“I’m Still Crying”: Mzansi Reacts to Cool Story Bru’s Video on Popular SA Food Chains That Vanished
- Content creator Cool Story Bru shared an Instagram video naming beloved SA restaurants and fast food chains that closed
- Scooters Pizza closed its doors in 2016 and became Domino’s Pizza, which then shut down itself in 2020
- Subway, Dunkin’ Donuts, Baskin Robbins and WakaBerry all disappeared from South African streets within the past decade
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South African content creator Cool Story Bru shared an Instagram video listing famous restaurants and fast food chains that vanished from Mzansi over the years. The post drew waves of nostalgia online.
The video named store closures that many South Africans had long forgotten about. It also showed a few surprising comebacks along the way.
Fast food giants that vanished from SA
Cool Story Bru began the countdown with Scooters Pizza, a well-loved local chain. The brand closed its doors in 2016, and its stores became Domino’s Pizza outlets. Domino’s Pizza then failed to gain traction in South Africa and shut down in 2020. Scooters Pizza made an unexpected comeback last year, reopening a handful of branches.
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American chains also struggled locally, with Subway shutting its doors back in 2021. Dunkin’ Donuts and Baskin Robbins also could not survive the South African market. The doughnut and ice cream chain only lasted two years before closing in 2019.
WakaBerry, the proudly South African frozen yoghurt brand, closed its final stores in 2024. Dros and Mike’s Kitchen have also mostly disappeared, though a few branches remain open. St Elmo’s, Maxi’s and Zebro’s also earned mentions as chains South Africans still miss.
Many South Africans flooded the comments, mourning their favourite lost restaurants and fast food spots. Some said they missed the fish and chips shops that used to line their streets. Others admitted WakaBerry’s closure still hurts, calling it one of the saddest losses ever.
Several users said Subway’s sandwiches were unmatched and they still crave them today. One person joked they refuse to accept BlackSteer is gone, insisting their ribs were unbeatable. Maxi’s also got love too, with commenters calling the chain seriously underrated back in its day.
A few people said they still miss ordering something fishy from their old favourite takeaway spot. Someone else wrote that Wakaberry deserved a much better fate than closing down for good.
The comments section quickly turned into a trip down memory lane for many followers. People swapped stories about weekend trips to these stores as teenagers. Others simply asked which chain the rest of Mzansi missed the most.
Watch the list of stores that vanished in the Instagram video here.
More stories involving SA restaurants
- A Cape Town content creator shared her experience dining inside Pollsmoor Prison’s Idlanathi restaurant, where inmates prepared and served meals to visitors.
- The top restaurants in Paarl are renowned for their unique blend of flavours, locally sourced ingredients, and family-friendly dining options.
- Halaal restaurants in Waterfront, Cape Town, including Saray Restaurant, Conscious Carnivores, and Ka'bullz Dine Out, offer exceptional halaal dining experiences.
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Source: Briefly News
