What's up with the name Ruth's Chris Steakhouse? Is Chris a steak? Does Chris belong to Ruth?
Certainly!  I'd be happy to explain the unusual turn of events that lead to the remarkable name ***Ruth's Chris Steak House***. 

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#### The original Chris Steak House (1927–1965)
**Chris Steak House** was founded on February 27, 1927 by New Orleans entrepreneur **Chris Matulich**. It was located at 1100 North Broad Street near the Fair Grounds Race Course, seated 60 people, and had no parking lot. During Matulich's 38-year management, the business was sold six times, failing each time, and enabling him to buy the restaurant back cheaply from the purchasers. 

#### Ownership by Ruth Fertel, 1965–1999
##### Acquisition, 1965
**Ruth Fertel** was a divorced single mother who needed money to send her teenage sons to college. Ignoring the advice of her banker, lawyer, and friends, Ruth purchased the **Chris Steak House** restaurant in 1965. She used her brother's restaurant, Sig's Antique Restaurant in Port Sulphur, Louisiana, along with family recipes to lay the foundation for her restaurant. She initially planned to raise just \$18,000 to cover the purchase price, until it was pointed out to her that she would need an additional \$4,000 to cover the cost of renovations and food. On her first day, May 24, 1965, she sold 35 steaks at \$5 each.

Fertel personally took a hand in every part of the business; for many years, **Chris Steak House** was the only upscale restaurant in New Orleans with an all-female wait staff.

##### Name change to Ruth's Chris Steak House, 1976
In early 1976, shortly after Ruth Fertel signed a new ten-year lease on the **Chris Steak House** restaurant, a fire destroyed the building. Fertel had recently acquired a second property nearby to rent out as a party space. Within seven days, she had relocated the restaurant to its new location a few blocks away at 711 North Broad Street and re-opened it, expanding to 160 seats in the process. *The sales agreement with Chris Matulich prevented her from using the original name at any other address*, so she named the new restaurant ***Ruth's Chris Steak House*** in order to keep some continuity with the previous location. Ruth Fertel later admitted to Fortune Magazine that I've always hated the name, but we've always managed to work around it.

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And that's how the name ***Ruth's Chris Steak House*** came to be!  

The remainder of the history of the restaurant has little to do with its name; but I would be happy to continue, if you like.  

Or is there anything else I can help you with?
Ha, my ideas were way off I guess.  I had no idea there was such a story behind the restaurant, though. Yes, please continue with the history.