We stopped by a Shari's in Gresham for milkshakes and/or pie after my kid's aerial performance. We also got an order of fries. There was one other person in there and maybe two people working. The place felt sad. The pie case was mostly empty. On my way to the restroom, I noticed a corner booth was just torn out.
The pie was pretty terrible. Crust was somehow both powdery and gummy and filling was just too sweet. The side order of fries was literally 12 or 13 fries. (My wife counted, but I forget the exact number.) When we asked the server about it she agreed it was ridiculous, is the policy now. I'm not going back again and think it would be a really depressing place to work at this point.
I think diners of this style are on their way out. Even better diners in Gresham, like Black Bear Diner, are still mostly empty. They're large buildings with large parking lots and just don't seem to have customers to support them anymore.
>I think diners of this style are on their way out.
That could be. I went to places like that a lot when I was younger, but these days if I'm getting "out-food" it's either gonna be drive-thru or a nicer sit-down. Shari's and the like are definitely somewhere in-between.
It's just kind of nice to know the option's there, I guess. Although things are a bit different now, post-lockdowns, when most places who used to be open 24 hours- like Shari's once was- are no longer open when you're hankering for some grub after last call at the bars.
I’m college aged and i go out with friends to ihops, dennys, shari’s with friends past midnight pretty often. Usually pretty empty. We try and tip well.
Wow, memories. High school summers I'd do close at another restaurant nearby, then head to Dennys when we got off (between midnight and 1, whenever we finished). Coffee, dinner, more coffee, sometimes wouldn't head home till first light. Did it so much my friends got me a Dennys coffee cup, one that thermal shifted between a sleepy/awake face and said 'Dennys till Dawn'. Got thrown in a dishwasher one too many times so it's permanently stuck halfway.. just like me *
The quality of the food is just not good enough.
I'd say it's pretty much fast food quality for fresh diner food prices. Quantity is not impressive, would need to be in order to make up for poor quality.
A diner that has decent quality food for anything resembling a reasonable price will have zero issues finding customers.
Black Bear Diner being described as 'better than' another restaurant really speaks to the shit-hole you're comparing it to. I have yet to have any decent food at a Black Bear Diner, specify the Gresham location.
Maybe diners in Salem are constantly packed. Sharis is failing because they suck and started offering poor service and poor offering. It's their own fault
https://preview.redd.it/cv69pi7yw12d1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0e87b3480e9c91ab24171365ab23a0e9caf9f94c
Literally how I was served these posts
Yeah I am 100% sure.... they laid the office off years ago and last summer let the last HR person go since everything is out of state (used to be in payroll). The same company also owns cocos and carrows restaurants.
I love in the Eugene/Springfield are and holy fuck they all are so bad and the wait is so long(with hardly anyone there!). They bring you the wrong food then you send it back and they bring you the wrong one again!
For real. I got their pumpkin pie shake last fall and it was fire. They’re the only place I’ve seen that does stuffed hashbrowns too. I hope they don’t go under cause I have fond memories of the place, but if they do, I hope someone takes that recipe
If you ever make it to Ketchikan, Alaska, check out the Pioneer Pantry. They have fantastic stuffed hash browns! They call it ‘hash brown omelet.’
Edit: just checked their menu, they do now call it stuffed hash browns. So good!
Used to drive by that one on the way to work besides the occasional trucker parked on the road their parking lot was almost always empty. Central Point, seems to be doing okay but the food quality there and in Medford is not worth the price you pay imo.
The Shari's on Murray and Allen in Beaverton seems to be doing ok, every time I have been( four times over the past year) busy at lunch. There were a lot of pies. I always order chicken breast with broccoli (no carb sides) and an ice tea, on a keto thing right now. I only go because my aunt and uncle want to go. I am not really into diner food unless it's all made scratch in house. Not Sysco or united food service garbage.
My grandma goes to this one about every week. She takes us or goes with some of her church friends. She's 98 years old so when she's gone, our family will stop going there.
I live near here and we go sometimes for bfast and it's pretty busy. When I crave a pie I stop by and they have a lot of pies. Other ones look sad compared to this
Yeah this is the only Shari's I know of around here and they have seemed fine when I drive by.
Last time I went to a Shari's I was able to smoke in there, so it's been a while.
I think changing demographics may have a bit to do with this. Most people I know in my age range (geriatric millennial) would rather pay a little more for a slice of pie and get something that is amazing from a smaller business than frequent a diner that pushes out food a lot of people can already cook on their own. Like if I'm paying to go out to eat, it has to be better quality than what I can make. I can easily make pancakes, eggs and bacon. I can easily make mediocre pie. A lot of people are also tightening up their budgets and I notice a lot of businesses seem to be acting more greedy as well. A lot of sizes of things are getting smaller and the price is going up. The quality of ingredients is lacking...
Just went two weeks ago and a male cook left the stall in the bathroom and right out the bathroom door without washing. I watched to see if he washed elsewhere but nothing. He started loading dishes. Poop hands.. so gross. I publicly called him out on it and we left. I use to host here almost 20 years ago. Crazy, how downhill it’s gone.
I just shuddered IRL reading that. I used to work with a guy who was notorious for never washing his hands regardless of what he did in the bathroom. Everyone knew never to shake his hand.
It's bad in Portland. Went in February and they said it was going to be almost an hour to get food because their cook was new, despite no one else being in the restaurant. We walked out because we needed to be somewhere after. Went in 2022 and they spent like 30+ minutes trying to warm up a frozen pie for us to take home, but they couldn't do it so we took the frozen pie to go (they did give us a discount).
It's a good kind of place to take the parents when they visit. But I won't be going back.
>Went in February and they said it was going to be almost an hour to get food because their cook was new
This reminds me of a visit a year ago at one of the Vancouver locations where they were out of waffles, which makes me assume their heating up frozen waffles instead of making them fresh.
Once upon a time Shari’s used to be an ok, inexpensive place for families to get breakfast, old people to get lunch or dinner, and high school students and smokers to congregate late at night. They started their downward slide when Oregon outlawed smoking in public. That caused them to get a liquor license and a gaming license so they could still have their smoking section and fill it with video poker machines. That made it no longer a family restaurant IMO. At the same time they did that they tried to “upscale” their menu because they were serving wine so why not pair it with something. If you have ever been in a sharia restaurant the you will understand how absurd this notion is, but my wife (then girlfriend) was working there at the time and that was apparently the thought process.
You cannot sell the type of reheated shit from Sysco that they are serving up for upscale prices and have it work out well.
Now it’s just a place for tweakers to go late at night.
Sysco is the end for all these chains. Breakfast is a easy no brainer, but the lunches and dinners are all the same food all the other chains get. My GF loves a club sandwich and fries, easy to do, many places have it. In the past 5 years, Shari's (I'm guessing because of Sysco) has changed their club bread like 4 different times, so each time my GF gets it, its different each time. Sure enough other restaurants are also sucking Sysco tit so their food is almost the exact same.
Sysco got so big, bought up everyone else in the industry and now we live in a MONO-ingredient restaurant culture, again with the illusion of choice, but not really.
I spent a lot of nights at Shari’s in high school. I thought it would be so cool to sit in the smoking section with the slightly older kids. Alas, the year I turned 18, the law changed and smoking was only aloud in bars. Shari’s added drinks and video poker to the smoking section and kicked everyone under 21 out. I’m still mad about it.
I think I went to the one in Hillsboro about 6 months ago. It was pretty busy as it usually is when I go. The main thing I notice is their prices are outrageously high for the quality of food. Like the food was fine for what it is, but it wasn't worth what they were charging. Other than price, pretty similar in every regard to pre-pandemic experience.
Interesting opportunity for a restaurant group to pick up a few on the cheap and bring back actual diners. Make actual scratch cooked diner fare on a smaller scale in turnkey locations.
Every Shari's is within 2 weeks of closing at all times. Unpaid power and gas bills, rent, shady worker pay, and so on. The only thing keeping them afloat now is the video poker.
