What happened to great restaurants like Ponderosa Steak house?

Big Boy was great (Shoney's in some places). But the others, they went out of business because they were bad.

DeBron Lames wrote:

Ponderosa is fantastic. So is Sizzler, Big Boy, and a host of others. What happened to these American gems? Put out of business by Applebees and "fast casual"?

Big Boy is still going strong in my area. We have several. It has a diner feel to it.

Ponderosa falls into the category of "buffett" which is not seen in a positive light, especially with today's emphasis on tastier fast-casual and healthier farm-to-table options. The brand is also not new and exciting, and people tend to pivot to flashier establishments than dated relics of the past.

What about Perkins? Do they still exist where you live?

Is Sizzler totally gone? I thought I'd heard about them quite recently.

Maybe this is on the next tier, but I've been very surprised at how good Outback is ... and how the Bloomin' Onion "appetizer" actually takes four days to eat.

DeBron Lames wrote:

What about Perkins? Do they still exist where you live?

Just looked. In Michigan we have none, but in Indiana and Ohio there are a few.

Jagic Mohnson wrote:

DeBron Lames wrote:

What about Perkins? Do they still exist where you live?

Just looked. In Michigan we have none, but in Indiana and Ohio there are a few.

I was recently in a town in Michigan that had both a Big Boy and a Ponderosa. I could live there.

Jagic Mohnson wrote:

Just looked. In Michigan we have none, but in Indiana and Ohio there are a few.

Many of these American restaurants have disappeared where I live on the east coast. My siblings I a were talking about he disappearance of Ponderosa, which all just vanished! But last winter I was driving through Indiana and I passed a Ponderosa! I almost crashed I was so transfixed.

All these restaurants have somehow survived extinction in Indiana! Its like Jurassic park!

Eating at Ponderosa always took me back to the military mess hall. Although it had a nostalgic element, I'm not sure that's a good thing.

I don’t think I’ve been to Ponderosa, but I was not a Sizzler fan. Big Boy, you kind of know what you are getting, and it’s good if you’re in the mood for a diner.

Steak and Ale was decent 30 years ago.

It started in FL, but Hops was amazing 25 years ago as well. Groundbreaking in that they brewers their own beer. Went downhill fast after Applebee’s parent company bought them.

In fact Applebee’s was good and Chili’s used to be really good before they went corporate.

We are seeing it now with Outback Steakhouse.

Sadly, I avoid chain restaurants, especially if they are part of a publicly traded restaurant group.

I remember Applebee's/Chili's/TGIFridays in the mid-90's being fantastic. A more recent trip to Applebee's was extremely disappointing. Absolutely tasteless.

People don't understand how amazing Ruby Tuesday was about 20 years ago...they had some of the best burgers on the planet. Now, Ruby Tuesday is closing shop in a lot of states due to Covid's impact.

Schlotzsky's was also an awesome sandwich/sub chain....and Quizno's seems to be headed for extinction as well.

Yeah, Quiznos was pretty big here and now there's none. The veggie sub was great -- had guac on it. So much better than Subway or Jimmy Johns.

Ruby Tuesday had a GREAT salad bar, but it's been 20 years since I've been in one.

Big Boy is good. like a denny's or a perkins. good for what they are. We still have a perkins nearby, but most have been replaced by Denny's, fwiw.

Ahh, Ponderosa. I got my first real job at 16 years old at a publishing company as a typist, of all things. When the first paycheck came after depositing it and getting some cash I went right down to the Ponderosa and paid for my own steak dinner. Ate by myself. Never forget that feeling of paying for a galdurn steak dinner. El Paso, Texas 1975.

Thanks to Foodnetwork, the internet and the whole foodie thing, no one goes to eat garbage at places like Sizzler anymore.

Precious Roy wrote:

Thanks to Foodnetwork, the internet and the whole foodie thing, no one goes to eat garbage at places like Sizzler anymore.

This is true, although it leaves fewer options for less pretentious diners such as myself.

DeBron Lames wrote:

What about Perkins? Do they still exist where you live?

There is one in the town I currently am in. Also a Big Boy.

Also a Waffle House, a Bob Evans, a Hardee's, and a McDonald's.

Star wrote:

https://youtu.be/qs1S7pwWZ0U?t=36

I always kind of liked the Melanie cover.