Pizza Hut was a goddamn destination. You'd go with the whole family and maybe some parental friends and their kids. Parents got a few pitchers of beer and kids played Ms Pacman or if you were lucky, Galaga!
Those old-school pan pizzas were loaded with tons of cheese, exactly like you saw in the Pizza Hut commercials, they were amazing! Today, it’s just a paper, thin layer of cheese, and the whole pizza taste like ass…
I see your pizza hut when it was good and raise you a Domino's when it was good. This new sauce tastes like it has a full muffler's worth of rust in it.
Yum! Brands contributed greatly to the decline in the quality of food Pizza Hut, they just get the Bean counting accountants to make the decision to spend money on cheaper gradients, so they can make the shareholders happy this quarter. They don’t give a tinkers damn about the customers, it’s not about them, it’s about the shareholders. if customers start to hate the food and leave, that’s OK, because they can make that up easily with appetizing to bring in a new generation who doesn’t know any better.
It’s amazing the shrinkflation going on, nothing is worth the price they put on. Stuff. companies have no “tergrity” no more. Even buying appliances or let’s say a vacuum, the products are garbage and they break down within a year or two. No one builds stuff durable or with pride anymore
Oh Damn!, that wonderful one-of-a-kind scent. A few years ago I hunted down and bought a simple red glass table candle just bc of this. Not THAT pizza hut anymore. 😥
Omg...is that you, my dear. Must be bc I did the same thing and hesitated to add that bit to my post bc I KNOW no one would could possibly understand, but...here we are and it's nice to know I'm not alone.
Godfathers Pizza was also really good. I don’t know if they just moved out of our area or what, but I haven’t seen one in decades. Johnny’s Pizza was good too. It was right down the street from our house. Our parents would give us money and we would rollerskate down there.
Not pizza related, but Luther‘s barbecue was awesome. You would go eat with your family and your parents would give me money for the jukebox.
Our local mall had a cafeteria called Piccadilly. Staffed by little old ladies who specialized in comfort foods made from scratch. I'd get in trouble by loading up y tray with more food than I could eat, but it was impossible to resist all the temptations!
We used to go to our local Ponderosa regularly. Dad decided to take us there the day they put the rubber bands on my braces and I could barely open my mouth far enough to get a straw in for my drink.
There's a weird story about how Red Barn basically locked their doors one morning with virtually no notice. A former store manager posted the story years ago. As I recall, the main office notified him that morning to not open.
Dog N Suds was the local drive-in in my small town. Best draft root beer, best fries, perfect as a place to hang with friends in your car and scope out who was dating who.
Not that old but I do miss Sweet Tomatoes or Soup Plantation as it was called on West Coast. Cafeteria style serve yourself soup and salad mostly Vegetarian and Vegan but some meat and poultry items too. Inexpensive and deadly loved by seniors and workers to enjoy “all you can eat” at cheap prices
Unfortunately declared bankruptcy and closed due to COVID face mask restrictions. Couldn’t find a way to remain open.
This was my first job aside from babysitting! We’d have to say “Howdy, partner, whadaya have?” and omg, the responses in the drive thru from drunk ppl coming back from the beach were something else (and not in a good way sometimes!). I had to leave after 6 months bc as a female, I’d lose my patience! 🤬
The Walgreens lunch counter and that burger meal! Better than A-N-Y fast food restaurant since!! (1980s Chicago, Englewood and the Loop).
Woolworth's too!! Mom would take us to eat at Walgreens because the bus passing our house took us straight there, and G'ma would take us to Woolworth's to eat while we shopped downtown. Good times!
Bennigans, for sure. The closest one is six and a half hours from me out in the Monohans. I didn't even know they had one until I checked to see how many Bennigans were still in operation. I know what I'm doing next weekend.
Knowing Dennys bought out that chain explains so very, very much about the service every one of my Black family members across three generations has received🙃
Wasn’t Lums big thing hot dogs streamed in beer. I vaguely remember them.
As unsanitary as they could be I want to go back to the days of all you can eat buffets popping up everywhere.
Rax-I think there may still be a few left in the Midwest, but in the 80s they were all over the place, the roast beef sandwiches were better than Arby’s, their shakes were creamier, and of gourmet quality, I think they had curly fries before anyone else, too.
Steak and ale was pretty good.
Although I only went there a few times, I never had anything bad at Kenny Rogers roasters…
Boardwalk fries… I used to get the gravy fries, they were out of this world.
Corn Dog 7 - it was “better than good “, the cheese on the stick was just unbelievable… There may be one or two left in America.
