The cut-rate meat Tad’s Steaks will shutter its last New York City outpost — which opened its doors off Times Square in 1960, according to a government filing that cited “economic” troubles as the reason for the closing.
The cafeteria-style chophouse is known for hawking inexpensive meat-and-potato dinners on red trays — meals that cost little more than $1 each when the first one opened in 1957. A steak lunch today can be had for as little as $9.
At its height, Tad’s had eight New York locations out of 28 nationwide. But come Jan. 5, 2020, the red neon sign in the window advertising “broiled” steaks at 761 Seventh Ave. will go dark — as will the vast grill that played host to smoky “steak shows,” where dozens of cuts could be grilled at once during the thick of lunch hour.
At the Big Apple Tad’s diners can get a boneless sirloin steak with a baked potato, garlic bread and salad for $14.99, or a filet mignon with sides for $17.99. A fish and chips platter costs $11.99, or $17.54 with bottle of Budweiser.
The closing of the Seventh Avenue location at the corner of West 50th Street follows earlier shutterings in Philadelphia, Chicago and New York. Come next year, the only Tad’s Steaks left in the country will be based in San Francisco. The Golden Gate City operation falls under different ownership than the ones in New York, which have been operated by the Riese Organization.
The Gotham Reporter 