The fire that gutted Patrick's Restaurant in Lookout Valley early Wednesday morning caused $850,000 in damages, officials said.
No cause for the blaze has yet been determined.
The manager reported that all employees left the restaurant about midnight.
The fire was reported at 1:49 a.m.
The restaurant is located across from the Cummings Cove development and near the Tennessee Highway Patrol station on Highway 41 (Cummings Highway).
It has some 30 employees.
Fire officials said upon arrival at the scene they found flames coming through the roof. Firefighters quickly started an aggressive attack on the fire using several hand lines, and also setting up an elevated water stream to extinguish the fire.
There were no injuries.
Engine 20, Engine 14, Engine 9, Engine 1, Ladder 1, Ladder 2, and Sguad 1 responded to the fire.