I went on so many road trips as a kid. Restaurant food was a treat, so I was always pretty happy no matter where we went. Pancakes and cheeseburgers had their golden ages in the 70's if you ask me. I miss the department store cafeterias too.
Sambos was great!!!Coming back from a college meet up in san Fransico 4 broke students were starving and broke. We ordered on plate of pancakes and 2 cups of tea. They noticed and delivered to us 4 full breakfasts at no cost!!!!
It’s a short video so, every restaurant of the 70s weren’t put on this video, that doesn’t mean, the person who made the video forgot to put it on this video, just sayin! 9:44
@@sonyafox3271 Recollection Road: "Let me know in the comments if I missed anything." And people do. That gives RR more material for future videos, kind of like the "Circle of Life" for RUclips.😁
The Ground Round, Chi Chi's and Howard Johnsons were all so wonderful. Great memories. Now it's 2024 and they've all been replaced with garbage. I cook most everything at home now.
You are better off cooking at home today, especially with the inflation due to the rotten government we have right now plus you know what goes in your food.
@@Dajuhan2u100% agree, all you see is fat people all over the place today. I took my usual walk yesterday and did not see one kid outside. When we were kids we hated to be indoors. We were on our bikes, playing baseball, building forts, walking into town …. We moved all the time and my mom did not feed us junk food, that was once in a while as a treat ..
'Shakeys' is what made me fall in love with pizza. I enjoyed the self playing piano, old 'keystone cops' films from the silent era, and tables decorated like printed newspapers.
I was surprised to not see Lums mentioned. In my hometown, we had a Lums right next door to a Beefsteak Charlie's. And down the road was a Ground Round and a Howard Johnson's.
Definitely agree with you on Lums. I am surprised it was not mentioned. Some of their items, like the Ollie Burger and steamed hot dogs, are on the menu at a diner in Hallandale, Florida. I believe it is called the Flashback Diner
I have both Straw Hat and H. Salt within easy driving distance. But the latter is not great, they serve mostly breading. Yet they have really good reviews for some reason. I guess the nostalgia is a factor.
Not only do I remember Shakey's Pizza but I remember their commercials on T.V. when I was a teenager. Loves Restaurant was popular for their Barbecued Ribs and Chicken in the 70s sad when they closed and I also remember Happy Steak. Miss those wonderful eating establishments. Thanks for sharing.
I was going to mention Happy Steak and had forgotten about Love's. Have been to Shakey's but we didn't have one where I grew up. On Shakey's theme, we had a chain that was up and down the San Juaquin Valley in CA, "Me-n-Ed's". Great pizza in the day.
Shakey's is still here in Oroville California😃There Mojo Potatoes are awesome😁In Pasadena California growing up I loved watching the piano player🎹Shakey's RULES!!!!!!!🍕👍🏻ROCK ON!!!!!!!🤘🏻🤙🏻✌🏻
I remember those prices! Food wasn't grown with the amount of pesticides and chemicals it is today. It wasn't highly processed. It tasted so flavorful and good! People today have no idea.
Pesticides aren’t grown on food, it was sprayed on produce,fruits and vegetables!Pesticides have nothing to do with most frozen foods! Even back then, fruits and vegetables were still sprayed down to keep pesticides down even back then, it wasn’t as highly heavy handed used as it was today! The biggest issues with a lot of the manufacturing plants were small and, therefore, things for consumption, it got to the point where these small companies couldn’t keep up with the supply and demand.Therefore, the little manufacturing company sold out to the bigger brand manufacturing companies because, the little companies almost went under and, the bigger brand companies brought them out. Then, despite having the recipes these big brand manufacturing companies changed the recipes to make them in bigger batches and, aka/ this is why things no longer taste the same. And, if you do your research and, you haven’t seen it on tv, or watched anything like it on RUclips, you see what, I am telling you is 💯% true! But, not only did it just happen to our food, it happened to all the goods we buy here in America! My mom used to work at U.S. Shoe and,that was also way a ton of our family and friends lost their job before going into the 80s. Even though some U.S. Shoe factories were still open, they didn’t make near the amount of shoes they once did and most of those U.S.Shoe Plants fully shutdown in the mid 90s. Aka/ some of the those family friends / mostly friends took jobs a little over a hour away in a small town in Indiana.
Pesticides aren’t grown on food, it was sprayed on produce,fruits and vegetables!Pesticides have nothing to do with most frozen foods! Even back then, fruits and vegetables were still sprayed down to keep pesticides down even back then, it wasn’t as highly heavy handed used as it was today! The biggest issues with a lot of the manufacturing plants were small and, therefore, things for consumption, it got to the point where these small companies couldn’t keep up with the supply and demand.Therefore, the little manufacturing company sold out to the bigger brand manufacturing companies because, the little companies almost went under and, the bigger brand companies brought them out. Then, despite having the recipes these big brand manufacturing companies changed the recipes to make them in bigger batches and, aka/ this is why things no longer taste the same. And, if you do your research and, you haven’t seen it on tv, or watched anything like it on RUclips, you see what, I am telling you is 💯% true! But, not only did it just happen to our food, it happened to all the goods we buy here in America! My mom used to work at U.S. Shoe and,that was also way a ton of our family and friends lost their job before going into the 80s. Even though some U.S. Shoe factories were still open, they didn’t make near the amount of shoes they once did and most of those U.S.Shoe Plants fully shutdown in the mid 90s. Aka/ some of the those family friends / mostly friends took jobs a little over a hour away in a small town in Indiana. 1:42
Sure back then everything was DDT, which has been banned in America, but still produced and sold in central and South America, which we get our fruit from.
