The Ground Round was our Family Fun Place

Oh, let me take you back to those wonderful family outings in the 1980s when we'd decide to go out to eat - a rare treat for us. We had plenty of restaurants and diners to choose from, but at some point during that groovy decade, we discovered the Ground Round, and it became our go-to spot for early dinners and occasional lunches. Let me tell you, the mere announcement that we were heading there would make me dance around the living room like a sailor on shore leave, in some kind of sailor musical!

Our Ground Round was just a 15-minute drive up Rt. 17 in NJ, for those who know the Garden State. And boy, was it amazing! They had this cool thing where they showed silent old comedy movies on a big screen, and they even had all-you-can-eat peanuts! You'd shell the peanuts and throw the shells on the floor - a kid's dream! Now, I usually went for the classic cheeseburger, but what I was really excited about was the sundae. Oh, but not just any sundae - it was served in this adorable miniature baseball helmet. I collected several of those helmets, and they're still treasures to me.

But wait, there's more! After devouring the delicious meal, they'd present you with a treasure chest of cheap toys, and you could pick one as your reward. It was like a mini toy paradise! And if that wasn't enough, they had a bunch of cool video games in the entrance area. I mean, this place literally had everything a kid could ever dream of!

However, as time passed, the Ground Round underwent some changes. The peanuts were replaced with popcorn, the silent movies disappeared, and the video games vanished. It happened so quickly, like a surprise twist.

As it turns out, my family used to go to the Ground Round because of my boundless excitement about the place. They thought it was pretty cool too, but they mostly wanted to see me happy. It's something I only learned as an adult, and it made me appreciate my family's awesomeness even more.

Eventually, as I grew older, I stopped getting as excited about the Ground Round, and our visits became less frequent. But those memories, like the ones featured in this commercial, will forever stick with me. They remind me of the fun times and the love of my family, and that's something I'll always cherish.