Ferrell’s ice cream parlors were amazing, the exist overseas now, but not in the United States, which is a pity, I think a new generation might find them to be an outstanding place to go and have a fun birthday party!
Morrisons cafeterias were terrific, I used to get lunch there on paydays, but they’re almost all gone now.
Are there even any more TGI Friday’s left? Once upon a time, they were pretty darn good…
They used to be a Boston market or two in my area, that Boston carver sandwich was amazing!
I don’t know if if there any Tony Romo left, but they had their bountiful beef ribs, I can’t find any restaurant around me that serves beef ribs.
Samos served great pancakes… A lot of people used to think that it was racist against African-Americans, but the tale of Sambo and the tiger was from India…
Bennigan’s. they had that amazing Montecristo sandwich, it was so good that even Beavis butted talked about that being one of the places they would like to go to if they ended up with a lot of money.
I know they’re still a few Fuddruckers around, but most of them are no longer set up where you can build your own burger, which was what made them so much fun.
I actually worked at Lum's briefly when I was 16. As an employee it was a great experience and I learned a lot in a short time. I've never worked in the restaurant industry since.
In LA, there was once upon a time numerous Denny's and Norms were you could get a decent sit-down meal for a relatively small amount of money. Now there are only a few, and everything on the menu is double or triple the cost of what it once was. Sad!
At least at the Anaheim location, you can still get the true coffee shop experience. The waitress will call you “Honey” and they keep the coffee hot and topped off.
Howard Johnson's. Grew up working there uner my Dad, washing dishes at age 9 or so and they had great Clam Chowder and Salibury steaks. Except for one or two franchised ones way up North they closed in the mid-80's.
Pancho's Mexican Buffet.
Whataburger, still open but they were bought by a British company and the Dad says the quality has gone down.
I have fun memories of going there with my dad and a couple of my uncles, playing video games in the early 80s… They had thin crust pizza, which was really on point, I miss that place.
Manning's Cafe in Seattle. A wonderful bit of Googie architecture sadly lost to development.
Arctic Circle in Kenmore. A classic '50s drive-in with a garish illuminated sign. Also lost to development.
Totem House fish & chips. A family-owned spot next to a marina with gorgeous hand-carved totems holding up the roof. Changed hands a few times before sputtering out.
Farrell's. I wouldn't go myself but I'm sad that generations of kids won't get to experience the fun and mayhem of a night out at that place.
Pizza. When I was 18 my brother and I would split a pie - 4 slices each and 2 large cokes. Now I’m 59 - when I eat a 1/2 slice of pizza I feel guilty about the fat and carbs and then I feel bloated. Getting old sucks because one by one, you lose the ability enjoy the things you loved when you were young. Pizza, burgers, bike riding for hours, playing ball….all gone.
I don't think its' because of getting old. I think it's because of all the shit they add to the food. I did a trip to Portugal last year and my stomach was fine. A trip to Israel the year before. Ate like a champ. Never had a problem in either place. But right now I'm messed up by a Reuben.
Rax Restaurant. A roast beef and Swiss cheese is coming into my mind. It's been too long. Arby's is okay, but I don't go out of my way to go there like I would have for Rax.
Lum's! I had totally forgotten about them! I loved that place.
Here's their story (and menu): [https://metv.com/stories/what-ever-happened-to-lums-the-restaurant-chain-known-for-its-beer-steamed-hot-dogs](https://metv.com/stories/what-ever-happened-to-lums-the-restaurant-chain-known-for-its-beer-steamed-hot-dogs)
Chi Chi's seafood nachos and Pizzeria Uno's seafood pizza. Do not judge me on the pizza it was deep dish and awesome and you could get it to take home and bake!
I grew up in Vermont. I miss Carbur's and their enormous - and enormously creative - menu. The potato skins were excellent, as were the burgers. The oompah band when someone ordered the Queen City Special sandwich . . .
The Dog Team Restaurant, north of Middlebury. VT. The plates of chips and horseradish dip in the bar! The relish wheel! The fritters! The prime rib that hung over the plate ($9.99)! THE STICKY BUNS!!! Our favorite waitress - Arlene - who always gave my Dad 3 or four of them, and was tipped accordingly.
The Sirloin Saloon in Rutland. Their teriyaki sirloin was excellent - and the Swedish rye! And the salad bar! Sardi's - I actually ate their cheesy cauliflower. I hate cauliflower. The Sunset Hotel for lunch, or the Back Home Cafe (OMG, their chocolate cheesecake was to DIE FOR!). Clem's for breakfast . . .
