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80:. In 2019, the last location in New York closed, leaving just the original San Francisco location which has since relocated to 44 Ellis Street, around the corner from the original location. The chain was founded by Donald Townsend and his brother Neal, who named it after Alan Tadeus Kay, his friend and business partner.
182:
In 1954, Neil and his friend Alan Tadeus Kay obtained a loan to open the first Tad's on Powell Street in San
Francisco, using Kay's middle name as inspiration for the restaurant's. Donald is said to have made the restaurant a success, contributing his business expertise. By 1957, the Townsends felt
400:
In a 2023 podcast retrospective three years after the last Tad's in New York closed, Peter Romeo said that "the concept seems to have faded from the memories of New
Yorkers and restaurateurs alike ... Tad's was in many respects, an unappreciated pioneer". Romeo compared the Tad's business model to
384:
as "the short con", in contrast to "the long con" perpetuated by more pretentious restaurants: that their upscale dining experience with "artisan anything" would "impart sophistication, instill morality, and forestall death". Wine was available, offered pre-poured into glasses covered with
27:
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review of six Tad's locations in New York (105 East 14th Street, 265 West 34th Street, 119 West 42nd Street, 228 West 42nd Street, 707 Seventh Avenue, and 152 West 34th Street) which characterized the chain as "Tasty Food, Low Prices, Service With a Grunt". Robert
Brenner of
413:, having a limited menu, buying lower-cost cuts of meat, and anticipating customer demand, they were able to offer a meal at rock-bottom prices and still make a profit. According to Romeo, the chain had "A New York City vibe" and developed a "cult following".
234:
A lawsuit from minority shareholders was filed, claiming that the
Townsends unfairly negotiated the deal to their exclusive benefit. The claim was upheld with a judgement in favor of the plaintiffs for approximately $ 0.75 million plus interest and costs.
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described Tad's as "a step-up from the fast food world" and "among the first players in what is now called fast casual dining". But, wrote
Shoulberg, they failed to keep up with the changing times and lost their place to competitors such as
257:
for the original Powell Street location and moved around the corner to Ellis Street. The Ellis Street location was new construction, but they kept the old Powell Street sign and reused it on Ellis Street when it opened in March 2020.
214:
in 1988. In 1986, the
Townsends had decided to sell the company and began negotiating with several potential buyers. At the time, the Townsends had a controlling interest in the company, owning 72.6% of the
219:. They were asking $ 12 million, to which Riese countered with an offer of $ 11 million, plus an additional $ 1 million to be paid to each brother over five years for consulting services under a
361:
guidebook, wrote that the Powell Street location, "with its gaudy sign looking like a holdover from the vaudeville era, still purveys shoe-leather cuts, charbroiled and served over the counter".
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led to the deal being renegotiated to $ 9.75 million before it could close, with the $ 2 million consulting agreement remaining intact. After selling the business, Townsend moved to
253:
The San
Francisco location was bought in 2000 by brothers Phineas and Stephen Ng. Their mother, Nancy Ng, had previously owned three restaurants in San Francisco. The Ngs lost the
94:
Eliminating waiters by having customers take their food to tables on trays saved costs, as did relying on word-of-mouth for publicity instead of advertising. In 1957, a meal of a
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132:. His father had been born Albert Sampson and took the last name of Townsend later in life. His mother, Lydia, was the daughter of North Dakota rancher and politician
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reminisced in 2015, when there was just a single Tad's left in New York, about how little the restaurant had changed since the 1990s, despite the city having done so.
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The restaurants were set up with a large cooking area at the front, visible though the front window; Townsend called this the "steak show". The meat, marinated in
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which do home delivery of restaurant meals. He described the chain as having become "increasingly irrelevant" and "an anachronism with its red velvet walls, fake
337:
described the interior decoration as "bordello-esque – red flocked wallpaper, fake
Tiffany lamps" and noted that the "service was indifferent", with food served
376:
on the steak were available, although you wouldn't be advised of the extra cost when you ordered them. And while a salad was included in the cost of the meal,
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191:. This proved to be a success and they proceeded to open other locations; within a few years, there were 28 locations including eight in New York.
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194:
Alan Kay died not long after the Powell Street location opened. Neal
Townsend died in 1998. Donald died on March 25th, 2000, at the age of 91.
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to tenderize the inferior cuts used, was cooked over a type of tile invented by
Townsend; it was designed to look like
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called "the grandfather of the fast foods business". Townsend was born on June 20, 1908, on his parents' ranch near
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Walking San Francisco: 35 Savvy Tours Exploring Steep Streets, Grand Hotels, Dive Bars, and Waterfront Parks
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397:, displayed on trays of ice. He wrote fondly of being able to eat in solitude, unbothered by wait staff.
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891:"Long before there was fast casual, there was Tad's, a specialist in $ 9 steaks served Chipotle-style"
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456:"Home Of Affordable Meals, Tad's Steaks Closes Famous Times Square Location After 60 Years"
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and available for self-service as you proceeded down the cafeteria style line to the
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in California. He and his brother Neal, seven years his junior, ran a number of
76:. The chain eventually grew to a peak of 28 restaurants, eight of which were in
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549:"Donald Townsend, Who Founded Tad's Home of the Low-Priced T-Bone, Dies at 91"
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751:"The Last Night at Tad's Steakhouse, NYC Institution Closes After 60 Years"
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By 2004, the 42nd Street location was closed, leaving three restaurants in
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Tad's was founded in 1955 (some sources say 1957) by Donald Townsend, whom
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on the salad were an additional charge. Dodds characterized these hidden
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776:"Tad's Steaks, Another Retail Relic that Didn't Keep up, is Closing"
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and opened their second location, on 42nd Street in New York, near
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159:. He moved into the food industry after being injured, opening a
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stated he was the eldest of four sons and seven children total.
