Iconic restaurant chain Ground Round is returning after 20 years. Is it bringing its ‘Pay What You Weigh’ policy back with it?
For longtime fans in Massachusetts, this week brought some good news: The Ground Round is back.
The once-iconic restaurant chain, known for its laid-back and family-friendly vibes, just made its return to Shrewsbury, the same place where it first opened in 1969.
And yes—some of the fan favorites are back, too.
What is the Ground Round, for those who don’t remember?
At its peak, Ground Round had more than 200 locations across the country.
People remember the tables piled with free peanuts (which you could eat or toss on the floor), the sports team meetups, and the ice cream sundaes served in mini plastic baseball caps.
That all came to a halt in 2004, when the company filed for bankruptcy and began closing locations.
Now, two entrepreneurs, Joseph and Nachi Shea, are bringing it back—with updates, but without losing what made it special.
What has changed, and what remains?
The new Ground Round still serves unlimited popcorn for the table. And on Tuesday nights, the "Pay What You Weigh" deal for kids has returned.
“What I remember is going there with my teammates after your games,” Joseph Shea told Boston.com. “It was the place you went with your group of friends.”
And yes, the ice cream baseball caps are still on the menu. “All the kids want them,” he said, “but the amount of adults that are ordering it is really cool to see.”
The restaurant has the same log cabin feel, though this time it’s a little brighter. The peanut-covered floors didn’t make a comeback. But the smell of popcorn and the whole vibe are still very much intact.
On its website, the company described the revival as a “reimagined and reinvented” version of the original, with a nod to modern dining.
“It’s not just a comeback; it’s a revival,” the statement reads. “A testament to the enduring appeal of good food, good company, and the comforting embrace of nostalgia, now served with an elevated twist.”
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