Chad’s
A plaque on the wall supporting the Chad’s sign on Cabrillo Boulevard in Santa Barbara informs passersby that it was “Sambo’s Birthplace – On this location, June 17, 1957, the first of Sambo’s nationwide chain of family restaurants opened its doors.” It was also the last Sambo’s restaurant. SAM Battistone and Newell BOhnett opened Sambo’s Pancake House on June 17, 1957, offering bottomless cups of coffee for 10¢, a full breakfast for only $1.25. By 1979, Sambo’s had 1,117 outlets in 47 American states. There were many court challenges to the name, but financial woes led to Sambo’s filing for bankruptcy in 1981. Battistone’s grandson, Chad Stevens, owned the only remaining restaurant in Santa Barbara. It continued operating under the Sambo’s name until a petition drive arising from the George Floyd incident led Stevens to change the name in 2020.
Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara County
Photographer: Andrew Schmidt