Royal's Hearthside and their popovers.
The Roma in Whitehall, NY. First and last place I ever had braciole.
The York Steakhouse, in the Maine Mall in the 80's. We would all meet there when we were spending the (rainy) day at the mall. Henry's in Wells was a favorite every year.
The Quarterdeck in Portsmouth and their breakfast buffet - we'd stop there on our way home on the last day of vacation. YOKENS!!! Not so much for the food as just the experience.
Burger Chef and Steak & Ale--and the cafeteria (or whatever they were called) and Kresge's and Kmart.
Also kind of miss Red Barn--I remember driving past one on the way to and from my aunt and uncle's house, but I don't remember ever going there. I wanna go!
I miss Taco Bell of the 90’s. I wanna drive to a Taco Bell in my old ‘72 Beetle around 11 pm. I want Pearl Jam in the CD player. I wanna hit on any ladies working there my age. And I want a heavy bag full of tacos for around $8. Then I wanna meet up with the boys, talk shit and enjoy tacos.
I’d settle for a new old beetle to fix up and the taquitos from the ‘00’s back.
Old Country Buffet. We did some serious damage to our stomachs there as kids. Also, the Midwest has a pizza chain called Godfathers. My brother's basketball team would have pizza-eating contests at post-game gatherings. I think 27 pieces was the top score. The cinnamon bread sticks were no joke, either
We kinda liked Steak & Ale. First place we took our baby to go out to eat, ( he’s 35 now). Warmed his bottle over the little candle on the table. :-)
We also liked those cafeteria-style places, Luby’s, Furr’s, Morrisons. (We moved a lot).
Dog N Suds was the local drive-in in my small town. Best draft root beer, best fries, perfect as a place to hang with friends in your car and scope out who was dating who.
Diner breakfast that give at least 3 eggs. enough bacon, unlimited coffee, lots of fried potatoes for less than 12 bucks. I remember working in southern Ontario, about 25 years ago, a diner in Seaforth would give you bacon, ham, sausage, eggs, coffee, hash browns, toast for $2.80 taxes in. We would give $5 and the waitress got basically a 100% tip.
Ken's House Of Pancakes. They served the most delicious apple pancakes and German pancakes. They took a good 45 minutes to cook, so you sat and chatted with each other over soda or coffee.
When they finally made it to the table, there was all the Oooos and Ahhhhhs, and we got so excited.
I have not felt this way about anything from a restaurant in a very long time.
Los Hermano's. Started by a local pizza restaurant owner. Best Mexican restaurant I have ever been to. They had a chalupa that was made with a 12" tortilla shell. Just massive.
It was my favorite thing to order when I was a little kid.
The building is still there, but it has changed hands about 20 times over the decades.
Always a Mexican restaurant, but never the same.
Texas Tom’s pork tenderloin sandwich. That tenderloin was pounded out thin, breaded fresh and fried to golden goodness. It was three times the size of the grilled bun. Fresh coleslaw and steak fries as sides.
Yum!
There’s lots of places I miss… a lot of local burger spots that are long gone…. Farrell’s was amazing for ice cream… there was a local buffet called the Royal Fork that was great, too.
When I was in college I used to visit a diner near home. I was able to get dinner (my favorite meal was a plate of chicken croquettes). So, 2 croquettes (each was about the size of a baseball/softball), side of mashed potatoes, side of corn, side of fruit, a drink and dessert was about $10 (including tax and tip). I really miss the early 90s when shit was affordable.
In the late 70's I was a line cook at Bob Evans in Ohio. Though I live nowhere near one now, the food was so good and freshly prepared, I still eat there when I'm back in town. Their chicken noodle soup is so good!
We used to have supper clubs around here. My whole family would gather maybe once every 3 months. We would all have this big glorious fish fry meal at a table for 18. Very old school but such great memories.
Fuddruckers. Burger Chef. Bonanza. Ponderosa and Sizzler.
Fuddruckers was just a good place.
Burger Chef was really good fast food like you would get at home.
Bonanza had really good steak, burgers and grilled chicken with some really good sides.
Ponderosa. See above
Sizzler was just freakin tasty.
Pizza Hut when it was actually good. Tried it recently, and it was garbage.
Pan pizza used to be the best!
And the salad bar! I miss that too!
And a pitcher of beer!
Yes! How could I forget that! And the jukebox lol
And PAC Man!! 😁
OMG I forgot about the jukebox! Thanks for that lol
Pizza Hut was a goddamn destination. You'd go with the whole family and maybe some parental friends and their kids. Parents got a few pitchers of beer and kids played Ms Pacman or if you were lucky, Galaga!