Meat tasted better and was safer...before the push for bigger cows from growth Hormone's and pumping them full of anti-biotics. I have had meat from a limited number herd, all natural farm near by, recently.... there IS a BIG difference in taste and texture.
We had Ponderosa, Chi Chi’s and Shakeys. I had my daughter’s birthdays there when she was 3-6 years. We had a guy who played piano. He made balloon figures for the kids. My parents knew the piano guy. Went to Chi Chi’s with coworkers for drinks many times in the 80’s. I went to Ponderosa many times for steak and Bonanza. Chi Chi’s left first. Then, Ponderosa. Our Bonanza was only a year or two old when it closed. Shakeys made it into the mid 2000’s and closed. Miss them all!
We used to stop at Howard Johnson's while on our family roadtrips in the 70s. My grandmother lived in North Carolina in those days and there was a Morrison's near her. I'm sure we ate there a few times. At home in New Jersey in the 70s and early 80s we used to eat at Bonanza, Ponderosa, and Sizzler.
In the 1970's, the Shakey's Pizza we went to in Charlotte N.C. would show films of the Little Rascals on a small silver screen and 2 older gentlemen on a small stage would play old Dixieland music between films. One would play an upright piano and the other played the banjo. It was great to be a kid in the 70's!
When I was living in Huntington Beach in the '70s, I loved it when Dad drove Mom and I to the Crab Cooker in Newport Beach. I always really anticipated having their Manhattan Clam Chowder!! There was an all-you-can-eat buffet in Waikiki. I would go there monthly. Sadly, they closed in the '90s. Their lunch buffets were only $8.xx.
@@incog99skd11Indeed, Dick was not known for being very patience. I lived in San Clemente at that time, less than half a block from his home, and although we were in the same private compound, I’ve never saw him outside when the family and I will drive by, Mr Nixon was a very intelligent man, I certainly admire his resilience.
Big Boy’s. The original three bun two patty burger with a secret sauce. Good enough for McDonalds to steal the idea for the Big Mac. Heck, The Beatles even ate there. Fine family style restaurant during their fifty year history.
I used to frequent the original Chi Chi s in Richfield, Minnesota up through the 90s. Almost everyone of these restaurants I have been to a number of times. The York Steakhouse as I remember was always inside shopping malls.
“You’re gonna get spoiled, we’re gonna treat you right, you’re gonna get spoiled at beef steak Charlie’s tonight”🎤🎶 I definitely remember that commercial jingle from years ago growing up in the tristate area. I mostly seen it air on WPIX 11. Thinking back I’m sure one of the reasons they went out of business was the all you can eat steak and shrimp, free beer, and sangria. And if you were 18 back then, it was an inexpensive way to get a good dinner and wasted at the same time bc the drinking age in NY was 18. 😊
I remember Shakey's Pizza very fondly. The Ground Round had an exceptional burger, and I am a snob about burgers like some people are about wine and cheese. But I would do anything to have Howard Johnson's fried clams again. Thirty years later, and I can almost taste them.
I used to work the grill at Ground Round in Richmond Height Mo. And Howard Johnsons was just down the street . V.I.P. Burger , Mushrooms, Onions, Bell peppers and we had fried clams
I was living in Wichita Falls, TX from 2009-2012, I could swear they had a Chi-Chi's there at the time (the video said the last closed in 2003). What I really miss, though, are the Quincy's Steakhouses. Their buttered rolls are AMAZING!!
We grew up in Sacramento on Shakey's pizza, awesome! What happened to Skippers seafood, I think based out of Washington state. My family loved them too in the 70"s and 80"s.
The original Shakey's J street location is a historical landmark. It's now "Mimosa House". Not sure if you're still local or not--if you are and haven't been, check it out. They kept the basic layout and all of the dark wood. It's pretty cool.
I ate at Ground Round numerous times. Good food and decent prices. The majority of the locations in Connecticut changed over to Wood 'n Taps in the nineties. The Bonanza near me was host to a lot of banquets for our local cub scout troop. Sadly, the building became host to one of the last Hooters in Connecticut.
Full menu, lots of tables, frankie packs to go, large NATHAN's ( of Coney I.) had 3 in Manhattan. Included seafood, deli sandwiches etc. 1 large also in Westchester Co. which was the taken over location of 'Adventurer's Inn'. The 43 St Times Sq, was 2 floors 'famously' opened in early- mid 1960s. There was one on east 58 St off 5 Ave. In the late 1970s, I recognized Ralph Lauren eating a sandwich there. Otherwise was glad for occasional rides to Howard Johnson, Ground Round. Pizza & Brew (maybe a more local chain).
