Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises

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.

Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises, Inc.
TypePrivate
IndustryRestaurants
Founded1971 in Chicago, Illinois
FounderRich Melman & Jerry A. Orzoff
Headquarters
Chicago, Illinois
,
USA
Key people
Rich Melman, co-founder
Jerry A. Orzoff, co-founder
Revenue$300 million (2005)
$50 million (2005)
Number of employees
8,000 (2018)
Websitewww.leye.com

History
Wildfire Grill

The first restaurant, R.J. Grunts in Lincoln Park, opened on June 10, 1971.[1] It is still in operation, as of 2020.[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, 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

Lettuce Entertain You restaurants include:[5]

  • Aba
  • Antico Posto[10]
  • Beatrix
  • Beatrix Market
  • Big Bowl
  • Big Bowl Chinese Express
  • Bub City
  • Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba!
  • Community Canteen
  • Di Pescara
  • Eiffel Tower
  • El Segundo Sol
  • Ēma
  • Everest
  • 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]
  • Maggiano's Little Italy (consultant)
  • M Burger
  • Mon Ami Gabi
  • Naoki Sushi
  • Osteria Via Stato
  • Oyster Bah[13]
  • Petterino's
  • Pizzeria Via Stato
  • R.J. Grunt's
  • Ramen-San
  • RPM Italian
  • RPM Steak
  • Stella Barra Pizzeria
  • Stella Barra Pizzeria Santa Monica
  • Stella Barra Pizzeria Hollywood
  • Shaw's Crab House
  • Stripburger
  • Sushi-San
  • The Dalcy
  • Three Dots and a Dash
  • Tokio Pub[1]
  • Tucci Benucch
  • Twin City Grill
  • Wildfire
  • Wow Bao

Sold/divested restaurants

Closed restaurants
  • Reel Club
  • Nacional 27
  • Magic Pan Crepe Stand
  • Frankie's Scaloppine & Fifth Floor Pizzeria
  • Mity Nice Grill
  • Foodlife
  • Don & Charlie's
  • Tru (restaurant), closed 2017
  • L2O, closed 2014
  • Fritz's, That's It[14]
  • Lawrence of Oregano[15]
  • Jonathan Livingston Seafood[15]
  • Ben Pao
  • Don & Charlies
  • Scoozi!
  • Intro
  • The Eccentric[16]
  • Hat Dance
  • Great Gritzbe's Flying Food Show
  • Un Grand Cafe
  • RJ Grunts (Glenview location)

See also

Notes
  1. Zeldes, Leah A. (June 2, 2011). "Happy 40th anniversary, Lettuce Entertain You". Dining Chicago. Retrieved June 6, 2011.
  2. "RJ Grunts". Yelp. 2020. Retrieved February 6, 2020.
  3. "The Lettuce Entertain You Story". Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises Inc. Archived from the original on February 7, 2007. Retrieved February 2, 2007.
  4. Wilson, Mark R. (2005). ""Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises Inc.", Encyclopedia of Chicago". Chicago Historical Society. Retrieved February 2, 2007.
  5. Carpenter, Dave (July 20, 2006). "Restaurateur sees salad days ahead". NBC News (Associated Press story also published on CBSNews.com). Retrieved February 2, 2007.
  6. Kleiman, Dena (February 13, 1991). "Retro Magnate Moves East". The New York Times. The New York Times Company. Retrieved August 4, 2008.
  7. 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.
  8. 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.
  9. 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.
  10. "Antico Posto".
  11. "LEYE Restaurants" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on December 31, 2010. Retrieved March 14, 2010.
  12. "L. Woods Tap and Pine Lodge".
  13. "Oyster Bah". oysterbah.com.
  14. "The Legend Of Rich Melman: Founder Of Lettuce Entertain You". chicagonow.com. July 28, 2015. Retrieved February 4, 2018.
  15. "Rich Melman Looks Back At 40 Years of Lettuce Entertain You". Eater Chicago. June 10, 2011. Retrieved January 2, 2020.
  16. Vettel, Phil (September 29, 1995). "THE ECCENTRIC CLOSES THIS WEEKEND; LES NOMADES TO GO PUBLIC". chicagotribune.com.
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