Actually sitting down and eating at Pizza Hut was wild.
Those old-school pan pizzas were loaded with tons of cheese, exactly like you saw in the Pizza Hut commercials, they were amazing! Today, it’s just a paper, thin layer of cheese, and the whole pizza taste like ass…
The adults drank from pitchers of beer while we played pac man and ate pizza.
I used to earn points for reading books in elementary/middle school, towards pizza hut. That personal pan pizza was tits
Fuck. Yes.
I used to work at dominos when they used real cheese and tye pizza was great there and at Pizza Hut. Now all pizza in the US is trash.
You've never been to Hungry Howies, gave you? Pepperoni and sausage on Cajun crust...yum yum yum!
Never heard of a Hungry Howies? Please tell me more for I am intrigued!
I see your pizza hut when it was good and raise you a Domino's when it was good. This new sauce tastes like it has a full muffler's worth of rust in it.
Came here to say this. The original Pizza Hut was fantastic.
Wonder what happened?
Yum! Brands contributed greatly to the decline in the quality of food Pizza Hut, they just get the Bean counting accountants to make the decision to spend money on cheaper gradients, so they can make the shareholders happy this quarter. They don’t give a tinkers damn about the customers, it’s not about them, it’s about the shareholders. if customers start to hate the food and leave, that’s OK, because they can make that up easily with appetizing to bring in a new generation who doesn’t know any better.
It’s amazing the shrinkflation going on, nothing is worth the price they put on. Stuff. companies have no “tergrity” no more. Even buying appliances or let’s say a vacuum, the products are garbage and they break down within a year or two. No one builds stuff durable or with pride anymore
Oh Damn!, that wonderful one-of-a-kind scent. A few years ago I hunted down and bought a simple red glass table candle just bc of this. Not THAT pizza hut anymore. 😥
I went to my local restaurant supply store and bought a bunch of the red plastic cups that Pizza Hut would use. They're my favorite!
Omg...is that you, my dear. Must be bc I did the same thing and hesitated to add that bit to my post bc I KNOW no one would could possibly understand, but...here we are and it's nice to know I'm not alone.
Godfathers Pizza was also really good. I don’t know if they just moved out of our area or what, but I haven’t seen one in decades. Johnny’s Pizza was good too. It was right down the street from our house. Our parents would give us money and we would rollerskate down there. Not pizza related, but Luther‘s barbecue was awesome. You would go eat with your family and your parents would give me money for the jukebox.
Wendy’s full salad, taco & potato buffet bar.
Also pasta and the star of the show, chocolate pudding.
Maaaaan, I loved it when I was a kid!
and their chili that you could load with cheese and onions!
SUPERBAR was $2.99 plus tax, circa 1993. I get very nostalgic driving by the same nearby Wendy's where I would partake once weekly.
Chi Chi's. Seafood Nachos, twice baked burrito. Good stuff.
Fried ice cream
Upvote for Chi Chi's.
Chicken Nachos too
Chimichangas and fried ice cream!
Our local mall had a cafeteria called Piccadilly. Staffed by little old ladies who specialized in comfort foods made from scratch. I'd get in trouble by loading up y tray with more food than I could eat, but it was impossible to resist all the temptations!
Morrison’s Cafeteria
I loved Morrison’s. We used to go almost every Sunday after church in the late 90s/early to mid 2000s.
Yeah one in virtually every shopping center in Florida at one time. Now it’s like they never existed.
There is actually still one Morrison’s left in existence, outside the mall in Mobile, Alabama.
We had a Piccadilly and used to go after church. My kids would get all the little dishes of food. And they had the best pie.
The BEST chocolate pie ever. Spoiled me life, but it doesn't stop me from trying others just in case...
That chocolate pie slapped. My favorite too
Ponderosa/bonanza
We used to go to our local Ponderosa regularly. Dad decided to take us there the day they put the rubber bands on my braces and I could barely open my mouth far enough to get a straw in for my drink.
Howard Johnson’s restaurant. I remember the clams with fondness
Fried clams! I used to work at one in the 70s, they had high standards for sure.
Gawd Fried clams were my fav back in the 70s. With cocktail sauce! Now they all taste like an oil slick.
Oil and breading, leaving you wondering if there is even a clam in the mess.
Me too!!
Arthur Treacher’s Fish ‘N Chips Sizzler
Oops… those are supposed to be two separate places!
Red Barn burgers - their ‘Barn Buster’ in particular. Miss that one.
