MCL Restaurant & Bakery, formerly known as MCL Cafeterias, is a chain of American cafeteria-style restaurants based in Indianapolis. As of February 2026, the company operates 11 locations in Indiana and Ohio.
Background
The company began in 1950 with a single cafeteria in Indianapolis, Indiana, founded by Charles O. McGaughey and George Laughner. MCL is an abbreviation of their two names.[1] Today, the chain operates locations in Indiana, and Ohio. It is a privately owned company, now exclusively owned by the McGaughey family. In 2007, MCL Cafeterias changed the brand to "MCL Restaurant and Bakery", although no fundamental changes were made in production.[2] MCL competed with Laughner's Cafeteria, which was founded by a cousin.