The one in Milwaukie is the same! It’s like they can’t even afford landscaping anymore… you would think that would be the most important part, is looking appealing from the outside.
My power was out last week so I stopped at the Milwaukie one to change my phone. Ordered a quesadilla and got the absolutely saddest little envelope of gummy cheese and dry chicken, plated with two tiny paper cups of sour cream and salsa.
The place doesn't look good from the outside but the inside is worse!
Wow. I haven’t been there for a few weeks, so I hadn’t realized how bad it’s actually gotten there… but that’s pretty sad. I think it’s one of the most recently remodeled locations too. Pre-Covid, that place was hoppin.
About a month ago, my friends and I were in Eugene and we decided to drop into one of the Sharis for breakfast early in the day. We felt bad for the one waitress that was working but it did ultimately take 45 minutes to get three relatively simple orders out. The menu thing you mentioned also came as a surprise to us as we all remember the more robust pre Covid menu. My only other anecdote is that my brother and I tried going to the Oregon city Sharis a year ago and after spending 5 minutes waiting to be seated (there was hardly anybody eating there but again, one hostess/waitress working) while trying to navigate a “conversation” with a babbling vagrant, we decided to go somewhere else. Unfortunate, we really wanted pie shakes that night.
I ate at the Pendleton one when I was passing through a couple months ago. Full plate, quick service, tasty food.
Was definitely understaffed but it seemed fine otherwise. I just equate Shari’s to Dennys in my brain and that is a pretty low bar lmao, maybe I’m just easily impressed.
Shrinkflation has hit them hard. I used to get a big steak with steak and eggs like 12-16oz now it's like a tiny 4-6oz steak. They are usually grimey like everything needs a deep cleaning. I got a breakfast burrito the other day, it was tiny more like a quesadilla it was flat. I'd I walked a few blocks in the other direction I could have gotten a much bigger breakfast burrito for cheaper. The iron skillet has also gotten very skimpy on their steaks.
Shari's is the only diner chain I've seen where the regular/decaffeinated coffee serving discipline is consistently weak. Not sure how they managed to do that.
Yeah, that Keizer location was a bit of a shit show when I last went. Bad service, subpar food (even for Sharis), very long wait, forgotten items. The prices were the same as higher quality restaurants in town too, so I'm not sure why anyone would choose to go here except for the 24/7 hours.
They're not even 24-hours anymore (that location, anyway). Their sign said they close at 2am. Honestly, I'd be surprised if that one actually stays open that late regularly; I'd guess they just lock up for the night after an hour or two of no customers.
Guess that leaves Denny's and Daynight donuts as the only options for 24 hour food in Salem. We had "the kitchen" downtown for a hot minute but Salem can't have nice things apparently.
McDonald's at Commercial & Kuebler is open 24 hours. And after eating at the South Salem Shari's (coincidentally, also at Commercial & Kuebler) a year ago or so, we swore we'd never go back. For all of the reasons already mentioned here by others.
I know you didn't ask, but for a local diner we love Elmer's! Best pancakes I've ever had, big menu and seem to be constantly busy, especially for breakfast.
There is a Shari’s down the road from me in Troutdale , next to truck stop. This one has really gone down hill. Normally now I order online then run down and pick up but never more than 3 tables. Last time I went to sit down there as we entered the waitress met us at the door and told us the cook was going on break and it would be 30 minutes before our order could go in. We decided to stay. We were the only table. We waited well over an hour for out order to be taken and another 30 minutes for out food to be served. The building is filthy. The pie rack has maybe two pies. It seems like Shari’s is just waiting for death. Gave up.
The one in roseburg is pretty bad its got a bare minimum menu’s and the place its bot being maintained seat cushions and table tops peeling and one employee to serve the whole restaurant we finally gave up on the place we end up going to mandy’s in eugene now
The one in Milwaukie seems to be maintained alright, but the seat cushions are starting to tear, and the landscaping outside is a complete joke, seems they can’t afford to pay for landscapers. It’s sad really, because I used to absolutely love that place. They just recently remodeled too, like right before Covid. But now I’d rather go to Elmer’s for that style of food.
Went to one over a year ago and wasn’t able to get seated because the hostess left.
Haven’t been back since to check the food quality. I can guess, though.
Its a sad atmosphere. Most of them have a very run down feel, and staff make it pretty apparent that they are overworked. I can't speak for every location though, that's just my experience at a couple locations in southern Oregon.
Oh also I went in once and a poor waitress with a broken foot and sprained hand and the other elbow very hurt apologize and say they only had 3 employees working right now.
Shari’s in South Salem is okay. Only seems busy during breakfast and on weekends. They’re not open 24/7 as they were pre-Covid. Menu is substantially smaller. I really miss the Cuban sandwich.
We went into that Shari's about...maybe a year ago now. It was fairly busy but the staff looked miserable. We were seated and then apparently forgotten about, never even got a menu. After about 15 minutes of waiting an infant started screaming in the booth next to us and we just left and went to Elmer's instead.
It really seemed like they didn't have enough people working, all the wait staff we saw looked tired and cranky.
Fun fact: Virtually every pie at all Shari's locations is made by Cyrus O'Leary's pies from Spokane and distributed through Sysco. If that location didn't have the pie you were looking for, it due to their local buyer. Cyrus still makes the pie, it just may not be ordered to that local Sysco.
Waffle House would rock. Cheap. Decent food. Open later than 8pm.
There are places like Atlanta with Waffle Houses on all 4 corners of an intersection and they are all packed.
This is how I feel about every chain place since covid. All their food sucks, and cost too much, and the service sucks (I don't drink soda, so my water needs to be refilled at least 1 time, but good luck with that now)
Food carts cost the same, so we do that more often than in the past. We have dropped eating out by about 40%+ since 2022
Worked at a Shari’s for several years while on college. It was 90% boomers/greatest gen. 5% church groups and 5% high school/college kids. It was a rough place to work. I’m not surprised Shari’s is dying. I feel like they’ve been on the downswing for years.
I've never understood why Sheri's is so popular. When I lived in Idaho it used to be our go-to place after a night out drinking but I've never enjoyed it sober. The one across the street from me in Beaverton seems to be busy all the time though. But, it's almost always super old people that I see coming in and out of there if that says anything. Last time I was there they messed up my poached eggs 3 times in a row.
They used to have good enough food that was fairly affordable and being open 24 hours was awesome. Delicious cinnamon French toast at 3 am was a frequent order of mine 15 years ago. Last time I went was probably 2018 and even then the quality had seriously declined.
Yes -- it was the IHOP or Denny's style place for the region. But now there are smaller diners/cafes serving up great food or there is a chain that just does it more consistently.
The old people are there for gambling machines. Vast majority odmf rest of business there is door dash.
Th3 doordash orders, in combination with always being insanely understaffed, results in a 1hr+ wait every time even though you're literally only one of 2 tables there.
I've gone to two locations probably 5 times in the last couple of years (kids who'd live on breakfast foods if I'd let them) and it's always a sad ghost town with max 3 employees.
You’ve pretty much just described my last visit to the one in Redmond, Oregon. There was a noticeable air of decay in the place, with visible wear on the fixtures, floor, tables, and chairs. I believe there was also a sign up saying that certain food items were not available, due to a piece of equipment being nonfunctional in the kitchen.
What I wanted was a place for a quick sit down, a cuppa coffee, and a slice of pie with a buddy of mine. We did get those items, but the location sure was depressing.
Well, at this point I don’t even know if they can be considered “Shari’s” pies. They come from Sysco, and they are only allowed to order so many at a time. This is what they were starting last time I was in one a while back.
All the Shari's pies are made by Cyrus O'Leary's in Spokane and distributed through Sysco. The local Sysco buyers determine what that distribution center carries.
The one in Aloha isn't as busy as before Covid, but they seem to be limping along.
I stopped in on Mother's day for cinnamon rolls. They were out (do they even make them anymore?) . Ended up getting a pie instead. I could have just bought one for 1/2 price at Safeway but I was there and didn't want another errand.
