Morton's The Steakhouse

{{Short description|American restaurant chain}} {{Infobox company | name = | logo = File:Morton's The Steakhouse logo.jpg | logo_size = 180px | logo_alt = | logo_caption = "The Best Steak Anywhere!" | logo_padding = | image = File:Morton's The Steakhouse, San Jose, CA 1 2017-01-02.jpg | image_size = 200px | image_alt = | image_caption = Morton's The Steakhouse, San Jose, CA | trading_name = | native_name = | native_name_lang =  | romanized_name = | former_name = | type = | traded_as = | ISIN = | industry = | genre = | fate = | predecessor =  | successor =  | founded = {{start date and age|1978|2|17}} in Chicago, Illinois, United States | founder = Arnold J. Morton and Klaus Fritsch<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mortons.com/experience/culture/ |title=Experience Our Culture |publisher=Morton's The Steakhouse |date= |accessdate=2014-04-16}}</ref> | defunct =  | hq_location = 1510 West Loop S | hq_location_city = Houston, Texas | hq_location_country = United States | num_locations = 54 in United States, 8 overseas, 12 franchised (included before) | num_locations_year =  | area_served =  | key_people = Tilman J. Fertitta, President, CEO & sole owner<br> Gary Bullers, Regional Director of Operations <br> Ralph Cook, Regional Director of Operations Richard H. Liem, Treasurer and Vice President <br> Steven L. Scheinthal Esq., Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary<ref>{{cite web|title=Company Overview of Morton's Restaurant Group, Inc.|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=31734|publisher=Bloomberg|accessdate=2017-09-03}}</ref> | products = Steaks, wine, seafood | brands = | production = | production_year =  | services = | revenue = $66.029 million (estimated)<ref>{{cite web|title=Morton's Restaurant Group Inc Revenue and Financial Data|url=http://www.hoovers.com/company-information/cs/revenue-financial.mortons_restaurant_group_inc.bce97129f1df9f9a.html|accessdate=2017-09-03}}</ref> | revenue_year =  | operating_income = | income_year =  | net_income =  | net_income_year =  | aum =  | assets = | assets_year =  | equity = | equity_year =  | owner =  | members = | members_year =  | num_employees = 4154 | num_employees_year = 3 September 2017<ref>{{cite web|title=Company Overview of Morton's Restaurant Group, Inc.|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=31734|publisher=Bloomberg|accessdate=2017-09-03}}</ref> | parent = Landry's | divisions = | subsid = | module =  | ratio =  | website = {{URL|http://www.mortons.com}} | footnotes = | intl =  }} '''Morton's The Steakhouse''' is a chain of steak restaurants with locations in the United States and franchised abroad,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mortons.com/locations/ |title=Locations |publisher=Morton's The Steakhouse |date= |accessdate=2014-04-16}}</ref> founded in Chicago in 1978.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2005/05/29/arnold-arnie-morton/ |title=Arnold 'Arnie' Morton |work=Chicago Tribune |date=2005-05-29 |access-date=2014-04-16}}</ref> It is a wholly owned subsidiary of Landry's.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.chron.com/business/article/Landry-s-to-beef-up-with-Morton-s-purchase-2408943.php |title=Landry's to beef up with Morton's purchase |work=Houston Chronicle |date=2011-12-16 |accessdate=2014-04-16}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/sanantonio/news/2011/12/16/landrys-ceo-to-buy-mortons-steakhouse.html?page=all |title=Landry's CEO to buy Morton's Steakhouse |work=San Antonio Business Journal |date=2011-12-16 |accessdate=2014-04-16|author-first1=James|author-last1=Aldridge}}</ref>

==History== Morton's was co-founded in 1978 by Arnold J. Morton and Klaus Fritsch.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mortons.com/experience/culture/ |title=Experience Our Culture |publisher=Morton's The Steakhouse |date= |accessdate=2014-04-16}}</ref> Before they became friends and restaurant entrepreneurs, Morton and Fritsch worked together at the Playboy Club in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. While the club was in the process of changing its menu, Fritsch prepared a hamburger for Morton to sample. Morton said the burger was the best he'd ever tasted. Together, they opened Morton's of Chicago in Newberry Plaza in Downtown Chicago. The original location closed in November 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/morton-s-restaurant-group-inc-history/ |title=History of Morton's Restaurant Group, Inc. |date= |accessdate=2014-04-16}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.foxnews.com/story/restaurateur-arnold-arnie-morton-dies-at-83/ |title=Restaurateur Arnold 'Arnie' Morton Dies at 83 |work=Fox News |date=2005-05-29 |access-date=2014-04-16}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Morton's+Restaurant+Group+Remembers+Arnie+Morton,+Who+Died+in+Chicago...-a0132879800 |title=Morton's Restaurant Group Remembers Arnie Morton, Who Died in Chicago on May 28; Legendary Restaurateur was Co-Founder of Morton's Steakhouses. |publisher=PRNewswire |date=2005-05-31 |accessdate=2014-04-16}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-11-19|title=Morton's closes original location on State Street|url=https://www.chicagobusiness.com/restaurants/mortons-closes-original-location-state-street|access-date=2020-11-19|website=Crain's Chicago Business|language=en}}</ref>

