Ryan's (Waco, Texas)

Ryan's as a chain is no more. Sure, it could be blamed on the pandemic, but let's look at a few numbers. Ryan's Family Steakhouse opened in 1992 at 301 S. Valley Mills Drive, accessed off Franklin Drive and off of Precision Drive. In 2006 the chain was acquired by Buffets Inc., owners of Old Country Buffet, with the chain having about 260 restaurants stretching throughout much of the eastern United States, from Ohio to Florida to Texas (though it was clearly shrinking with 350 restaurants in 2003). By November 2019 (before the pandemic took hold), the entire chain was down to 67 restaurants, with Ryan's composing about 16 locations.

The demise of Ryan's came after the Waco location closed. Within a few years the Ryan's would become A-1 Buffet & Grill (a Chinese buffet) and later renamed/reopened as Ace Buffet & Grill, but it closed in fall 2016 and never reopened. This wasn't helped by construction of Franklin around 2005 that made it much more difficult to access Ryan's from the roadway (you had to go back around from Cheddar's Drive). After sitting vacant for several years, the building was torn down in early 2021. Part of the parking lot has since redeveloped as Dutch Bros Coffee, which was operating by May 2024 (with the address of 300 Precision Drive).

This is based after the Valley Mills page at Carbon-izer.com. Pictures generously provided by McLennan Central Appraisal District.