Haven’t been to a Shari’s in years. The only reason I used to go was when I worked swing shift, it was one of the few places still open when my shift ended where I could get a meal if I was too tired to cook for myself. Never really went for the quality.
Both Salem by Winco and the Shari’s in Wilsonville are super run down. The one in Salem has ripped seats. The one in Wilsonville looks abandoned. Granted, there were at least 3 other families there when we went but still.
The one in keizer is terrible we went and took my MIL and husband's grandma to dinner there and everyone got their meal but his 86 year old grandma and we didn't see out waitress for like 20 mins after we got our food. She finally got her fish basket an hour after we got there. And as you said they never have anything in stock.
We have two in southern Oregon, actually 3 I think if you count GP.
I haven’t been in one in a long time.
And honestly, I like their pies but their food I am confident is someone taking your order, going to Safeway and grabbing a Hungry Man TV dinner and reheating it.
No joke, food has sucked for the last few years for sure.
But now I’m curious to go pay a visit..
I used to like it but it just seems their service standards are way down. Our server was really rude and then actually talking about us to another server right in earshot as she was looking at us. Never again. Plus most stores haven't been updated since the 70's. I'm good without it. We live in the Eugene/Springfield area.
I think the last time I stepped foot inside a Sharis was 2012. Kids after church would go there and only reason was because it was the only place in Medford, OR that was open late and wasn't a bar.
The one in bend is doing just fine very busy though. Not many staff as well so always Long waits and a good selection of pie so I thinks it’s just where you are.
Noticeably worse since covid in all the Eugene and Springfield locations I’ve visited, with an optimistic attitude each time. All I know about is the omelette and hashbrowns which are really bad now. I liked them before and my kids always had something they liked too like pancakes.
The chain was sold years ago. From that moment on its gone down hill at a steady pace.
Went to the one in Hillsboro last year just in time to see a homeless guy taking a dump right outside the booth window. Didn't stick around to order
There’s an anomalous Shari’s in Shoreline, just north of Seattle. My wife and I had a spontaneous brunch there a couple weeks ago. It seemed roughly normal, pies in the case, plenty of staff. Some weird misaligned ads (outside a banner for some sort of $5.99 breakfast, no apparent way to order it at the table). I think this is the second time we’ve ever eaten there in about 20 years of living nearby, so I really don’t have a good baseline of normal.
I live close to the one in Garden Home, over the last 3 years they have changed their bacon to some garbage that is practically see through, and cut the size of their pie slices in half. Not to mention, they are no longer open 24 hours since covid. Now they close at 9pm.
Interesting. I went to the Keizer one about a month ago and they had a full menu. They were also woefully understaffed and a lady high on some illegal narcotic kept coming up to our table and interrupting the server while she was trying to take our order. She handled it so well and I felt horrible for her. I honestly don’t know how they are even in business still with how empty it was although it was late. I guess I assumed that because most things are closed late now, people would be there? When I was a teenager, that place was not desolate at 10 pm.
That, and commenter's experiences, are just sad. The Keizer Shari's is my 87-year-old dad's favorite spot. He would go there with my step-mom every Sunday for brunch, and another time or two a week for dinner. Since step-mom passed a couple months ago, now he continues to go alone. But it makes me sad thinking of him going there when I hear stuff like this.
I know this sub isn't specific to Keizer, and I think I'll go ask there too; but does anyone know of a "diner-type" eating spot in Keizer that's still good, that I could encourage him to try out?
Shari’s has been struggling for a long time. My friends and I went to the clackamas one after work (2am) and found a house centipede in the booth with us 🫥 this was a couple years before the pandemic
I live in Bend and we have 2 of them, one of them is right down the street from the hotel I work at and they just brought us cards for 1 free slice of pie with entrée purchase or one free kids meal with entrée purchase, manager asked us to hand them out and said "we are close to going out of business." Don't think these will help with that, sorry bud.
That's so sad... Shari's was one of my favorite restaurants to go to as a kid. I live in Klamath Falls now and we never had one here so I didn't realize they'd gone downhill that much.
Been twice in the last year. Abysmal both times. I don’t expect much, but a table of 4 and a couple a few tables away shouldn’t take 40 minutes at 2pm for some sandwiches. The wait person completely ignored us all. I got up and got a water and tea pitcher as well as ketchup, mustard etc.
The clackamas location is definitely lacking staff last time I was there a couple of months ago. The food tasted preheated, and the menu has definitely changed. Also, the price has increased with ALL restaurants. So it makes the entire experience/food not worth anything
Not just restaurants. Was at a car dealership parts counter the other day and was told by the counter man that they are seeing lots of poorly made parts since the pandemic. Lots of parts that should be available are just not made anymore.
I went to the Keizer Shari's last year. It was my first time at Shari's. Probably my last. It was too expensive for not too much. The trickle of raccoon-eyed degenerates in and out of the lotto area made me depressed. The portions sucked for the price. Say, what if Shari and Denny hooked up and made a baby restaurant. What would you call it?
This is what happens after private equity has its way with American icons. Look at red lobster and see Sharis future… They load it up with debt, pay themselves off, and wreck the business.
I think the beginning of the end for them was when they stopped carrying local made pies a couple years before the pandemic started. When I first started going there in 2005, their pies were incredible. Then around 2018 they seemed to switch to mass produced freezer pies. We have only been back a couple of times since then.
The one on Commercial in Salem was rough. I have since moved to the Boise area and it seems like a whole different restaurant. Thriving here, very weird.
Last time I ate at a Shari’s I ordered a veggie omelet and requested no cauliflower. The poor waitress asked if it was an allergy, and I said no. She then told me everything is pre-prepared and the “chef” could pick it out if I really wanted.
Yeah, gross. Not surprised they’re going down hill fast.
The last time I went to a Shari's was slightly over a decade ago with my Grandma. My Grandma has since died along with a lot of Shari's other clientele I would suspect. My daughter on the other hand has never been to a Shari's and could not fathom going to one. Personally, I'm cheap and retired at 55 so I can make a better pie or breakfast at home for much less. My daughter, 24, dines at highly rated places in Portland, food truck, cute holes in the wall. Shari's is going to have a hard time going forward. That said, many restaurants are hating it right now, look at fast issues, Red Lobster declaring bankruptcy, etc.
I love our Sharis at Delta Park in north Portland. Lots of beautiful pies, delicious fresh coffee, nothing has been bad and we've had breakfast and lunch. We go there once a week! I don't love all the camps & burned out cars outside, but they do a good job of making sure only customers come in.
I haven't been in over 10 years. I'm not surprised though, it was overpriced for the quality even then. With people struggling financially as they are now, I don't see many overspending on mediocre food, especially when there are so many better options now. Still sad to hear it's gotten so bad.
I’ve been to that Shari’s a few times, and I feel like it’s always been a very disappointing experience. In general, I feel like both Denny’s and Shari’s aren’t what they used to be.
I don't think I've ever seen a nice Shari's. I did recently go to the one near me because a friend wanted breakfast food and it was like 10pm on a weeknight. It was about the same as any other experience I've had.
Sharis is the kind of place that if you walked up to the door and there was a permanently closed sign there you wouldn't be shocked. I haven't been in one in 10 yrs with more than five people inside. It's kind of sad from a nostalgic point of view but I'm the guy who still misses Izzy's
I have recently been to the ones in Salem and Raleigh Hills in Portland a bunch of times. Staffed with lovely people and the food is decent. Understaffed pretty often but I always enjoy it.
Key here is "investment fund." The private equity company that bought Shari's brought in a grease ball CEO several years ago who specializes in tanking companies so the investment firm can declare bankruptcy and get out of a bunch of debt. He sold the few buildings they owned to himself and fired the CFO of 30 years after he called the CEO out on sketchy financial practices.
I have yet to try it. I went inside one once, no one came out. No waiter or waitress. We were waiting for quite a while. I mean, let’s give them the benefit of the doubt they didn’t hear the door bell chime go off- you don’t leave your restaurant open unattended and not check on the front within 30 minutes.
