This Oregon-Based Restaurant Chain Sold More Than Half Its Locations To Denny's In The 1980s - Tasting Table

"In an era of our favorite restaurant chains failing due to rising economic pressures and changing consumer tastes, it helps to remember that the rise, fall, and consolidation of restaurants is nothing new. Take, for instance, VIP's, the Oregon-based restaurant chain that sold more than half its locations to Denny's in the 1980s. VIP's was a comforting homestyle restaurant with major diner vibes and locations across Oregon and other western states, including Washington, Nevada, Idaho, and California."

"After opening the first VIP's in Tualatin, Oregon, in 1968, owners Keith Andler and Robert Smith expanded operations to what became 53 restaurants under the same parent company. VIP's held its ground among the most popular restaurant chains in the '80s, but a couple of years into the decade, the modest diner brand started to dissolve as it changed ownership."

VIP's began in Tualatin, Oregon, in 1968 and expanded under owners Keith Andler and Robert Smith to 53 restaurants across Oregon and other western states. The chain offered comforting, homestyle diner fare and remained popular through the early 1980s. In 1982, VIP's sold 35 storefronts, including locations in Eugene and Springfield, to Denny's for approximately $12 million. Ownership changes led the modest diner brand to dissolve over the decade, and the chain closed in 1989. Nostalgia persisted, with a 2020 Forgotten Oregon Facebook post prompting community recollections of favorite menu items.

Read at Tasting Table