Luby's

Infobox_Company
company_name = Luby's, Inc.
company_
company_type = Public (NYSE|LUB)
company_slogan = "Tastes Like Texas, Feels Like Home"
foundation = 1947 in San Antonio, Texas
location = flagicon|USA Houston, Texas, USA
key_people = Christopher J. Pappas, President and CEO; Ernest Pekmezaris, Sr. VP and CFO; Harris J. Pappas, COO
industry = Casual dining restaurant
num_employees = 8,210 (2006)
revenue = profit$324.64 million USD (2006)
net_income = profit$19.56 million USD (2006)
products = Homestyle food
homepage = [http://www.lubys.com/ www.lubys.com]

Luby's, Inc. (formerly Luby's Cafeterias, Inc.) is a cafeteria-style restaurant chain originally founded in 1947 in San Antonio, Texas. As of November 3, 2006, Houston, Texas-based Luby's operated 128 locations, of which 126 are traditional cafeterias and two primarily serve seafood. All but seven of its locations are in Texas. The others are in Arizona, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Oklahoma.

History

Bob Luby was only one year old when his father, Harry, opened his first cafeteria called the New England Dairy Lunch. Bob opened his first Luby's Cafeteria in 1947, focusing on fresh food and customer service. Luby's soon expanded outside of San Antonio to Tyler, Harlingen, El Paso, and Beaumont.

In 1959, the original partners formed Cafeterias, Inc. Luby's continued to grow, entering other Texas cities and locations in contiguous states. Luby's entered Houston for the first time when it opened Romana Cafeteria in 1965. Locations opened in New Mexico in 1966 and in Oklahoma in 1980.

In 1973, Cafeterias, Inc. became a publicly traded company. To honor Bob Luby, Cafeterias, Inc., was renamed Luby's Cafeterias, Inc., in 1981. One year later, Luby's shares were listed on the New York Stock Exchange. By 1987 Luby's had reached 100 locations.

In 2001, Chris and Harris Pappas of Houston's Pappas Restaurants (owners of Pappasito's Cantina, Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen, etc.) joined the Luby's management team. Three years later, Luby's moved its corporate headquarters from San Antonio to Houston.

Lu Ann Platter

The "Lu Ann Platter" is a popular combination platter served at this cafeteria chain, and is a half portion entree with vegetables. This plate was the inspiration for the character name Luanne Platter from the animated Texas comedy/drama, "King of the Hill". The cafeteria itself is characterized as "Luly's" on the show.

Killeen massacre

A deadly shooting spree occurred at a Luby's restaurant at 1705 East Central Texas Expressway in Killeen, Texas on October 16, 1991, when George Hennard gunned down 24 people. [ [http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/first100/1001214 Shooting rampage at Killeen Luby's left 24 dead] "Houston Chronicle", August 10, 2001] This location reopened after cleanup; it closed for good on September 9, 2000. [ [http://archives.cnn.com/2000/US/09/11/lubys.massacre.ap/ Luby's in Killeen, Texas, site of 1991 massacre, closes its doors] CNN.com, September 11, 2000] As of 2008 the building houses a Chinese buffet restaurant.

References

External links

* [http://www.lubys.com Luby's website]
* [http://www.pappas.com Pappas Restaurants website]
* [http://www.b4-u-eat.com/houston/restaurants/reviews/rsv0259.asp Luby's reviews]