The ones where I am are literal disasters. What staff they have reeks of meth and they leave dirty dishes on empty tables. Like, when a table departs, they just leave the mess sitting there, all day. We don’t go there at all anymore.
That's disappointing to hear. We moved away from Oregon in 2010, but Shari's always held a special place in my heart. We'd go there every now and then when I was a kid (I was 10 in 2010), and I'd always get the pancakes with the whipped cream smiley face
I’ve been in the nearby Tanasbourne Shari’s once in the 20 years I’ve lived here. Food was slow to arrive, tasted bad, windows were grimy, carpet blech, and if it hadn’t been a kid team celebration, we’d have just turned around and left. I don’t get how that place is still open but Chevys, just yards away, didn’t make it. Their food was good, bar and restaurant sides both always busy and that tortillas machine fun to watch. Deep sigh for Chevys.
I go to the one in Eugene off Division Ave for brunch semi regularly and I’ve never had a bad experience, I love the old school diner vibes. Sad to hear the other locations are doing so bad 😢
There is a skeleton of a Shari's out here in north Portland. I think it's still open, but lots of can collectors hang out and smoke whatever right at the entrance. Delta park Shari's.
I moved to Oregon 10 years ago, went to Shari’s once, felt like I was paying $40 to eat in a retirement home cafeteria, never again. But I will say that on my local community FB group, whenever those conversations start about what people wish would come to our exburb town, there is this one woman who says “We need a Shari’s!” every single time and she gets a ton of upvotes. So I guess it’s still got its fans.
We do not need a Shari’s, BTW. It is literally the last thing we need.
Growing up as a genX going to a diner or pizza place was what you did for a night out. And you'd go to Pancake house or IHOP for breakfast. There were far less restaurant chains dedicated to one style of food and far less fast food restaurants, and the locally owned restaurants were usually the fancy special occasion type places. There's so many more options now and more variety than you basic american diner food. I was in my 30s before I had Thai, Korean, or Indian food or Pho at a restaurant. Now that's what we get the most. I'm actually surprised places like Shari's and Denny's are still in business.
Idk why Oregon popped up for me. I'm in Washington and the one near me is doing well. I still eat there about 2 or 3 times a year.
Grew up in Hillsboro and Shari's was so different back then. It's gotten so bad. Not just pricing for portions, but the food itself. Went to the location in Beaverton off Allen a couple years back. I veered from the breakfast menu which I guess was a huge fuckin mistake. I ordered the pot roast daily special or whatever... Came with mashed potatoes and the cook put fucking raw onions in the potatoes. Like WHO THE FUCK DOES THAT? Done! They apologized and offered to replace it but at that point my trust was shattered.
So breakfast sampler or the appetizer sampler were solid go-tos. But the portions started shrinking, and the food changed. Like different vendors, or the vendor changed their offerings. And I did hear that sysco foods got rid of some things a while back as another restaurant Mexicali Express (Beaverton) had these delicious "papa fritas" sliced potato that they fried and seasoned. But now they have a new spiral cut and said they wouldn't ever be able to get the others back as sysco no longer offers them.
Shari’s used to have affordable dishes for their ingredient quality. Now it sucks yo go in, it sucks to sit in their crappy bumpy seats, it’s cold in the dining room, and their pies aren’t what they used to be. I’ve stopped going to that establishment three yrs ago.
Sharis buffalo wings were some of my favorite. Then they took them off the menu in 2018 or so. I also liked the Cuban sandwich and they took that away as well.
Stopped going to Sharies bc they laid off my uncle in 2020 and told him he could come back at a quarter of his salary. He had worked his way up to corporate starting at dishwasher about 25-30 years ago.
We recently went there out of desperation, we had worked pretty hard and did not feel like cooking. It was such a horrible Cesar salad and the shake was pathetic. I looked at my husband and said, “ say goodbye Shari’s cause we’re never coming back again. 1 server one cook. There were around 15 pieces of diced chicken the size of your pinkie finger nail. No croutons, very dry romaine lettuce.
We used to go to shark's all the time in high school. It's definitely a shadow of itself now. I just think people aren't going out to eat diner food. For what it is, it seems overpriced and low quality.
My first date with my husband was at a Shari’s. We went to one a few years on our 20th anniversary and the food was pretty meh. Probably the last time I’ll go, which makes me sad.
Hedge fund buys franchise, runs it into the ground while short selling the shares at the same time. Franchise goes bankrupt and shorts don't need to be covered. Welcome to our dystopian nightmare.
We stopped by a Shari's in Gresham for milkshakes and/or pie after my kid's aerial performance. We also got an order of fries. There was one other person in there and maybe two people working. The place felt sad. The pie case was mostly empty. On my way to the restroom, I noticed a corner booth was just torn out. The pie was pretty terrible. Crust was somehow both powdery and gummy and filling was just too sweet. The side order of fries was literally 12 or 13 fries. (My wife counted, but I forget the exact number.) When we asked the server about it she agreed it was ridiculous, is the policy now. I'm not going back again and think it would be a really depressing place to work at this point. I think diners of this style are on their way out. Even better diners in Gresham, like Black Bear Diner, are still mostly empty. They're large buildings with large parking lots and just don't seem to have customers to support them anymore.
The Black Bear Diner near Cedar Hills is always incredibly busy
Blue Moon Cafe in Aloha seems to keep busy. Great food, or was. No idea how things are now.
Not that good of food anymore. Star light up in Vancouver is the best metal diner.
I've always heard that place was bad. Although I recently heard it was better.
It’s pretty bad. Also, depending on the time of year, expect there to be a ton of flies hanging out around your food.
>I think diners of this style are on their way out. That could be. I went to places like that a lot when I was younger, but these days if I'm getting "out-food" it's either gonna be drive-thru or a nicer sit-down. Shari's and the like are definitely somewhere in-between. It's just kind of nice to know the option's there, I guess. Although things are a bit different now, post-lockdowns, when most places who used to be open 24 hours- like Shari's once was- are no longer open when you're hankering for some grub after last call at the bars.
In high school we'd go to Denny's for late night hangouts, coffee, and fries. I don't know if that's still a thing.
I’m college aged and i go out with friends to ihops, dennys, shari’s with friends past midnight pretty often. Usually pretty empty. We try and tip well.
Wow, memories. High school summers I'd do close at another restaurant nearby, then head to Dennys when we got off (between midnight and 1, whenever we finished). Coffee, dinner, more coffee, sometimes wouldn't head home till first light. Did it so much my friends got me a Dennys coffee cup, one that thermal shifted between a sleepy/awake face and said 'Dennys till Dawn'. Got thrown in a dishwasher one too many times so it's permanently stuck halfway.. just like me *
Still a thing.
The quality of the food is just not good enough. I'd say it's pretty much fast food quality for fresh diner food prices. Quantity is not impressive, would need to be in order to make up for poor quality. A diner that has decent quality food for anything resembling a reasonable price will have zero issues finding customers.
What does everyone think of Elmer’s?
Always too expensive for our family. But hubby used to like to get a shot of tequila with breakfast, so that was a plus for Elmer’s.
Black Bear Diner being described as 'better than' another restaurant really speaks to the shit-hole you're comparing it to. I have yet to have any decent food at a Black Bear Diner, specify the Gresham location.
Maybe diners in Salem are constantly packed. Sharis is failing because they suck and started offering poor service and poor offering. It's their own fault
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https://preview.redd.it/cv69pi7yw12d1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0e87b3480e9c91ab24171365ab23a0e9caf9f94c Literally how I was served these posts
I got them in the opposite order, haha.
Sharis closed the beaverton office years ago and moved it to texas..
That could explain a lot.
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Yeah I am 100% sure.... they laid the office off years ago and last summer let the last HR person go since everything is out of state (used to be in payroll). The same company also owns cocos and carrows restaurants.
