Ponderosa restaurant commercial (1980)

[sportshistorybuff]

Ponderosa was a special night out in the late 1970's, but they have virtually disappeared in Toronto. I remember one reason my father stopped going there was because the self serve dessert counter allowed trashy unsupervised kids to spoon sprinkles into their mouths, then

double dip for more. No supervision in an increasingly germ conscious age could not have helped.

[321record]

I really miss Ponderosa the one where I live in Festus MO. closed when I was in the 9th grade it had really good food the reason it closed was because the people that oned it wanted to retire and the only other on is in Arnold MO. off of Richerdson Rd. it is really good to.

[vibe88]

So much stuff on the table, the guy does not know where to put down his glass.

[Smidd1995]

@vibe88 need for the racism? imbosile

[stevo0195]

that was fucking awesome!

[TammiWayKewl]

There was a Ponderosa in my hometown of Newburgh, New York. I went to it quite often in 1982 and 1983.

[richmjr67]

@TammiWayKewl i use to go to that one to....lol also had one in poughkeepsie across from marshalls on route 9



[neorules]

With little Joe and Hoss gone they lost the customer base. Crazy how a tv show spun off 2 restaurants.

[sgissweet845]

They cooked so much they evaporated out of my area. I liked Ponderosa.

[RetroCaptain]

Good Day

There used to be a Ponderosa in Waterloo for many years..late 1970's I think...

I went there a few times, and it was decent. I was a boy, with grandparents or my family. It closed around 1995...and replaced by a Wendy's in the same building around 1998.

I noticed it lost a big chunk of it's regulars after so many job losses in this area due to the high # of factory closures.

The Wendy's is popular with the many student's..

[ford9572]

The blond boy with the wire rimmed glasses chowing down on the burger looks a LOT like a '70's/Early '80s John Denver!!!

[garthrussel]

My first job was at a Ponderosa Steak House back in 1980. I was 14 when I got hired and stayed there for three years. Back then it was really popular and always busy. The uniform looked exactly like the one in the commercial except we wore navy blue cowboy hats.

[vzeu019j]

The S&A Restaurant Group, who formerly owned the Ponderosa restaurant chain, also owned the Bennigans', and Steak & Ale restaurants chain. In July of 2008, some of these mentioned restaurants were closed down, as S&A declared for bankruptcy. The company is a subsidiary of Metromedia Restaurant Group, which in turn is actually related to the former pre-1986 television company, Metromedia(bought out by News Corporation).

[vzeu019j]

PONDEROSA and BONANZA Restauraunts, were both named after the NBC-TV Series "Bonanza"(1959-1973), with the Bonanza restauraunt founded by "Bonanza"'s star, Dan Blocker in 1963. Today(2009), more and more restauraunts are closing down completely, or becoming other restauraunts(such as UNO restaurants, or Pizza Huts, especially where I live).

[icm1970]

My grandparents used to take me out to the Ponderosa when I was a kid some thirty years ago or so. I miss the desserts and the bottomless soft drinks. There used to be one in Belleville, Ont until a short while ago and now it's an Applebee's.

[laneatlileden]

the steaks do taste like there from 1980.

[kirjtc2]

They still have Ponderosa in the Maritimes. It's a wonder how they survive.

[landrykkb]

We had one in Sydney right up until 1985,and I missed it ever since it closed its doors there.

[mikedeluco]

pondo rules

[misterfisherman]

what happened? mcdonald masked thugs threw petrol bombs through the ponderosa windows and wiped out the competition??

[blackshogun77]

@misterfisherman mister, ponderosa was a great franchise but one of the reasons it went under was in the late 80's and early 90' s there was a recession and peopel couldnt afford to eat out (kind of like now, but nowhere near as bad). Ponderosa had to lower their standards of cooking and service to make up for less patronage. The result? The business collapsed.

[progrockable]

@blackshogun77 not true. there was a bankruptcy and reorganization in 2008, and the number of restaurants has been reduced, but the steakhouses still operate as Ponderosa or Bonanza (same company). the company CEO now is a prick of a guy who was my district manager back in '73, when I started there for my first hourly job as a young and naive pimply-faced lad. it's a pity the chain didn't go under.......the guy who started it was also a prick, named dan lasater from indiana.

[Oden4Real52]

i love the buffet

[metalmark062]

Steakes Sucked but the Steakburger Deluxe Rocked!I use to work at one from 1979-1982. we use to take the leftover baked potatoes and pitched them in the neighbors pool(30 yards away)..How do think I had a great throwing arm for my Pro Softball team!Jack Ass..aka: neighbor

[blackshogun77]

@metalmark062 metal, these days if ponderosa was still in business and you still worked there youd be told by management to recycle those potatoes and al food products. We're in a recession dude. 

[haitek]

Ponderosa restaurants were way different in the 80's... they were all dark and felt like a log cabin.

I went to one a few years ago and felt like I was in a burger king.

[TBMM07]

hey i dont know bout the ponderosa in da states but here in Puerto Rico it sucks the buffet is just salad and datz bout it everything else u gotta order and its like 12 bucks or more for da plate suck suck sucks

[chickapey]

Wow... memories of growing up in the 70s when going out to dinner with the parents was such a treat. I can't remember when they went tits up in Canada but saw one in the early 90s in Port Huron Mich

[vfreeck]

A lot of commercials had a disco theme during the very late 70s and very early 80s. It was an entertinament fad to have one.

[nicka727]

My first time at a Ponderosa Restaurant was on August 14, 2007 in Ludington, Michigan which also is my first time in that town which is known as Black Tuesday and I liked it there.

[moviefly]

Really? I thought Ponderosa restaurants didn't exist anymore. Loved that place when I was a kid!

[KOATV]

I loved the place too as a kid... last time I saw one was when I had flown to Milwaukee to see a girlfriend of mine back in 1998

[KOATV]

I used to love Ponderosa as well. The last time I saw one was back in 1998 when I had flown to Milwaukee to see a girlfriend I had there at the time

[njdarkcloud]

Ponderosa is the shit.. Period

[njdarkcloud]

Ponderosa is the shit... period

[woowee53]

i concur!

[stelefra]

i am italian, and as you know we have the best food in the world. but ponderosa is simply great, the best potatoes and steaks of my life. and all the rest also...

[cantsdemort]

Ponderosa is pretty good. They still have them here in Detroit. Expensive though.

[BodomSlayer]

Minions obviously doesn't know what he's talking about. Or she...Ponderosa baked potatoes are THE best and everyone knows that. I work there so I should know ;-)

[backwardk]

Well obviously you don't know very much or you would not be working for Ponderosa.

[BodomSlayer]

The beauty of it all is that I don't work for Ponderosa, note the wink to denote sarcasm.

[Loki800]

I missed Ponderosa in South Jersey before they closed up the restaurant. They had good buffet food.

[minionsengage]

yeah but not a ponderosa baked potato....

unless you like to eat raw ass...

[minionsengage]

yeah....but not a ponderosa baked potato...

unless you like the taste of pure ass...

[BodomSlayer]

You obviously don't know what the hell you're talking about. Ponderosa baked potatoes are THE best.

[daftmahatma]

A baked potato sounds really good right now!