President Jacques Chirac worked in Howard Jonson’s restaurant

I have not seen my friends for decades. I called my friends back in USA, and I told them that I coming to USA, and dine with them in Howard Jonson’s restaurant, they told that Howard Jonson restaurant in the neighborhood went bankrupted.  I couldn't believe it. But, when they told that President Jacques Chirac  used to work in that restaurant, I got the picture.