Steakhouse Chains: From Middle-Class Markets to Elite Palates

Perhaps the greatest change that took place among steakhouse chains during the late 1990s and early 2000s was the growth of chains aimed at elite palates. Although elite steakhouses like Gene and Georgetti’s of Chicago, Saint Elmo’s of Indianapolis, and Peter Luger’s of New York had a long history in urban areas, the emergence of a mass-produced high-end steakhouse was something new to the 1990s. Chains such as Outback and Steak and Ale certainly played a role in increasing the stature of steakhouse chains from their lowly beginnings, but the emergence of fine-dining steakhouse chains like Ruth’s Chris, Fleming’s, and Morton’s reflected not only America’s more sophisticated palate but also its increasing wealth and social stratification. The steak’s originally symbolism as an elite food was being mass-produced, which is an ironic development for those who closely followed the restaurant scene in the 2000s.