Ground Round

Common card · No. 386225

The Ground Round is an American casual dining restaurant chain that was founded in 1969 in Massachusetts by Howard Johnson's. Originally intended as a secondary concept to upgrade poorly performing units of Howard Johnson's, it also operated on a standalone basis and became a major growth focus for Howard Johnson after the 1973 oil crisis hurt its other concepts. By 1985, when Ground Round was separated from Howard Johnson, it had 215 restaurants. In the late 1980s and 1990s, Ground Round suffered from an outdated image compared to other casual dining competitors such as Chili's and Applebee's, an overly large menu, and debt from multiple sales that diminished the chain's ability to invest in restaurant remodels and other initiatives. Boston Ventures Management acquired Ground Round in 1997 but struggled from delayed sales of corporate locations and a refranchising effort that left the company-owned stores underperforming franchised units. After filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection...

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