#7: Chi-Chi’s (1976-2004)
Chi-Chi’s was a Tex-Mex restaurant founded in 1976. Many Boomer adults went here and learned the word “Chimichanga” for the first time. They were a hit in the ’80s but saw a decline in the ’90s and early 2000s. They closed all US doors in 2004 following a hepatitis A outbreak linked to the green onions Chi-Chi served.
There was a single location that remained in Vienna, but it closed at an unknown date. But in December 2024, Michael McDermott, son of the original founder, Marno McDermott. said that there will be locations opening in the US in 2025, so be on the lookout if you’re feeling nostalgic!