I used to go to this chain all the time in college, I guess this place is still around, but I could not imagine going there again at my age.
I used to go to this chain all the time in college, I guess this place is still around, but I could not imagine going there again at my age.
If you are not from the North East you would have no idea what this place is. I went to this chain literally like 200 times as a kid. A couple years ago I went to one somewhere in Massachusetts. Yeah not so much. How memories change.
I went to this place on the PA turnpike, a rest stop. I had not seen it in years. So I got a slice. It was awful, never again.
If you grew up in the Midwest, Bill Knapp’s was a staple. They would give you a percentage off your bill on your birthday equal to the age you were turning. (No cap.)
The restaurants went DD a long time ago but I guess it’s still around as a bakery in a couple places.
If you went to College @ UF, you know this place. This place was where you went after the party ended. There was a line around the corner @ 2 am on Friday & Saturday nights.
En boca cerrada, no entran moscas
An occasional 'morning after' breakfast in high school.
Always hated navigating the throng of weird church goers and octogenarians, but the gravy hit. Portion sizes probably.a little.small for Druff.
The one near me became an Asian buffet over the last year.
PokerFraudAlert...will never censor your claims, even if they're against one of our sponsors. In addition to providing you an open forum report fraud within the poker community, we will also analyze your claims with a clear head an unbiased point of view. And, of course, the accused will always have the floor to defend themselves.-Dan Druff
Originally Posted by mickeycrimm
This place was great in the '90. Used to go with my then-girlfriend all the time.
They had a good soup/salad bar, unlimited (good) cheese bread, and quality main courses.
Unfortunately, they went downhill in the 2000s, and I quit them. As did most people I knew.
I'm surprised they're still around. The location I used to frequent in the mid-late '90s (Torrance, CA) closed. Keep in mind that joint was jumping and there was always a wait to get in, so they really shit the bed. Probably more corporate-level bedshitting than that location. There's only 4 left in California.
Portion sizes probably.a little.small for Druff.
Good call Druff. This year I ate at the Henderson, NV location.
This place was great in the '90. Used to go with my then-girlfriend all the time.
They had a good soup/salad bar, unlimited (good) cheese bread, and quality main courses.
Unfortunately, they went downhill in the 2000s, and I quit them. As did most people I knew.
I'm surprised they're still around. The location I used to frequent in the mid-late '90s (Torrance, CA) closed. Keep in mind that joint was jumping and there was always a wait to get in, so they really shit the bed. Probably more corporate-level bedshitting than that location. There's only 4 left in California.
As a kid loved heading to eat the buffet.
In hindsight it wasn’t great food and I’m surprised we didn’t get food poisoning
Claim Jumper is now under the Landry's/Golden Nugget Casinos/Tilman Fertitta umbrella. The Laughlin location is decent but overpriced, which is the theme with anything Landry's.
This place was great in the '90. Used to go with my then-girlfriend all the time.
They had a good soup/salad bar, unlimited (good) cheese bread, and quality main courses.
Unfortunately, they went downhill in the 2000s, and I quit them. As did most people I knew.
I'm surprised they're still around. The location I used to frequent in the mid-late '90s (Torrance, CA) closed. Keep in mind that joint was jumping and there was always a wait to get in, so they really shit the bed. Probably more corporate-level bedshitting than that location. There's only 4 left in California.
Chic Kleptz was a neighbor of mine in Naples Florida. He was one of a trio that owned/founded Ponderosa Steakhouse.
As a kid loved heading to eat the buffet.
In hindsight it wasn’t great food and I’m surprised we didn’t get food poisoning
Ponderosa had a “no tipping” policy at one point that would have appealed to Druff.
Ponderosa’s deliberate model was quantity not quality. They got stung by some food contamination issues especially relative to the salad bar iirc.
Chic was a mechanical engineer not a foodie. He was a pilot and was into restoring classic Marmon automobiles.
Chic and his wife Arlene were modest and kind. Chic was never too interested in talking about the restaurant. He didn’t find it too remarkable. He lived in the moment not the past. Tremendous couple and family guy. He gradually became blind which was sad to witness and passed away.
One of his kids got into suppling and packaging store brand cereals. Generic Cheerios and oat cereals. Chic spent more time talking about that business.
The way to Chic’s heart was sharing interest in his classic automobiles.
DRUFF GETTING ROASTED ITT YALLPonderosa had a “no tipping” policy at one point that would have appealed to Druff.
As a kid loved heading to eat the buffet.
In hindsight it wasn’t great food and I’m surprised we didn’t get food poisoning
Chic Kleptz was a neighbor of mine in Naples Florida. He was one of a trio that owned/founded Ponderosa Steakhouse.
As a kid loved heading to eat the buffet.
