Ground Round

[amesman]

Another subsidiary of Howard Johnson's. This chain is just a shell of what i once was. In some cases, a Ground Round often took over an old Howard Johnson's restaurant property.

[Caldor1999]

ive herd of them but i nevre seen one

[76&AmesfanmanBBTB]

Heres Ground Round's old logo I like it :D

I remember The Ground Round!:D:D:D:D

there used to be one in Waterbury,CT inside it was fancy with chandelier type lights over the tables and had dark green walls

I especially remember their great food and eating either ice cream/cereral or something out of those plastic upside down baseball cap shaped bowls lol:insane:

THAT WAS WEIRD BUT INTERESTING!:duh::insane:

[76&AmesfanmanBBTB]

heres Ground Rounds new logo




Not as great as the old one :no: :boring:


seems to fast-foodish lol :insane: maybe not

This IS supposed to be a family restaurant type of place right?:huh:

[76&AmesfanmanBBTB]

Originally posted by 76&AmesfanmanBBTB
Heres Ground Round's old logo I like it :D

I remember The Ground Round!:D:D:D:D

there used to be one in Waterbury,CT inside it was fancy with chandelier type lights over the tables and had dark green walls

I especially remember their great food and eating either ice cream/cereral or something out of those plastic upside down baseball cap shaped bowls lol:insane:

THAT WAS WEIRD BUT INTERESTING!:duh::insane:

Hey if you go to the Ground Round Website

and go to Menu & Bevrages

and go to the kids menu they still have the ice cream served in plastic upside down baseball cap LOL:insane:

BTW its called Super Sundae

I wonder where those plastics baseball have been before being taken out and putting ice cream in it hmmmmmm?:mrpink:

Naw! I think Ground Round is clean the baseball caps are problably just new ones each day since I believe the kids take them home LOL :insane::insane::insane::insane::insane::insane::insane::insane::insane:

Ground Round was always an unsual restaurant to me

[amesman]

The old logo was done by the Ground Round Howard Johnson's division. The new one was done by whoever owns the chain now.

[76&AmesfanmanBBTB]

Originally posted by 76&AmesfanmanBBTB
heres Ground Rounds new logo




Not as great as the old one :no: :boring:


seems to fast-foodish lol :insane: maybe not

This IS supposed to be a family restaurant type of place right?:huh:

LOL the new logo the way the R is set up looks like it spells "Ground Pound":insane::insane::insane::insane::insane::insane:

[BillyGr]

A group of the franchisees took over as the corporate group last year after the original "corporate" went bankrupt (this was when about 1/2 the restaurants closed suddenly - a few have been re-opened by franchisees).  Sounds vaguely familiar - and sort of appropriate - since Howard Johnson's did basically the same thing (franchisees buying out hte company).

And yes - you keep the baseball caps (or always did, anyway) - they used to call them slider sundaes (maybe a reference to the ball cap?).

Originally posted by amesman
The old logo was done by the Ground Round Howard Johnson's division. The new one was done by whoever owns the chain now.

[store215]

The logo they are using now is actually the logo that started to be used under the previous ownership. The new co-op is also using it.

[Jag67]

I remember Ground Round...they had this scary clown mascot guy that used to creep me out when I was little. i remember right when you walked in they used to give the kids baloons blown from a balloon-maker thingy (Not sure what theyre called) shaped like the clown. This GR was demolished in 1994 or 1995, then the lot sat vacant for about 2 years uintil a bank was built on the site.

[Caldor1999]

Originally posted by Jag67
I remember Ground Round...they had this scary clown mascot guy that used to creep me out when I was little. i remember right when you walked in they used to give the kids baloons blown from a balloon-maker thingy (Not sure what theyre called) shaped like the clown. This GR was demolished in 1994 or 1995, then the lot sat vacant for about 2 years uintil a bank was built on the site.

lol i hate clowns not cause there scary because there anyoing:insane::insane::insane::insane:

[store215]

Originally posted by Jag67
I remember Ground Round...they had this scary clown mascot guy that used to creep me out when I was little. i remember right when you walked in they used to give the kids baloons blown from a balloon-maker thingy (Not sure what theyre called) shaped like the clown. This GR was demolished in 1994 or 1995, then the lot sat vacant for about 2 years uintil a bank was built on the site.

Bingo the clown! I think I still have a few of those plastic cups and crayons around somewhere....

