Knowledge (XXG)

Ponderosa and Bonanza Steakhouses

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Ponderosa began operating in Canada by 1971 and until 1986, when its focus moved to post-recession US, had nearly 150 locations across the country. After closing most Canadian Ponderosa restaurants, the company returned to generating US restaurant franchises in 1986, reversing a previous freeze on
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Unlike some other chains with two names which use only one of the names in a given region, restaurants in the same locale could be named either Bonanza or Ponderosa. This is because Bonanza and Ponderosa were separate companies, which were later merged under the
273:. In September 1989, Metromedia acquired rival Bonanza, combining the two chains. In 1997, Ponderosa and Bonanza united under the Metromedia Family Steakhouses (MFS) organization to be marketed under the Ponderosa or Bonanza brands. MFS was one of founder 775: 867: 308:
bankruptcy in 2008, although it planned to reorganize around franchise operations and a profitable core of company-operated restaurants. It emerged from bankruptcy in 2009 under the name "Homestyle Dining LLC".
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In 1989, there were almost 700 Ponderosa locations. By 2003, there were fewer than 400 locations. As of June 2024, only 13 Ponderosa locations and 3 Bonanza locations currently remain open in the US.
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new US franchises in the move to Canada. At that time, 36 Canadian Ponderosa locations were acquired by General Mills Restaurant Group which converted them to
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bought the small Bonanza restaurant chain three years later. The company grew to approximately 600 restaurants by 1989, when the Wylys sold it to Metromedia.
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restaurants. In the meantime, Bonanza maintained a presence in Canada. The last Canadian location closed in November, 2010.
179:. Its menu includes steaks, seafood, and chicken entrées, all of which come with their buffet. A lunch menu is also served. 796:
standardspeaker.com/news/bonanza-closes-doors-for-final-time-in-hazle-twp/article_b990a8F9-bbc4-530d-bdd0-c1752149d288.html
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The chain engaged Trinity Capital LLC as its financial advisor in 2016 and was sold in late 2017 to
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Plano-based Metromedia Steakhouses Company emerges from Chapter 11, renamed Homestyle Dining LLC
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restaurants, the chain's parent company, Metromedia Steakhouses Company, filed for
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In 1965, Dan Lasater, Norm Wiese and Charles Kleptz founded Ponderosa in
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are a chain of buffet/steakhouse restaurants that are a part of
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The Restaurant and Foodservice Market Research Handbook
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Companies that filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2008
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This location has since closed. 47: 31: 764:"www.businesswire.com", October 31, 2017 519: 517: 288:division was forced into an involuntary 269:In February 1988, Ponderosa was sold to 1148:Economy of the Midwestern United States 870:from the original on September 12, 2024 839:from the original on September 12, 2024 813:from the original on September 12, 2024 647:from the original on September 12, 2024 641:"Nov 2010: Last Ponderosa set to close" 621:from the original on September 12, 2024 560:from the original on September 12, 2024 343: 502:from the original on September 4, 2018 490:"COMPANY NEWS; Ponderosa To Buy Rival" 362:from the original on February 11, 2022 591:from the original on January 20, 2013 548:Mazerolle, Brent (November 7, 2010). 7: 1143:Economy of the Eastern United States 382:"Ponderosa & Bonanza Steakhouse" 686:Jeffrey McCracken and Janet Adamy, 579:Deanne Brandon (November 1, 1985). 