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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
666:
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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
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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".
323:
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
247:
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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320:, Buffalo's Cafe and Hurricane Grill & Wings. FAT Brands has approximately 300 locations open, with another 300 under development in 32 countries.
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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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762:"FAT Brands Completes Acquisition of Ponderosa and Bonanza Steakhouses for $ 10.5 Million "
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776:"I went to the last Ponderosa in Wisconsin (and one of the last locations in the world)"
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restaurants, the chain's parent company, Metromedia
Steakhouses Company, filed for
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807:"Last Call: St. Cloud Bonanza Steakhouse Set to Permanently Close Today (Friday)"
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In 1965, Dan
Lasater, Norm Wiese and Charles Kleptz founded Ponderosa in
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235:, started the Bonanza Steakhouse chain. The first Bonanza opened in
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688:"Bennigan's, Steak & Ale Close, File for Bankruptcy Protection"
240:
405:
932:
352:"All Ponderosa & Bonanza Locations | steaks, seafood, buffet"
195:
722:"Parent of Ponderosa, Bonanza steakhouses files for bankruptcy "
351:
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are a chain of buffet/steakhouse restaurants that are a part of
152:
74:
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143:
900:
893:
409:
The
Restaurant and Foodservice Market Research Handbook
1138:
Companies that filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2008
296:, in August 2008, and closed over 300 company-owned
412:. Richard K. Miller & Associates. p. 168.
190:The names of the restaurants were derived from the
860:"Bonanza closes doors for final time in Hazle Twp"
525:"Local Ponderosa restaurants fall from six to two"
581:"General Mills Restaurants - 11.01.85 - SI Vault"
1109:
1158:Regional restaurant chains in the United States
858:Writer, Kelly Monitz Staff (November 9, 2021).
833:"Ponderosa & Bonanza US E-Club Email Lists"
578:
466:"The 400 Richest Americans: #354, Samuel Wyly"
916:
712:SOURCE: Metromedia Steakhouses Company, L.P.
406:Richard K. Miller & Associates (2006).
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219:, in 2011. This location has since closed.
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764:"www.businesswire.com", October 31, 2017
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288:division was forced into an involuntary
269:In February 1988, Ponderosa was sold to
210:
151:
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
14:
1110:
857:
502:from the original on September 4, 2018
490:"COMPANY NEWS; Ponderosa To Buy Rival"
362:from the original on February 11, 2022
904:
591:from the original on January 20, 2013
548:Mazerolle, Brent (November 7, 2010).
514:
1143:Economy of the Eastern United States
773:
767:
382:"Ponderosa & Bonanza Steakhouse"
686:Jeffrey McCracken and Janet Adamy,
579:Deanne Brandon (November 1, 1985).
24:
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:
1184:
1097:Ponderosa and Bonanza Steakhouses
885:
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
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550:"Last Ponderosa set to close"
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254:, moving the headquarters to
1054:Bonanza: The Next Generation
479:magazine, September 21, 2006
7:
930:
693:September 12, 2024, at the
326:
271:Metromedia Restaurant Group
185:Metromedia Restaurant Group
86:; 59 years ago
27:American restaurant company
10:
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333:List of buffet restaurants
206:
156:A Ponderosa Steakhouse in
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864:Hazleton Standard Speaker
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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:
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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
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39:Bonanza Steakhouse
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523:Stephens, Caleb.
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16:(Redirected from
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441:"Dan Blocker"
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59:Wholly owned
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872:. Retrieved
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843:December 19,
841:. Retrieved
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815:. Retrieved
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780:. Retrieved
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649:. Retrieved
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623:. Retrieved
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564:December 11,
562:. Retrieved
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506:September 4,
504:. Retrieved
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389:. Retrieved
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364:. Retrieved
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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
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1016:14
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20:)
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