Try again. Lone Star, Marie Callender's, Picadilly, Applebee's, Outback, and Jamil's all appear to be doing great if you drive by at peak dining times. In an economic downturn, the strongest and best will survive, the mis-managed and bland will fail. Even in great economic times, mediocre will only play for so long. As I understand the new owner was in the ad business, or at least a name I remembered from the ad business. There's a big difference between knowing how to market a restaurant and knowing how to run one. If you get the people in the door and the dining experience sucks, they won't return and they will engage in the most effective form of marketing: word of mouth.
I think we are basically in agreement. Management matters, but so does the economy. I haven't been to the Green Onion in 12 years. Wasn't impressed with the food or service on several visits, never went back. So I can't say if it went down hill or not, or if it did, why. Nonetheless, I thought it was a mediocre restaurant that survived in the good times but did not when times got tough. My point was simply that I think some are putting all the blame on management when the economy is playing a role in sifting out the chaff.
I would also put every one of the other restaurants you listed in the category of mediocre (at best) and places I would not go voluntarily (and I've eaten at all of them at various times over the years). Of course, I thought Carrabba's was better than the whole lot of 'em and its gone, so what do I know.