Watching "Kitchen Nightmares" has been a not-so-guilty pleasure for those of us who can't get enough of Gordon Ramsay yelling at people. In Season 3, Episode 7 of "Kitchen Nightmares," we were introduced to Casa Roma, the oldest restaurant in Lancaster, California. The main event of the restaurant's Italian menu was a sandwich served with powdered sugar on top and Ramsay was not thrilled with the plate. Casa Roma did remain for some years after the episode aired but in July 2017, the restaurant closed its doors for the final time.
During the episode, a crew came in and gave the restaurant a full makeover so patrons of Casa Roma could come in for a pizza-eating contest to celebrate the beginning of a new era. Casa Roma appeared to be cleaned up and ready to go, but they still couldn't manage to permanently maintain their open status. Even after changing their name to AV Roadhouse Restaurant Bar & Grill and later CR Roadhouse, this restaurant wasn't destined to stick around after Ramsay left.
Read more: The History Of Corn Flakes Is Even Worse Than You Knew
Generally speaking, the success rate for restaurants that Gordon Ramsay visits on "Kitchen Nightmares" is astonishingly low. In 2024, only 30 restaurants of the 95 featured on "Kitchen Nightmares" are still open, with the most continuous success coming from establishments featured after season 3. That means roughly 70% of all restaurants Gordon Ramsay has attempted to save through the show are no longer in business at the time of this writing. If you go all the way back to Season 1, The Walnut Tree Inn (Episode 3) and The Old Stone Mill (Episode 5) are still open, though they both went through changes in owners in the past.
For better or worse, Ramsay didn't manage to save every restaurant on "Kitchen Nightmares." It's worth noting that Casa Roma lasted longer than many other restaurants involved (the restaurant closed seven years after the episode aired). At least we can be happy that Ramsay didn't end up getting sued after this episode aired.
For more food and drink goodness, join The Takeout's newsletter. Get taste tests, food & drink news, deals from your favorite chains, recipes, cooking tips, and more!