The Vintage Diner That People Forgot Was Owned By Walgreens

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The neon sign of Wag's once lit up Main Streets and suburban plazas, offering a refuge to families, third-shift workers, and anyone craving a dependable bite to eat at any hour. Launched by Walgreens in 1974, Wag's expanded on the company's long history of lunch counters and became a full-service restaurant chain of its own. For many customers, it represented an easygoing space where a cozy booth, a warm meal, and endless coffee refills always felt within reach.

Wag's emerged after two earlier restaurant experiments — Corky's and Robin Hood's — which Walgreens introduced in the 1960s as part of a broader diversification strategy. The company explored ventures well beyond pharmacy aisles, and full-service dining fit that period of expansion. Leadership believed the familiarity of the Walgreens name could support a chain modeled after the popularity of round-the-clock diners. Each location emphasized accessibility through bright interiors, straightforward menus, and prices aimed at everyday budgets. By the mid-1980s, roughly 70 freestanding restaurants operated across several states, with plans for additional units, even as Walgreens evaluated how restaurants fit within its long-term vision.

The menu reflected the era's comfort-forward approach: plates of buttermilk pancakes, French toast, omelets, sandwiches, burgers, and hot entrées. The "Wag's Favorites" section highlighted items ranging from chicken fingers to sirloin steak.

So, why did Wag's ultimately close? The chain's story shifted by the late 1980s when Walgreens chose to sharpen its focus on pharmacy operations and other core business ventures. The company eventually sold 87 Wag's locations to Marriott Corporation, keeping only a handful inside shopping centers. The hospitality company explored new directions for the brand but struggled to find its footing in an increasingly competitive diner market. Within a few years, the Wag's name gradually disappeared from marquees across the country.

In the Chicago area, about 30 Wag's restaurants were acquired by Lunan Corporation, a franchise operator known for its Arby's stores. Lunan preserved the Wag's identity briefly before converting the properties to Shoney's restaurants. When Lunan folded in 1994, the remaining sites were sold or repurposed, and several eventually reopened as IHOPs, carrying forward the spirit of all-day breakfast that had made Wag's so beloved.