Dang I remember eating at Chi-Chi's... when I was a kid. I Miss them. I ate there with my parents a lot.. I remember the chips and dip .and the fried ice cream and apple cobbler.
Didn't go to many restaurants, but on my birthday I asked to go to Farrell's and get a Mountain of Fries and a Zoo for the family to share.....of course everyone got a Sasparilla to drink.
My favorite was Sambos. Actually the last one to close was Lincoln City Oregon on the coast. They had a cute souvenier and gift case too. You forgot Farells ice cream parlor.
I remember going to a Sambos in Chicago as a kid just as the civil rights thing was starting. I was quite controversial just to go in and eat there on the north side. I loved the colorful menu. Howard Johnson's had problems with racial relations too if I remember correctly.
Again a short video, so, not every single restaurant was put on this video, that doesn’t mean the person who made this video forgot it! The key is a brief video! 9:44
I remember Shakey's for the obtrusively loud banjo music. Having a conversation with the family was out of the question, due to the overwhelming din of banjos.
I miss Margarita night at Chi-Chis....😢...great chicken fajitas too....😊 I worked for Ponderosa back in the day too,hated working Friday nights ,going out for a nightcap and having to open Saturday 🤮. Alot of the Sambos became Dennys if I remember correctly.
Ponderosa was my family's go-to for affordable steak and all-you-can-eat salad bar. I was bummned to see it go. I can no longer afford to treat my family to a restaurant experience considering it costs what I would spend on 2 weeks worth of groceries.
I remember Valle's fondly. And who could resist clam strips followed by coffee ice cream. And when I got here Morrisons was a lunch stop two or three times a month.
I remember seeing a lot of these restaurants on television commercials when they all popular and there were several of them here in Oklahoma but I only ate at just a few of them but thanks for the delicious memories.😋🍔🍕🌮🍰😋
I was stationed in San Diego in the early 80’s and frequently ate at a chain called Boll Weevil. Really good good food and atmosphere. I always wondered what happened to them.
I was just about to ask about York Steak House and then you covered it. Thanks! My local Ground Round was always fun, as they had a movie screen and projected cartoons all night.
Was there a 'Sambos' on Hennepin Avenue in Minneapolis in the early '80s? My late father & I had breakfast there one morning (I think) prior to attending the Gamble's Store convention...we stayed at a Holiday Inn, and he took me to the IDS building - rode an elevator for the first time to the top floor and experienced the 'UFO Museum', and played early arcade games at a neighboring arcade...played Lunar Lander at the Holiday Inn Lounge while dad schmoozed with other store owners...ultimately leading me to having 5 pins and 5 classic vid games in my rec room today.
Ponderosa Steak House was my family's "go-to" place just about every Friday night! Both my parents worked, so as a treat (we kids usually did all the cooking on weeknights), we'd pile into the station wagon and off we go to Ponderosa for what seemed like to US, a fabulous steak meal ! LOL!!! We were kids, we didn't know any better LOL!!!
Oh my gosh, we had a Valle's in our city and spent many an anniversary dinner for my parents there! Delicious! Also, Ground Round...peanut shells on the floor and great burgers...memmmmmorieeeeessss, like the corners of my miiiiind....❤ Nearing 65. Thank you for bringing good times to mind.😊
Ponderosa was good, they even had Bonanza’s Michael Landon doing commercials for the restaurant! Also anyone remember Lyons, they were a breakfast restaurant that was popular in the 1970s!
I live in Butte County California, and we still have a Shakey’s Pizza that looks similar to the one in the video. It’s a great restaurant and still has vintage arcade games and all you can eat options.
Shakeys was still here in Anaheim next to Disneyland up until a few years ago! I’m 32 so I don’t know anything about the 70’s but I assume Shakeys was built there in the 70s I’ve been to Sambos up in Santa Barbara and loved it!
I remember Shakey's Pizza. The one near us had a booth you could go into and put a quarter in and watch 10 minutes of Deputy Dog or Tom and Jerry. They also had the arcade game Elevator Man. Great memories! Oh, and they also poured on the black olives on their pizzas. That's the way to go!
Shakey's still has a lot of locations in SoCal, so it's not extinct. Although I don't remember them having a buffet style back in the 70's until the Bunch a Lunch was invented and somewhat revived the brand. Love to see an old school look at cafeteria's that are long gone like the old Clifton's and Beadle's in Pasadena.
I loved and miss our Shakey's in San Jose! That picture looks like it could almost be the location on Hillsdale and Camden! As a kid I was so fascinated by the ripple lights picture on the wall of a river around an island. I only recently rediscovered that it was a Hamm's Beer sign! In college I read the Max Apple short story "The Oranging of American" about Howard Johnson's! It's really a shame the way the tale that was associated with Sambo's Restaurants got so distorted over time because the origin of them was a combination of the original owner's names. I LOVED when we got to stop for breakfast there on the road because I could order a wonderful blueberry waffle piped with whipped cream! Something we never got at home!