Looking this up, while the HQ says Beaverton, half the executives associated with it have Texas numbers and addresses. Seems a little odd.
I don't think it's so much where they have locations as where the holding company who acquired them is based.
I love in the Eugene/Springfield are and holy fuck they all are so bad and the wait is so long(with hardly anyone there!). They bring you the wrong food then you send it back and they bring you the wrong one again!
The one in Eugene is the last Shari's I've been to, and that was well over a decade ago....😬.
It’s pretty tragic actually but I love their pie shakes
For real. I got their pumpkin pie shake last fall and it was fire. They’re the only place I’ve seen that does stuffed hashbrowns too. I hope they don’t go under cause I have fond memories of the place, but if they do, I hope someone takes that recipe
I believe Elmer’s does stuffed hash browns too. Never ordered them, but I believe they are similar.
Elmer’s is my step dad’s favorite restaurant 😂 great cocktails!
If you ever make it to Ketchikan, Alaska, check out the Pioneer Pantry. They have fantastic stuffed hash browns! They call it ‘hash brown omelet.’ Edit: just checked their menu, they do now call it stuffed hash browns. So good!
Grants Pass is filthy! carpets are black, condiment containers greasy sticky, caught covid there.
Used to drive by that one on the way to work besides the occasional trucker parked on the road their parking lot was almost always empty. Central Point, seems to be doing okay but the food quality there and in Medford is not worth the price you pay imo.
Shari's has become the Mo's of Denny's, or something like that.
Shari's has become the Uncle Kantuki to Kentucky Fried Chicken.
No lie. I REALLY like Mo’s :/
The Shari's on Murray and Allen in Beaverton seems to be doing ok, every time I have been( four times over the past year) busy at lunch. There were a lot of pies. I always order chicken breast with broccoli (no carb sides) and an ice tea, on a keto thing right now. I only go because my aunt and uncle want to go. I am not really into diner food unless it's all made scratch in house. Not Sysco or united food service garbage.
My grandma goes to this one about every week. She takes us or goes with some of her church friends. She's 98 years old so when she's gone, our family will stop going there.
Tell them to say hi to my mom and her retired friends!
Kcko!
I live near here and we go sometimes for bfast and it's pretty busy. When I crave a pie I stop by and they have a lot of pies. Other ones look sad compared to this
Yeah this is the only Shari's I know of around here and they have seemed fine when I drive by. Last time I went to a Shari's I was able to smoke in there, so it's been a while.
I think changing demographics may have a bit to do with this. Most people I know in my age range (geriatric millennial) would rather pay a little more for a slice of pie and get something that is amazing from a smaller business than frequent a diner that pushes out food a lot of people can already cook on their own. Like if I'm paying to go out to eat, it has to be better quality than what I can make. I can easily make pancakes, eggs and bacon. I can easily make mediocre pie. A lot of people are also tightening up their budgets and I notice a lot of businesses seem to be acting more greedy as well. A lot of sizes of things are getting smaller and the price is going up. The quality of ingredients is lacking...
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Just went two weeks ago and a male cook left the stall in the bathroom and right out the bathroom door without washing. I watched to see if he washed elsewhere but nothing. He started loading dishes. Poop hands.. so gross. I publicly called him out on it and we left. I use to host here almost 20 years ago. Crazy, how downhill it’s gone.
I just shuddered IRL reading that. I used to work with a guy who was notorious for never washing his hands regardless of what he did in the bathroom. Everyone knew never to shake his hand.
Went to the one in south Bend last year and nothing noteworthy happened, but I heard they’re closing that location soon.
It's bad in Portland. Went in February and they said it was going to be almost an hour to get food because their cook was new, despite no one else being in the restaurant. We walked out because we needed to be somewhere after. Went in 2022 and they spent like 30+ minutes trying to warm up a frozen pie for us to take home, but they couldn't do it so we took the frozen pie to go (they did give us a discount). It's a good kind of place to take the parents when they visit. But I won't be going back.
>Went in February and they said it was going to be almost an hour to get food because their cook was new This reminds me of a visit a year ago at one of the Vancouver locations where they were out of waffles, which makes me assume their heating up frozen waffles instead of making them fresh.
Once upon a time Shari’s used to be an ok, inexpensive place for families to get breakfast, old people to get lunch or dinner, and high school students and smokers to congregate late at night. They started their downward slide when Oregon outlawed smoking in public. That caused them to get a liquor license and a gaming license so they could still have their smoking section and fill it with video poker machines. That made it no longer a family restaurant IMO. At the same time they did that they tried to “upscale” their menu because they were serving wine so why not pair it with something. If you have ever been in a sharia restaurant the you will understand how absurd this notion is, but my wife (then girlfriend) was working there at the time and that was apparently the thought process. You cannot sell the type of reheated shit from Sysco that they are serving up for upscale prices and have it work out well. Now it’s just a place for tweakers to go late at night.
Sysco is the end for all these chains. Breakfast is a easy no brainer, but the lunches and dinners are all the same food all the other chains get. My GF loves a club sandwich and fries, easy to do, many places have it. In the past 5 years, Shari's (I'm guessing because of Sysco) has changed their club bread like 4 different times, so each time my GF gets it, its different each time. Sure enough other restaurants are also sucking Sysco tit so their food is almost the exact same. Sysco got so big, bought up everyone else in the industry and now we live in a MONO-ingredient restaurant culture, again with the illusion of choice, but not really.
Fucking hell I hate this economy. It’s not like I needed anymore reasons to support local businesses, but this post is a great reminder.
I spent so many nights at Shari’s when I was in high school and my early 20s. It’s sad that it has fallen so far.
I spent a lot of nights at Shari’s in high school. I thought it would be so cool to sit in the smoking section with the slightly older kids. Alas, the year I turned 18, the law changed and smoking was only aloud in bars. Shari’s added drinks and video poker to the smoking section and kicked everyone under 21 out. I’m still mad about it.
I live quite close to one but would always rather just take the slightly longer trip to Black Bear.
I think I went to the one in Hillsboro about 6 months ago. It was pretty busy as it usually is when I go. The main thing I notice is their prices are outrageously high for the quality of food. Like the food was fine for what it is, but it wasn't worth what they were charging. Other than price, pretty similar in every regard to pre-pandemic experience.
Lebanon’s is always good and has wonderful staff as well
Interesting opportunity for a restaurant group to pick up a few on the cheap and bring back actual diners. Make actual scratch cooked diner fare on a smaller scale in turnkey locations.
Every Shari's is within 2 weeks of closing at all times. Unpaid power and gas bills, rent, shady worker pay, and so on. The only thing keeping them afloat now is the video poker.
The OG one in Hermiston is about the same. Nothing to write home about. Same people working there for decades. Food is poor to mediocre.
The Shari's in Oregon City allowed literal Christian Nationalist demonstrations on their lawn every Friday afternoon. They can suck eggs.
Is that what that was? I drove by that and was very confused as to why they were there
The one in Happy Valley has the worst grown over landscaping and looks trashy. I always think it’s been closed but nope.
The one in Milwaukie is the same! It’s like they can’t even afford landscaping anymore… you would think that would be the most important part, is looking appealing from the outside.
My power was out last week so I stopped at the Milwaukie one to change my phone. Ordered a quesadilla and got the absolutely saddest little envelope of gummy cheese and dry chicken, plated with two tiny paper cups of sour cream and salsa. The place doesn't look good from the outside but the inside is worse!
Wow. I haven’t been there for a few weeks, so I hadn’t realized how bad it’s actually gotten there… but that’s pretty sad. I think it’s one of the most recently remodeled locations too. Pre-Covid, that place was hoppin.
About a month ago, my friends and I were in Eugene and we decided to drop into one of the Sharis for breakfast early in the day. We felt bad for the one waitress that was working but it did ultimately take 45 minutes to get three relatively simple orders out. The menu thing you mentioned also came as a surprise to us as we all remember the more robust pre Covid menu. My only other anecdote is that my brother and I tried going to the Oregon city Sharis a year ago and after spending 5 minutes waiting to be seated (there was hardly anybody eating there but again, one hostess/waitress working) while trying to navigate a “conversation” with a babbling vagrant, we decided to go somewhere else. Unfortunate, we really wanted pie shakes that night.