In hindsight it wasn’t great food and I’m surprised we didn’t get food poisoning
Ponderosa had a “no tipping” policy at one point that would have appealed to Druff.
Ponderosa’s deliberate model was quantity not quality. They got stung by some food contamination issues especially relative to the salad bar iirc.
Chic was a mechanical engineer not a foodie. He was a pilot and was into restoring classic Marmon automobiles.
Chic and his wife Arlene were modest and kind. Chic was never too interested in talking about the restaurant. He didn’t find it too remarkable. He lived in the moment not the past. Tremendous couple and family guy. He gradually became blind which was sad to witness and passed away.
One of his kids got into suppling and packaging store brand cereals. Generic Cheerios and oat cereals. Chic spent more time talking about that business.
The way to Chic’s heart was sharing interest in his classic automobiles.
When I think of Ponderosa I think of high school. Like during the season when you were so active and your metabolism was so good you could hit that fucking salad bar that had everything for 10000 calories and not skip a beat. You get 4 high school dudes, I never understood how they made a profit.
They always had those shitty steaks. Like a chopped steak. No one would eat them, but it was cheaper to buy the steak and get the salad bar as throw in, so you ordered the steak meal for like $5.99 for the salad bar.
I had a boxer pup who loved the chopped steak and I’d bring him back like 3 of them as no one ate them.
The one where I grew up lasted longer than most. Made it until the mid 2000s and iirc, the owner got caught in some fraud of some sort that was close to a billion dollars. That was all she wrote, but I hadn’t been there in close to 20 years at that point anyway.
Different time.
I actually had PFA radio on for a little bit when cabbie guy was on. There was a brief part where he was talking about not liking poker players as a cab driver as they were shitty tippers. There was an awkward second where I thought druff might make a joke, or explain bankroll requirements and why poker players were cheap, but he let it go.DRUFF GETTING ROASTED ITT YALL
Generic chain slop that I had once in Denver, filled with fat fucks in Broncos jerseys and visors.
At the end of the meal they brought me a bag full of food that I hadn't ordered; turns out they were running a Druff promotion where they send you home with a bag of the same meal you just ate.
PokerFraudAlert...will never censor your claims, even if they're against one of our sponsors. In addition to providing you an open forum report fraud within the poker community, we will also analyze your claims with a clear head an unbiased point of view. And, of course, the accused will always have the floor to defend themselves.-Dan Druff
In the 2000s, there was a guy Miri and I got to know who lived in the LA area. Very large guy, a few inches taller than me and overweight, and 100% was on the spectrum. He was very strange and we didn't have much in common with him, but we went for a meal with him every so often just because he was lonely and we wanted to give him some company every so often.
Generic chain slop that I had once in Denver, filled with fat fucks in Broncos jerseys and visors.
At the end of the meal they brought me a bag full of food that I hadn't ordered; turns out they were running a Druff promotion where they send you home with a bag of the same meal you just ate.
Anyway, he kept insisting we go to Maggiano's in Woodland Hills (San Fernando Valley), repeatedly telling us it was the best Italian food he ever had. I hadn't heard of it, but we went, and it didn't come close to meeting those expectations. Was just okay, like you'd expect of a large chain Italian place. I went a few other times with other people (and once again with him), and every time that was roughly my experience. Not great, not bad, just mediocre and forgettable. Probably has been well over 10 years since I last ate there.
The guy died several years ago in his early 50s. Had a heart attack at home, nobody was around to see it, and that was that.
Our football Team used to go to Pondo every week the night before a game. We got our moneys worth.
When I think of Ponderosa I think of high school. Like during the season when you were so active and your metabolism was so good you could hit that fucking salad bar that had everything for 10000 calories and not skip a beat. You get 4 high school dudes, I never understood how they made a profit.
They always had those shitty steaks. Like a chopped steak. No one would eat them, but it was cheaper to buy the steak and get the salad bar as throw in, so you ordered the steak meal for like $5.99 for the salad bar.
I had a boxer pup who loved the chopped steak and I’d bring him back like 3 of them as no one ate them.
The one where I grew up lasted longer than most. Made it until the mid 2000s and iirc, the owner got caught in some fraud of some sort that was close to a billion dollars. That was all she wrote, but I hadn’t been there in close to 20 years at that point anyway.
Different time.
We made our way to the State semifinals my senior year. All credit goes to Ponderosa for our success.
Our local Ponderosa made it to 2012ish before it got the axe. Food had become increasingly terrible over the years. but I felt it was my patriotic duty to go once a year. It was a cesspool of the areas best and brightest. They must have been accepting food stamps at this point. Hubbys threatening wives, 400 pounders yelling across the sneeze guards and food for the employees to refill the crunchy wings, Moms smacking kids like it was 1954, original carpet that was installed in 1978.
I miss that place
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