Ruth's Chris Steak House

Ruth's Chris Steak House is a chain of over 85 steakhouses across the United States and around the world, most known today for being an upscale attraction, a departure from the prices in the chain as recently as twenty years ago. The restaurant's signature is serving "Prime" Steaks that are seared at 1800 degrees Fahrenheit and served on plates heated to 500 degrees Fahrenheit (260 Celsius). A tablespoon of butter is added just before the plates leave the kitchen to make them sizzle.

The chain was founded by Ruth Fertel, a single mother of two, in 1965, after she bought the existing Chris Steak House in New Orleans. In buying the restaurant, Fertel had to agree that the restaurant keep the "Chris" name. After the original establishment burned down, she renamed it Ruth's Chris, and started to franchise the restaurant in the 1970s. By the time Fertel was legally allowed to change the name, the chain had become famous in many places across the country, and decided in the end to keep the name.

The chain has received paid endorsements from several celebrities, including Sean Hannity and Rush Limbaugh.

In 2005, the chain — now a publicly-traded company (NYSE symbol: RUTH) — was forced to move its corporate headquarters to Orlando, Florida because of the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina. No plans to move back to the New Orleans area have been announced. Two of the chain's locations in the New Orleans area were forced to close because of the storm.

• Ruth's Chris Official Site