The 1980s Chain That Was Ahead Of Its Time (And Unfortunately Couldn't Make It)

The fast food and fast casual dining scene is always in flux. New chains rise to the top and fall by the wayside just as quickly. Trends flicker past and then disappear into the night (and there's always at least one chain trying to make pretzel buns happen). Knowing when to pursue an idea and when to hold off is one of the most important skills a business can have. Many chains have introduced frankly innovative foods that landed flat simply because they were ahead of their time. Such is the case with a now long defunct fast food chain called D'Lites.

So-called "healthy" fast food and fast casual food options are now pretty ubiquitous. Chains such as Sweetgreen, Cava, and Chipotle all offer calorie-conscious, vegetable-forward options in a cultural landscape that has put an increased focus on nutrition. Unfortunately, this was not the case in the 1980s when D'Lites took the scene. Of course, the '80s did see an uptick in diet foods. However, it was also a golden era of intense fast food competition. Menus were rich in burgers, fries, and pizzas. D'Lites, which first opened in 1981, attempted to bring lighter dining options to customers by offering lean meat burgers on whole wheat buns, a salad bar (which was, admittedly, very on trend for the 1980s), and an array of food and drink options that made its health-focused concept feel anything but limited. However, by 1986, the chain had filed for bankruptcy and was defunct by the end of the decade.

Of course, there is more to the story of D'Lites than its demise. It was, for a moment, a glittering star on the horizon of the promising fast food scene in the 1980s. The story started in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1981. Here, a man named Doug Sheley endeavored to start a new kind of fast food chain. Now, Sheley didn't come at this goal from a place of total inexperience. Though he started his career as a gym teacher in Iowa, he soon found a place in the world of fast food by franchising a Wendy's restaurant and becoming a protégé of the chain's founder, Dave Thomas. He was one of the first to franchise with Wendy's, which was still very much on the rise.

By the 1980s, however, Sheley began to pursue his own dreams of fast food ownership. His idea was to make a fast food chain that offered healthier options to diners. In a fast food landscape replete with fried, battered, and cheesy menu items, this idea seemed quite refreshing. Several investors agreed, including Georgia football hero Herschel Walker and NFL icon Joe Montana. From its first opening in 1981, the chain quickly expanded, reaching 100 locations across 19 states by 1985.

Why did it fail? Perhaps the biggest cause was the chain's quick, unchecked expansion from one location to 100 within four years. That is an incredible rate of growth, especially when compared to other chains (it took McDonald's nearly 20 years to open its 100th location). This is not to say successful, quick growth is impossible. Taco Bell, for example, opened its 100th store within five years. But it is difficult to pull off, especially without a precise direction — and that is precisely what this chain lacked.

While D'Lites locations did well in affluent neighborhoods, restaurants near working class families and less affluent customers floundered. Because the company's growth wasn't strategized properly, it wasn't able to keep a stable financial footing. The 1980s were also full to the brim with fast food options, and the average American customer simply wasn't receptive to the push for health food in the fast food sphere. If D'Lites had opened in the 1990s instead, when Snackwell's fat-free cookies and diet foods were all the rage, they might have seen more success. As it was, D'Lites filed for bankruptcy in 1986, and had completely collapsed by 1987 following its bankruptcy filing. Still, many people miss the chain, and have lamented the loss of such a trailblazing restaurant concept.