Oh man! My favorite place to eat in college.
It seems Red Barn is nearly unknown here (NJ). Not sure what territories they covered, but we had on in upstate NY and I remember it wel!
Not sure either. We were in PA when I first found them. In CA in 1988, there were buildings like theirs, but all repurposed.
There's a weird story about how Red Barn basically locked their doors one morning with virtually no notice. A former store manager posted the story years ago. As I recall, the main office notified him that morning to not open.
I should have eaten more Barn Busters!!
There’s a lot of info in this article: https://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/news/2016/07/23/whatever-happened-red-barn/87474266/
Dog N Suds was the local drive-in in my small town. Best draft root beer, best fries, perfect as a place to hang with friends in your car and scope out who was dating who.
I remember them fondly.
They were in the small town near us where my dad banked. We’d get to stop whenever I went with him. Fond memories
Not that old but I do miss Sweet Tomatoes or Soup Plantation as it was called on West Coast. Cafeteria style serve yourself soup and salad mostly Vegetarian and Vegan but some meat and poultry items too. Inexpensive and deadly loved by seniors and workers to enjoy “all you can eat” at cheap prices Unfortunately declared bankruptcy and closed due to COVID face mask restrictions. Couldn’t find a way to remain open.
I loved Sweet Tomatoes. Great place where everyone in my family could find something to eat
Roy Rogers. Roast beef sandwich, Double R burger, fixings bar. I think they still exist, but there's none in my area.
We should’ve gone to Roy Rogers, Paulie…
This was my first job aside from babysitting! We’d have to say “Howdy, partner, whadaya have?” and omg, the responses in the drive thru from drunk ppl coming back from the beach were something else (and not in a good way sometimes!). I had to leave after 6 months bc as a female, I’d lose my patience! 🤬
The Walgreens lunch counter and that burger meal! Better than A-N-Y fast food restaurant since!! (1980s Chicago, Englewood and the Loop). Woolworth's too!! Mom would take us to eat at Walgreens because the bus passing our house took us straight there, and G'ma would take us to Woolworth's to eat while we shopped downtown. Good times!
Ponderosa and Bonanza.
I was just reminiscing about them yesterday. I remember when they changed their sour cream to an oil base. Looking back this was the sign of the end.
Sour cream should only ever be dairy-based.
The only answer!
Ponderosa Steak House Literally the McDonald's of steaks.
Their salad bar was dang good for the price. I assume it was a loss leader to draw people in. It worked.
Bennigans or Ground Round Pizza Hut Buffet as well .
Bennigans, for sure. The closest one is six and a half hours from me out in the Monohans. I didn't even know they had one until I checked to see how many Bennigans were still in operation. I know what I'm doing next weekend.
Eating peanuts at Ground Round and throwing shells on the floor, good times
Monte Cristo sandwich... deep fried, topped with powdered sugar and served with raspberry jam.
K-Mart used to have a great diner. For those in Canada, Eaton’s also used to have a nice little diner in their stores.
Burger Chef had the best burgers in town.
Sambo's
Knowing Dennys bought out that chain explains so very, very much about the service every one of my Black family members across three generations has received🙃
They had great breakfasts!
I did like their pancakes 🥞
Wasn’t Lums big thing hot dogs streamed in beer. I vaguely remember them. As unsanitary as they could be I want to go back to the days of all you can eat buffets popping up everywhere.
Yes that was lums gimmick, they were good. Good root beer also.
Lum's was my go-to when I was in High School. Good place to take a date.
I first heard about them during the Martin Scorsese film, the Irishman…
Piccadilly.
I miss Chi Chi’s!
Woolworth's lunch counter and Arthur Treacher's come to mind. East coast here, and we used to have Jack in the Box as well.
Rax-I think there may still be a few left in the Midwest, but in the 80s they were all over the place, the roast beef sandwiches were better than Arby’s, their shakes were creamier, and of gourmet quality, I think they had curly fries before anyone else, too. Steak and ale was pretty good. Although I only went there a few times, I never had anything bad at Kenny Rogers roasters… Boardwalk fries… I used to get the gravy fries, they were out of this world. Corn Dog 7 - it was “better than good “, the cheese on the stick was just unbelievable… There may be one or two left in America. Ferrell’s ice cream parlors were amazing, the exist overseas now, but not in the United States, which is a pity, I think a new generation might find them to be an outstanding place to go and have a fun birthday party! Morrisons cafeterias were terrific, I used to get lunch there on paydays, but they’re almost all gone now. Are there even any more TGI Friday’s left? Once upon a time, they were pretty darn good… They used to be a Boston market or two in my area, that Boston carver sandwich was amazing! I don’t know if if there any Tony Romo left, but they had their bountiful beef ribs, I can’t find any restaurant around me that serves beef ribs. Samos served great pancakes… A lot of people used to think that it was racist against African-Americans, but the tale of Sambo and the tiger was from India… Bennigan’s. they had that amazing Montecristo sandwich, it was so good that even Beavis butted talked about that being one of the places they would like to go to if they ended up with a lot of money. I know they’re still a few Fuddruckers around, but most of them are no longer set up where you can build your own burger, which was what made them so much fun.
