Max & Erma's Restaurants, Inc.

This company adds a dash of fun to its cuisine, and customers eat it up. Max & Erma's Restaurants operates and franchises about 100 family-style restaurants in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan, and a handful of other states. Known for its gourmet hamburgers and bathtub-sized sundae bar, the chain serves a variety of moderately priced menu items, including chicken, pasta, salads, and steak dishes. The company's restaurants are typically free-standing units that sport a collection of local memorabilia. Franchisees operate about 25 locations, while the rest are company-owned. The company, owned by Pittsburgh-based investment group G&R Acquisition, filed for bankruptcy in 2009.