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Before it was a nationwide steak empire with a tongue-twister name where you go to impress your in-laws or celebrate a big raise…There was just a guy named Chris, a sizzling steak, and a tiny restaurant in New Orleans. That is until a Ruth-less and savvy business woman managed to change things forever.
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Before it was a nationwide steak empire with a tongue twister name, where you go to impress
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your in-laws or celebrate a big raise, there was just a guy named Chris, a sizzling steak
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and a tiny restaurant in New Orleans. That is, until a ruthless and savvy businesswoman
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managed to change things forever. This is the beefy, buttery, slightly burned-at-the-edges
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origin story of Ruth's Chris Steakhouse, a name so confusing you'd think someone lost a bet
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Turns out the story is even more interesting than that. So let's find out why the hell is it called
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Ruth's Chris Steakhouse? Let's find out who put the Ruth in the Chris Steakhouse
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It all started way back in 1927 in the heart of New Orleans. A local entrepreneur named
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Chris Matulik had a simple dream and opened a modest little restaurant called Chris Steakhouse
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There was nothing flashy about it. No neon signs, no gimmicks, just a warm 60-person dining room
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and a sizzling grill. The menu was simple. Juicy cuts of beef, baked potatoes, and a salad if you
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wanted it. In other words, it was literally meat and potatoes. But customers quickly became regulars
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and Chris Steakhouse became a neighborhood staple. But while the food had soul, the business had
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its struggles. As it turned out, Matulik wasn't a savvy businessman. Over the years, he was forced
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to sell Chris Steakhouse six times, each time sold at a financial loss before Chris eventually
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would buy it back again. That is, until 1965, because that year, someone walked in who would
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change everything. After 38 years in operation, Chris Steakhouse was for sale for the final time
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Its original owner was ready to walk away from the restaurant business for good
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So he listed his beloved steakhouse for sale in the local newspaper. Ruth Fertel, a divorced mother raising two children on her own
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spotted the advertisement and saw it as her ticket to a new life
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Despite having zero restaurant experience, Fertel mortgaged her house to buy Chris Steakhouse for $22,000
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She was earning a year as a lab tech for a research scientist at Tulane Medical School when she realized she need to make more money if she planned to send her teenage boys to college She knew Chris Steakhouse from being a customer and
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figured it could be the perfect way to make the living she felt her family deserved
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Even with all her determination, Fertel was still completely green when it came to running a
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business. When it came time to get a business loan, she only asked the bank for $18,000
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the exact amount Chris Matulik listed the restaurant, without considering the additional
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funds she would need for food, supplies, and operating costs. Fortunately, the bank stepped
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in and assisted she borrow a few thousand more. She ultimately walked out of the bank with $22,000
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and a dream. Even though the world of business was new, Fertel was a master of customer service
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She was able to turn the struggling restaurant into a booming local business in only a few months
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She had made some big changes at Chris Steakhouse. For instance, she insisted on hiring a staff of
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all single mothers. Back in the day, Ruth Fertel and her all-female crew earned the nickname The
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Broads on Broad Street, a nod to both the staff's toughness and the restaurant's original location
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And it wasn't just a gimmick. She hired women at a time when few others in fine dining would
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In fact, for a time, Chris Steakhouse was the only upscale restaurant in New Orleans with female
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servers. Ruth Fertel's restaurant grew its high-class reputation naturally. It started with working-class diners who appreciated a good meal
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Then came the politicians who wanted to be seen among the people, and finally the wealthy patrons who wanted to stay close to the political action
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Before long, the Steakhouse had become a well-known political gathering spot in Louisiana
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It was the kind of place where deals were discussed over dinner and news could break over a steak
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Even Louisiana's former governor Edwin Edwards was a regular, and Fertel earned respect across party lines
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Her restaurant wasn't just serving food. It was serving political influence. But in 1976, two years after Ruth took over the business, Chris Steak was completely destroyed in a fire
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Despite being dealt a critical blow, Fertel saw the silver lining. This was the opportunity to move Chris's steakhouse to a new, bigger location
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One that could accommodate the customer base she had built over the past decade
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But there was a catch. In the original purchase agreement for the steakhouse, the previous owner, Chris Metulig
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specified that Fratel could only ever use the name of the restaurant at the original location