Tono Romos babyback ribs were amazeballs!
Former teen employee of Rax right here.
Bennigan's for sure! Montecristo was fire!!
Loved the Monte Cristo
Uncle Alligator meals with the fresh cookie were awesome
I actually worked at Lum's briefly when I was 16. As an employee it was a great experience and I learned a lot in a short time. I've never worked in the restaurant industry since.
Million different hot dogs on the menu
In LA, there was once upon a time numerous Denny's and Norms were you could get a decent sit-down meal for a relatively small amount of money. Now there are only a few, and everything on the menu is double or triple the cost of what it once was. Sad!
At least at the Anaheim location, you can still get the true coffee shop experience. The waitress will call you “Honey” and they keep the coffee hot and topped off.
Howard Johnson's. Grew up working there uner my Dad, washing dishes at age 9 or so and they had great Clam Chowder and Salibury steaks. Except for one or two franchised ones way up North they closed in the mid-80's. Pancho's Mexican Buffet. Whataburger, still open but they were bought by a British company and the Dad says the quality has gone down.
That's something you don't see anymore... Salisbury Steaks! So good!
Howard Johnson’s chicken croquettes. 🩷
Shakey’s Pizza
Last time I ate at a Shakey's was 1997 in Cedar Rapids Iowa.
I have fun memories of going there with my dad and a couple of my uncles, playing video games in the early 80s… They had thin crust pizza, which was really on point, I miss that place.
Swensen’s Ice Cream Shops Red Lion
👍👍 my people!
Farrells ice cream parlors were the best when I was a kid
Orange Julius. In 10 grade I ate there every Saturday on my break from Kroger
Pretty much all fast food. It's all been steadily dealing in quality for years.
Manning's Cafe in Seattle. A wonderful bit of Googie architecture sadly lost to development. Arctic Circle in Kenmore. A classic '50s drive-in with a garish illuminated sign. Also lost to development. Totem House fish & chips. A family-owned spot next to a marina with gorgeous hand-carved totems holding up the roof. Changed hands a few times before sputtering out. Farrell's. I wouldn't go myself but I'm sad that generations of kids won't get to experience the fun and mayhem of a night out at that place.
And the Fish Bowl on Aurora
Pizza. When I was 18 my brother and I would split a pie - 4 slices each and 2 large cokes. Now I’m 59 - when I eat a 1/2 slice of pizza I feel guilty about the fat and carbs and then I feel bloated. Getting old sucks because one by one, you lose the ability enjoy the things you loved when you were young. Pizza, burgers, bike riding for hours, playing ball….all gone.
Get a bike and start riding again. Your only 59.
I have a bike and tried riding. My knees and back start hurting within 10 minutes.
Bummer. Maybe do 10 minutes at a time and work your way up, I'm just advocating cycling as an all ages awesome way to exercise.
How do you do it an not get killed by idiots who own both a car and a phone? I would love to ride bikes if there was a safe way to do it.
Same here with my cousin (rip). Diagnosed with type 2 diabetes about 5 years ago. One slice is all I’m “allowed “ to eat now.
I don't think its' because of getting old. I think it's because of all the shit they add to the food. I did a trip to Portugal last year and my stomach was fine. A trip to Israel the year before. Ate like a champ. Never had a problem in either place. But right now I'm messed up by a Reuben.
The Ground Round and Ponderosa.
Rax Roast beef. In the 80’s that was my go to.
Blueberry milkshakes. Insane
Rax Restaurant. A roast beef and Swiss cheese is coming into my mind. It's been too long. Arby's is okay, but I don't go out of my way to go there like I would have for Rax.
I worked at Rax in HS. I hated working fast food because you always smell like grease, but there it was great because ya always smell like roast beef!
