jerseyboy

So another board I follow has a thread regarding people's favorite and least favorite chain restaurants and the debate has gotten pretty heated. Heres how I feel

Love: None

OK: Outback, California Tortilla (local DC area chain), PF Changs

Tolerate: Cheesecake Factory, CHipotle

Absolutely Despise: Olive Garden, Buca Di Beppo

streak_56

Love: Cozy Mels

OK: Joey Tomatoes

Tolerate: None

Absolutely Despise: anything fast food

MexicanOnABike

Love: St-Hubert (quebec)

OK: montanas, don cherry,

tolerate: none.

absolutely despise: most fast food. tim horton, starbucks(any coffee place), Swiss chalet.

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Psycho Dad

OK. I have to ask... Who is that passionate about chain restaurants?

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MiSo

love: outback (because i love being employed there)
buffalo's (i love wings),

xepherys

Love: In N Out, Blimpie's, White Castle, PF Chang's, Texas Roadhouse, Pizza Hut, Red Hot 'n Blue, Damon's BBQ

OK: Chipotle, KFC, Subway, Cheesecake Factory, Outback, Applebee's, Chili's, Friday's, Hungry Howie's, Claim Jumper, Famous Dave's, Buca Di Beppo

Tolerate: Taco Bell, McDonald's, Olive Garden, Big Boy, Little Caesar's, Souper Salad

Despise: Burger King, Denny's, Dominoes

Worse than Despise: Village Inn

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MexicanOnABike

i wouldn't say I'm passionate about my favorite restaurants but when i hear ppl bash them or say that a crappy place is better, then i get mad. so i could see a few comments being said about something like this.

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EaseUp

Love In 'n Out

I like to eat, so I don't despise any of them.

yabobo

Love....none

Ok.. pappa johns,subway tacobell ,Arbys, cheddars

Tolerate same as above

Absolutely Despise, McDonalds Hooters
They destroy wings and service is always slow and way overpriced

Could tell you about a dozen private places that are just fantastic but that be another thread

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The_Jazz

Three of my favorite restaurants in Chicago are chains - small ones, but chains nonetheless.

Joe's Stone Crab and Prime Steak - The best steak downtown, bar none. For desserts, a solid #2. Order the peanut butter pie or the banana cream pie.

Greek Islands - my favorite restaurant in Greektown, and the home of the best pastichio and saganaki I've ever had.

Gibson's - Second best steak and best dessert. The portions are huge, though. The chocolate cake is a 1/4 cake. Seriously. The added bonus of being in the Viagra Triangle, so there's eye candy galore.

But as a rule, I hate chain restaurants unless they do something really different, like Culver's or Krystal. Or they have sentimental connections, like Waffle House.

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Average_Joe

Love: most any place I can sit down & relax. My favorite food is the stuff I don't have to cook myself.

Tolerate: most fast food restaurants because I never feel relaxed eating in them and the food is a lower quality.

Charlatan

I generally don't like chains. That said, I do frequent them. I don't have any issue with a chain restaurant or store per se.

It all depends on what I am after. Like any consumer I recognize the trade off between price and quality. Some chains actually get the balance right, others... not so much. The reason I enjoy shopping and eating in places that are not chains differs. Some I go to for quality. Some restaurants are simply beyond *anything* that can be served from a chain.

However, I find I go to independents largely because they are not like other places. I go there because I don't know what I am going to get. It's a little different each time. This is true whether it's clothing, or atmosphere or food or service, or whatever. Independents offer true variety.

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Mister Coaster

Chain sit-down places are mostly OK in my book. I mean, with only a few exceptions, you know what you are going to get, prices are usually fair and they are clean. Either you like the offerings at a particular chain or you don't, I don't see much room for debate.

Chain fast food is mostly to be avoided, in my book. Low quality meat, vast amounts of preservitaves & sodium and grease galore. Again, there are one or 2 I'll tolerate, but I mostly eat fast food only as a last resort.

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highthief

I think that's a good answer - a nice sit down and relax meal is always better, but often needs must and a trip to KFC or A&W makes sense, and once in a while, I truly crave a Rotten Ronnie's breakfast McGriddle.

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warrrreagl

Love: Starbucks

OK: Outback, Buffalo Wild Wings, Cracker Barrel, Quiznos, Panera Bread, Johnny Carinos, Pizza Hut, Chilis, Olive Garden

Tolerate: Ruby Tuesday, Burger King, McDonald's, Arby's, Chik-fil-A, IHOP, Waffle House

Absolutely Despise: Applebees, Taco Bell

There's more in each category, but that's what's on top today.

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fresnelly

I wouldn't say that I love any chain restaurants, but I certainly appreciate a dependable, clean and accomodating chain restaurant.

Some that come to mind are Lone Star Grill, Swiss Chalet, Cracker Barrel, Keg, Mandarin, and Firken pubs.

The university I went to had a Hospitality and Tourism program that took over our Dorm cafeteria as a restuarant. One day the sign "Maggies Place" went up, along with some plastic foliage. The servers gained colourful neckties, and upped their Happiness quotient by a factor of 10. The food? It was the same array of Club sandwiches and chicken fingers. On Taco day the sour cream was watered down.

Every time I end up in a disappointing family restaurant that skimps on the food quality in favour of pre-packaged atmosphere, I blame it on the graduates.

I wonder if anyone ever ate at Planet Hollywood more than once.

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Psycho Dad

I've ate there twice. But in my defense, I didn't want to either time.

Do you really get mad, or do you just strongly disagree?

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absorbentishe

Chains, some are good and some just suck.

Fav: Famous Dave's BBQ, Sonic (not around Toledo though)

Okay: all but below

Dispise: TacoBell, Long John Silver, Outback (always have not liked their food).