Recollection Road - You should do a video about the history of dinner theaters/supper clubs in the USA. I live near the Pineville Dinner Theater near Charlotte, NC when I was growing up and people like Bob Denver, Dorothy L'Amour, etc., would perform there. Jayne Mansfield's last performance was at Gus Steven's Supper Club in Biloxi, MS. These dinner theaters/supper clubs were all around the US and at the time you were served a buffet dinner and/or a meal off the menu, and then after dinner you were treated to a show. Nashville had Chaffins Barn Dinner Theater, Greensboro, NC has the Barn Dinner Theater. I think this would be a fascinating subject for one of your videos and there are photos out there you could share.
I went on so many road trips as a kid. Restaurant food was a treat, so I was always pretty happy no matter where we went. Pancakes and cheeseburgers had their golden ages in the 70's if you ask me. I miss the department store cafeterias too.
I miss the CAFETERIA STYLE places. They made so much sense!!
The Broadway even had a lunch counter. I think we only went there once, though.
@@KarlLaFong-v2q Best cheeseburger I've ever had (from memory) was on the 3rd floor of a May Co.
@@littlejimmy7402 Whoda thought? , lol
@@littlejimmy7402They were known for Great homemade Onion soup,it was really thick & delicious Famous & Barr they were called here
Sambos was great!!!Coming back from a college meet up in san Fransico 4 broke students were starving and broke. We ordered on plate of pancakes and 2 cups of tea. They noticed and delivered to us 4 full breakfasts at no cost!!!!
You missed Sizzler's. I didn't realize how many budget steak restaurants there were back then.
👍
Yum
It’s a short video so, every restaurant of the 70s weren’t put on this video, that doesn’t mean, the person who made the video forgot to put it on this video, just sayin! 9:44
@@sonyafox3271
Recollection Road: "Let me know in the comments if I missed anything."
And people do. That gives RR more material for future videos, kind of like the "Circle of Life" for RUclips.😁
and Black Angus
He might have mentioned this one in another video but one of my and my wife's favorites in the 70s was Farrell's Ice Cream Parlours.
I love seeing the old menus!🙂
Especially, the prices.
@@johnjeffreys6440Exactly
The Ground Round, Chi Chi's and Howard Johnsons were all so wonderful. Great memories. Now it's 2024 and they've all been replaced with garbage. I cook most everything at home now.
You didn't see fat people eating at a Ground Round back in the 1970's
You are better off cooking at home today, especially with the inflation due to the rotten government we have right now plus you know what goes in your food.
@@Dajuhan2u100% agree, all you see is fat people all over the place today. I took my usual walk yesterday and did not see one kid outside. When we were kids we hated to be indoors. We were on our bikes, playing baseball, building forts, walking into town …. We moved all the time and my mom did not feed us junk food, that was once in a while as a treat ..
'Shakeys' is what made me fall in love with pizza. I enjoyed the self playing piano, old 'keystone cops' films from the silent era, and tables decorated like printed newspapers.
I’m 61, and I still have pictures of me when I was a little girl of my birthday party at Shakey’s! I have one of those hats on in the picture-lol!
I was surprised to not see Lums mentioned. In my hometown, we had a Lums right next door to a Beefsteak Charlie's. And down the road was a Ground Round and a Howard Johnson's.
I loved Lums-my dad loved it too; he always ordered a schooner of Ballantine beer 🍺, I always ordered the French dip; such wonderful memories 😢.
Definitely agree with you on Lums. I am surprised it was not mentioned. Some of their items, like the Ollie Burger and steamed hot dogs, are on the menu at a diner in Hallandale, Florida. I believe it is called the Flashback Diner
My parents did Lums breakfasts on weekends in the 80s, and they were great and cheap. Probably too cheap and the local one went out of business.
Lums.........Yum.
I saw Lums in an earlier episode. I think it was under defunct Family Restaurants.
Straw Hat Pizza, Furrs Cafeteria, Sir George's Smorgasbord, Ponderosa Steakhouse, Bob's Big Boy, H. Salt Fish & Chips...
He mentioned Ponderosa
I so MISS 'Bob's Big Boy.' One of my ALL-TIME favorite restaurants. 'Sambos' was another GREAT one.
I have both Straw Hat and H. Salt within easy driving distance. But the latter is not great, they serve mostly breading. Yet they have really good reviews for some reason. I guess the nostalgia is a factor.
Love these old memories... Thank you
Ponderosa steak house wasnt bad for the money i kinda miss our local one , The buffet was fantastic as well !
Lol, used to go there for lunch at work. Most all the customers were 400 lbs. The all you can eat food bar probably bankrupt them.
Just happened to think of Roy Rogers. I think a few still exist. I remember many of these places ❤
Not only do I remember Shakey's Pizza but I remember their commercials on T.V. when I was a teenager. Loves Restaurant was popular for their Barbecued Ribs and Chicken in the 70s sad when they closed and I also remember Happy Steak. Miss those wonderful eating establishments.
Thanks for sharing.
I remember Loves, and the tv commercial song...."When you're at Loves...the whole world's delicious " ❤🥩🍗🍔❤
I think Shakey's was briefly mentioned in a Steve Martin sketch.
