why is it called ruth's chris steakhouse

It’s called “Ruth’s Chris Steak House” because the original restaurant was named “Chris Steak House,” and when a woman named Ruth Fertel bought it and later had to move locations after a fire, she was no longer allowed to use the exact original name, so she simply added her own first name in front and reopened as “Ruth’s Chris.”

Quick Scoop

• The restaurant started in New Orleans in 1965 when Ruth Fertel bought an existing spot called “Chris Steak House,” originally founded by a man named Chris Matulich in 1927.

• Part of the purchase agreement said the name “Chris Steak House” could only be used at that specific original location.

• In 1976, a kitchen fire forced Ruth to move the restaurant to a new building, which triggered that clause and meant she could not keep the old name as-is.

The Name Twist

• With very little time to reopen and wanting to keep the brand recognition of “Chris,” Ruth decided to improvise and just add her own name to the front, creating “Ruth’s Chris Steak House.”

• The slightly tongue‑twisting name stuck, and it later became the official brand as the company expanded into a large upscale steakhouse chain.

Fun Bit Of Restaurant Lore

• The origin story mixes a legal technicality (the name tied to the original building) with a scrappy, last‑minute solution from an owner who didn’t want to lose her regulars.

• Because of that quick decision after the fire, the unusual phrase “Ruth’s Chris” went from a rushed sign change to a globally recognized restaurant name.

TL;DR: It’s called “Ruth’s Chris Steak House” because Ruth Fertel bought a place called “Chris Steak House,” then after a fire forced her to move and she couldn’t legally keep the exact name, she tacked on her own name and reopened as “Ruth’s Chris.”

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