Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises (LEYE) is a restaurant group currently comprising 120 or more restaurants mainly located in the Chicago metropolitan area. It was founded by Rich Melman and Jerry A. Orzoff in 1971.
 | |
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Restaurants |
| Founded | 1971 in Chicago, Illinois |
| Founder | Rich Melman & Jerry A. Orzoff |
| Headquarters | Chicago, Illinois , USA |
Key people | Rich Melman, co-founder Jerry A. Orzoff, co-founder |
| Revenue |  $500 million (2005) |
| $80 million (2005) | |
Number of employees | 8,000 (2018) |
| Website | www |
History
edit
The first restaurant, R.J. Grunts in Lincoln Park, opened on June 10, 1971.[1] It is still in operation, as of 2024.[2]
The company lists nine original partners: Bill Higgins, Melman, Bill Frost, Bob Wattel, Charles Haskell, Orzoff, Marvin Magid, Danny Koval and Fred Joast.[3] By 1976 the company had 5 restaurants and a band called Fresh Lettuce.[4] The partners continued expanding the company's network of restaurants. By the mid-1980s, the company employed over 2,000 people and had annual revenues of $40 million.[4] Since its founding the company has opened 130 restaurants, with 70 concepts.[5]
The restaurants are unique and vary in price, theme, and cuisine. However, they generally combine theatrical flair and good value.[6] LEYE currently owns, licenses or manages more than 100 establishments in Illinois, California, Arizona, Maryland, Virginia, Minnesota and Nevada, including Wildfire, Petterino's, RPM Italian, RPM Steak, Beatrix, Oyster Bah, Shaw's Crab House, and Everest.[3] Also among its creations are two restaurants in the Paris Casino on the Las Vegas Strip, the Eiffel Tower and Mon Ami Gabi (an expansion of the flagship location in Chicago), Big Bowl, and L2O.[7]
IN 2000, LEYE had 38 partners, 45 concepts, and 4,000 employees. It owns, operates and licenses 90 restaurant venues in the United States. It has separate restaurant consulting and restaurant development companies.[8] The food court at Water Tower Place is among its operations.[9] 1999 annual revenue estimates ranged from $145 to over $200 million.[7][8] 2005 revenue estimates were $300 million, with 5000 employees and approximately $50 million in net earnings.[5]
Restaurants
editLettuce Entertain You restaurants include:[5]
- Aba
- Antico Posto[10]
- Beatrix
- Beatrix Market
- Big Bowl
- Big Bowl Chinese Express
- Bub City
- Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba!
- Di Pescara
- Eiffel Tower
- El Segundo Sol
- Ēma
- Hub 51
- Il Porcellino
- Joe's Seafood Prime Steak & Stone Crab[11] - an offshoot of Joe's Stone Crab in Miami
- Krispy Kreme (franchisee)
- L. Woods [12]
- M Burger
- Miru, St. Regis Chicago
- Mon Ami Gabi
- Osteria Via Stato
- Pizzeria Portofino
- Pizzeria Via Stato
- R.J. Grunt's
- Ramen-San
- RPM Italian
- RPM Seafood
- RPM Steak
- Shaw's Crab House
- Stella Barra Pizzeria Santa Monica
- Sushi-San
- Tallboy Taco
- The Dalcy
- The Oakville Grill & Cellar
- Three Dots and a Dash
- Tokio Pub[1]
- Tre Dita, St. Regis Chicago
- Twin City Grill
- Wildfire
- Wow Bao
Sold/divested restaurants
edit- Corner Bakery Cafe
- Maggiano's Little Italy
- Petterino's
Closed restaurants
edit- A 1 Beanery
- Reel Club
- Nacional 27
- Magic Pan Crepe Stand
- Frankie's Scaloppine & Fifth Floor Pizzeria
- Mity Nice Grill
- Foodlife
- Don & Charlie's
- Papagus Greek Taverna
- Tru (restaurant), closed 2017
- L2O, closed 2014
- Fritz That's It[13]
- Lawrence of Oregano[14]
- Jonathan Livingston Seafood[14]
- Oyster Bah[15]
- Naoki Sushi
- Ben Pao
- Scoozi!
- Stella Barra Pizzeria Chicago
- Stella Barra Pizzeria Hollywood
- Tucci Benucch
- Intro
- The Eccentric[16]
- Hat Dance
- Great Gritzbe's Flying Food Show
- Un Grand Cafe
- RJ Grunts (Glenview location)
- Everest
- Community Canteen
- Stripburger
- Vongs Thai Kitchen
See also
editNotes
edit- ^ a b Zeldes, Leah A. (June 2, 2011). "Happy 40th anniversary, Lettuce Entertain You". Dining Chicago. Retrieved June 6, 2011.
- ^ "RJ Grunts". Yelp. 2020. Retrieved February 6, 2020.
- ^ a b "The Lettuce Entertain You Story". Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises Inc. Archived from the original on February 7, 2007. Retrieved February 2, 2007.
- ^ a b Wilson, Mark R. (2005). ""Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises Inc.", Encyclopedia of Chicago". Chicago Historical Society. Retrieved February 2, 2007.
- ^ a b c Carpenter, Dave (July 20, 2006). "Restaurateur sees salad days ahead". NBC News (Associated Press story also published on CBSNews.com). Retrieved February 2, 2007.
- ^ Kleiman, Dena (February 13, 1991). "Retro Magnate Moves East". The New York Times. Retrieved August 4, 2008.
- ^ a b Cebrzynski, Gregg (January 2000). "Richard Melman - chief executive officer of Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises Inc". Nation's Restaurant News. Archived from the original on January 29, 2007. Retrieved February 2, 2007.
- ^ a b Sheridan, Margaret (2000). "Richard Melman on Savoring Peace of Mind". Restaurant & Institutions Magazine. Archived from the original on April 28, 2007. Retrieved February 2, 2007.
- ^ Olvera, Jennifer (July 2008). "Block Party:After years of highs and lows — and plenty of wheeling and dealing — the first new building at Block 37 is set to rise this month". Chicago Social. p. 68.
- ^ "Antico Posto".
- ^ "LEYE Restaurants" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on December 31, 2010. Retrieved March 14, 2010.
- ^ "L. Woods Tap and Pine Lodge".
- ^ "The Legend Of Rich Melman: Founder Of Lettuce Entertain You". chicagonow.com. July 28, 2015. Retrieved February 4, 2018.
- ^ a b "Rich Melman Looks Back At 40 Years of Lettuce Entertain You". Eater Chicago. June 10, 2011. Retrieved January 2, 2020.
- ^ "Oyster Bah". oysterbah.com.
- ^ Vettel, Phil (September 29, 1995). "THE ECCENTRIC CLOSES THIS WEEKEND; LES NOMADES TO GO PUBLIC". chicagotribune.com.