Remembering a restaurant from my youth that charged by the pound

Larry G · 02-16-2010, 01:39 PM

I was remembering something today. When I was young, there was a restaurant called the Big Yellow House, and it was situated in a large Victorian mansion. They would weigh all children under 11 and then charge them by the pound. I always wanted to go, but my parents would never take me until I lost weight. When I was 7 I weighed around 77 lbs, so I was about 20 lbs overweight.

I think this was the beginning of my eating odyssey.

Does anyone else have a nightmare story like this where there was some business that charged by the pound or whatever?

Larry

HottiMegan · 02-16-2010, 03:03 PM

What a horrible memory! That's messed up. My 43lb 6 year old can pack the food away despite his small body. He rivals me in food volume when we go to a buffet. i'm so glad i never went through that. Although try going clothes shopping with a mom who constantly talks about how i need to diet at the age of 7.. that sucked.

Rowan · 02-16-2010, 03:08 PM

Talk about asking for an eating disorder! That is horrible for a restaurant to do something like that and even worse that parents would encourage it by going to the place.

Brenda · 02-16-2010, 03:14 PM

The Ground Round chain had this offer as well for children on certain days when I worked there in in the late 80's.

Brenda

RJI · 02-16-2010, 03:16 PM

There was a national chain that used to do that. I can't remember if it was Denny's or a similar style joint but they used to charge a penny a pound or something like that. I think each kid had to be accompanied by a paying adult.

TallFatSue · 02-18-2010, 06:20 AM

Oh gee, I remember restaurants like that when I was little ("little" being a relative term

). It only goes to show that the outrageous stuff we hear about today isn't really that different from decades ago, it's simply fresher in our minds. A few months ago the Travel Channel had a show about the Heart Attack Grill in Chandler, Arizona that lets people eat free if they weigh over 350lb -- AND were willing to be weighed in front of everybody. It would almost be tempting, were it not for the fact their food was nothing I'd want to put into my body. No Beef Wellington or Châteaubriand?

Speaking of childhood nightmares, I'm glad I'll probably never see this again. Smoking was commonplace in restaurants when I was a girl in the 1960s, and my parents took my little brother and me out to dinner -- IF we were on our best behavior. After meals, it was not uncommon to see other people light up cigarettes and cigars. I cannot erase the indelible horror from my mind, watching some of those same people extinguish their cigarettes and cigars in their food! Yes, I know they were finished, and what remained on their plates was only scraps, but in my mind they desecrated their entire meals. (shudder)

goofy girl · 02-23-2010, 05:59 PM

I can't think of anyone that *I* know who weighs over 350 that would be weighed in public for free food.

02-16-2010, 01:39 PM	#1
Larry G Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: California Posts: 43	Remembering a restaurant from my youth that charged by the pound I was remembering something today. When I was young, there was a restaurant called the Big Yellow House, and it was situated in a large Victorian mansion. They would weigh all children under 11 and then charge them by the pound. I always wanted to go, but my parents would never take me until I lost weight. When I was 7 I weighed around 77 lbs, so I was about 20 lbs overweight. I think this was the beginning of my eating odyssey. Does anyone else have a nightmare story like this where there was some business that charged by the pound or whatever? Larry

02-16-2010, 03:03 PM	#2
HottiMegan I'm a fat geek! Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Northern California Posts: 8,605	What a horrible memory! That's messed up. My 43lb 6 year old can pack the food away despite his small body. He rivals me in food volume when we go to a buffet. i'm so glad i never went through that. Although try going clothes shopping with a mom who constantly talks about how i need to diet at the age of 7.. that sucked. __________________ I may look lazy, but on a molecular level I'm quite busy!

02-16-2010, 03:08 PM	#3
Rowan wickedly delicious Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Gainesville, Florida Posts: 3,702	Talk about asking for an eating disorder! That is horrible for a restaurant to do something like that and even worse that parents would encourage it by going to the place. __________________ ~In the end we are all just chalk lines....drawn on the concrete only to be washed away~ ¤×¤×¤×¤×¤×¤×¤×¤×¤×¤×¤×¤×¤×¤×¤×¤×¤×¤×¤×¤×¤×¤×¤×¤×¤ §~~And I find it kind of funny, I find it kind of sad The dreams in which I'm dying are the best I've ever had~~§

02-16-2010, 03:16 PM	#5
RJI Excuses, Excuses, Excuses Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: South Jersey Posts: 678	There was a national chain that used to do that. I can't remember if it was Denny's or a similar style joint but they used to charge a penny a pound or something like that. I think each kid had to be accompanied by a paying adult. __________________ Bob

02-23-2010, 05:59 PM	#7
goofy girl took a sharp left turn Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Providence Posts: 4,481	I can't think of anyone that I know who weighs over 350 that would be weighed in public for free food. __________________ Wheresoever you go, go with all your heart. - Confucius

02-16-2010, 03:14 PM	#4
Brenda Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Milwaukee Posts: 632	The Ground Round chain had this offer as well for children on certain days when I worked there in in the late 80's. Brenda

02-18-2010, 06:20 AM	#6
TallFatSue Retired Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 1,878	Oh gee, I remember restaurants like that when I was little ("little" being a relative term ). It only goes to show that the outrageous stuff we hear about today isn't really that different from decades ago, it's simply fresher in our minds. A few months ago the Travel Channel had a show about the Heart Attack Grill in Chandler, Arizona that lets people eat free if they weigh over 350lb -- AND were willing to be weighed in front of everybody. It would almost be tempting, were it not for the fact their food was nothing I'd want to put into my body. No Beef Wellington or Châteaubriand? Speaking of childhood nightmares, I'm glad I'll probably never see this again. Smoking was commonplace in restaurants when I was a girl in the 1960s, and my parents took my little brother and me out to dinner -- IF we were on our best behavior. After meals, it was not uncommon to see other people light up cigarettes and cigars. I cannot erase the indelible horror from my mind, watching some of those same people extinguish their cigarettes and cigars in their food! Yes, I know they were finished, and what remained on their plates was only scraps, but in my mind they desecrated their entire meals. (shudder)

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