Ruth’s Story

Over four decades ago, Ruth Fertel, a divorced mother of two, mortgaged her home for $22,000 to buy a small 60-seat restaurant in New Orleans, Louisiana named Chris Steak House. Shortly thereafter, a fire forced her to change the original location and she renamed the restaurant, “Ruth’s Chris Steak House.”

Despite her lack of restaurant experience, Ruth’s enthusiasm and determination made the restaurant a greater success than even she had anticipated. In 1977, at the urging of a loyal customer, Ruth granted her first franchise just outside Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Our Sizzling Steak Concepts franchise began shortly thereafter in the mid 1980’s in Georgia.

Opening their first Ruth’s Chris restaurant in the Buckhead neighborhood of Atlanta in 1986, Sizzling Steak Concepts is the largest Ruth’s Chris franchisee worldwide, with 12 restaurants across Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina and Tennessee and plans for continued expansion throughout the Southeast.

Featuring custom-aged, USDA Prime steaks, served with the signature sizzle and legendary hospitality, Sizzling Steaks Concepts’ franchise partners Mark Oswald, Nancy Oswald, Jim Brooks and Phil Brooks are dedicated to honoring the vision and traditions set forth by Ruth’s Chris Steak House founder, Ruth Fertel.

From its humble beginnings with a single restaurant in New Orleans, Louisiana in 1965 to its current position as the global steakhouse leader, Ruth’s Chris now welcomes steak enthusiasts at more than 150 restaurants worldwide.