9. Beefsteak Charlie’s: Unlimited Shrimp and Drinks

If you lived on the East Coast in the late 1970s or early 1980s, Beefsteak Charlie’s was the ultimate destination for a heavy appetite. The chain operated under a simple but incredibly generous premise: “I’ll feed you like there’s no tomorrow.” Diners who ordered a steak or prime rib gained access to a seemingly endless salad bar famously stocked with giant bowls of pre-peeled shrimp.

If the unlimited shrimp wasn’t enough to bring in the crowds, Beefsteak Charlie’s also included bottomless beer, wine, or sangria with the price of your entree. Unsurprisingly, giving away that much alcohol and seafood slashed the company’s profit margins.

By the time the chain reached 70 locations, it was bleeding money. A corporate buyout in 1987 failed to right the ship, and the remaining restaurants went bankrupt and vanished by the early 1990s.