Rejoice, Dallas: Luby's Chain Bounces Back From Near Extinction

DALLAS —Prayers have been answered, and Luby's restaurants will live to serve another day.

Things were already dire in Texas' cafeteria-style restaurant biz with Furr's headed into Chapter 11 as a result of the pandemic, and the much-beloved Underwood's chain pared back to its single, sterling location in Brownwood.

No more Furr's Pie Kitchen (or jokes about its name). No more blueberry/banana pie and coffee. Sigh. And, if you want a hot roll, that amazing beef steak or a steaming bowl of peach cobbler with vanilla ice cream from Underwood's, make sure you've got a full tank of gas and a free afternoon/evening to get there and back.

Luckily, fans of the LuAnn Platter won't be put in such a predicament. The Houston-based Luby's Inc. chain has announced that it's selling its eateries (including its 32 locations around the Lone Star State) with a price tag of $28.7 million to entrepreneur Calvin Gin.

Want to be the first to know about Patch membership when it launches? Click here to find out how you can support Patch and local journalism.

That, according to The Dallas Observer, includes the South Hampton Road/US Hwy 67 Dallas locale.

In a statement released to accompany the acquisition, Gin said, "This transaction will allow us to continue serving the many loyal Luby’s customers at the locations and provide long-term employment opportunities for the many associates currently at these locations.”

That means the name Lu Ann Platter will survive in more than King of the Hill cartoon reruns. (Of course the character name was inspired by Luby's signature dish of half an entree plus veggies of your choice.)

For many a Texan, Luby's is the first place away from home you ever ate. No, they don't concentrate on superfoods, offer 20 ways to get your latte prepared or provide pairings with just the right locally-sourced wine. Luby's is stick-to-your-ribs Cold War Lyndon Johnson-meets-Ronald Reagan realness — and for some, these are flavors that forge a lifetime of memories.

Aside from the Pancho's chain (with locations remaining in Fort Worth and Arlington) with it's "raise the flag if you want more" service (and those oven-fresh sopapillas), there isn't an assortment of flavors that rest more cherished in a Texas kid's memory.

Who would have thought, 30 years ago, that these restaurants would become sought-after delicacies? It seems that when we let any of them become extinct, we lose a piece of ourselves as well.

Looking for more Dallas news? Subscribe.