I was listening to a Hamish and Andy Podcast episode, while in the kitchen cooking yesterday, and they started talking about Sizzler. Apparently they are dropping like flies and there may well be only one restaurant left quite soon. Not really any surprises there.
Anyway, once upon a time this news would have greatly saddened me. I have fond childhood memories of our once a year visit to Sizzler. Of course, we didn’t have a Sizzler in ‘lil old Mudgee. I mean we didn’t even have Macca’s and only got KFC (then known as Kentucky Fried Chicken (oh what you didn’t know that KFC stood for that?) in the early 90’s, so Sizzler was just the pinnacle of chain restaurants for us.
Each year on our way home from our yearly holiday to Forster Mum and Dad would treat us to a lunch time feast at Sizzler, Raymond Terrace. Oh the joy. We would be beside ourselves with excitement. The pumpkin soup, the cheese bread, open slather on the buffet, the self serve ice cream and best of all – that mousse!! Oh I was in heaven my friends, 14 year old heaven. And what about the help yourself soft drink bar, did it get any better than that when you were a kid?
Now, even though I have fond memories of Sizzler as a kid it came as no surprise to me when Hamish and Andy said that a heap of the Brisbane stores were closing. You see the last time I was down in Brisbane to visit Tom and take him out for his boarder free weekend I decided to treat him to a little feast at Sizzler. I thought he could fill up before returning to the dreaded boarding school food. I am going to have a stab in the dark and say that I am pretty sure his school buffet would possibly be better than the food we consumed during our visit.
First lets talk about the price. Oh dear lord, for a bogan feed lot restaurant, that salad bar is completely over priced. For 2 Adults, 2 kids and 2 glasses of wine it was around $100.00! I kid you not my friends. And this is the calibre of food we were trotting out from the said salad bar…
Even the cheese toast wasn’t what I remembered.
Although we definitely didn’t get our monies worth, and perhaps I should have let Sizzler stay in 1990, the people watching was next level. It kind of turned into a comedy restaurant for us, we were laughing so much. I know that is mean, but gosh it was fun. We were seated right near the entrance so we saw everyone come in. Oh the excitement in their eyes probably resembled that of my 14 year old self. There were people celebrating birthdays, possibly a first date and then there was the lady with blue hair sitting with her man friend who had this beanie/winter hat with straps hanging down situation happening.
Lets just say that I think my pearls were out of place in that restaurant.
So yes, I shouldn’t have tried to relive the past. Perhaps I should have just taken him to Macca’s. And I can definitely see why those restaurants are closing. Although I will say this my friends, they always seem to have quite a few people in them. It was only a Monday night and quite early and the place was filling very quickly.
Do you have a Sizzler memory? That cheese toast. How about the pumpkin soup? People watching?
When I moved to the Sunshine Coast for work in 1990 and there was a Sizzler walking distance away, I thought I was in culinary heaven! It was THE place to go. Line ups around the street. Took the big kids when they were about 10 years old – sadly disappointed. Maybe we’re just spoilt for choice these days?
Ha ha ha, I remember we had to get in early before the line ups. Too funny.
I think I only went to Sizzler once in my life! But what we did have was the proper Pizza Hut restaurant!! Hello, unlimited pizza and pasta and crazy dessert buffet! So many great memories!
Oh Kez, I remember the Pizza hut pizza pasta and salad bar.
Oh, sizzler … such fond memories … that is until they got expensive with crappy food. Being kids of the 90s it was the go to for feeding us on the few times we went to town with mum shopping … fairly cheap for a good quality feed. Boy we were pigs when eating there. You never really knew how much a kid could eat until you gave them access to a sizzler buffet. The only rule were we had to have a salad bar plate first and yes you could take a serviette full of jelly beans and smarties to go … I swear we rolled out every time. Oh and remember the choice of smoking and non smoking areas.
Apparently they have reduced the price a little recently … no idea. The one here closed a couple of years ago and they are building a medical centre there.
Mmmm dreaming of sizzler toast, pumpkin soup and the dessert bar!
Oh the smoking and non smoking areas, too funny! I can’t even imagine eating in a restaurant with smokers now.
I find myself unable to leave your blog! I can’t stop reading it! I must say you have a very unique voice in writing, which I personally appreciate. Thanks again Chardy!
Oh you are so lovely, thanks so much for your message. I must admit when I first skimmed over the first few words I thought you said you were “unable to LOVE my blog” ha ha ha – thought I had received my first nasty message. But no – so thank you so much, I am so glad you enjoy it. Where are you from?
We haven’t been to Sizzler for years. I t was great when the kids were little over ten years ago… Then it became pricey so we went less often. Now that we a discovered our local sports club with great meals and I know how to make Sizzler toast at home we never go there….
Hmmm, don’t worry you are not missing out. Stick with your local club!
We went to Sizzler a few years ago (there’s still one open about 2km from me!) and it was awful. Took ages to get in, even though there were empty seats. They didn’t restock the salad bar much – only the cheap items, not their seasonal stuff like seafood.
I wrote a letter of complaint, as it really was quite bad, so they gave us a free voucher to come back.
Was barely any different the next time.
Oh it is just terrible really isn’t it. Not what I remember.