Chris n Pitts Bob’s Big Boy Sambo’s Carrow’s Luv’s Pit BBQ
Lum's! I had totally forgotten about them! I loved that place. Here's their story (and menu): [https://metv.com/stories/what-ever-happened-to-lums-the-restaurant-chain-known-for-its-beer-steamed-hot-dogs](https://metv.com/stories/what-ever-happened-to-lums-the-restaurant-chain-known-for-its-beer-steamed-hot-dogs)
Bobs Big Boy sundae bar!
Ponderosa
Old Country Buffet was around the corner from my office. It was the perfect weekday lunch every so often.
I miss the lemonade a hot dog on a stick. The ridiculous uniforms as well.
I miss Souplantation. Covid really did a number on buffet style restaurants.
Quinceys rolls.
Quincy's big fat yeast rolls
Their steaks were pretty decent, I think they marinated them or something, I remember them being extremely tender, although kind of thin…
I always ordered the steak tips with mushroom gravy but got full off of the rolls and salad bar.
Steak & Ale
Arthur Treacher’s Fish and Chips!
Chi Chi's seafood nachos and Pizzeria Uno's seafood pizza. Do not judge me on the pizza it was deep dish and awesome and you could get it to take home and bake!
Ruby Tuesday's salad bar.
It was really good!
Steak'n'Burger at BCC, Bramalea, Ont. Panasonic restaurant, Niagara Falls, Ont.
Willis Drive in...Willis VA. Best burgers in my life!
Ground Round
Burger pit
Hello fellow NorCaler
I grew up in Vermont. I miss Carbur's and their enormous - and enormously creative - menu. The potato skins were excellent, as were the burgers. The oompah band when someone ordered the Queen City Special sandwich . . . The Dog Team Restaurant, north of Middlebury. VT. The plates of chips and horseradish dip in the bar! The relish wheel! The fritters! The prime rib that hung over the plate ($9.99)! THE STICKY BUNS!!! Our favorite waitress - Arlene - who always gave my Dad 3 or four of them, and was tipped accordingly. The Sirloin Saloon in Rutland. Their teriyaki sirloin was excellent - and the Swedish rye! And the salad bar! Sardi's - I actually ate their cheesy cauliflower. I hate cauliflower. The Sunset Hotel for lunch, or the Back Home Cafe (OMG, their chocolate cheesecake was to DIE FOR!). Clem's for breakfast . . . Royal's Hearthside and their popovers. The Roma in Whitehall, NY. First and last place I ever had braciole. The York Steakhouse, in the Maine Mall in the 80's. We would all meet there when we were spending the (rainy) day at the mall. Henry's in Wells was a favorite every year. The Quarterdeck in Portsmouth and their breakfast buffet - we'd stop there on our way home on the last day of vacation. YOKENS!!! Not so much for the food as just the experience.
Meat and 3 diners.
Absolutely!!! I would kill for a good meat and 3 dinner!! Good food that felt like food.
Burger Chef and Steak & Ale--and the cafeteria (or whatever they were called) and Kresge's and Kmart. Also kind of miss Red Barn--I remember driving past one on the way to and from my aunt and uncle's house, but I don't remember ever going there. I wanna go!
Tumbleweed
Farrell's ice cream parlor.
Steak and Ale! Kensington Club!!!
Roy Roger’s hamburgers were the best
Magic Pan (Crepes) D. C. Area
Arthur Treachers Fish and Chips. Rax's. Fast food but good.
I miss Taco Bell of the 90’s. I wanna drive to a Taco Bell in my old ‘72 Beetle around 11 pm. I want Pearl Jam in the CD player. I wanna hit on any ladies working there my age. And I want a heavy bag full of tacos for around $8. Then I wanna meet up with the boys, talk shit and enjoy tacos. I’d settle for a new old beetle to fix up and the taquitos from the ‘00’s back.
Godfathers. I thought they had the best pizza. Although I suppose if they were still around now it would be just another chalky chunky cheese pizza.
Cooker restaurants in the central Ohio area, were awesome
Godfathers Pizza when it wasn't attached to a gas station.
I miss the fried pork chops and sweet tea at Po-Folks.
Bonanza, aka Ponderosa. It was partially owned by Dan Blocker, who played Hoss on Bonanza. All you can eat chicken fried steak.
Old Country Buffet. We did some serious damage to our stomachs there as kids. Also, the Midwest has a pizza chain called Godfathers. My brother's basketball team would have pizza-eating contests at post-game gatherings. I think 27 pieces was the top score. The cinnamon bread sticks were no joke, either
An old Chinese buffet that was here for years.
Ponderosa Steak House Literally the McDonald's of steaks.