I was going to mention Happy Steak and had forgotten about Love's. Have been to Shakey's but we didn't have one where I grew up. On Shakey's theme, we had a chain that was up and down the San Juaquin Valley in CA, "Me-n-Ed's". Great pizza in the day.
There are still several shakeys located in and around LA and the one ones outside of CA are in Washington State (Renton and Pasco)
Thank you for the wonderful videos. I grew up in the 70-80's. I love the memory refresh.
These videos are such a joy!! Thank you for putting them out
It seems as if all the restaurant chains eventually close. I hope Cracker Barrel stays open. I have great memories there.
So many memories were brought back! Thank you.
I remember Arthur Treachers being one of my favorites.
In Kalamazoo, we had H. Salt Esquire Fish & Chips
The last two remaining ones are near me, yum!
My high school Boyfriend First job was at Arthur Treachers I remember that their Fish was really good!! Great memories
Shakey's is still here in Oroville California😃There Mojo Potatoes are awesome😁In Pasadena California growing up I loved watching the piano player🎹Shakey's RULES!!!!!!!🍕👍🏻ROCK ON!!!!!!!🤘🏻🤙🏻✌🏻
Yep Shakey's is so good.
Unfortunately, the Shakey's in Oroville is the only Shakey's to not offer a pizza and chicken lunch buffet.
Really?? I'm just down the road in Marysville. Good to know! 👍
We still have Two Shakeys open here in The San Fernando Valley outside of Los Angeles.
My favorite!!
There’s still one York Steak House left in Cowlumbus, on W Broad near the outerbelt across from the old Westland Mall that’s finally being torn down.
I remember those prices! Food wasn't grown with the amount of pesticides and chemicals it is today. It wasn't highly processed. It tasted so flavorful and good! People today have no idea.
You are so correct. I love you for your comment.
Pesticides aren’t grown on food, it was sprayed on produce,fruits and vegetables!Pesticides have nothing to do with most frozen foods! Even back then, fruits and vegetables were still sprayed down to keep pesticides down even back then, it wasn’t as highly heavy handed used as it was today! The biggest issues with a lot of the manufacturing plants were small and, therefore, things for consumption, it got to the point where these small companies couldn’t keep up with the supply and demand.Therefore, the little manufacturing company sold out to the bigger brand manufacturing companies because, the little companies almost went under and, the bigger brand companies brought them out. Then, despite having the recipes these big brand manufacturing companies changed the recipes to make them in bigger batches and, aka/ this is why things no longer taste the same. And, if you do your research and, you haven’t seen it on tv, or watched anything like it on RUclips, you see what, I am telling you is 💯% true! But, not only did it just happen to our food, it happened to all the goods we buy here in America! My mom used to work at U.S. Shoe and,that was also way a ton of our family and friends lost their job before going into the 80s. Even though some U.S. Shoe factories were still open, they didn’t make near the amount of shoes they once did and most of those U.S.Shoe Plants fully shutdown in the mid 90s. Aka/ some of the those family friends / mostly friends took jobs a little over a hour away in a small town in Indiana.
Pesticides aren’t grown on food, it was sprayed on produce,fruits and vegetables!Pesticides have nothing to do with most frozen foods! Even back then, fruits and vegetables were still sprayed down to keep pesticides down even back then, it wasn’t as highly heavy handed used as it was today! The biggest issues with a lot of the manufacturing plants were small and, therefore, things for consumption, it got to the point where these small companies couldn’t keep up with the supply and demand.Therefore, the little manufacturing company sold out to the bigger brand manufacturing companies because, the little companies almost went under and, the bigger brand companies brought them out. Then, despite having the recipes these big brand manufacturing companies changed the recipes to make them in bigger batches and, aka/ this is why things no longer taste the same. And, if you do your research and, you haven’t seen it on tv, or watched anything like it on RUclips, you see what, I am telling you is 💯% true! But, not only did it just happen to our food, it happened to all the goods we buy here in America! My mom used to work at U.S. Shoe and,that was also way a ton of our family and friends lost their job before going into the 80s. Even though some U.S. Shoe factories were still open, they didn’t make near the amount of shoes they once did and most of those U.S.Shoe Plants fully shutdown in the mid 90s. Aka/ some of the those family friends / mostly friends took jobs a little over a hour away in a small town in Indiana. 1:42
Sure back then everything was DDT, which has been banned in America, but still produced and sold in central and South America, which we get our fruit from.
Meat tasted better and was safer...before the push for bigger cows from growth Hormone's and pumping them full of anti-biotics. I have had meat from a limited number herd, all natural farm near by, recently.... there IS a BIG difference in taste and texture.
We had Ponderosa, Chi Chi’s and Shakeys. I had my daughter’s birthdays there when she was 3-6 years. We had a guy who played piano. He made balloon figures for the kids. My parents knew the piano guy. Went to Chi Chi’s with coworkers for drinks many times in the 80’s. I went to Ponderosa many times for steak and Bonanza. Chi Chi’s left first. Then, Ponderosa. Our Bonanza was only a year or two old when it closed. Shakeys made it into the mid 2000’s and closed. Miss them all!
