A chance encounter with a green Sizzler sign in Tokyo's bustling Shinjuku district has sent waves of nostalgia rippling through Australian social media, as one tourist's stunned reaction captured what thousands were thinking: 'I thought it was dead.'
The social media video, which has been viewed hundreds of thousands of times, shows an Australian man's genuine shock at discovering a thriving Sizzler restaurant in Japan—complete with the iconic salad bar that once drew queues of Australian families every weekend.
For many Australians over 60, that green Sizzler sign represents more than just a restaurant—it's a portal to the 1990s, when family dining meant endless trips to the salad bar and the distinctive aroma of cheese toast wafting through the air.
When Sizzler Ruled Australian Family Dining
Sizzler first fired up its grills in Australia on a winter's day in July 1985, opening in the Brisbane suburb of Annerley. What started as a single American-style steakhouse quickly grew into a cultural phenomenon that would define family dining for a generation.
By 1993, Sizzler had expanded to 83 locations across Australia, with long queues regularly snaking out the door. The chain positioned itself perfectly in what industry insiders called the 'sweet spot' of casual dining—above fast food but below white-tablecloth restaurants.
'It's casual dining—it is above fast food and below white-linen restaurants. The consumer of the '90s wants more for less.'
The timing was perfect. Australia was experiencing a recession that paradoxically fueled the boom in affordable family dining. Sizzler rode this wave alongside the expansion of KFC, Pizza Hut's dine-in restaurants, and McDonald's Family Restaurants.
The Legendary Cheese Toast
Ask any Australian who frequented Sizzler about their strongest memory, and the answer is almost universally the same: the cheese toast.
This signature side dish, served free with any order, became so beloved that debates about the recipe continue to rage online decades later.
The cheese toast achieved such legendary status that The Coffee Club began selling officially endorsed Sizzler cheese toast for $4.99 at select venues in early 2024, proving the enduring power of this simple creation.
The Secret Cheese Toast Recipe Finally Revealed
Many online recipes incorrectly call for Kraft parmesan cheese
Don Crilly, former Head of Operations, confirms the secret was pecorino cheese
Method: Mix equal parts butter with pecorino to create a paste
Spread generously on thick, fluffy white bread and grill until golden
The All-You-Can-Eat Experience
Beyond the cheese toast, Sizzler's main attraction was its impressive salad bar. The Canberra Times in 1992 described it as '15 metres of salad choices, two soup choices and croutons and rolls, a potato casserole, savoury rice, two types of pasta with meat, tomato and cream sauces, and four or five desserts.'
This wasn't just a salad bar—it was an experience. Families would strategize their approach, children would pile their plates impossibly high, and everyone would make multiple trips to ensure they got their money's worth.
In its final years, the all-you-can-eat salad bar cost $27.95, with the option to add a rump steak for just $4 extra—prices that seem remarkably reasonable by today's standards.
The Slow Decline of an Era
The new millennium brought significant changes to Australian dining culture. Cafe culture exploded, breakfast became a dining-out occasion, and sophisticated food courts offered diverse international cuisines. American-themed competitors like Lone Star and TGI Friday's offered fresh alternatives.
More importantly, Australian diners became increasingly interested in food provenance and quality, moving away from the quantity-focused buffet model that had defined the 1990s.
While Sizzler officially blamed COVID-19 for closing its final nine Australian stores in 2020, the truth was more complex. The chain had been experiencing a slow decline for years, with 19 outlets closing between 2015 and 2020.
Example Scenario
- The last Australian Sizzlers in Mermaid Beach, Loganholme, Toowoomba, Maroochydore, and Caboolture served their final cheese toast in November 2020
- The closure ended 35 years of Sizzler in Australia, leaving thousands of nostalgic fans without their favourite family dining destination
Sizzler's Surprising Japanese Success Story
What makes the Tokyo discovery so fascinating is how differently Sizzler's story has unfolded in Japan. Royal Holdings Co., Ltd., a Fukuoka-based food service company, has been operating Sizzler restaurants in Japan since 1991 and currently runs 10 locations in the greater Tokyo area.
The Japanese Sizzler experience maintains the classic elements Australians remember—the extensive salad bar now features over 70 items including seasonal vegetables, fresh deli salads, soups, fruit, pasta, tacos and desserts.
Australian visitors to these Japanese locations often describe an almost emotional experience. One regular visitor to the Shinjuku location shared: 'I've been going to this Sizzler for over twenty years. Some of my happiest memories in Japan have been at this Sizzler. The food is outstanding as is the service.'
