The 1970s Seafood Chain That Has Only Survived In Ohio

On the list of best local fast food chains in the United States, it's weird to see a restaurant that used to boast over 800 nationwide locations. And, yet, here Arthur Treacher's is. Once a thriving chain that played a role in introducing the British staple of fish and chips to an American audience, Arthur Treacher's now boasts just three brick-and-mortar locations in Ohio ... and, in the very recent past, there was only one! While a ton of American fast food restaurants dish up seasonal fish sandwiches around Lent, year-round fried fish can be hard to find in the U.S. quick-serve landscape. Long John Silver's, the closest thing to a household name in fast food fish, has declined dramatically in recent years. Perhaps that's why Nathan's Famous, the current parent company of Arthur Treacher's, decided the time was right for a renaissance of this once nearly defunct brand.

The restaurant chain's three locations offer a bevy of seafood options, including fried fish platters, clam platters, and shrimp platters. All are served with chips (that would be french fries) and hush puppies. Not the biggest fan of the ocean? Arthur Treacher's has you covered with fried chicken or batter-dipped hot dogs. If you're feeding a crowd, you can buy buckets of fried fish or chicken as well. Key toppings can elevate a fish sandwich, and AT's keeps it classic in its take on the dish, with lettuce, tomato, and a loving slather of creamy tartar sauce.

Arthur Treacher's had its origins in Columbus, Ohio in 1969. It got its name from a famous British character actor who appeared in "Mary Poppins." Meanwhile, Dave Thomas, the famous founder of Wendy's, had a hand in Arthur Treacher's genesis. Its distinct, yellow lantern-shaped signs beckoned hungry folks to come try its fried cod filets, which featured distinct ridges from the steel vat in which they were cooked. People were responsive to the company's food, and Arthur Treacher's swelled to hundreds of locations. However, in the 1970s, disaster struck. The so-called "cod wars" between seafaring European nations escalated to the point where cod became too pricey to import, and so Arthur Treacher's made the difficult decision to pivot to more affordable pollock. Customers did not appreciate the change, and Arthur Treacher's started down a path of long, slow decline.

The chain changed hands numerous times over the next several decades, with bankruptcies, massive store closings, and failed attempts at reorganization plaguing it almost into extinction. Its most recent owner, Nathan's Famous, made the choice to return cod to Arthur Treacher's menus. The plan is to resurrect the brand as a ghost kitchen and, while building popularity, slowly rebuild a brick-and-mortar store presence. Around the country, there are also co-branded Nathan's Famous and Arthur Treacher's locations serving up both hot dogs and fried fish.