1133:Companies based in Kokomo, Indiana 1118:1965 establishments in Connecticut 724:"Dallasnews.com", October 22, 2008 667:"31 Dec 1969, - at Newspapers.com" 447:from the original on April 7, 2018 199:, which was set at a place called 25: 1097:Ponderosa and Bonanza Steakhouses 611:"Mystery of Bonanza safe cracked" 1173:Steakhouses in the United States 774:Maas, Tyler (October 19, 2022). 743:"Pegasus News", October 16, 2009 114:16 in U.S.; 37 worldwide (2024) 1168:Restaurants established in 1965 1: 550:"Last Ponderosa set to close" 254:, moving the headquarters to 1054:Bonanza: The Next Generation 479:magazine, September 21, 2006 693:September 12, 2024, at the 271:Metromedia Restaurant Group 185:Metromedia Restaurant Group 86:; 59 years ago 27:American restaurant company 1189: 333:List of buffet restaurants 156:A Ponderosa Steakhouse in 864:Hazleton Standard Speaker 46: 286:S&A Restaurant Group 215:A Bonanza steakhouse in 739:March 11, 2012, at the 676:(subscription required) 536:Dayton Business Journal 277:'s companies using the 471:June 12, 2007, at the 229:Eric "Hoss" Cartwright 220: 161: 1163:Restaurant franchises 1068:Bonanza: Under Attack 615:Saskatoon StarPhoenix 530:May 26, 2011, at the 290:Chapter 7 liquidation 237:Westport, Connecticut 214: 158:West Branch, Michigan 155: 122:Steak, salad, seafood 809:. October 28, 2022. 752:SOURCE: BusinessWire 643:. November 7, 2010. 173:Homestyle Dining LLC 165:Ponderosa Steakhouse 36:Ponderosa Steakhouse 18:Ponderosa Steakhouse 1061:Bonanza: The Return 700:Wall Street Journal 585:Orlandosentinel.com 554:Winnipeg Free Press 498:. August 31, 1989. 217:Marquette, Michigan 110:Number of locations 43: 1128:Buffet restaurants 778:. Milwaukee Record 617:. April 29, 2017. 538:, April 18, 2003. 495:The New York Times 221: 169:Bonanza Steakhouse 162: 39:Bonanza Steakhouse 1105: 1104: 523:Stephens, Caleb. 150: 149: 16:(Redirected from 1180: 1078:Related articles 925: 918: 911: 902: 897: 896: 894:Official website 880: 879: 877: 875: 855: 849: 848: 846: 844: 829: 823: 822: 820: 818: 803: 797: 794: 788: 787: 785: 783: 771: 765: 759: 753: 750: 744: 731: 725: 719: 713: 710: 704: 684: 678: 677: 674: 663: 657: 656: 654: 652: 637: 631: 630: 628: 626: 607: 601: 600: 598: 596: 576: 570: 569: 567: 565: 545: 539: 521: 512: 511: 509: 507: 486: 480: 463: 457: 456: 454: 452: 437: 431: 430: 428: 426: 403: 397: 396: 394: 392: 378: 372: 371: 369: 367: 348: 243:and his brother 146: 94: 92: 87: 51: 44: 21: 1188: 1187: 1183: 1182: 1181: 1179: 1178: 1177: 1108: 1107: 1106: 1101: 1092:Ponderosa Ranch 1073: 1041: 1020: 936: 929: 892: 891: 888: 883: 873: 871: 857: 856: 852: 842: 840: 831: 830: 826: 816: 814: 805: 804: 800: 795: 791: 781: 779: 773: 772: 768: 760: 756: 751: 747: 741:Wayback Machine 732: 728: 720: 716: 711: 707: 703:, July 30, 2008 695:Wayback Machine 685: 681: 675: 665: 664: 660: 650: 648: 639: 638: 634: 624: 622: 609: 608: 604: 594: 592: 578: 577: 573: 563: 561: 547: 546: 542: 532:Wayback Machine 522: 515: 505: 503: 488: 487: 483: 473:Wayback Machine 464: 460: 450: 448: 439: 438: 434: 424: 422: 420: 405: 404: 400: 390: 388: 380: 379: 375: 365: 363: 350: 349: 345: 341: 329: 316:, the owner of 302:Steak & Ale 292:by its lender, 252:Kokomo, Indiana 209: 201:Ponderosa Ranch 142: 111: 90: 88: 85: 42: 28: 23: 22: 15: 12: 11: 5: 1186: 1184: 1176: 1175: 1170: 1165: 1160: 1155: 1150: 1145: 1140: 1135: 1130: 1125: 1120: 1110: 1109: 1103: 1102: 1100: 1099: 1094: 1089: 1081: 1079: 1075: 1074: 1072: 1071: 1064: 1057: 1049: 1047: 1043: 1042: 1040: 1039: 1034: 1028: 1026: 1022: 1021: 1019: 1018: 1013: 1008: 1003: 998: 993: 988: 983: 978: 973: 968: 963: 958: 953: 948: 944: 942: 938: 937: 930: 928: 927: 920: 913: 905: 899: 898: 887: 886:External links 884: 882: 881: 850: 824: 798: 789: 766: 754: 745: 726: 714: 705: 679: 671:Newspapers.com 658: 632: 602: 571: 540: 513: 481: 458: 432: 418: 398: 373: 342: 340: 337: 336: 335: 328: 325: 208: 205: 148: 147: 140: 136: 135: 130: 124: 123: 120: 116: 115: 112: 109: 106: 105: 100: 96: 95: 82: 78: 77: 68: 64: 63: 57: 53: 52: 41: 40: 37: 33: 26: 24: 14: 13: 10: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1185: 