Demos | Our Story

1940s. Operating restaurants has been a
Demos family tradition since the 1940s.

In 1943 at the age of 9, Jim Demos began working with his father, Pete Demos, a Greek immigrant who owned a small restaurant in Birmingham, Alabama. Jim and his father were at times the only two employees, so Jim learned early about working hard in the restaurant business. Jim worked with his father until he was 17 years old.

From that time until 1972, Jim had graduated from college, served in the U.S. Army during the Korean war, worked in the motion picture theater business and was married.

1930s. Before opening a restaurant, the
Demos brothers polished their customer
service skills in the grocery business.

From 1972 until 1989, Jim built and operated 8 franchised restaurants and a commissary in the Nashville area. Then Jim sold all of his restaurants and moved to Murfreesboro to start a new restaurant concept.

Jim and wife Doris had a vision of a restaurant that would offer very affordable, unique entrees, made with family recipes and service exceeding customer expectations. Recipes would be made from scratch, with all steaks USDA choice and hand cut on the premises.

1944. At age 9, Jim Demos began working
with his father Pete (behind the counter)
in the family restaurant.

Jim and Doris also had a vision of operating the restaurant without the usual corporate systems, which they felt sometimes made it difficult to consistently assure every single customer had a great dining experience.

Jim and Doris opened the first Demos' Steak & Spaghetti House in 1989 in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

Jim refined the kitchen operations, menu and recipes. Doris developed almost all of the front of the house service systems that are still in place today and are considered to be some of the most innovative in the industry.

1982. Another generation of the Demos
family, 12-year-old Peter, got his start
in the business as a dish washer.

The success and recognition of the Murfreesboro restaurant prompted the opening of the second Demos' in 1992 in downtown Nashville, a third location in Lebanon in 2001 and a fourth location in Hendersonville in February 2005.

That success and incredible sales growth has continued with all four restaurants winning awards year after year for food quality and service.

Meet the rest of the family...