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866:"An Ode To Tad's: The Best Budget Steakhouse Left In Midtown"
592:
Eriksmoen, Curt (September 18, 2005). Eriksmoen, Jan (ed.).
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reported that Townsend was the oldest of five children, but
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Doherty, Kathleen Dodge; Downs, Tom (February 12, 2019).
136:. It is unclear how many children Albert and Lydia had:
658:"Legendary Tad's Streakhouse reopens for outdoor dining"
594:"'Grandfather of fast food' had Roots in North Dakota"
432:"Taking the long way to Tad's (For Tad's Steak House)"
53:
839:. Section 4: Union Square and the Theater District.
49:
41:
33:
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242:, with Riese planning to open a new location in
921:Defunct restaurant chains in the United States
624:"A SPY Guide to the Tad's Steaks of Manhattan"
206:Tad's Steaks, 120 Powell Street, San Francisco
8:
482:"Say Goodbye to Tad's Broiled Steaks in NYC"
19:
436:San Francisco Film Locations Then & Now
931:2019 disestablishments in New York (state)
357:hamburger shops. Kathleen Doherty, in her
183:the restaurant was ready to expand into a
91:, but was cleaner and easier to regulate.
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246:. The last New York location was at 761
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941:American companies established in 1955
774:Shoulberg, Warren (October 10, 2019).
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393:. Also available were cups of green
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656:Roth, Liane M. (February 19, 2021).
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480:Boone, Ruschell (October 11, 2019).
151:In 1923, Townsend's family moved to
946:Restaurants disestablished in 2019
864:Dodds, Colin (December 21, 2015).
14:
926:1955 establishments in California
889:Romeo, Peter (October 31, 2023).
711:Pollak, Michael (June 13, 2004).
430:Locations, SF Film (2022-11-13).
155:, where he initially worked as a
805:Nights in White Castle: A Memoir
688:"Ryan v. Tad's Enterprises, Inc"
319:, and overall garish demeanor".
936:Restaurants established in 1955
509:"Tads Steak House Presentation"
278:Interior showing red wallpaper.
749:Brenner, Robert (2020-01-07).
546:Martin, Douglas (2000-04-02).
198:Sale to the Riese Organization
114:ranged from $ 2.99 to $ 6.99.
1:
171:, and then taking a job with
802:Rushin, Steve (2019-08-20).
303:as well as services such as
210:The chain was bought by the
630:. July 1989. pp. 38–39
351:Port Authority Bus Terminal
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231:, where his family was.
110:cost $ 1.09. In 1989, an
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16:American restaurant chain
516:San Francisco Government
270:A typical meal at Tad's
225:1987 stock market crash
163:in Pullman and several
663:San Francisco Examiner
347:Nights in White Castle
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359:Walking San Francisco
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250:, near Times Square.
244:Fulton Mall, Brooklyn
221:non-compete agreement
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282:Warren Shoulberg of
130:Medora, North Dakota
895:Restaurant Business
599:The Bismark Tribune
364:Colin Dodds of the
153:Pullman, Washington
145:The Bismark Tribune
54:https://tadssf.com/
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719:The New York Times
554:The New York Times
401:that of later-day
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212:Riese Organization
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139:The New York Times
846:978-0-89997-910-6
815:978-0-316-41944-4
808:. Little, Brown.
755:Untapped New York
335:Untapped New York
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898:. Retrieved
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873:. Retrieved
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851:Google Books
849:– via
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785:. Retrieved
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661:
640:Google Books
638:– via
632:. Retrieved
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603:. Retrieved
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464:. Retrieved
462:. 2020-01-05
460:CBS New York
459:
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439:. Retrieved
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363:
358:
355:White Castle
346:
343:Steve Rushin
334:
325:Spy magazine
323:
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281:
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237:
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229:Reno, Nevada
217:common stock
209:
193:
189:Times Square
181:
177:coffee shops
150:
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137:
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121:
104:baked potato
100:garlic bread
96:T-bone steak
93:
85:papaya juice
82:
62:Tad's Steaks
61:
60:
20:Tad's Steaks
411:labor costs
293:Red Lobster
915:Categories
900:2024-05-11
875:2024-05-11
760:2024-05-10
732:2024-05-18
697:2024-05-11
692:Justia Law
567:2024-05-09
466:2024-05-11
441:2024-05-10
417:References
387:saran wrap
262:Commentary
66:restaurant
870:Gothamist
835:(ebook).
727:0362-4331
562:0362-4331
382:upcharges
370:Mushrooms
366:Gothamist
330:satirical
322:In 1989,
313:Postmates
309:Uber Eats
240:Manhattan
714:"F.Y.I."
403:Chipotle
378:tomatoes
118:Founders
106:, and a
89:charcoal
78:New York
669:May 11,
634:May 10,
605:May 17,
518:. 2017.
493:May 24,
407:Wendy's
391:cashier
305:GrubHub
297:Chili's
289:Outback
223:. The
169:Seattle
125:Fortune
50:Website
42:Founder
34:Founded
843:
812:
787:May 9,
781:Forbes
725:
560:
374:onions
328:ran a
311:, and
301:Panera
299:, and
284:Forbes
173:Borden
165:diners
157:logger
112:entrée
512:(PDF)
395:jello
353:, to
255:lease
185:chain
108:salad
98:with
841:ISBN
810:ISBN
789:2024
723:ISSN
671:2024
636:2024
607:2024
558:ISSN
495:2024
102:, a
37:1955
628:Spy
487:NY1
405:or
372:or
341:.
167:in
72:in
917::
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778:.
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