Ponderosa and Bonanza Steakhouses facts for kids
- Ponderosa Steakhouse
- Bonanza Steakhouse
Quick facts for kids  |
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| Wholly owned subsidiary | |
| Industry | Casual dining, buffet Franchising |
| Founded | 1965 |
| Headquarters | Plano, Texas |
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Number of locations
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15 in U.S.; 36 worldwide (2025) |
| Products | Steak, salad, seafood |
| Parent | FAT Brands |
Ponderosa Steakhouse and Bonanza Steakhouse are popular restaurant chains. They are known for their buffet-style meals, which often include steaks, hamburgers, seafood, and chicken. These restaurants are part of a company called Homestyle Dining LLC, which is based in Plano, Texas.
The names of these restaurants come from the famous old TV series Bonanza. This show was set on a fictional place called the Ponderosa Ranch. Even though they have two different names, Bonanza and Ponderosa restaurants could be found in the same areas. This is because they started as separate companies before joining together later.
Contents
History of Ponderosa and Bonanza
How Bonanza Steakhouse Started
The Bonanza Steakhouse chain began in 1963. It was started by Dan Blocker, who played the character Eric "Hoss" Cartwright on the Bonanza TV show. The very first Bonanza restaurant opened in Westport, Connecticut.
A few years later, in 1966, two brothers named Sam Wyly and Charles Wyly bought the small Bonanza restaurant chain. They helped the company grow a lot. By 1989, there were about 600 Bonanza restaurants. The Wyly brothers then sold the company to a group called Metromedia.
How Ponderosa Steakhouse Started
Ponderosa Steakhouse was founded in 1965. It was started by Dan Lasater, Norm Wiese, and Charles Kleptz in Kokomo, Indiana. In 1971, the company's main office moved to Dayton, Ohio.
Ponderosa also expanded into Canada in the 1970s. However, by 1986, the company decided to focus more on its restaurants in the United States. Many of the Canadian Ponderosa locations were sold and changed into other restaurants.
Joining Forces: Ponderosa and Bonanza Merge
In February 1988, Ponderosa was sold to the Metromedia Restaurant Group. Then, in September 1989, Metromedia also bought Bonanza. This brought the two restaurant chains together under one company.
By 1997, Ponderosa and Bonanza were officially united. They were marketed under the Metromedia Family Steakhouses (MFS) organization. This meant they were managed as one big family of steakhouses.
Changes and New Ownership
Later, the company faced some financial challenges. In 2008, the parent company, Metromedia Steakhouses Company, had to reorganize its business. It came out of this reorganization in 2009 under a new name: "Homestyle Dining LLC."
In 2017, the chain was sold again. It was bought by FAT Brands. This company also owns other well-known restaurant chains like Fatburger. FAT Brands has many locations around the world.
In 1989, there were nearly 700 Ponderosa restaurants. By 2003, this number had dropped to fewer than 400. As of December 2024, there are only 12 Ponderosa locations and 3 Bonanza locations still open in the United States.
See also
- List of buffet restaurants
