Pioneer in Lexington restaurant delivery is gone. ‘It was pizza, Chinese and us’
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Columbia Steak Express closed after 31 years, citing beef costs and staffing issues.
- Owner Scottie Brockman said DoorDash and others diluted the delivery market.
- Closure ends the Columbia Express location’s longtime catering and hospital deliveries.
Columbia Steak Express, a tiny restaurant that once had a giant footprint in Lexington’s dining delivery business, is gone.
Restaurant owner Scottie Brockman said it served its last steak sandwiches and baked potatoes to go Saturday night, after 31 years. It’s the third Lexington restaurant closure in three days: Sam’s Hot Dogs on Lexington Green Circle closed on Friday and Joella’s Hot Chicken in Hamburg closed on Sunday.
“I’m sad, it’s been my life. We’ve had a lot of good customers,” Brockman told the Herald-Leader Tuesday. “I’m 70 years old, we can’t find employees and beef is our main product, and it’s went through the roof. And our lease is up. ... You hear people say, ‘give me a sign,’ and I guess I got the sign a few dozen times.”
Once upon a time, he brought orders large and small to all the Lexington hospitals, he said.
He also delivered large catering orders to places like Toyota in Georgetown and other factories around Central Kentucky.
How Lexington restaurant delivery has shifted
“Let me tell you the evolution of the delivery business here in Lexington: Way back, it was pizza, Chinese and us. But with the onset of DoorDash and all other businesses, you can get anything you want, any time. You can get a steak dinner and a set of snow tires delivered now. It really diluted the whole delivery deal.”
Columbia was known for delivering quality burgers, salads, grilled chicken, wings and sides, as well as a half-pound steakburger sandwich and massive baked potatoes. You could get the famous Columbia Special, a broiled-to-order steak in garlic sauce with salad and baked potato delivered, as well.
Decades ago, this was a novelty, not something that every restaurant offered. That’s no longer the case.
Brockman said many of his customers have been shocked by news of the Feb. 14 closure.
“We’ve had some people almost start crying,” he said.
Is Columbia Steak House affected?
The Southland Drive location started as an offshoot of the popular Columbia Steak House restaurants, which are owned by Greg Penn.
Columbia Steak Express opened originally on Pimlico Parkway in Park Hills in 1994, then moved to Southland a few years later and has been there since.
The restaurant business in general has gotten very tough, Brockman said.
“It’s hard times,” he said.
Brockman said he has no plans to slow down and retire, even with the closure.
“I’m not quitting, I’ll be doing something,” he said.
You might find him working at one of the remaining Columbia restaurants. Two locations remain open, at 201 N. Limestone and at 2750 Richmond Road. They are not affected by the Columbia Express closure.
This story was originally published February 17, 2026 at 2:13 PM.
