Today the sizzle is back at Sizzler, which is no small feat considering the fact that the chain was forced to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in 1996. It was a low point for the 54-year-old company, which once had several hundred restaurants and annual sales approaching $1 billion.
The re-emergence of the company, which was made famous by their salad bars and sizzling steaks, has occurred thanks in large part to a return to the original values of company founder Del Johnson. The man leading that charge is Sizzler’s CEO, Kerry Kramp.
“Sizzler was one of the first fast casual restaurants,” said Kramp. “It had a nostalgic connection when I came on board full-time as the CEO. I knew that this was a brand that resonated with guests and was relevant with consumers. I thought it deserved the chance to flourish and figure out a way to go into the next 50 years of growth and development.”