tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-411374383982984063.post931766092989798937..comments2024-03-17T11:12:11.965-04:00Comments on Broken Chains: Feed Me, Seymour!Zap Actionsdowerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07435622162129525099noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-411374383982984063.post-29779943748767958962020-11-14T17:28:57.319-05:002020-11-14T17:28:57.319-05:00There was a Ponderosa Steakhouse in Stroudsburg, P...There was a Ponderosa Steakhouse in Stroudsburg, PA, which had the worst food my wife or I had eaten in a long time! The design was Liberal Arts Preschool, and my wife's medium steak came out raw in the middle. They also managed the feat of screwing up a baked potato, which tasted like it had been cooked a few days back, and left under heat lamps until we got it.<br /><br />It was far worse than Tad's Steaks, a super-low end steakhouse that existed in New York City (and apparently San Francisco and Chicago, too!) in the Sixties through early 21st Century. The food there was mediocre, but it didn't cost much (I got a 10-oz. sirloin for $2.99 when in 1981!), and the Belle Époque Whorehouse design had a certain kitschy charm to it.DrDarkehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14975058460852702618noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-411374383982984063.post-89611102526271673322020-11-14T17:05:47.436-05:002020-11-14T17:05:47.436-05:00Didn't Spider-Man say that to Titanium Man (th...Didn't Spider-Man say that to Titanium Man (the former Soviet Iron Man clone) while fighting him once?DrDarkehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14975058460852702618noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-411374383982984063.post-24481595641418037022019-11-12T15:35:40.033-05:002019-11-12T15:35:40.033-05:00Hi, the author here. I readily acknowledge that a ...Hi, the author here. I readily acknowledge that a well-run Ponderosa is a wonderful thing. I'm quite partial to the Bay City, Michigan Ponderosa, the St. Cloud, Minnesota Bonanza, and indeed this Bonanza in Seymour. All are run impeccably. I wrote this post with the less than stellar Dearborn Heights, Michigan and Midland, Michigan Ponderosas in mind. Both have closed since I wrote this post, though I hear Midland has recently reopened under new management. <br /><br />I try not to approach writing this blog as a restaurant critic, rather I seek to assume the role of an amateur historian documenting the surviving locations of endangered restaurant chains. I'm always delighted to find a well-run example of a broken chain. I appreciate your efforts to maintain the high standards of the Ponderosa brand, and would very much like to visit some or all of your restaurants in the not too distant future. Thanks for taking the time to reach out. <br />Zap Actionsdowerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07435622162129525099noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-411374383982984063.post-11258562075093045182019-11-12T12:47:59.829-05:002019-11-12T12:47:59.829-05:00As a franchisee/owner of four Ponderosa steakhouse...As a franchisee/owner of four Ponderosa steakhouses, I read this column with much dismay. OUR restaurants are all well run, managed and attended by our guests because we do it right. Unfortunately, the author is correct in that FAT Brands is not supporting us, rather relying on our meager royalties until our slow, painful demise. We remain viable in that people still seem to want what we deliver, which is an abundance of well prepared, good food for a reasonable price.<br /><br />If the author ever has the opportunity to visit Greenfield, Anderson, Goshen or Beech Grove (Indianapolis) Indiana, I hope he will stop at one of our Ponderosa Steakhouses and see how it is done right!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15548086094578323981noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-411374383982984063.post-48676514960851520362019-03-24T12:16:48.461-04:002019-03-24T12:16:48.461-04:00What you describe is essentially the formula that ...What you describe is essentially the formula that made Bonanza, and a slew of other discount steakhouses, popular in the '60s and '70s. The concept didn't age well, but believe it or not, there are still some discount steakhouse/buffet places of that vintage that manage to have pretty good food. <br /><br />This Bonanza was a completely different beast though. It felt pleasant and modern, with just enough of the classic Bonanza brand identity to feel authentic. Zap Actionsdowerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07435622162129525099noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-411374383982984063.post-84350398601303096322019-03-23T18:11:42.747-04:002019-03-23T18:11:42.747-04:00Wow, this sounds really nice. Bonanza used to be ...Wow, this sounds really nice. Bonanza used to be a staple of visits to my grandparents in Northern Arkansas up til about 2007, and I always kind of dreaded it. The ones there (both my parents were from that area and both towns had one) had minimal waitstaff, and you waited in line to order from a hanging menu (with or without the salad bar) or order the hot buffet. My choices there were always (a) a buffet of greasy fried food and horrifying office-cafetira veggies or (b) a steak that wasn't as good as one I could cook myself. In contrast, this sounds like someplace I'd actually want to eat and I'm kind of sad there aren't more of them.Zach Adamshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08792170128141630887noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-411374383982984063.post-12307812356349338382018-09-11T20:12:42.174-04:002018-09-11T20:12:42.174-04:00Now it all makes sense! Moose and squirrel. Now it all makes sense! Moose and squirrel. Zap Actionsdowerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07435622162129525099noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-411374383982984063.post-87066529317370662792018-09-11T20:07:51.000-04:002018-09-11T20:07:51.000-04:00"Avanti" try bonaza, dahling. (think Nat..."Avanti" try bonaza, dahling. (think Natasha of Boris and Natasha). Get it?<br />walbehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14048958498432773461noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-411374383982984063.post-35567961502877253712018-09-04T21:51:51.419-04:002018-09-04T21:51:51.419-04:00Ah vant to tri bonanza, dahling.Ah vant to tri bonanza, dahling.walbehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14048958498432773461noreply@blogger.com