Where to Find Sizzler Today
- Japan: 10 locations in greater Tokyo (operated by Royal Holdings)
- Thailand: Multiple locations (operated by Minor International)
- United States: 73 restaurants primarily in California, plus 11 in Puerto Rico
- Australia: Zero—all stores closed in 2020
The True Cost of Nostalgia
For Australians planning a Sizzler pilgrimage to Japan, be prepared for a price shock. While Australian Sizzler's salad bar cost $27.95 in its final years, today's Japanese locations charge ¥3,773 (approximately $39 AUD) for dinner or ¥3,014 ($31 AUD) for lunch at the Shinjuku location.
Visitors can choose the salad bar alone, which includes bottomless soft drinks, tea, coffee, dessert, soup and pasta, or add main courses featuring chicken, meat or seafood. Many Australian visitors report that the salad bar alone is sufficient—and just as satisfying as they remembered.
The Lost Landscape of Australian Buffet Dining
Sizzler wasn't alone in disappearing from the Australian dining landscape. The 1990s buffet boom also included Pizza Hut's famous 'The Works' all-you-can-eat buffet. By 2017, only 16 Pizza Hut dine-in stores remained from more than 270 locations nationwide.
Then there was Smorgy's, which began as Island Trader in the mid-1980s. These restaurants were as much theme parks as dining venues, complete with fire-belching volcanoes and tropical jungle settings that made every meal an adventure.
Did you know?
Did you know?
The 1990s recession actually helped fuel the growth of all-you-can-eat restaurants in Australia. Families seeking affordable dining options where children could eat for free or at reduced prices flocked to these venues, making them community gathering places as much as restaurants.
Could Sizzler Make a Comeback?
The viral video's comments section tells its own story, with thousands of Australians calling for Sizzler's return. Comments like 'We need to bring Sizzler back to Australia' and 'Petition for Sizzler to come back to Oz' reflect genuine desire for the brand's resurrection.
However, the business landscape has become complicated. Following Sizzler USA's separation from international operations in 2011, all locations outside the United States were managed by Australia-based Collins Foods until 2023, when the Sizzler brand was sold to Thailand-based Minor International.
This means any potential return to Australia would require negotiation with Minor International, who currently operate the thriving Asian locations but may have different priorities for expansion.
What This Means For You
For now, nostalgic Australians seeking their Sizzler fix will need to add Tokyo or Bangkok to their travel itineraries. But the overwhelming response to one tourist's surprised discovery in Shinjuku suggests there might still be room in the Australian market for a comeback—preferably complete with authentic pecorino cheese toast.
Until that day comes, we'll have to content ourselves with memories of weekend queues, strategic salad bar raids, and the simple joy of unlimited cheese toast. Perhaps that's what made Sizzler special—it wasn't just about the food, but about a time when family dining meant something different, when value meant abundance, and when a night out at Sizzler felt like a real occasion.
What are your favourite Sizzler memories? Would you queue up again if Sizzler returned to Australian shores? Share your stories in the comments below—we'd love to hear about your family's Sizzler traditions and whether you think the chain could succeed in today's dining landscape.
Original Article
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/...tml?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490
First Australian Sizzler restaurant—Australian food history timeline
Cited text: The first Sizzler in Australia opened in the Brisbane suburb of Annerley in 1985.
Excerpt: Sizzler first opened its doors in Australia on a winter day in July 1985 in the Brisbane suburb of Annerley
https://australianfoodtimeline.com.au/first-australian-sizzler/
Remembering Sizzler All You Can Eat Restaurants in Australia
Cited text: The first Australian Sizzler store opened in July 1985 in Annerley Queensland, this location closed in 2017.
Excerpt: Sizzler first opened its doors in Australia on a winter day in July 1985 in the Brisbane suburb of Annerley
https://anicehome.com.au/keith/sizzler-all-you-can-eat-buffet-australia/
Whatever happened to Sizzler? How Australians fell out of love with the ’90s phenomenon—TITANIUM
Cited text: The Sizzler chain quickly became a phenomenon, with long queues common out front.
Excerpt: The chain quickly became a phenomenon, with long queues common out front as families lined up to experience what was positioned as something special—casual dining that sat 'above fast food and below white-linen restaurants'
https://www.titaniumproperty.com.au...ans-fell-out-of-love-with-the-90s-phenomenon/
Remembering Sizzler All You Can Eat Restaurants in Australia
Cited text: Sizzler was so popular in the early 90s that you would be a line out the door as people queued up to order their drinks and main meals at the counter ...
