Sizzlers mmm sounds good!
Can one person write a whole essay on Sizzlers - YES, that Sizzlers! I remember the very day the news hit; everyone on Facebook was buzzing. September 21, 2020, the headlines read, “American Steakhouse Chain Sizzler Declares Bankruptcy Because of Coronavirus,” reported by Eater Los Angeles.
Sizzler declared bankruptcy as a result of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The company stated in a public statement that the legal filing was “a direct result of the financial impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on the casual dining sector.”
My heart broke in two, and surprisingly, I wasn't the only one longing for the days of endless salads and soups. Apparently, there was a small but mighty group of immigrants who also reminisced about the days, a simpler time. The chain was founded in 1958 as Sizzler Family Steak House by Del and Helen Johnson in Culver City, California. At its peak, the chain comprised more than 270 locations throughout the U.S., with most of Sizzler's U.S. locations situated in the West.
When my parents weren't in the mood for Asian food and wanted to treat us kids, they’d ask, “Who wants to go to Sizzlers?” in a joyous tone! I don't know what it was—the all-you-can-eat option, the wide selection, or the lack of policing on how much a child could potentially indulge.
My parents appreciated the fact that you could line up, point, or call out a number on the neon sign, pay, and not have to deal with anyone else. They didn't have to worry about embarrassing themselves with their limited English skills. I loved it for the freedom to stuff my face and grab a soft cone on the way out without anyone judging me—make that a chocolate vanilla swirl, please!
On the rare occasion that all five of us went, we felt like royalty. My parents would let us order whatever we wanted to eat, as much as we wanted. They wanted their money’s worth, so I was free from any fat-shaming on those days, and I indulged in all the temptations.
Did you know that besides the glorious soup and salad bar, Sizzler had an international section? In the mood for Mexican? Yes, please. Italian? Why, be my guest. And for all you picky kids out there, the chicken tendies were plentiful, and my magnum opus, if you will, was their signature cheese toast.
To all you skeptics out there wondering what the hubbub is about, a toast with some cheese, you've never had the honor of eating the perfect food. It’s a harmony of soft, delicate white bread toasted with just the right amount of cheesy crunch, blended with a bit of margarine for a unanimous symphony. It is heaven on the tongue.
If the salad bar was not your thing, ever heard of surf and turf, for me it wasn't until I frequented Sizzlers that and learned about lingo. Lobster and shrimp would be your surfing little water critter and turf for the grass-eating cow hence turf. Tri-tip, Ny Strip, Rib Eye for all you lumberjacks, and maybe a Malibu chicken or cocktail shrimp for all you dainty ladies and fellas out there.
Maybe it was the fact that there was something for everyone, without judgment. You ate till you were bursting for a fraction of the price. Everyone got to choose what they wanted when they wanted. No one judged if you mixed two, or three types of dressing on your iceberg lettuce, you could put so much it wouldn't count as a vegetable, but more like an accent for your dressing soup.
I can see why a lot of immigrant families cherished this place, it was almost a no-judgment zone. No one had to follow the Western etiquette of folding the napkin on your lap, dealing with which fork to use for your next entree, and making sure everyone left the restaurant not wanting to eat for the next couple of days. Because at the end of the day, isn't that what everyone wants? To satisfy everyone's wants and needs, without judgments, and to leave happy.
Yes, please, and make my second cone vanilla only for the road, I'm watching my figure.