What about Lum's? I loved their Ollie Burger!
We used to stop at Howard Johnson's while on our family roadtrips in the 70s. My grandmother lived in North Carolina in those days and there was a Morrison's near her. I'm sure we ate there a few times. At home in New Jersey in the 70s and early 80s we used to eat at Bonanza, Ponderosa, and Sizzler.
In the 1970's, the Shakey's Pizza we went to in Charlotte N.C. would show films of the Little Rascals on a small silver screen and 2 older gentlemen on a small stage would play old Dixieland music between films. One would play an upright piano and the other played the banjo. It was great to be a kid in the 70's!
Shakey's is still around in Southern California, but my understanding is that it's not the way it used to be, just pizza and no entertainment.
I remember most of these. My family also enjoyed Bill Knapps and Farrell's.
Loved Farrell’s! Miss them.
❤bill knapp greatest chicken & biscutts& french fries& farrrell great/ greatest mikeshakes & icecream
Ground Round forever!
When I was living in Huntington Beach in the '70s, I loved it when Dad drove Mom and I to the Crab Cooker in Newport Beach. I always really anticipated having their Manhattan Clam Chowder!! There was an all-you-can-eat buffet in Waikiki. I would go there monthly. Sadly, they closed in the '90s. Their lunch buffets were only $8.xx.
I remember when The Crab Cooker in Newport Beach told Richard Nixon that he had to wait in line like everyone else. I believe he went elsewhere.
@@incog99skd11Indeed, Dick was not known for being very patience.
I lived in San Clemente at that time, less than half a block from his home, and although we were in the same private compound, I’ve never saw him outside when the family and I will drive by, Mr Nixon was a very intelligent man, I certainly admire his resilience.
@@incog99skd11I think I can remember that you could easily see Lido or was it Balboa Island from there?
@@incog99skd11NOT COOL! You should NEVER disrespect the PRESIDENT like that. He should have been given the NEXT available table.
Big Boy’s. The original three bun two patty burger with a secret sauce. Good enough for McDonalds to steal the idea for the Big Mac. Heck, The Beatles even ate there. Fine family style restaurant during their fifty year history.
Great burger, fries, and a salad with blue cheese dressing!
Patty melt, salty fries, and chocolate shake……my favorite!
there's still one in operations (though through family owned) here in my hometown of Marquette, MI
I thought there was ONE Big Boy's still in Los Angeles with that statue outside.
@@fluffyotter1601Oh the chocolate shake in the metal cup! The best!
I used to frequent the original Chi Chi s in Richfield, Minnesota up through the 90s. Almost everyone of these restaurants I have been to a number of times. The York Steakhouse as I remember was always inside shopping malls.
I loved going to drive-in restaurants as a kid in the 70's like A & W and Dog 'n Suds for hot dogs and ice cream cones or chocolate shakes
Thank you !!!
Hey there. I just saw your name so I figured you are some cousin!
@@karenroot450 Hello !
Cracker Barrel Restaurant in Wisconsin was fantastic. To this day, their cheddar cheese is tops. Get some Wheatsworth crackers, and you're set. 😊
I would love to have one in Green Bay! I’m planning on a day trip to go there to eat and shop in their store.
i loved shakey's pizza. lums was a favorite place to eat, lumburger and fried mushrooms. i also loved fass brothers seafood.
Shakey's was so amazing!! 🍕🍕🍕 Everything was so good ❤❤
Recollection Road host has a great voice for this format or radio. Easy to ID his sound with the topics he covers.
He probably has a face for radio too.
“You’re gonna get spoiled, we’re gonna treat you right, you’re gonna get spoiled at beef steak Charlie’s tonight”🎤🎶 I definitely remember that commercial jingle from years ago growing up in the tristate area. I mostly seen it air on WPIX 11.
Thinking back I’m sure one of the reasons they went out of business was the all you can eat steak and shrimp, free beer, and sangria.
And if you were 18 back then, it was an inexpensive way to get a good dinner and wasted at the same time bc the drinking age in NY was 18. 😊
I remember Shakey's Pizza very fondly. The Ground Round had an exceptional burger, and I am a snob about burgers like some people are about wine and cheese. But I would do anything to have Howard Johnson's fried clams again. Thirty years later, and I can almost taste them.
There's a Ground Round Buger in Grand Forks, North Dakota. I'm not sure if it's the same?
I used to work the grill at Ground Round in Richmond Height Mo. And Howard Johnsons was just down the street . V.I.P. Burger , Mushrooms, Onions, Bell peppers and we had fried clams
Yes ground round
Peanut shells on the floor
I was living in Wichita Falls, TX from 2009-2012, I could swear they had a Chi-Chi's there at the time (the video said the last closed in 2003). What I really miss, though, are the Quincy's Steakhouses. Their buttered rolls are AMAZING!!
Quincy's! I was thinking of them too. I worked there in GA.
Could have been a privately owned place still using the name.
We grew up in Sacramento on Shakey's pizza, awesome! What happened to Skippers seafood, I think based out of Washington state. My family loved them too in the 70"s and 80"s.