Excerpt: The chain quickly became a phenomenon, with long queues common out front as families lined up to experience what was positioned as something special—casual dining that sat 'above fast food and below white-linen restaurants'
https://anicehome.com.au/keith/sizzler-all-you-can-eat-buffet-australia/
Whatever happened to Sizzler? How Australians fell out of love with the ’90s phenomenon—TITANIUM
Cited text: By 1992, the opening of Sizzlers in Bondi Junction and Brisbane’s Myer Centre to great fanfare brought the total in Australia to 74, according to a Sy...
Excerpt: Sizzler had reached 83 locations across Australia
https://www.titaniumproperty.com.au...ans-fell-out-of-love-with-the-90s-phenomenon/
Whatever happened to Sizzler? How Australians fell out of love with the ’90s phenomenon—TITANIUM
Cited text: It came as a recession fueled the boom for fast food and casual dining. KFC, Pizza Hut and the ‘McDonald’s Family Restaurants’ were also rising the wa...
Excerpt: a recession that fueled the boom for fast food and casual dining, alongside the expansion of KFC, Pizza Hut and McDonald's Family Restaurants
https://www.titaniumproperty.com.au...ans-fell-out-of-love-with-the-90s-phenomenon/
First Australian Sizzler restaurant—Australian food history timeline
Cited text: But the item on the menu that everyone raved about was the famous cheese toast. It was their signature dish and was free with an order of anything els...
Excerpt: This signature dish was free with any order and became so beloved that the recipe has been endlessly debated online
https://australianfoodtimeline.com.au/first-australian-sizzler/
Remembering Sizzler All You Can Eat Restaurants in Australia
Cited text: Many articles online have popped up sharing incorrect recipes and methods of cooking Sizzler Cheese toast recipe incorrectly saying use Kraft parmesan...
Excerpt: Many recipes online incorrectly suggest using Kraft parmesan cheese, but it's confirmed by Don Crilly, former Head of Operations at Sizzler Australia, that the secret ingredient was actually pecorino
https://anicehome.com.au/keith/sizzler-all-you-can-eat-buffet-australia/
First Australian Sizzler restaurant—Australian food history timeline
Cited text: In a bowl, mix equal parts butter or margarine with the parmesan cheese to create a paste.
Excerpt: mix equal parts butter or margarine with pecorino cheese to create a paste, then spread it on thick, fluffy white bread
https://australianfoodtimeline.com.au/first-australian-sizzler/
Reminiscing About Sizzler—Australia’s Favourite Steakhouse Paradise
Cited text: People love it so much The Coffee Club were even slinging officially endorsed Sizzler cheese toast for $4.99 at its venues early in 2024.
Excerpt: The love affair with this simple dish continues today—The Coffee Club even offered officially endorsed Sizzler cheese toast for $4.99 at venues in early 2024
https://thelocalrag.com.au/sizzler-australia-history/
The changing face of value: A closer look at the slow death of Sizzler in Australia—SmartCompany
Cited text: A novelty of the chain was its salad bar, which The Canberra Times in 1992 described as: “15 metres of salad choices, two soup choices and croutons an...
Excerpt: Sizzler's novelty was its impressive salad bar, described by The Canberra Times in 1992 as '15 metres of salad choices, two soup choices and croutons and rolls, a potato casserole, savoury rice, two types of pasta with meat, tomato and…
https://www.smartcompany.com.au/hospitality/slow-death-sizzler-australia/
The changing face of value: A closer look at the slow death of Sizzler in Australia—SmartCompany
Cited text: Until Sunday, a standard Sizzler all-you-can-eat salad bar will cost you $27.95. You can add $4 and get a rump steak, or $2 for a ‘Malibu Chicken Supr...
Excerpt: Until its closure, a standard all-you-can-eat salad bar cost $27.95, with the option to add a rump steak for $4 extra
https://www.smartcompany.com.au/hospitality/slow-death-sizzler-australia/
Whatever happened to Sizzler? How Australians fell out of love with the ’90s phenomenon—TITANIUM
Cited text: But then the millennium brought newer, more exciting choices. Australians were becoming dazzled by cafe culture and eating out for breakfast. There we...
Excerpt: The millennium brought newer, more exciting choices as Australians became dazzled by cafe culture, breakfast dining, American-themed diners like Lone Star and TGI Fridays, plus sophisticated food courts offering diverse culinary options
https://www.titaniumproperty.com.au...ans-fell-out-of-love-with-the-90s-phenomenon/
The changing face of value: A closer look at the slow death of Sizzler in Australia—SmartCompany
Cited text: When the chain reached its Australian peak in the mid-1990s, our food culture was very different.Since Sizzler’s peak, Australian consumers have shown...
