These sister steak joints became popular because of the hit TV show Bonanza. They were known as homestyle dining restaurants, and were initially based in Plano, Texas.
Their menus mainly consisted of food selections like seafood, chicken entrees and steaks with side buffets, for a reasonable price.
Kenny Rogers Roasters
Kenny Rogers Roasters opened their very first restaurant in 1991, in Coral Springs, Florida. Yes, as you may have thought, it is indeed owned by the country music star, Kenny Rogers.
They had over 350 locations at its peak, and a big part of its initial popularity came from the Seinfeld episode where Kramer develops an obsession with chicken.
Kenny Rogers Roasters
By 2011, all the chains closed in the United States and Canada, but KRR is still doing well in many parts of Asia.
There is still a total of 156 locations open worldwide, but the country music star is no longer involved.
Ponderosa and Bonanza Steakhouses
During their prime, there were over 600 different locations of Ponderosa and Bonanza Steakhouses, nationwide. However, because the businesses weren’t doing so well and after a while the owner decided to sell.
Now, the two chains are owned by the same company but have downsized to only 20 locations.
Bob’s Big Boy
With its memorable statues, Bob’s Big Boy was known as one of America’s iconic symbols of the 20th century. It was founded by Bob Wian in Southern California in 1936, and was originally called Bob’s Pantry.
When it was still popular, Bob’s Big Boy boasted more than 200 different locations across America.