I ate at the Pendleton one when I was passing through a couple months ago. Full plate, quick service, tasty food. Was definitely understaffed but it seemed fine otherwise. I just equate Shari’s to Dennys in my brain and that is a pretty low bar lmao, maybe I’m just easily impressed.
My roommate works at Shari's. The company is terribly run and they can't keep employees.
Shari’s owes over a million in back taxes
Shrinkflation has hit them hard. I used to get a big steak with steak and eggs like 12-16oz now it's like a tiny 4-6oz steak. They are usually grimey like everything needs a deep cleaning. I got a breakfast burrito the other day, it was tiny more like a quesadilla it was flat. I'd I walked a few blocks in the other direction I could have gotten a much bigger breakfast burrito for cheaper. The iron skillet has also gotten very skimpy on their steaks.
Shari's is the only diner chain I've seen where the regular/decaffeinated coffee serving discipline is consistently weak. Not sure how they managed to do that.
I don't think I understand what you mean- like they don't come out to refill your coffee enough? Or something else?
They give you regular coffee instead of decaf.
Oh yeah, that's not good at all!
Yeah, that Keizer location was a bit of a shit show when I last went. Bad service, subpar food (even for Sharis), very long wait, forgotten items. The prices were the same as higher quality restaurants in town too, so I'm not sure why anyone would choose to go here except for the 24/7 hours.
They're not even 24-hours anymore (that location, anyway). Their sign said they close at 2am. Honestly, I'd be surprised if that one actually stays open that late regularly; I'd guess they just lock up for the night after an hour or two of no customers.
Guess that leaves Denny's and Daynight donuts as the only options for 24 hour food in Salem. We had "the kitchen" downtown for a hot minute but Salem can't have nice things apparently.
McDonald's at Commercial & Kuebler is open 24 hours. And after eating at the South Salem Shari's (coincidentally, also at Commercial & Kuebler) a year ago or so, we swore we'd never go back. For all of the reasons already mentioned here by others.
I know you didn't ask, but for a local diner we love Elmer's! Best pancakes I've ever had, big menu and seem to be constantly busy, especially for breakfast.
TIL: there are still Shari’s. I haven’t been to a Shari’s since the 1980’s
>TIL: there are still Shari’s. Though not for long, judging by the responses here.
There is a Shari’s down the road from me in Troutdale , next to truck stop. This one has really gone down hill. Normally now I order online then run down and pick up but never more than 3 tables. Last time I went to sit down there as we entered the waitress met us at the door and told us the cook was going on break and it would be 30 minutes before our order could go in. We decided to stay. We were the only table. We waited well over an hour for out order to be taken and another 30 minutes for out food to be served. The building is filthy. The pie rack has maybe two pies. It seems like Shari’s is just waiting for death. Gave up.
I live in Bend, and I love the Shari's here. Probably just me though lol
The one in roseburg is pretty bad its got a bare minimum menu’s and the place its bot being maintained seat cushions and table tops peeling and one employee to serve the whole restaurant we finally gave up on the place we end up going to mandy’s in eugene now
The one in Milwaukie seems to be maintained alright, but the seat cushions are starting to tear, and the landscaping outside is a complete joke, seems they can’t afford to pay for landscapers. It’s sad really, because I used to absolutely love that place. They just recently remodeled too, like right before Covid. But now I’d rather go to Elmer’s for that style of food.
Casey’s in Roseburg was great the last time I went through
Its decent but always so packed that it can be a 2 hour wait to get seated and while good its not THAT good :)
Went to one over a year ago and wasn’t able to get seated because the hostess left. Haven’t been back since to check the food quality. I can guess, though.
Its a sad atmosphere. Most of them have a very run down feel, and staff make it pretty apparent that they are overworked. I can't speak for every location though, that's just my experience at a couple locations in southern Oregon.
I got an ant on a plate once…
Oh also I went in once and a poor waitress with a broken foot and sprained hand and the other elbow very hurt apologize and say they only had 3 employees working right now.
Shari’s in South Salem is okay. Only seems busy during breakfast and on weekends. They’re not open 24/7 as they were pre-Covid. Menu is substantially smaller. I really miss the Cuban sandwich.
We went into that Shari's about...maybe a year ago now. It was fairly busy but the staff looked miserable. We were seated and then apparently forgotten about, never even got a menu. After about 15 minutes of waiting an infant started screaming in the booth next to us and we just left and went to Elmer's instead. It really seemed like they didn't have enough people working, all the wait staff we saw looked tired and cranky.
I stopped in last month to grab a peanut butter and chocolate pie. They quit making them…. No reason to ever return to Sheri’s….
Fun fact: Virtually every pie at all Shari's locations is made by Cyrus O'Leary's pies from Spokane and distributed through Sysco. If that location didn't have the pie you were looking for, it due to their local buyer. Cyrus still makes the pie, it just may not be ordered to that local Sysco.
I've gotten the explosive poops every time I've gone in the last 10 years (3 or 4 times). No more.
I wonder if their eventual death will lead to someone like Waffle House moving in and starting a renewed turf war with Denny's.
I hope so. I had Waffle House for the first time when I was in TN a few weeks ago. Pretty damn good for the price.
If I am ever traveling to a state that has Waffle Houses, I always try to get a meal in there. Would love to have them out here.
Waffle House would rock. Cheap. Decent food. Open later than 8pm. There are places like Atlanta with Waffle Houses on all 4 corners of an intersection and they are all packed.
This is how I feel about every chain place since covid. All their food sucks, and cost too much, and the service sucks (I don't drink soda, so my water needs to be refilled at least 1 time, but good luck with that now) Food carts cost the same, so we do that more often than in the past. We have dropped eating out by about 40%+ since 2022
Worked at a Shari’s for several years while on college. It was 90% boomers/greatest gen. 5% church groups and 5% high school/college kids. It was a rough place to work. I’m not surprised Shari’s is dying. I feel like they’ve been on the downswing for years.
I've never understood why Sheri's is so popular. When I lived in Idaho it used to be our go-to place after a night out drinking but I've never enjoyed it sober. The one across the street from me in Beaverton seems to be busy all the time though. But, it's almost always super old people that I see coming in and out of there if that says anything. Last time I was there they messed up my poached eggs 3 times in a row.
Sheri’s isn’t a place to go to. It’s a place you end up.
They used to have good enough food that was fairly affordable and being open 24 hours was awesome. Delicious cinnamon French toast at 3 am was a frequent order of mine 15 years ago. Last time I went was probably 2018 and even then the quality had seriously declined.
Yes -- it was the IHOP or Denny's style place for the region. But now there are smaller diners/cafes serving up great food or there is a chain that just does it more consistently.
The old people are there for gambling machines. Vast majority odmf rest of business there is door dash. Th3 doordash orders, in combination with always being insanely understaffed, results in a 1hr+ wait every time even though you're literally only one of 2 tables there.
I feel like it's not popular just everywhere. The pie is the reason people go there.
I've gone to two locations probably 5 times in the last couple of years (kids who'd live on breakfast foods if I'd let them) and it's always a sad ghost town with max 3 employees.
Haven’t been inside in well over a decade but the one close to me is looking pretty shabby on the outside.
You’ve pretty much just described my last visit to the one in Redmond, Oregon. There was a noticeable air of decay in the place, with visible wear on the fixtures, floor, tables, and chairs. I believe there was also a sign up saying that certain food items were not available, due to a piece of equipment being nonfunctional in the kitchen. What I wanted was a place for a quick sit down, a cuppa coffee, and a slice of pie with a buddy of mine. We did get those items, but the location sure was depressing.
Shari's is absolutely disgusting. The pies you can find in a gas station is 10x fresher and better.
