Old-School Breakfast Chains That Have Disappeared Across America

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Old-School Breakfast Chains That Have Disappeared Across America By Billy Francis Aug. 7, 2025 5:40 pm EST

Breakfast has undergone significant changes in the U.S. over the years. For many early settlers, the most important meal of the day often consisted of leftovers cooked in one pot for convenience, influenced by Native American dishes such as cornmeal mush. The arrival of the Battle Creek Toasted Corn Flake Company in 1906 — later known as Kellogg's — introduced people to an alternative grain-based breakfast option to start the day. But the all-American breakfast we know and love today is neither leftovers nor bland cereal. Instead, it consists of plates overflowing with waffles, pancakes drenched in maple syrup, eggs cooked to your liking, melt-in-your-mouth pot