O'Charley's Restaurant & Bar is a classic American casual-dining chain that was founded in 1971 by Charles "Sonny" Watkins in Nashville, Tennessee, right across the street from Vanderbilt University. The restaurant was sold to David K. Wachtel—a former president and CEO of Shoney's—in 1984, who transformed it from a single spot into a growing regional chain, reaching 45 units by the early 1990s. Over the years, the company changed hands multiple times, being acquired by Fidelity National Financial in 2012 and later spun off under Cannae Holdings, Inc. in 2018. Today, the chain is a shadow of its former self; it peaked with 213 locations in 2016, but after a wave of abrupt closures between 2019 and 2023, it currently operates just 52 restaurants across 13 states as of February 2026. Despite its struggles, the brand is known for its "Free Pie Wednesday" promotion launched in 2013, where dine-in customers get a free slice of pie with an entree.