The original Shakey's J street location is a historical landmark. It's now "Mimosa House". Not sure if you're still local or not--if you are and haven't been, check it out. They kept the basic layout and all of the dark wood. It's pretty cool.
I ate at Ground Round numerous times. Good food and decent prices. The majority of the locations in Connecticut changed over to Wood 'n Taps in the nineties.
The Bonanza near me was host to a lot of banquets for our local cub scout troop. Sadly, the building became host to one of the last Hooters in Connecticut.
My favorite family pizza joint was Shakey's, Aunt Jemima's kitchen and Boston sea party. Edi add. And I almost forgot Acapulco restaurant.
Full menu, lots of tables, frankie packs to go, large NATHAN's ( of Coney I.) had 3 in Manhattan. Included seafood, deli sandwiches etc. 1 large also in Westchester Co. which was the taken over location of 'Adventurer's Inn'. The 43 St Times Sq, was 2 floors 'famously' opened in early- mid 1960s.
There was one on east 58 St off 5 Ave. In the late 1970s, I recognized Ralph Lauren eating a sandwich there.
Otherwise was glad for occasional rides to Howard Johnson, Ground Round. Pizza & Brew (maybe a more local chain).
Nathan's on Central Ave. 👍 We played pinball there.
Shakey's Pizza still exists in Renton, WA
Fun times! When i lived in NYC there was Beefsteak Charlies; then different ones in CT and OH
Do you have anything on Sweden House Smorgasbord. It was started in 1961 in Elgin Il. They had restaurants in Il and Fl.
I remember Shakey’s jingle-
“We serve fun at Shakey’s-awful pizza” or maybe it was “also pizza”
beef eater restaurants were pretty good too. liked their beef of course then their strawberry shortcake for dessert.
Thanks for another great trip down memory lane.
Dang I remember eating at Chi-Chi's... when I was a kid. I Miss them. I ate there with my parents a lot.. I remember the chips and dip .and the fried ice cream and apple cobbler.
I never knew Beefsteak Charlie's offered FREE beer and wine. Unfortunately I am learning this a few decades too late to capitalize on the opportunity!
You would have been spoiled at Beefsteak Charlies!
Saved you from being an alcoholic. 🍺 🍷 😂
I liked all of these!
Didn't go to many restaurants, but on my birthday I asked to go to Farrell's and get a Mountain of Fries and a Zoo for the family to share.....of course everyone got a Sasparilla to drink.
Thank you.
I think you are doing everything great, I grew up in Minnesota, could you do more things in the upper Midwest, please.
Country Kitchen!
Loved going to Morrisons. Cafeteria style restaurant; all you can eat friendly staff!
My favorite was Sambos. Actually the last one to close was Lincoln City Oregon on the coast. They had a cute souvenier and gift case too. You forgot Farells ice cream parlor.
I remember going to a Sambos in Chicago as a kid just as the civil rights thing was starting. I was quite controversial just to go in and eat there on the north side. I loved the colorful menu. Howard Johnson's had problems with racial relations too if I remember correctly.
Santa monica, ca
Again a short video, so, not every single restaurant was put on this video, that doesn’t mean the person who made this video forgot it! The key is a brief video! 9:44
@@sonyafox3271He said to let him know in the comments if he missed any, so people are doing what he asked. Not meant as criticisms I believe
I remember Shakey's for the obtrusively loud banjo music. Having a conversation with the family was out of the question, due to the overwhelming din of banjos.
And the musicians seemed to be imbibing in the beer a bit too much.
You missed Steak and Brew, which came out before Steak and Ale.
I miss Margarita night at Chi-Chis....😢...great chicken fajitas too....😊 I worked for Ponderosa back in the day too,hated working Friday nights ,going out for a nightcap and having to open Saturday 🤮. Alot of the Sambos became Dennys if I remember correctly.
Ponderosa was my family's go-to for affordable steak and all-you-can-eat salad bar. I was bummned to see it go. I can no longer afford to treat my family to a restaurant experience considering it costs what I would spend on 2 weeks worth of groceries.
Steak and Ale forever. Dam fine eating experience.
I remember Valle's fondly. And who could resist clam strips followed by coffee ice cream. And when I got here Morrisons was a lunch stop two or three times a month.
I remember seeing a lot of these restaurants on television commercials when
they all popular and there were several of them here in Oklahoma but I only ate
at just a few of them but thanks for the delicious memories.😋🍔🍕🌮🍰😋
I'd love to see Horn & Hardart featured so.etime, too! 😊
I used to go to the Beefsteak Charlie's in Towson - you showed that ad - so cool!!
Love love these videos 💜💜💜💜💜💜
I was stationed in San Diego in the early 80’s and frequently ate at a chain called Boll Weevil. Really good good food and atmosphere. I always wondered what happened to them.
I was just about to ask about York Steak House and then you covered it. Thanks! My local Ground Round was always fun, as they had a movie screen and projected cartoons all night.
Being in that dining room pictured @ 0:26 would have left a lasting impression on me.
Took a 4.5 hour trip to the last Howard Johnson’s in Lake George NY, just for the sake of reminiscing. Ordered the clams, even though I’m allergic!