1174: 1171: 1169: 1166: 1164: 1161: 1159: 1156: 1154: 1151: 1149: 1146: 1144: 1141: 1139: 1136: 1134: 1131: 1129: 1126: 1124: 1121: 1119: 1116: 1115: 1113: 1098: 1095: 1093: 1090: 1088: 1087: 1083: 1082: 1080: 1076: 1070: 1069: 1065: 1063: 1062: 1058: 1056: 1055: 1051: 1050: 1048: 1044: 1038: 1035: 1033: 1030: 1029: 1027: 1023: 1017: 1014: 1012: 1009: 1007: 1004: 1002: 999: 997: 994: 992: 989: 987: 984: 982: 979: 977: 974: 972: 969: 967: 964: 962: 959: 957: 954: 952: 949: 946: 945: 943: 939: 935: 934: 926: 921: 919: 914: 912: 907: 906: 903: 895: 890: 889: 885: 869: 865: 861: 854: 851: 838: 834: 828: 825: 812: 808: 802: 799: 793: 790: 777: 770: 767: 763: 758: 755: 749: 746: 742: 738: 735: 730: 727: 723: 718: 715: 709: 706: 702: 701: 696: 692: 689: 683: 680: 672: 668: 662: 659: 651:September 21, 646: 642: 636: 633: 620: 616: 612: 606: 603: 590: 586: 582: 575: 572: 559: 555: 551: 544: 541: 537: 533: 529: 526: 520: 518: 514: 501: 497: 496: 491: 485: 482: 478: 474: 470: 467: 462: 459: 446: 442: 441:"Dan Blocker" 436: 433: 421: 419:9781577831075 415: 411: 410: 402: 399: 387: 386:fatbrands.com 383: 377: 374: 361: 357: 353: 347: 344: 338: 334: 331: 330: 326: 324: 321: 319: 315: 310: 307: 303: 299: 295: 291: 287: 282: 280: 276: 272: 267: 265: 259: 257: 253: 248: 246: 242: 238: 234: 230: 227:, who played 226: 218: 213: 206: 204: 202: 198: 197: 193: 188: 186: 180: 178: 174: 170: 166: 160:(now closed). 159: 154: 145: 141: 137: 134: 131: 129: 125: 121: 117: 113: 107: 104: 101: 97: 83: 79: 76: 72: 71:Casual dining 69: 65: 62: 59:Wholly owned 58: 54: 50: 45: 38: 35: 34: 30: 19: 1096: 1084: 1066: 1059: 1052: 931: 872:. Retrieved 863: 853: 843:December 19, 841:. Retrieved 827: 815:. Retrieved 801: 792: 780:. Retrieved 769: 757: 748: 729: 717: 708: 698: 682: 670: 661: 649:. Retrieved 635: 623:. Retrieved 614: 605: 593:. Retrieved 584: 574: 564:December 11, 562:. Retrieved 553: 543: 535: 506:September 4, 504:. Retrieved 493: 484: 476: 461: 449:. Retrieved 435: 423:. Retrieved 408: 401: 389:. Retrieved 385: 376: 364:. Retrieved 355: 346: 322: 311: 285: 283: 268: 260: 256:Dayton, Ohio 249: 245:Charles Wyly 232: 222: 194: 189: 181: 177:Plano, Texas 172: 168: 164: 163: 103:Plano, Texas 99:Headquarters 56:Company type 29: 782:November 2, 625:January 26, 425:January 26, 356:pon-bon.com 264:Red Lobster 258:, in 1971. 225:Dan Blocker 144:pon-bon.com 1153:Metromedia 1112:Categories 1037:Characters 595:October 8, 451:January 2, 339:References 314:FAT Brands 306:Chapter 11 298:Bennigan's 294:GE Capital 284:After its 279:Metromedia 275:John Kluge 133:FAT Brands 61:subsidiary 1086:Ponderosa 1046:TV movies 941:TV series 366:March 14, 318:Fatburger 223:In 1963, 192:TV series 175:based in 1032:Episodes 947:Seasons: 868:Archived 837:Archived 811:Archived 737:Archived 691:Archived 645:Archived 619:Archived 589:Archived 558:Archived 528:Archived 500:Archived 469:Archived 445:Archived 443:. IMDb. 360:Archived 327:See also 241:Sam Wyly 119:Products 67:Industry 1123:Bonanza 933:Bonanza 874:June 6, 817:July 3, 391:July 9, 233:Bonanza 207:History 196:Bonanza 139:Website 89: ( 81:Founded 477:Forbes 416:  281:name. 128:Parent 75:buffet 1025:Lists 876:2024 845:2023 819:2023 784:2022 653:2023 627:2018 597:2012 566:2018 508:2018 453:2017 427:2018 414:ISBN 393:2024 368:2022 300:and 167:and 91:1965 84:1965 231:on 1114:: 1016:14 1011:13 1006:12 1001:11 996:10 866:. 862:. 835:. 697:, 669:. 613:. 587:. 583:. 556:. 552:. 534:, 516:^ 492:. 475:, 384:. 358:. 354:. 239:. 203:. 187:. 73:, 991:9 986:8 981:7 976:6 971:5 966:4 961:3 956:2 951:1 924:e 917:t 910:v 878:. 847:. 821:. 786:. 673:. 655:. 629:. 599:. 568:. 510:. 455:. 429:. 395:. 370:. 93:) 20:)

Index

Ponderosa Steakhouse

subsidiary
Casual dining
buffet
Plano, Texas
Parent
FAT Brands
pon-bon.com

West Branch, Michigan
Plano, Texas
Metromedia Restaurant Group
TV series
Bonanza
Ponderosa Ranch

Marquette, Michigan
Dan Blocker
Eric "Hoss" Cartwright
Westport, Connecticut
Sam Wyly
Charles Wyly
Kokomo, Indiana
Dayton, Ohio
Red Lobster
Metromedia Restaurant Group
John Kluge
Metromedia
Chapter 7 liquidation

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