After 1997, the clowns, popcorn, and other stuff all went away, and so did many of their locations

[amesman]

About 3 of Albany's Ground Round restaurants(2 of which were old Howard Johnson's) have closed in the last 5 years. The locations that exsist now, are on Western Avenue, and State Street in Schenectady(also a former Hojo's).

[HoJofan206]

Sadly, The Ground Round is following in the footsteps of the Howard Johnson's restaurants that they grew from.  Does anyone know why so many HoJo's became Ground Rounds even back in teh 70's? :hurt:

[amesman]

Well, I think the reason for Ground Round taking over former HoJo locations, is because they wanted to make the chain grow, but without the expense of building new buildings(this was done by Howard B. Johnson, who was the founder's(Howard D. Johnson) son). In the 70's, HBJ wanted to save money by cutting the cost of buildings(that's how the Mansard style restaurants came about), and opening new divisions such as RCG and GR in older Howard Johnson's buildings. All in all, greed, and the lust for saving money is what led to the demise of Howard Johnson's. And, yes, I do believe that The Ground Round is following that same fate :(

[76&AmesfanmanBBTB]

Originally posted by amesman
Well, I think the reason for Ground Round taking over former HoJo locations, is because they wanted to make the chain grow, but without the expense of building new buildings(this was done by Howard B. Johnson, who was the founder's(Howard D. Johnson) son). In the 70's, HBJ wanted to save money by cutting the cost of buildings(that's how the Mansard style restaurants came about), and opening new divisions such as RCG and GR in older Howard Johnson's buildings. All in all, greed, and the lust for saving money is what led to the demise of Howard Johnson's. And, yes, I do believe that The Ground Round is following that same fate :(

Yeah Ground Round's new logo makes the company seem like they're  trying to save money!:mad:

[HoJofan206]

It appears to me that Howard Johnson (the son) did nothing but bleed the assets of the company dry.  :mad:

[amesman]

That's exactly what happned. HDJ told HBJ to "let it grow", but it never happened. Instead, smaller restaurants were built(i.e. Phase 4(Mansards)), and poorer locatons were chosen. In 1980, he sold the company to the Imperial Group, then in 1985, it was split between Marriott(restaurants), and Prime Motor Inns(motels). Now, Cendant owns the motels, and the franchisees of the restaurants have to fend for themselves..

[Anonymous]

Enfield, Manchester and Glastonbury CT have all closed in the past 3 years..

Manchester and Glastonbury are now both 99 Resturants..

[HoJofan206]

What is a "99 Restaurant"? :huh:

[HoJofan206]

Thanks for posting that pic!  Had never heard of one of those restaurants before!

[76&AmesfanmanBBTB]

Originally posted by HoJofan206
Thanks for posting that pic!  Had never heard of one of those restaurants before!

your welcome:yup:

[storehistoryguy]

They closed and knocked down my Ground Round just last summer. It was in Montgomeryville, Pennsylvania. It opened around the late 1970's.

[storehistoryguy]

Augusta, ME.


http://www.drew-group.com/gr/grindex.php3

[storehistoryguy]

Mystic, CT.


http://www.mysticmore.com/sitemap/860_536_4281_01.html

[storehistoryguy]

The Ground Round's newer sign.


http://www.vlra.com/restchamplain.htm

[Zayre88]

Originally posted by storehistoryguy
Augusta, ME.

There is still a small portion of the original Hojo Mansard roof with its porcelain enamel shingles at the Augusta Ground Round.

[Crawford]

Had my 5th birthday party at one in Rumford RI. It is now a Roast House Restaurant, before that it was a Pub Dennis and a Beef & Barrel. The one in Warwick Mall closed and is now a Chelo's. The one in Pawtucket is still in business. I believe these places were owned by Howard Johnson's.

[d_fife]

Originally posted by Crawford
Had my 5th birthday party at one in Rumford RI. It is now a Roast House Restaurant, before that it was a Pub Dennis and a Beef & Barrel. The one in Warwick Mall closed and is now a Chelo's. The one in Pawtucket is still in business. I believe these places were owned by Howard Johnson's.

The one in the mall of new hampshire in manchester new hampshire closed. the one in South portland closed, though it was remodeled. they remodeled restuarants.

[BillyGr]

Yes, they were originally founded as a offshoot of the Howard Johnsons company.

All the corporate owned locations closed down last year when the company went bankrupt.  The franchisees wound up buying the company (kind of like what happened with Hojo's as well) and so far seem to be doing well (even reopening a few of the company locations and planning to continue expanding).