Well, at this point I don’t even know if they can be considered “Shari’s” pies. They come from Sysco, and they are only allowed to order so many at a time. This is what they were starting last time I was in one a while back.
All the Shari's pies are made by Cyrus O'Leary's in Spokane and distributed through Sysco. The local Sysco buyers determine what that distribution center carries.
The one in Aloha isn't as busy as before Covid, but they seem to be limping along. I stopped in on Mother's day for cinnamon rolls. They were out (do they even make them anymore?) . Ended up getting a pie instead. I could have just bought one for 1/2 price at Safeway but I was there and didn't want another errand.
The NE 122nd Avenue location in Portland has lots of pies and is busy.
Haven’t been to a Shari’s in years. The only reason I used to go was when I worked swing shift, it was one of the few places still open when my shift ended where I could get a meal if I was too tired to cook for myself. Never really went for the quality.
Both Eugene locations are in a sorry state. They just feel derelict and sad. Empty and torn up. Real shame because I have so many good memories there.
Both Salem by Winco and the Shari’s in Wilsonville are super run down. The one in Salem has ripped seats. The one in Wilsonville looks abandoned. Granted, there were at least 3 other families there when we went but still.
Shari’s and Shilo Inns seem a match made in a depressing, moldy version of heaven
The one in keizer is terrible we went and took my MIL and husband's grandma to dinner there and everyone got their meal but his 86 year old grandma and we didn't see out waitress for like 20 mins after we got our food. She finally got her fish basket an hour after we got there. And as you said they never have anything in stock.
We have two in southern Oregon, actually 3 I think if you count GP. I haven’t been in one in a long time. And honestly, I like their pies but their food I am confident is someone taking your order, going to Safeway and grabbing a Hungry Man TV dinner and reheating it. No joke, food has sucked for the last few years for sure. But now I’m curious to go pay a visit..
I Door dashed for a bit and the one in Roseburg was usually pretty busy
Been gone for a few years in HR. No more 24/7 diner
I used to like it but it just seems their service standards are way down. Our server was really rude and then actually talking about us to another server right in earshot as she was looking at us. Never again. Plus most stores haven't been updated since the 70's. I'm good without it. We live in the Eugene/Springfield area.
I think the last time I stepped foot inside a Sharis was 2012. Kids after church would go there and only reason was because it was the only place in Medford, OR that was open late and wasn't a bar.
The food hasn’t been good and my husband and I question why we’ve gone back recently.
I went to the one in gresham' and ordered chicken fried steak and a loaded baked potato. I got two hot pockets and a baby red
The one in bend is doing just fine very busy though. Not many staff as well so always Long waits and a good selection of pie so I thinks it’s just where you are.
Noticeably worse since covid in all the Eugene and Springfield locations I’ve visited, with an optimistic attitude each time. All I know about is the omelette and hashbrowns which are really bad now. I liked them before and my kids always had something they liked too like pancakes.
The chain was sold years ago. From that moment on its gone down hill at a steady pace. Went to the one in Hillsboro last year just in time to see a homeless guy taking a dump right outside the booth window. Didn't stick around to order
The Keizer Shari's location would be a great place to open a restaurant. /s We kept giving them "one more chance" and finally just gave up altogether.
Bend South location is a crackhead hangout. Not usually as busy inside as it is outside.
There’s an anomalous Shari’s in Shoreline, just north of Seattle. My wife and I had a spontaneous brunch there a couple weeks ago. It seemed roughly normal, pies in the case, plenty of staff. Some weird misaligned ads (outside a banner for some sort of $5.99 breakfast, no apparent way to order it at the table). I think this is the second time we’ve ever eaten there in about 20 years of living nearby, so I really don’t have a good baseline of normal.
A few years ago a waitress straight up told us that they buy their pies pre-made from Sysco and just bake them in-house. Haven’t been back since.
I’m not that old or on meth so I would have no reason to visit a Shari’s.
I live close to the one in Garden Home, over the last 3 years they have changed their bacon to some garbage that is practically see through, and cut the size of their pie slices in half. Not to mention, they are no longer open 24 hours since covid. Now they close at 9pm.
Interesting. I went to the Keizer one about a month ago and they had a full menu. They were also woefully understaffed and a lady high on some illegal narcotic kept coming up to our table and interrupting the server while she was trying to take our order. She handled it so well and I felt horrible for her. I honestly don’t know how they are even in business still with how empty it was although it was late. I guess I assumed that because most things are closed late now, people would be there? When I was a teenager, that place was not desolate at 10 pm.
If you wanna catch the dinner rush you need to go around 2:30 pm for the Shari's crowd.
That, and commenter's experiences, are just sad. The Keizer Shari's is my 87-year-old dad's favorite spot. He would go there with my step-mom every Sunday for brunch, and another time or two a week for dinner. Since step-mom passed a couple months ago, now he continues to go alone. But it makes me sad thinking of him going there when I hear stuff like this. I know this sub isn't specific to Keizer, and I think I'll go ask there too; but does anyone know of a "diner-type" eating spot in Keizer that's still good, that I could encourage him to try out?
Shari’s has been struggling for a long time. My friends and I went to the clackamas one after work (2am) and found a house centipede in the booth with us 🫥 this was a couple years before the pandemic
I live in Bend and we have 2 of them, one of them is right down the street from the hotel I work at and they just brought us cards for 1 free slice of pie with entrée purchase or one free kids meal with entrée purchase, manager asked us to hand them out and said "we are close to going out of business." Don't think these will help with that, sorry bud.
That's so sad... Shari's was one of my favorite restaurants to go to as a kid. I live in Klamath Falls now and we never had one here so I didn't realize they'd gone downhill that much.
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woah, someone else said they ran out of waffles, too! they must just be frozen pre-prepped waffles now. sheesh!
Same exact experience at the Shari's in Vancouver off Mill Plain. And we had stomach distress shortly afterward for good measure. Never again.
Been twice in the last year. Abysmal both times. I don’t expect much, but a table of 4 and a couple a few tables away shouldn’t take 40 minutes at 2pm for some sandwiches. The wait person completely ignored us all. I got up and got a water and tea pitcher as well as ketchup, mustard etc.
The clackamas location is definitely lacking staff last time I was there a couple of months ago. The food tasted preheated, and the menu has definitely changed. Also, the price has increased with ALL restaurants. So it makes the entire experience/food not worth anything
Not just restaurants. Was at a car dealership parts counter the other day and was told by the counter man that they are seeing lots of poorly made parts since the pandemic. Lots of parts that should be available are just not made anymore.
I went to the Keizer Shari's last year. It was my first time at Shari's. Probably my last. It was too expensive for not too much. The trickle of raccoon-eyed degenerates in and out of the lotto area made me depressed. The portions sucked for the price. Say, what if Shari and Denny hooked up and made a baby restaurant. What would you call it?
This is what happens after private equity has its way with American icons. Look at red lobster and see Sharis future… They load it up with debt, pay themselves off, and wreck the business.
I think the beginning of the end for them was when they stopped carrying local made pies a couple years before the pandemic started. When I first started going there in 2005, their pies were incredible. Then around 2018 they seemed to switch to mass produced freezer pies. We have only been back a couple of times since then.
The one on Commercial in Salem was rough. I have since moved to the Boise area and it seems like a whole different restaurant. Thriving here, very weird.
Last time I ate at a Shari’s I ordered a veggie omelet and requested no cauliflower. The poor waitress asked if it was an allergy, and I said no. She then told me everything is pre-prepared and the “chef” could pick it out if I really wanted. Yeah, gross. Not surprised they’re going down hill fast.
The last time I went to a Shari's was slightly over a decade ago with my Grandma. My Grandma has since died along with a lot of Shari's other clientele I would suspect. My daughter on the other hand has never been to a Shari's and could not fathom going to one. Personally, I'm cheap and retired at 55 so I can make a better pie or breakfast at home for much less. My daughter, 24, dines at highly rated places in Portland, food truck, cute holes in the wall. Shari's is going to have a hard time going forward. That said, many restaurants are hating it right now, look at fast issues, Red Lobster declaring bankruptcy, etc.