In 1987, Morton's, then with $15 million in sales and nine restaurants throughout the United States, was sold for $12.4 million to the venture capital firm Quantum Restaurant Group, Inc. in partnership with the Baltimore brokerage house Alex. Brown & Sons. Fritsch stayed on as president.<ref>[http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/morton-s-restaurant-group-inc-history/ Funding Universe: "Morton's Restaurant Group, Inc. History"] retrieved August 3, 2015</ref>

In December 2011, Tilman Fertitta, President, CEO and sole owner of Landry's, Inc., announced his company had acquired all of Morton's stock, assuming complete ownership. In 2012, Landry's completed the acquisition and moved company operations to its own headquarters in Houston.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2011/12/16/mortons-steakhouse-chain-to-be-sold/ |title=Morton's steakhouse chain to be sold |work=Chicago Tribune |date=2011-12-16 |access-date=2014-04-16}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20120201/NEWS0702/120209980/mortons-inches-closer-to-being-owned-by-landrys-inc |title=Morton's inches closer to being owned by Landry's Inc. |publisher=Crain's Chicago Business |date= |accessdate=2014-04-16}}</ref>

=== Support for Brett Kavanaugh === In July 2022, Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh attended a dinner at Morton's location in Washington, DC, but left before his dessert course due to the presence of pro-choice protesters from the activist group "ShutDownDC" demanding his removal.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Plumb |first=Tierney |date=2022-07-08 |title=Activists Crash Brett Kavanaugh's D.C. Dinner at Morton's This Week |url=https://dc.eater.com/2022/7/8/23200165/crashed-brett-kavanaugh-dc-dinner-mortons |access-date=2022-07-10 |website=Eater DC |language=en}}</ref> Kavanaugh reportedly did not see, hear, or encounter the protestors, nor was he harassed in any way. Nonetheless, Morton's was "outraged"<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Lizza |first1=Ryan |last2=Daniels |first2=Eugene |title=POLITICO Playbook: Schumer ups pressure on McConnell in USICA-reconciliation dance |url=https://politi.co/3c2KiTH |access-date=2022-07-10 |website=POLITICO |language=en}}</ref> and sided with Kavanaugh in a press statement, citing what it termed a "right to congregate and eat dinner".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Folmar |first=Chloe |date=2022-07-08 |title=Morton's condemns abortion rights protesters for disrupting Kavanaugh's freedom to 'eat dinner' |url=https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/3549907-mortons-condemns-abortion-rights-protestors-for-disrupting-kavanaughs-freedom-to-eat-dinner/ |access-date=2022-07-10 |website=The Hill |language=en-US}}</ref>

Morton's was subsequently targeted by pro-choice activists, receiving a flood of fake reservations. Morton's Chief Operating Officer acknowledged that the company's statement was extremely unpopular, and reportedly told restaurant managers that "Currently we are experiencing a massive wave (trending at #2 on social media now) of negative response to our comments yesterday."<ref>{{Cite web |title=Morton's has been flooded with phone calls and fake reservations after it said Brett Kavanaugh had a 'right' to 'eat dinner' without protestors gathering outside |url=https://news.yahoo.com/mortons-flooded-phone-calls-fake-195706339.html |access-date=2022-07-10 |website=news.yahoo.com |date=9 July 2022 |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Affiliates== * Bubba Gump Shrimp Company * Cadillac Bar * Landry's, Inc. * Landry's Seafood * Rainforest Cafe

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * [http://www.landrysinc.com/contactUs/default.asp Headquarters for Landry's Inc.] * [https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/908652/000119312511068593/dex21.htm List of all subsidiaries of Landry's Inc.]

Category:Landry's Inc. Category:Restaurant chains in the United States Category:Steakhouses in the United States Category:Food and drink companies based in Houston Category:Restaurant franchises Category:Restaurants established in 1978 Category:Restaurants in Chicago Category:1978 establishments in Illinois Category:2012 mergers and acquisitions Category:Morton family (restaurants)