Bad restaurant conversions

[Jonathan]

Please post any and all bad restaurant to whatever conversions here.

To get us started, us here in Podunkville had an A&W that was converted to a Mexican restaurant (Viva Tequila , it was goooood) and now it is a car dealership. Good thing it's still a drive-in. >_>

So, any bad conversions in your area?

[WeatherWitness]

This is a really neat topic, Jonathan. I can't believe a restaurant in your area was turned into a car dealership, though. Right now I can't think of any bad conversions here; we've had a lot of restaurants close, but the buildings have remained empty with "For Lease" signs all around them. If I think of any conversions, I'll post later.

[hen7713]

There was a McDonalds in my area that was closed and turned into a Car Dealership, same thing with a local Pizzahut.

[ABC7]

I wonder why they closed restaurants to turn them into car dealerships. That seems strange to me.

[WeatherWitness]

I wonder why they closed restaurants to turn them into car dealerships. That seems strange to me.

Me too. I didn't realize that was such a popular conversion for old restaurants. I'm assuming they tore the building down. Or not?

Now, after thinking, one bad restaurant conversion here was with a place called EZs. It closed, and now the site is a gas station (the restaurant buliding was completely demolished).

[Jonathan]

Me too. I didn't realize that was such a popular conversion for old restaurants. I'm assuming they tore the building down. Or not?

Nope, the old A&W has the drive-in structure to this day. I think Viva Tequila used it for parking, now the dealership uses it to protect their shiny cars from hail, etc.

[WeatherWitness]

One annoying thing with restaurant conversions down here are the conversions of well-known chains to "random" restaurants that I've never heard of. For example, a Long John Silvers turned into some random Mexican-Seafood place and a Jack-in-the-Box turned into a Mexican food place that's definetely not a chain.

[wxmediafan]

Taco Bell was converted to a Taco Bell/Pizza Hut, then back to Taco Bell (not really conversion )

A Dunkin' Donuts was changed to Long John Silvers.  LJS just closed last week.

Part of Hollywood Video changed to Hungry Hobo

[Localonthe8s]

Part of Hollywood Video changed to Hungry Hobo

We had a Holly video that closed as well but it's still vacant. There was a Quiznos that converted to Payless Shoe Source

[WeatherWitness]

Part of Hollywood Video changed to Hungry Hobo

There was a Quiznos that converted to Payless Shoe Source

That's just so strange IMO. But I guess I live in a place where no company wants to move into a vacant building. We really have way too many vacant restaurant buildings down here I think.

[Zach]

There was a restaurant (I forget the name) that turned into a car wash.

[Jonathan]

This isn't a restaurant but a car wash was just converted to lease space...for...idk.

Maybe some tile cleaning company?

[Jonathan]

Sorry for double posting...but I have another. A locally-owned Chinese buffet was closed (was under new ownership for a few months, then closed suddenly) and converted to a locally-owned floral shop.

[texasstooge]

To start off:

 - One of my local Denny's restaurants also converted to a car dealership.
 - A Long John Silvers/A&W restaurant in central Irving was closed off for a year. It was then reopened as La Isla serving Tex-Mex...only to suffer a demise after 3 months. (Good thing a couple friends of mine found another LJS/A&W location nearby.)
 - Another Denny's in Irving was closed and demolished to make way for extra parking for Baylor Medical Center. (The only other remaining Denny's I know of is located in western Irving)
 - A Shlotzky's Deli (located on the same street as the former LJS/A&W) was transformed into Texas Car Title & Payday Loans.
 - A TCBY restaurant transformed into A-Affordable Insurance.
 - A Chinese restaurant (located near my favorite Crystal's Pizza parlor) has been changed to Lone Star Title Loans (like we don't have enough of those around town).
 - And lastly, my favorite drive-in homemade burger place was changed into one Temp. Agency after another.

[WeatherWitness]

As Michael was mentioning, some restaurants here turn into Check-Cashers or Loans places as well. It's kind of annoying IMO.