Excerpt: When Sizzler reached its Australian peak in the mid-1990s, our food culture was very different.
https://www.smartcompany.com.au/hospitality/slow-death-sizzler-australia/
Vale Sizzler: the cheese toast king couldn’t keep up with dining trends
Cited text: While Sizzler has attributed the shuttering of the final nine stores to the impact of COVID-19, the brand has experienced a slow death, with 19 outlet...
Excerpt: While Sizzler attributed the shuttering of its final nine Australian stores to COVID-19 impacts, the brand had been experiencing a slow death, with 19 outlets closing since 2015
https://theconversation.com/vale-si...ing-couldnt-keep-up-with-dining-trends-148798
Remembering Sizzler Annerley: A Nostalgic Journey for Brisbane Food Lovers—Annerley News
Cited text: · After 35 years of delighting taste buds and creating memories, the final Sizzlers in Mermaid Beach, Loganholme, Toowoomba, Maroochydore, and Caboolt...
Excerpt: The final Australian Sizzlers in Mermaid Beach, Loganholme, Toowoomba, Maroochydore, and Caboolture closed in 2020 after 35 years
https://annerleynews.com.au/remembe...a-nostalgic-journey-for-brisbane-food-lovers/
Sizzler—Wikipedia
Cited text: The current Sizzler franchise-holder in Japan is Royal Holdings Co., Ltd., a Fukuoka-based food service company. Royal Holdings opened the first Japan...
Excerpt: The current franchise-holder in Japan is Royal Holdings Co., Ltd., which opened the first Japanese Sizzler in 1991 and operates 10 locations as of 2021
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sizzler
Sizzler Odaiba—Tokyo Japan Restaurant Guide
Cited text: Sizzler has 10 branches in the greater Tokyo area.The centerpiece Sizzler Salad Bar features over 70 items to experience ,including as much as you wan...
Excerpt: Sizzler has 10 branches in the greater Tokyo area, with their centerpiece Salad Bar featuring over 70 items including seasonal vegetables, fresh deli salads, soups, fruit, pasta, tacos and dessert
https://japanrestaurant.net/en/shop/sizzler-odaiba/
Menu, Prices & Restaurant Reviews—Sizzler—Tripadvisor
Cited text: I've been going to the Sizzler in Shinjuku right across the street from Tokyo City Hall for over twenty years. Some of my happiest memories in Japan w...
Excerpt: One longtime visitor to the Shinjuku location notes: 'I've been going to this Sizzler for over twenty years.
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaur...ku_Shinjuku_Tokyo_Tokyo_Prefecture_Kanto.html
Menu, Prices & Restaurant Reviews—Sizzler—Tripadvisor
Cited text: You can just have the salad bar which comes with bottomless soft drinks/ tea/ coffee, dessert, soup, pasta, salad and dessert bar or have this plus a ...
Excerpt: Visitors can opt for just the salad bar with bottomless drinks, tea, coffee, dessert, soup and pasta, or add mains like chicken, meat or seafood, with many finding the salad bar alone sufficient
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaur...ku_Shinjuku_Tokyo_Tokyo_Prefecture_Kanto.html
First Australian Sizzler restaurant—Australian food history timeline
Cited text: Back in the ’90s, Pizza Hut’s eat-in restaurants used to offer ‘The Works’—a buffet with several different kinds of pizza, pasta, salad bar and a de...
Excerpt: The 1990s also featured Pizza Hut's eat-in restaurants with 'The Works' buffet, but by 2017, only 16 eat-in stores remained out of more than 270 Pizza Huts Australia-wide
https://australianfoodtimeline.com.au/first-australian-sizzler/
First Australian Sizzler restaurant—Australian food history timeline
Cited text: As of May 2017, only 16 eat-in stores remain out of more than 270 Pizza Huts Australia-wide.
Excerpt: The 1990s also featured Pizza Hut's eat-in restaurants with 'The Works' buffet, but by 2017, only 16 eat-in stores remained out of more than 270 Pizza Huts Australia-wide
https://australianfoodtimeline.com.au/first-australian-sizzler/
First Australian Sizzler restaurant—Australian food history timeline
Cited text: Then there’s that other infamous all-you-can-eat institution—Smorgy’s—now defunct. Smorgy’s began as Island Trader, back in the mid-’80s, which ex...
Excerpt: There was also Smorgy's, which began as Island Trader in the mid-1980s with restaurant themes resembling theme parks, complete with fire-belching volcanoes and tropical jungle settings
https://australianfoodtimeline.com.au/first-australian-sizzler/
Sizzler—Wikipedia
Cited text: Following Sizzler USA's separation from Sizzler International in 2011, all locations outside the United States were operated or licensed by Australia-...
Excerpt: the business landscape is complicated.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sizzler
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