Bonanza Steakhouses - The Rise and Fall

[@cyrusgraham292]

I was a Dishwasher, and Line Cook at the West Haven, Sawmill Road location 1985, thru 1987.

[@johnwatson3948]

Thanks for the info. As a teenager in 1976 I worked at the Westport Bonanza but did not know it was the first one. Another phase not mentioned is that in the later 1970’s the Wyly brothers sold or split the Bonanza chain into two parts, the local ones here being renamed “Family Affair” - these did not last long, the Westport location being replaced by a Japanese restaurant in 1982.

[@davidv7275]

I grew up in New Canaan CT at the same time, I never even knew one was in Westport. I ate at others a few years later and enjoyed them, good inexpensive steak dinner. Liked the salad bars.

[@lenardfarr6048]

Thank you!

[@cedarledgepublishing]

THanks for posting! Use to love to go to this steakhouse as a kid in the 1970s. Sometimes we even ate int he special overflow back room!

[@jwa725]

I ate at Bonanza lots of times in the 70's with my family. In the 80's, I moved to San Antonio and ate at many places that did good steak cheap even better. It's just a shame that regular people can't afford to eat steak anymore.

[@cathrinevenegas8892]

I miss this place my manager said that this was his first job and I loved their burgers. I have never been able to find that taste ever since

[@cyrusgraham292]

1989: I was stationed in Bad Kreuznach, Germany

[@cyrusgraham292]

Thanks!

[@HeronPoint2021]

that's hilarious: BOTH "forgot" to register their name and trademark???! And none of their lawyers caught the error?? With todays' "branding" that is a look in the sixties mirror. So they pretty much had EACH OTHER by the fandangoes.