tastes, and other challenges, all while trying to grow and expand. Even successful chains can find themselves quickly out of business. However, York Steak House experienced an unusual twist on this story. Instead of closing its doors altogether, the once-widespread chain now consists of a single restaurant in Columbus, Ohio.

Diners were still chowing down and leaving glowing reviews through summer 2025, with many praising the combination of quality food and nostalgia evoked by the spot. It's the very last of nearly 200 locations spread across 27 states. Once owned by General Mills, the York chain peaked in the early 1980s, a little over a decade after it was first launched in Columbus in 1969. With a blend of steakhouse-inspired cuisine and cafeteria-style dining, it was an early pioneer in the casual chain restaurant business.

Most York Steak Houses were located in or near shopping malls, another mid-20th-century institution that fell on hard times in recent decades. Many of them closed by 1989 due to slowing sales. That was the same year the remaining Columbus location's longtime owner purchased the spot from its corporate owners.

As tenuous as York Steak House's existence is now, it's faced some even more serious threats in recent years. The restaurant's then-owner put it up for sale in 2024 when he decided to retire. Luckily, it was purchased by another local restaurateur just two months later. Nervous fans can breathe easy, as he's vowed to continue operating York just as it had been for decades.

To be sure, the steakhouse game is a tough one. Similar chains struggling to stay in business include Sizzler and McCormick & Schmick's, both of which were once familiar names for many diners. Meanwhile, rising beef prices continue to cause significant issues for steak-focused eateries like York and others. 

Although some may consider York among the popular steakhouses you'll sadly never eat at again, it's important to remember that there's still hope for those craving a taste of this iconic 1970s and '80s chain — they just need to head to Columbus, Ohio, where York Steak House continues to delight and satisfy local diners.