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So if she wanted to move locations she have to change the name too Ruth was worried that she lose the customers who were already familiar with Chris Steakhouse So she found a workaround
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Ruth simply added her name to the Chris's Steakhouse sign, technically creating a new business name and finding a loophole to the original name clause
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Chris Steakhouse was now Ruth's Chris Steakhouse. Ruth didn't plan to build a nationwide chain
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She just wanted to run a good restaurant. and serve great food. But as word spread and loyal customers kept coming back
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something bigger started to take shape. In the late 1970s, people from out of town began asking
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if they could open a Ruth's Chris in their own cities. Ruth agreed, and the first franchise opened in Baton Rouge
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after a patron got tired of having to drive to New Orleans for a good steak
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From there, the brand began to grow quickly. Today, Ruth's Chris has over 150 locations across the United States
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and around the world. The restaurant became famous for its signature steaks
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USDA prime beef cooked in an extremely hot broiler and served sizzling in butter on a heated plate
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But other dishes became favorites too, like cream spinach, sweet potato casserole, and bread pudding with whiskey sauce
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And it managed to do it all while being saddled with a tongue-twisting name. Ironically, the person who disliked the name Ruth's Chris Steakhouse the most was Ruth herself
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In the 90s, Fertel admitted in an interview article that she hated the name
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because she was often being confused for Chris, or simply Chris's wife
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But the name stuck, and Fertel's hands were forever tied. As the brand grew, it embraced its unusual name and focused on the one thing that always got attention
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the signature steak sizzle. The sound of a steak arriving at the table became part of the experience
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Like fajitas, only way more expensive. Considering the restaurant's near 100-year history
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Ruth's Chris hasn't been without its share of controversy. In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Ruth's Chris faced backlash specifically and publicly from Ruth Fertel's own grandson after the company received $20 million in small business relief loans
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The program was meant to help small businesses that were struggling during lockdown
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But Ruth's Chris is a large publicly traded restaurant chain with over 100 locations worldwide
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In other words, it's the opposite of a small business. After the criticism, Ruth's Chris gave the money back
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You kind of have to at that point. Ruth Chris received more pandemic backlash when they raised their prices more than usual pointing to inflation as the reason Before COVID the restaurant typically increased prices by just 1 to 3 each year
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But by late 2021, customers were paying around 4% more than the previous year for the same meals
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At least a portion of the price hikes are likely due to supply chain issues, which continue
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to play countless businesses to this day. But still, it's a tough piece of gristle for longtime customers to chew
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Ruth's Chris is still a well-known name in the steakhouse world. It remains popular for special occasions, business dinners, and anyone chasing that signature sizzle
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It's also not cheap, with signature steaks ranging from $75 to over $100
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The cow had better cook itself for that kind of money. Like many restaurants, it took a hit during the lockdown period of the COVID pandemic
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Dining rooms closed, sales dropped, and operations had to quickly shift toward takeout and delivery
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The company eventually bounced back, but not without challenges along the way
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Ruth's Chris Steakhouse often shares photos of founder Ruth Fertel fishing, grilling steaks, and enjoying meals, creating the feel of a family-run business
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But in 2023, the chain was bought by Darden Restaurants, a massive company that also owns Olive Garden and the Capitol Grill, in a $715 million deal
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So while the brand still leans into its family-style image, it's now part of a major corporate group
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How that will affect the food and experience remains to be seen, but one thing is certain, Ruth's Chris is no longer a family-owned steakhouse
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At the same time, the steakhouse category as a whole has seen a slow decline in recent years
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Upscale steakhouses, once the go-to for big nights out, are now competing with changing tastes and trends
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Ruth's Chris is still standing strong, but it's operating in a different dining world than the one Ruth Fertel first stepped into
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In 2025, the brand continues to grow. Since being acquired by Darden Restaurants in 2023
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Ruth's Chris has aimed to open more locations in high-traffic cities and suburban markets
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Their focus is on bringing the upscale steakhouse experience to new audiences
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while staying consistent with its original style. In recent years, the menu has seen a few new additions
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including more seafood options, seasonal specials, and updated appetizers like seared ahi tuna and crab stuffed mushrooms
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Some locations also offer prefix menus and bar bites to attract a wider range of diners
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But nothing sells steak like that sizzle