Ground Round makes long-awaited return: ‘It was like the flood gates were open'

The Ground Round restaurant has made its highly-anticipated return to New England — and the family dining spot is back with a bang in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts.

A local couple has revived the beloved restaurant brand, and the doors are now open at their location just off Route 9. NBC10 Boston first reported that Joe and Nachi Shea were bringing The Ground Round back in November, and the excitement across the area has been palpable.

The Sheas had a "soft opening" earlier in April — but word got out fast.

"Nothing soft about it," Nachi Shea said. "As soon as we opened those doors, it was like the flood gates were open. People have been coming in every night. We have a full house every night. We've been sold out in reservations. It's been amazing."

The restaurant for now is opening at 4 p.m., before introducing lunch service at a later point. They've been adding a few menu items every week as the kitchen gets comfortable with the extensive menu. Reservations are highly recommended.

An official grand opening is scheduled for April 30, and it's set to be a celebratory affair complete with giveaways, raffles and live entertainment.

"The idea of keeping it quiet and having an organic growth didn't really work out because of social media — you've got one person that comes in, takes a couple photos, puts a post up and the next thing you know everyone knows," Shea said.

The couple was expecting this type of reception, Shea said, explaining that she believes people associated the restaurant with a "slower" and "more family-oriented" time.

At its peak, The Ground Round had over 200 locations across the United States. The brand waned over the years, and it got down to just a handful of restaurants in the Midwest, until the Sheas decided to mount a comeback for the chain. They purchased the rights to the brand ahead of opening their Shrewsbury spot.

Although Shea says the vibe of the new location is different than the ones of the past, a lot has stayed the same — including the emphasis on creating an environment suited for family outings.

"I'm not too sure what the actual strings we're pulling on are, but I think it's just this fond memory of what we assume was a better time," Shea said. "Feeling like you had these family nights out and when you went out it was more of an event instead of just grabbing food and going."

Two of The Ground Round's signature features have also returned — the free, unlimited popcorn and the "pay as you weigh" option for kids on Tuesday nights (which does have a few conditions.)

"One penny per pound, so a 30 pound kid is paying 30 cents for their meal as long as there is a parent entrée accompanying," Shea said.

Shea said that they're already hearing from people in all different states interested in bringing back their local Ground Rounds — but it's too soon to say what the future will hold.

"It would definitely take the right partners to do something like that and we're not even exploring something like that at this time," Shea said.

For now, the focus is ensuring the Shrewsbury restaurant is a success amid heavy customer demand.

"We've been doing our best to keep up with it," Shea said. "We work through it and overall most people have been super patient, understanding and still very happy by the time they leave because we've been trying to make it right."

The Ground Round is located at 271 Grafton Street in Shrewsbury.