[1] The first Houston's restaurant was launched by current owner and CEO George Biel, Joe Ledbetter and Vic Branstetter in 1977 in Nashville, Tennessee.
[2][3] Bransetter sold his shares in 2006, and Ledbetter in 2011, leaving George Biel sole owner of the company.
[4] As of 2020, the group owns and operates 44 restaurants under 15 different names in the United States.
The company maintains the changes are in keeping with a long-term strategy of disassociating from the chain image to remain a niche player in the industry.
The company states that the name change was based on rebranding with a focus on more regional and less standardized fare, though as of 2023 the menus are for the most part the same across the different brands.