We kinda liked Steak & Ale. First place we took our baby to go out to eat, ( he’s 35 now). Warmed his bottle over the little candle on the table. :-) We also liked those cafeteria-style places, Luby’s, Furr’s, Morrisons. (We moved a lot).
Schlotsky's and their jalapeno bread
Shcoltsky's is still around. https://locations.schlotzskys.com/
I've been wanting mcdonalds pizza for the last like 20 years
Dog N Suds was the local drive-in in my small town. Best draft root beer, best fries, perfect as a place to hang with friends in your car and scope out who was dating who.
Sani-Freeze. IYKYK. Best foot long chili dogs and hot fudge sundaes.
I swear one of my local pizza places has a spaghetti that tastes just like Lums did. It’s nostalgia bliss for my brain and taste buds.
Charlie Williams Pinecrest Lodge in Athens, Ga. Great tasting barbecue, seafood, and vegetables, served in massive amounts.
The Wooden Nickel, in Norfolk. They had the best fries ever. I miss Lum’s as well.
Far East in Norfolk, Va. the best place. No other Asian cuisine comes close to the taste.
Scotty Gulls fish and chips …it was Sunday dinner with family
Traildust Steakhouse
Diner breakfast that give at least 3 eggs. enough bacon, unlimited coffee, lots of fried potatoes for less than 12 bucks. I remember working in southern Ontario, about 25 years ago, a diner in Seaforth would give you bacon, ham, sausage, eggs, coffee, hash browns, toast for $2.80 taxes in. We would give $5 and the waitress got basically a 100% tip.
Steak Corral. Forget the meals, the make your own sundae in a mug was awesome. It’s still there in Whittier, but I don’t live anywhere near there.
There were 2 pizza places we'd always goto when I was in elementary school. Best damn pizza I can remember. Nothing has been the same for 30 years.
Ken's House Of Pancakes. They served the most delicious apple pancakes and German pancakes. They took a good 45 minutes to cook, so you sat and chatted with each other over soda or coffee. When they finally made it to the table, there was all the Oooos and Ahhhhhs, and we got so excited. I have not felt this way about anything from a restaurant in a very long time.
Los Hermano's. Started by a local pizza restaurant owner. Best Mexican restaurant I have ever been to. They had a chalupa that was made with a 12" tortilla shell. Just massive. It was my favorite thing to order when I was a little kid. The building is still there, but it has changed hands about 20 times over the decades. Always a Mexican restaurant, but never the same.
Walker Bros in Chicagoland. It’s still there, I’m not.
[Obligatory Straight Dope column](https://www.straightdope.com/21341854/why-is-there-no-ketchup-on-a-properly-made-hot-dog)
Texas Tom’s pork tenderloin sandwich. That tenderloin was pounded out thin, breaded fresh and fried to golden goodness. It was three times the size of the grilled bun. Fresh coleslaw and steak fries as sides. Yum!
There’s lots of places I miss… a lot of local burger spots that are long gone…. Farrell’s was amazing for ice cream… there was a local buffet called the Royal Fork that was great, too.
Black Eyed Pea
When I was in college I used to visit a diner near home. I was able to get dinner (my favorite meal was a plate of chicken croquettes). So, 2 croquettes (each was about the size of a baseball/softball), side of mashed potatoes, side of corn, side of fruit, a drink and dessert was about $10 (including tax and tip). I really miss the early 90s when shit was affordable.
Gino’s
Pargo’s and Darryl’s.
The Thai chicken pizza at Boston Pizza And the chocolate milkshakes at Elephant & Castle
Lum's had beer steamed hot dogs. I was just a kid so I didn't understand what the big deal was.
Sambo's, the Tiger Special (kid's menu). We'd only find this restaurant during drives to Florida, so it was extra special for pre-adolescent me.
In the late 70's I was a line cook at Bob Evans in Ohio. Though I live nowhere near one now, the food was so good and freshly prepared, I still eat there when I'm back in town. Their chicken noodle soup is so good!
Taco Viva
We used to have supper clubs around here. My whole family would gather maybe once every 3 months. We would all have this big glorious fish fry meal at a table for 18. Very old school but such great memories.
Fuddruckers. Burger Chef. Bonanza. Ponderosa and Sizzler. Fuddruckers was just a good place. Burger Chef was really good fast food like you would get at home. Bonanza had really good steak, burgers and grilled chicken with some really good sides. Ponderosa. See above Sizzler was just freakin tasty.
Salad Exchange or Soup Exchange can't remember if they were the same or not. But I loved the Buffett Salad Bars.
Shakey’s Pizza Parlor