To whom it may concern: Is it still possible to inquire about opening a new Rax? Please let me know.
Thank you – Steve
I sent that email to Rax@raxroastbeef.com a little more than a week ago and – to no avail – I’ve checked my inbox and scam box every day ever since because, of course, I’ve been imagining all the possibilities. Now, the locations in Lancaster and Circleville, Ohio, answered their phones today, but neither of the ladies knew if franchises were still available.
But, what if?
There would have to be, of course, the gloriousness of the beloved BBC, the giganticness of the Deluxe Rax, and all the other sandwiches along with those French fries and Onion Petals and – OHHH!! – the baked potatoes, too.
We’d have to construct the same style of building and the exact interior with the four-top tables along the walls, the two-tops in the middle, the salad bar and the greenhouse roof near the back, and parking lots on both sides and the restrooms to the right of the front counter.
We would have to find a new location since Tim Horton’s has been in its footprint for more than 15 years, taking advantage of one of the busiest intersections in the city that once made the fast-foodish eatery the No. 1 location in the once super-successful company.
And the demand would be there, right? That’s why so people in the Wheeling have visited other Rax locations over the decades since the Wheeling Rax was closed in the mid-1990s, and one particular trip many enjoyed has been referred to as the “Time Machine” because both a Big Boy Restaurant and a Rax were located in Lancaster, Ohio until the Frisch’s closed in November 2024.
If resurrected, though, would it be on those Friday and Saturday nights THE hangout for high school kids once again? Would they cruise back and forth along National Road between Rax and Patsy’s? Or up to the arcade at Wilson Lodge and return down the back way through Wheeling Park?
What about date night? Or after the big games? Would today’s teenagers always go back to Rax? Like we did? Forty flippin’ years ago?
Would they rather Rax? Would you? Still?
(Note: There are three Rax Restaurants in Ohio that are within three hours of Wheeling, including New Carlisle (188 miles), Circleville (149 miles), and Lancaster (118 miles).
There was a Rax in Parkersburg I used to visit occasionally until it closed in 2016.
I was commuter student at West Liberty in the ’80s and stopped at Rax on National Rd almost daily, and it was always busy!
As great as Rax or Elbys were, I don’t think they’d make it today. That was our time and our youth, and it’s over. The world’s not the same, and we aren’t the same. Plus, the young people today want to make their memories, not relive ours! Lol
Interesting way to think about it … restaurants like Elby’s and Rax do exist today so they very well could work today, I believe. And today’s kids go to the big games, hang out at McDonald’s, and cruise around so it sure seems like they are trying! Thanks for reading!
Don’t overlook the fact that rax trashed theirselves decades ago with a disastrous ad campaign featuring a bizarre mascot called mr.delicious. might factor into why so many closed down.they had pizza and pasta buffets in the late 80s that were inconsistent.i had better food put out by frumpy grade school cafeteria lunch ladies.
Good ole Mr. D … that was then and this is now so overlooking that disaster is likely best if a comeback is possible. … Buttplunger3000? Now that is something to overlook.
If you wanna talk about bad ad campaigns and mascots, let’s not forget about Burger King with that thing they came up with. You know, the plastic king that looks like a freak…