Happy Chef
{{Infobox company
| name = Happy Chef Systems
| logo = HappyChef.jpg
| logo_size = 200px
| type =
| foundation = Mankato, Minnesota, U.S. (1963)
| location = Mankato, Minnesota, U.S.
| key_people =
| industry = Casual dining
| num_employees =
| revenue =
| products =
| homepage =
}}
Happy Chef is a casual dining restaurant in Mankato, Minnesota. It is known for serving breakfast throughout the day and is similar to Denny's, Perkins, and IHOP.
History
The first Happy Chef Restaurant opened in 1963 in Mankato. The chain eventually grew to 65 restaurants across the Midwest, employing nearly 3,000 people.{{cite news|url=http://www.mankatofreepress.com/news/new-happy-chef-owner-looking-at-changes-and-giving-the/article_1973b366-0ddf-11e8-866a-4ba45052c5a7.html|last=Krohn|first=Tim|title=New Happy Chef owner looking at changes — and giving the chef statue his voice back|newspaper=The Mankato Free Press|date=February 9, 2018|accessdate=February 23, 2018}} However, as consumers increasingly patronized competitors and tastes changed to favor restaurants that offered alcohol and televisions, Happy Chef's owner leased or sold off all the restaurants but one—the original location in Mankato, which still operates today.{{cite news|url=http://www.startribune.com/the-first-happy-chef-restaurant-the-last-still-in-business-is-up-for-sale/318321291//|last=Walsh|first=Paul|title=First Happy Chef restaurant, the last still in business, is up for sale in Mankato|newspaper=The Minneapolis Star Tribune|date=July 24, 2015|accessdate=April 20, 2016}}
Other Concepts
Another concept operated by Happy Chef was Ruttles 50s Bar & Grill Restaurants.{{cite news|url=http://www.mankatofreepress.com/news/local_news/the-original-happy-chef-honored/article_e9398c25-1459-5df1-9069-84b5155674a4.html|last=Krohn|first=Tim|title=The original 'happy chef' honored|newspaper=The Mankato Free Press|date=December 15, 2014|accessdate=February 23, 2018}}
References
{{reflist|30em}}
External links
- [http://www.mnsu.edu/news/read.php?id=old-1130936328 Profile of the original Happy Chef restaurant and its founder] - first published in the Mankato Free Press, Mankato, Minnesota, 2005-11-01.
Category:Companies based in Minnesota
Category:Economy of the Midwestern United States
Category:Regional restaurant chains in the United States
Category:Restaurants established in 1963
Category:1963 establishments in Minnesota
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