Ruby's Diner
{{Use American English|date=April 2022}}
{{Short description|Casual dining restaurant chain primarily in California, USA}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2024}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Ruby's Diner
| logo = Ruby on Ruby 2.jpg
| logo_size =
| type = Private
| genre = Casual dining
{{Infobox|decat=yes|child=yes|label1=Theme|data1={{Ubl|Swing Era}}}}
| fate =
| predecessor =
| successor =
| foundation = {{start date and age|1982|12|7}}
Newport Beach, California, U.S.
| founders = Doug Cavanaugh
Ralph Kosmides
| defunct =
| location = Irvine, California, U.S.
| area_served = California, Nevada, and New Jersey
| key_people = Doug Cavanaugh, CEO
Ralph Kosmides, Chief administrative and development officer
| industry = Restaurant
| products =
| parent = Ruby's Hospitality Group IP, LLC
| divisions =
| subsid =
| homepage = {{URL|www.rubys.com}}
}}
Ruby's Diner is a California-based U.S. chain of casual dining restaurants founded in 1982. The original location was a converted bait shack at the end of the Balboa Pier in Newport Beach. The restaurants are designed with a retro 1940s/1950s atmosphere. As of 2024, most locations are in Southern California, but there are also locations in Atlantic City, New Jersey, and in Harry Reid International Airport.{{cite web|url=https://www.rubys.com/locations/|title=Locations|website=Ruby's Diner|access-date=2023-04-25}}
History
{{stack|File:Interior Ruby's Diner Huntinton Beach.jpg}}
{{stack}}
The first Ruby's Diner opened on December 7, 1982, in a converted bait shop at the end of the Balboa Pier in Newport Beach, California. On that day, founders Doug Cavanaugh and Ralph Kosmides worked the grill and the cashier station and earned a total of $63.{{Cite news|author=|url=http://www.ocmetro.com/t-CoverStory_TheHottest25People_103102.aspx|url-status=dead|date=October 31, 2002|department=Cover Story|title=The Hottest 25 People of Orange County: Doug Cavanaugh|archive-date=July 20, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110720165849/http://www.ocmetro.com/t-CoverStory_TheHottest25People_103102.aspx|publisher=OC Metro|access-date=February 20, 2020}} The restaurant was named after Cavanaugh's mother, and her likeness appears in the logo and other advertising material; a copy of her high school graduation photo is placed next to the register in every location.[http://www.ocregister.com/articles/ruby-697805-cavanaugh-doug.html "Ruby Cavanaugh, namesake of Ruby's Diner, dies at 93"] Orange County Register, December 29, 2015{{cite web|first=Suzanne|last=Broughton |title=Ruby's Diner opens carhop in Anaheim|url-status=dead|url=http://www.ocfamily.com/Blog.aspx?id=1255&AuthorID=59070&t=Ruby|website=OC Family: Alive in Wonderland|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110722033647/http://www.ocfamily.com/Blog.aspx?id=1255&AuthorID=59070&t=Ruby|date=April 7, 2010|archive-date=July 22, 2011|quote=That's right, Ruby is a real person. She is the mother of Doug Cavanaugh, Ruby's founder and CEO.}} {{YouTube|id=Ffqn6Hj7j-s|time=227|Broughton, Suzanne. Ruby's Diner Carhop Anaheim}}
The original Ruby's diner location still stands at the end of Balboa Pier. The restaurant formerly operated further pier locations in Huntington Beach, Malibu, Oceanside, and Seal Beach, but these locations have since been closed.{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-02-26/rubys-diner-at-end-of-huntington-beach-pier-serves-its-last-shake-but-a-new-eatery-may-take-its-place|title=Ruby's Diner at end of Huntington Beach Pier serves its last shake|website=Los Angeles Times|last=Szabo|first=Matt|date=February 26, 2021|access-date=2023-04-25}}Lindsay William-Ross, [http://laist.com/2009/07/05/rubys_shake_shack_opens_on_the_hist.php "Ruby's Shake Shack Opens on the Historic Malibu Pier"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090831104700/http://laist.com/2009/07/05/rubys_shake_shack_opens_on_the_hist.php |date=August 31, 2009 }}, LAIST Food, July 5, 2009{{cite web|url=https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/communities/north-county/oceanside/story/2021-03-03/rubys-diner-on-oceanside-pier-announces-permanent-closure|website=San Diego Union-Tribune|title=Ruby's Diner on Oceanside Pier announces permanent closure|last=Kragen|first=Pam|date=March 3, 2021|access-date=2023-04-25}}{{cite web|url=https://ktla.com/news/local-news/iconic-rubys-diner-on-seal-beach-pier-to-close/|title=Iconic Ruby's Diner on Seal Beach Pier to Close|website=KTLA|date=January 4, 2013|access-date=2023-04-25}}
In the 2010s, Ruby's experimented with converting some locations, including Costa Mesa, to a fast casual 1960s Googie theme called "Ruby's Dinette", a change that included ordering at the counter rather than at the table. The experiment was dubbed a failure, and the locations were converted back to the original format.{{cite web|url=https://www.ocregister.com/2015/03/10/rubys-diner-scraps-fast-food-style-experiment-in-costa-mesa/|title=Ruby's Diner scraps fast-food style experiment in Costa Mesa|website=Orange County Register|date=March 15, 2015|access-date=2023-04-25|last=Luna|first=Nancy}}
Ruby's filed for bankruptcy in 2018, and a franchisee provided a cash infusion. Cavanaugh and Kosmides were sued in 2021 by a bankruptcy court trustee, who accused the pair of loaning themselves money from Ruby's and using Ruby's personnel while pursuing other business ventures.{{cite web|url=https://www.ocregister.com/2018/09/06/rubys-diner-operator-files-for-bankruptcy-protection-seeks-partnership-with-mall-developer/|title= Ruby's Diner operator files for bankruptcy protection, seeks partnership with mall developer|website=Orange County Register|last=Lansner|first=Jonathan|date=September 6, 2018|access-date=2023-04-25}}{{cite web|url=https://www.restaurantbusinessonline.com/leadership/rubys-diner-founders-are-hit-lawsuit-over-2018-bankruptcy-filing|title=Ruby's Diner founders are hit with a lawsuit over 2018 bankruptcy filing|last=Romeo|first=Peter|website=restaurantbusinessonline.com|date=March 12, 2021|access-date=2023-04-25}}
Similar restaurants
A similar chain, Holly's Diner, opened in Tours, France, in 2014 and presently has 24 locations throughout France.{{cite web|url=https://hollysdiner.fr/notre-marque/|title=Notre Marque|website=Holly's Diner|date=March 30, 2023|access-date=2024-07-06}}{{cite web|url=https://hollysdiner.fr/les-restaurants/|title=Les Restaurants|website=Holly's Diner|date=March 30, 2023|access-date=2024-07-06}}
See also
- List of hamburger restaurants
- List of diners
- {{Portal-inline|Food}}
- {{Portal-inline|Companies}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Official website|http://www.rubys.com}}
Category:1982 establishments in California
Category:Companies based in Irvine, California
Category:Hamburger restaurants in the United States
Category:Restaurant chains in the United States
Category:Restaurant franchises
Category:Restaurants established in 1982
Category:Companies that filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2018