York Steak House
York Steak House was once a national chain of cafeteria-style steakhouse restaurants in the United States. It started in Columbus, Ohio in 1966, founded by Eddie Grayson and Bernie Gros. The second location opened in 1971 inside the Maine Mall in South Portland, Maine.
In 1977 the chain was bought by General Mills. By 1982 there were nearly 200 York Steak Houses across 27 states, from Texas to Maine. In the early 1980s, many locations were turned into York’s Choices, a bakery/cafe concept.
Most York Steak Houses closed in 1989, ending the chain as a brand. After that, a number of locations continued to operate as independent franchises, but the future of the remaining units varied.
Today, only one York Steak House remains in operation: a restaurant in Columbus, Ohio, near the former Westland Mall. This location became an independent franchise in 1989, originally owned by Jay Bettin. Bettin retired in July 2024 and sold the restaurant to Tim Burkhammer, who is the current owner. The Columbus location still uses the familiar cafeteria-style setup.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 02:51 (CET).