Bennigan's was established in 1976 in
Atlanta, Georgia, as a division of
Pillsbury by company vice president and
Steak and Ale founder
Norman E. Brinker. The first significant Bennigan's location opened in
Tysons Corner, Virginia, the following year. In 1983, Brinker led an exodus of senior management from the Steak and Ale and Bennigan's division, purchasing
Chili's, a regional restaurant that focused on gourmet hamburgers. In 1989, Pillsbury was acquired by Grand Metropolitan, a major liquor distributor bound by "
three-tier" laws that prohibited liquor distributors from owning liquor retailers.
Metromedia then acquired Bennigan's and Steak and Ale.
Decline At its peak, it had over 300 restaurants, but failure to update, grow, and differentiate the brand, degrading quality, and shifting consumer preferences, led to a fall of sales. In May 2006, Bennigan's closed all of its restaurants in New York and Connecticut. Initially the firm's 138 franchisee-owned locations remained open, but many closed within the next several years. In South Korea, over 30 locations still operated as usual until they were closed in January 2016.
New ownership In October 2008, Atalaya Capital Management acquired the Bennigan's and
Steak and Ale brands and the franchisor, with plans to reopen corporate locations as franchises. In May 2012, management announced plans for a new logo, store prototype, franchise models, menu, and the addition of catering. New restaurants are smaller, with a contemporary design, yet have Bennigan's nostalgia. In February 2015, CEO Paul Mangiamele and his wife, Gwen, acquired the company for an undisclosed price via Legendary Restaurant Brands, LLC. In 2018 and 2019, the company announced plans for over 100 units in development, including international locations in Amsterdam, Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador, and Pakistan. In 2021, the company licensed its "On The Fly" brand to hotels as
virtual restaurants. ==In popular culture==