How The Restaurant Chain Ground Round Went From A Casual Dining Giant To A Fading Memory

For people who grew up in the Northeast or the Midwest, The Ground Round evokes a vivid childhood memory — sitting in the backseat of the car, all excited, as their parents took them to one of its locations for a hearty meal. Best of all was the free, bottomless popcorn that you could start munching on as soon as you sat down. But, like the many defunct '90s chain restaurants that should have stuck around longer, the old Ground Round is now just a fading memory.

With over 200 locations during its heyday in the '80s and '90s, it seemed like the chain was pivoting toward success. However, The Ground Round had a rough time keeping up with the congested restaurant scene coming into the turn of the century. In fact, we bet you haven't heard that name in a while, considering the company filed for bankruptcy in 2004.

Despite its unfortunate downfall, we're not just here to share the nostalgia and leave it at that. Here comes the good news: Ground Round is officially back with a whole new set of owners who are booting it up where it left off.

The reboot of The Ground Round was the brainchild of husband and wife duo Nachi and Joseph Shea, both of whom were avid fans of the restaurant themselves. You can find the new Ground Round in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, coming full circle where it all started in the late '60s. However, whether an expansion is in the stars is still uncertain.

While the new owners' goal is to mix old and new — attracting both loyal patrons and first-time visitors — there are some Ground Round favorites that are here to stay. The unlimited popcorn has made an appearance — and yes, it's still completely free. And while it's not one of those chain restaurants where kids eat for free, its pay-as-you-weigh option has also made a comeback — which means the child's weight is equivalent to the value of the meal in cents. This is quite surprising, considering today's economic landscape, but we admire Ground Round's drive to stand out from other local eateries.

Steaks and hamburgers still fill the menu, along with former crowd favorites like the baby back ribs and the cinnamon dippers — which are a few of the options to choose from to avoid ordering the wrong thing at the restaurant. The new Ground Round owners also included pastas on the menu and plan to bring back the blackened chicken Alfredo. While it has yet to make an appearance on the menu as of this writing, it seems that things are looking up, and we're quite hopeful about its resurgence.