Marie Callender’s is a legendary name in the world of chain restaurants, but not too long ago it was partnered with another old-school American chain that has actually stayed far more successful. Founded in 1964 as an expansion of a successful pie business that dated back to the ’40s, Marie Callender’s early restaurants became synonymous with classic American homestyle cooking. However the reason most people know it is through its popular line of frozen Marie Callender’s products, and the chain itself was never huge, maxing out at around 160 locations in the ’90s. It was not long after that peak that Marie Callender’s tried to capitalize on its homestyle knowledge by merging with a midwestern chain that had a similar feel — Perkins.
Perkins was founded in 1958 in Cincinnati, Ohio as a pancake house, but eventually grew to become more of an all-day, diner-style restaurant serving a variety of traditional American dishes. Perkins gradually expanded its offerings, including adding in-store bakeries, and becoming known for fresh-baked pies, which Marie Callender’s was also known for. The bakery remains a central part of Perkins’ identity to this day, and it has also maintained its allegiance to breakfast, serving it all day alongside homestyle staples like meatloaf, pot roast, and burgers. Perkins peaked in the late ’90s and early 2000s at almost 500 nationwide locations, but has shrunk since then as the old-school appeal of the brand faded and more trendy and affordable competitors entered the breakfast market.
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Ohio-born Perkins offers homestyle American food and breakfast at over 250 locations
Perkins restaurant exterior – Jonathan Weiss/Shutterstock
Perkins has struggled, but fared far better than its former partner Marie Callender’s. While total locations have fallen by almost half, the chain still had 260 restaurants in 32 states at the end of 2024. Beyond market challenges, part of Perkins’ troubles came from its partnership with Marie Callender’s. Despite both chains being in seemingly strong position when they merged in 2006, the debt of the combined company was high and the economic crash of 2008 hit it hard. The company also made the huge mistake of selling off Marie Callender’s frozen products to Conagra in a short-sighted attempt to raise money; it was by far the most successful part of the business, and its departure destroyed much of Marie Callender’s value. The Callender’s/Perkins combo declared bankruptcy twice in the 2010s, and in 2019 finally split. By that time Marie Callender’s had shrunk to only 28 locations, and Perkins seemed to have a brighter future without it.
Perkins has struggled since then, with sales declining every year from 2019 to 2024, but with a large footprint there is still hope that the ship can be righted. Last year Perkins announced a major brand overhaul seeking to freshen up the concept for younger diners while holding onto its classic American appeal. It’s also explored moving into the fast-casual space, which is bereft of homestyle American cooking with the decline of Boston Market. So while the market is tough, Perkins isn’t done yet.
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Read the original article on Tasting Table.