Steak and Ale was my favorite.
Great video ..... brought back tons of memories !
Was there a 'Sambos' on Hennepin Avenue in Minneapolis in the early '80s? My late father & I had breakfast there one morning (I think) prior to attending the Gamble's Store convention...we stayed at a Holiday Inn, and he took me to the IDS building - rode an elevator for the first time to the top floor and experienced the 'UFO Museum', and played early arcade games at a neighboring arcade...played Lunar Lander at the Holiday Inn Lounge while dad schmoozed with other store owners...ultimately leading me to having 5 pins and 5 classic vid games in my rec room today.
Ponderosa Steak House was my family's "go-to" place just about every Friday night! Both my parents worked, so as a treat (we kids usually did all the cooking on weeknights), we'd pile into the station wagon and off we go to Ponderosa for what seemed like to US, a fabulous steak meal ! LOL!!! We were kids, we didn't know any better LOL!!!
Ground Round was known for their steaks
My favorite restaurant was the old eat in Pizza Huts. Where they had a salad bar and the fireplace. That was in the 80’s though.
Oh my gosh, we had a Valle's in our city and spent many an anniversary dinner for my parents there! Delicious! Also, Ground Round...peanut shells on the floor and great burgers...memmmmmorieeeeessss, like the corners of my miiiiind....❤ Nearing 65. Thank you for bringing good times to mind.😊
The Shakeys pizza in Clarksville, Tennessee used to show Three Stooges episodes. Great fun.
Love those menu prices! The last Howard Johnson's closed in Lake George, NY.
i worked at sambos
Shakey's was my favorite. Lucky for me they still have them in Japan and California.
Nickerson Farms was huge in the 70s 👍🏼
Yay top 305 and top 48 likes and comments. Love this channel. Thanks for making this video. Best to you and your family.
Ponderosa was good, they even had Bonanza’s Michael Landon doing commercials for the restaurant! Also anyone remember Lyons, they were a breakfast restaurant that was popular in the 1970s!
Only been to Chi-Chi's and always passed by Howard Johnson's on the interstate going to OKC. Loved Chi-Chi's!
I live in Butte County California, and we still have a Shakey’s Pizza that looks similar to the one in the video. It’s a great restaurant and still has vintage arcade games and all you can eat options.
Winstons in the Philadelphia area. Famous fern bar and for their Onion Soup; recipe available on-line.
Yes, worked in Paoli; 1980..
There's actually still a Shakeys Pizza in Whittier, CA I was just there last week, I love their Lunch A Bunch Buffet 🍕
Shakeys was still here in Anaheim next to Disneyland up until a few years ago! I’m 32 so I don’t know anything about the 70’s but I assume Shakeys was built there in the 70s
I’ve been to Sambos up in Santa Barbara and loved it!
I remember Shakey's Pizza. The one near us had a booth you could go into and put a quarter in and watch 10 minutes of Deputy Dog or Tom and Jerry. They also had the arcade game Elevator Man. Great memories! Oh, and they also poured on the black olives on their pizzas. That's the way to go!
Shakey's is still around here in California
Shakey's still has a lot of locations in SoCal, so it's not extinct. Although I don't remember them having a buffet style back in the 70's until the Bunch a Lunch was invented and somewhat revived the brand. Love to see an old school look at cafeteria's that are long gone like the old Clifton's and Beadle's in Pasadena.
I miss eating at Steak and Ale 👍. Awesome video 😎
I loved and miss our Shakey's in San Jose! That picture looks like it could almost be the location on Hillsdale and Camden! As a kid I was so fascinated by the ripple lights picture on the wall of a river around an island. I only recently rediscovered that it was a Hamm's Beer sign! In college I read the Max Apple short story "The Oranging of American" about Howard Johnson's! It's really a shame the way the tale that was associated with Sambo's Restaurants got so distorted over time because the origin of them was a combination of the original owner's names. I LOVED when we got to stop for breakfast there on the road because I could order a wonderful blueberry waffle piped with whipped cream! Something we never got at home!
I used to love Steak and Ale restaurants. I live in San Antonio, TX and I took my wife there, before she was my wife. We miss it.
Recollection Road - You should do a video about the history of dinner theaters/supper clubs in the USA. I live near the Pineville Dinner Theater near Charlotte, NC when I was growing up and people like Bob Denver, Dorothy L'Amour, etc., would perform there. Jayne Mansfield's last performance was at Gus Steven's Supper Club in Biloxi, MS. These dinner theaters/supper clubs were all around the US and at the time you were served a buffet dinner and/or a meal off the menu, and then after dinner you were treated to a show. Nashville had Chaffins Barn Dinner Theater, Greensboro, NC has the Barn Dinner Theater. I think this would be a fascinating subject for one of your videos and there are photos out there you could share.
I didn't realize York Steak House was a chain. Our York Steak House was near York Avenue in our city,
Thanks for sharing 👍
Always had to eat at Shoney's when we were in Memphis.
I remember eating at Shakey's: the root beer in large, frosted glass mugs!! There wasn't live music when we went, though.