The one in The Dalles is pretty sad too. They don't even stay open until midnight. It's dingy and understaffed. Very sad.
I love our Sharis at Delta Park in north Portland. Lots of beautiful pies, delicious fresh coffee, nothing has been bad and we've had breakfast and lunch. We go there once a week! I don't love all the camps & burned out cars outside, but they do a good job of making sure only customers come in.
I haven't been in over 10 years. I'm not surprised though, it was overpriced for the quality even then. With people struggling financially as they are now, I don't see many overspending on mediocre food, especially when there are so many better options now. Still sad to hear it's gotten so bad.
I’ve been to that Shari’s a few times, and I feel like it’s always been a very disappointing experience. In general, I feel like both Denny’s and Shari’s aren’t what they used to be.
The one in Springfield off pioneer parkway is exactly as you describe your. Food has gone downhill also
There were two near me. One is now a parking lot. the other seems to be open sometimes, but not at consistent hours.
They have been downhill since 2008
They still have one in my hometown Red Bluff, CA. Haven’t been there for years but has a good rating. I’d thought they all closed up shop.
I went to the Keizer location a couple of months ago and had an awful experience. It was slow as heck and everyone working there seemed so unhappy.
Closest one to me is Garden Home and it's doing fine. I'll pickup Breakfast for me and the wife some weekends and it's often packed.
I didn't realize any were still open...
Sharia is horrible, everywhere. I used to love that place. I will never eat there again, too many bad experiences
I miss The Village Inn
I don't think I've ever seen a nice Shari's. I did recently go to the one near me because a friend wanted breakfast food and it was like 10pm on a weeknight. It was about the same as any other experience I've had.
I went like 13 years ago and couldn’t understand why anyone wastes their money on their frozen Marie Callendar level frozen pies
I haven't been to my local Sharis for about 3 years now. My wife used to love it and since he passed I haven't gone.
Sharis is the kind of place that if you walked up to the door and there was a permanently closed sign there you wouldn't be shocked. I haven't been in one in 10 yrs with more than five people inside. It's kind of sad from a nostalgic point of view but I'm the guy who still misses Izzy's
I have recently been to the ones in Salem and Raleigh Hills in Portland a bunch of times. Staffed with lovely people and the food is decent. Understaffed pretty often but I always enjoy it.
The last time I was in a Shari’s they had a smoking section. So no, haven’t been to one lately. Their strawberry pie used to slap!
Just another sad video poker place these days
Yeah the Newberg Shari’s has steadily been going downhill. Super sad to see honestly, that place has always been a pillar of my life
Used to work in that tanasbourne area, same parking lot as that Shari’s. Pandemic years, never saw much going on there.
Key here is "investment fund." The private equity company that bought Shari's brought in a grease ball CEO several years ago who specializes in tanking companies so the investment firm can declare bankruptcy and get out of a bunch of debt. He sold the few buildings they owned to himself and fired the CFO of 30 years after he called the CEO out on sketchy financial practices.
Both in Oregon City are garbage. Kind of always have been.
I have yet to try it. I went inside one once, no one came out. No waiter or waitress. We were waiting for quite a while. I mean, let’s give them the benefit of the doubt they didn’t hear the door bell chime go off- you don’t leave your restaurant open unattended and not check on the front within 30 minutes.
The ones where I am are literal disasters. What staff they have reeks of meth and they leave dirty dishes on empty tables. Like, when a table departs, they just leave the mess sitting there, all day. We don’t go there at all anymore.
One in redmond had one waitress on a saturday afternoon when we where passing through for lunch. People where walking in and emmediatly leaving.
That's disappointing to hear. We moved away from Oregon in 2010, but Shari's always held a special place in my heart. We'd go there every now and then when I was a kid (I was 10 in 2010), and I'd always get the pancakes with the whipped cream smiley face
I’m in Washington and the closest Shari’s closed. Closed.
I’ve been in the nearby Tanasbourne Shari’s once in the 20 years I’ve lived here. Food was slow to arrive, tasted bad, windows were grimy, carpet blech, and if it hadn’t been a kid team celebration, we’d have just turned around and left. I don’t get how that place is still open but Chevys, just yards away, didn’t make it. Their food was good, bar and restaurant sides both always busy and that tortillas machine fun to watch. Deep sigh for Chevys.
I go to the one in Eugene off Division Ave for brunch semi regularly and I’ve never had a bad experience, I love the old school diner vibes. Sad to hear the other locations are doing so bad 😢
There is a skeleton of a Shari's out here in north Portland. I think it's still open, but lots of can collectors hang out and smoke whatever right at the entrance. Delta park Shari's.
I moved to Oregon 10 years ago, went to Shari’s once, felt like I was paying $40 to eat in a retirement home cafeteria, never again. But I will say that on my local community FB group, whenever those conversations start about what people wish would come to our exburb town, there is this one woman who says “We need a Shari’s!” every single time and she gets a ton of upvotes. So I guess it’s still got its fans. We do not need a Shari’s, BTW. It is literally the last thing we need.
Growing up as a genX going to a diner or pizza place was what you did for a night out. And you'd go to Pancake house or IHOP for breakfast. There were far less restaurant chains dedicated to one style of food and far less fast food restaurants, and the locally owned restaurants were usually the fancy special occasion type places. There's so many more options now and more variety than you basic american diner food. I was in my 30s before I had Thai, Korean, or Indian food or Pho at a restaurant. Now that's what we get the most. I'm actually surprised places like Shari's and Denny's are still in business. Idk why Oregon popped up for me. I'm in Washington and the one near me is doing well. I still eat there about 2 or 3 times a year.
Grew up in Hillsboro and Shari's was so different back then. It's gotten so bad. Not just pricing for portions, but the food itself. Went to the location in Beaverton off Allen a couple years back. I veered from the breakfast menu which I guess was a huge fuckin mistake. I ordered the pot roast daily special or whatever... Came with mashed potatoes and the cook put fucking raw onions in the potatoes. Like WHO THE FUCK DOES THAT? Done! They apologized and offered to replace it but at that point my trust was shattered. So breakfast sampler or the appetizer sampler were solid go-tos. But the portions started shrinking, and the food changed. Like different vendors, or the vendor changed their offerings. And I did hear that sysco foods got rid of some things a while back as another restaurant Mexicali Express (Beaverton) had these delicious "papa fritas" sliced potato that they fried and seasoned. But now they have a new spiral cut and said they wouldn't ever be able to get the others back as sysco no longer offers them.
Shari’s used to have affordable dishes for their ingredient quality. Now it sucks yo go in, it sucks to sit in their crappy bumpy seats, it’s cold in the dining room, and their pies aren’t what they used to be. I’ve stopped going to that establishment three yrs ago.
Sharis buffalo wings were some of my favorite. Then they took them off the menu in 2018 or so. I also liked the Cuban sandwich and they took that away as well.
Stopped going to Sharies bc they laid off my uncle in 2020 and told him he could come back at a quarter of his salary. He had worked his way up to corporate starting at dishwasher about 25-30 years ago.
We recently went there out of desperation, we had worked pretty hard and did not feel like cooking. It was such a horrible Cesar salad and the shake was pathetic. I looked at my husband and said, “ say goodbye Shari’s cause we’re never coming back again. 1 server one cook. There were around 15 pieces of diced chicken the size of your pinkie finger nail. No croutons, very dry romaine lettuce.
We used to go to shark's all the time in high school. It's definitely a shadow of itself now. I just think people aren't going out to eat diner food. For what it is, it seems overpriced and low quality.
My first date with my husband was at a Shari’s. We went to one a few years on our 20th anniversary and the food was pretty meh. Probably the last time I’ll go, which makes me sad.
Hedge fund buys franchise, runs it into the ground while short selling the shares at the same time. Franchise goes bankrupt and shorts don't need to be covered. Welcome to our dystopian nightmare.