The restaurant is most notable for being the inspiration and the storefront[8] for the television series The Bear, which is about an Italian beef restaurant in Chicago.[9]Christopher Storer, the producer of the show, cites Chris Zucchero, Joe Zucchero's son, as a friend.[9] The television series more than doubled business at the store, as they went from selling 300 sandwiches a day to over 800.[10]
The owner of Mr. Beef, Joe Zucchero, died on March 1, 2023,[11] though the restaurant stayed open after his passing.[1][12][13]
^"Joseph Zucchero Obituary | Mar 1, 2023 | Park Ridge, IL". Cooney Funeral Home. Archived from the original on July 1, 2024. Retrieved September 20, 2024. Joseph Zachary Zucchero passed away unexpectedly on March 1, 2023 at the age of 69. [...] Joseph was born on February 21, 1954.
^"Joe Zucchero, longtime owner of Mr. Beef, dies at 69". CBS Chicago. March 6, 2023. Archived from the original on March 8, 2023. Retrieved March 13, 2023. Joseph Zucchero, founder of the famous Mr. Beef Italian beef stand in River North, has died. Cooney Funeral Home said Zucchero passed away unexpectedly on Wednesday [March 1] of last week. He was 69.