really specific question- Florida 1997

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Hello

This is a long shot- but I went to Florida in 1997 and stayed on International Drive- we ate at a buffet restaurant - I loved it but all I can remember is it had a black and white checkered floor - I would love to look up old pics of it/ reminisce - anyone know it?

There are 200 restaurants (and have been for a long time) on I drive so could you be a bit more specific? What type of food?

ponderosa?

It was American- my first hols abroad and I was amazed you could have steak for breakfast and refillable drinks in those big red cups.

I think it might have been on a corner- i know this is a needle in a haystack!

I remember this too! Macaroni cheese at all hours of the day! Blew my mind. Sorry I don’t know the name, ponderosa is the only name I remember

I was going to say Ponderosa too .

Ooh, I loved the Ponderosa breakfasts on the one occasion I went to Florida! So many firsts - Fruit Loops, pancakes and maple syrup, weird American bacon and sausages........

My family used to eat at an all you can eat buffet place called homers? If that rings any bells, we used to love it there!!

Sizzler?

We went to one a lot in the mid 90’s called the Western Sizzler. It blew my parents minds, they still talk about it!

That sounds like Ponderosa! We went in 97 as well. I remember being amazed that there was chocolate muffins being served at breakfast time. We ate breakfast there every day of our holiday.

Wendy’s?

I think they’d put a timer on your table and if they didn’t get the food out to you within a specific time frame you got it free. They were always close to the time, but never over it.

I think it might have been Ponderosa - I can't find any interior pics of it though

Oh just remembered another one I’m sure had a chequered floor ‘Race Rock’

I loooooved the Ponderosa as a child! How thrilling it was to be able to use the ice cream machine at breakfast! And I loved the little cabinets with coupon magazines out on the streets, so you’d get your money off vouchers!

Sounds like Sizzler

I can still remember the smell, the feel of being in America for the first time, my outfits, how hot it was- if I shut my eyes I can put myself back there

Ponderosa was our favourite cheap and cheerful dining place the first couple of times we went in 90s and eary 00's but in more recent years it seemed to have gone downhill.

There were two Ponderosa on I-drive in the 90s

Shoney's was similar to Ponderosa, slightly better even as you got to choose a lollipop on the way out 🍭

Checkered floor suggests more of a diner type restaurant. Was it Friendly's by any chance?

I reckon Ponderosa, we went there on our honeymoon in 93. I couldn’t get my head around that buffet 😂 I think I came home at least a stone heavier from eating donuts for breakfast.

Golden corale?

I went for the first time in 1997 too, aged 12 🙂 The ones I remember are Ponderosa, Golden Corral and Shoneys. I think Bennigans might have had a black and white checked floor but don’t think they did a buffet. Arby’s did red cups I think?!I it also sounds like it could have been somewhere like IHOP? hope you remember and get chance to reminisce. I loved that first time I went to Florida.

Yes to the checkered floors being Race Rock..but that place wasn’t an all you can eat buffet. Did you go to both while you were there by any chance, OP?

It was definitely a buffet and definitely wasn't a Wendy's or Arbys. I looked up race Rock and not that.

Another 1997 Florida girl here 👋🏻 came to say Ponderosa, or IHOP was the other buffet style place we went