There are soooooo many restaurants in Toledo, it's not funny. There are also so many local chain's that are really good, and really bad.

MexicanOnABike

disagree. mad is just a figure of speech. I don't get MAD. Haha. most of the time, they'll say: oh i love place A and it's better than place B but they never tried place B. so thats why i disagree. but most of the time (no offence to anyone here) if someone tells me that a fastfood place is better than a sitdown relaxing restaurant, then thats just not cool. but my life wont stop for stupid arguments like that. personal taste is not something i can change.

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kutulu

I haven't been out to eat much in a while but I've always loved Chevy's. Red Robin, Olive Garden, Macaroni Grill, Red Lobster all are good (OG and RL have sentimental value).

The only one I really hate is Cracker Barrell.

Toaster126

I'm pleased to see there are others that believe Applebee's is just a shitty Chili's.

Love: Zio's, any of the KC BBQ joints, BD's Mongolian BBQ, Chili's, Sonic
Tolerate: BK, Wendy's, Denny's, Chipotle
Despise: Applebee's, Olive Garden, any Greek food.

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jerseyboy

Well the conversation sort of got off the path of chain restaurants and onto the type of people who frequent certain places and their behavior/ dress in the restaurants.

What I've come to find is that people either love or hate olive garden and those who hate it enjoy bashing it and those who love it equally enjoy defending it.

I think what all the arguments really boil down to is a class divide. Certain "high class" people acting as if certain restaurants are below them, and then people's reactions to comments to that effect.

Psycho Dad

OK. I can see that.

I'm redneck, white trash, and blue collar enough to appreciate anything that doesn't require an application and dress code to eat at.

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Val_1

I prefer to frequent independently owned anything (stores, restaurants, etc) just because I like to support and encourage creativity, independence, and entrepreneurship. But, there's nothing actually "wrong" with chains. People give them a bad rap. They serve their place, and are nice to frequent when you aren't in an adventuresome mood. Plus, living in a small town like I do, if it wasn't for chains, my choices of anything to eat after 4PM would be greatly diminished.

Love: Dunn Bros (much better coffee than Starbucks), Applebee's (don't eat there often, but it's usually pretty good)

OK: Most of them, actually.

Tolerate:

Absolutely Despise: Olive Garden (they specialize in pasta,yet overcook it every time), TGI Fridays (I have NEVER gotten good food at a TGI Fridays. I have eaten at several different Fridays on several different occasions and have never gotten good food).

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mixedmedia

Love: Chipotle, Carabba's, Houston's, Sweet Tomatoes, Crispers and the subs at the Publix deli (a grocery store, don't know if that counts...but they're great!)

Okay: Firehouse Subs, Chick Fil-A, Boston Market, Pei Wei, Jason's Deli, Too Jay's, Einstein Bagel, Panera

Despise: any fast food, except for the aforementioned Chick Fil-A and occasionally Backyard Burger...and rarely, when I'm out of my friggin' skull, I will crave Krystal Burgers

Miami Subs isn't horrible but I haven't eaten there in a long time.

Oh, and Krispy Kreme.....*drool* it's a warm donut thing so you've GOT to understand

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ngdawg

Only one I could come close to 'love' would be Carrabas.
A close second is Charlie Brown's-I could make a meal out of their salad bar and their frizzled onions(actually, I think I have done that!)
Frequent visits: Wendy's, Sonic (when in a state that has one-NJ doesn't), Cracker Barrel (when on the road) and Bob Evans for breakfast, also when travelling.
I agree about TGIF-meals suck. But their appetizers, at least some, are ok. Ditto Ruby Tueday's. Chili's has awesome steak sandwiches and appetizers and Applebee's has really good hot wings, but their dinners are only passable.
We eat McDonald's on busy nights, but it's just tolerable to me-their fries are good, that's about it. And we get Taco Bell on occasion-it's not half bad if you custom order your food, otherwise they just pile on fake cheese and nasty sour cream.
Totally sucks monkey balls: Burger King and KFC. I can't near KFC chicken without gagging from the smell.
Anyone in other states have Stewart's? Really good California burgers and REAL onion rings. Top those off with a frosted mug of root beer and mm-mmm

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Intense1

It's funny how "regional" our responses are about this - in one city Burger King is tops, in another, it's not. Same with Sonic, and same with Olive Garden (bless their hearts for what's going on right now in Indiana). Here are my favorites:

BEST: Olive Garden, Chili's, O'Charley's, and numerous ethnic places around Nashville.

WORST: McDonalds (though we all love their fries), Wendy's, Appleby's, Burger King (Though the Wopper is of course, king)

The best food I've had comes from the gas station down the road - they slaughter their own hogs and pull their own pork to make the most wonderful barbeque you could ever imagine....Not to mention their ribs.....

Their slaw is good too, as is their Banana pudding. It's a great 5 dollar meal, and folks are lined up to get it.

Man, it's good to live in the south....

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little_tippler

There aren't anywhere near as many chain restaurants over here. I can't imagine hating any enough to despise them. I'd say most are OK to me, and I eat there sometimes. I'd say tolerate to only one, because I have a friend who got food-poisoning there - she managed to get the place shut down for a couple of weeks It's KFC.

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eribrav

Yep, it's interesting to see just how many chains there are out there! We have a McD's in our little town. I've never eaten there. Other chains within 30 miles are Applebee's, BK and KFC. Any of the others are at least 1 1/2 hours away, unless they're tucked in somewhere I don't know about.

For those of you chain food lovers, how often do you eat it? Weekly? More than that?

jerseyboy

I too find the regional aspect of the responses interesting. Perhaps there just aren't that many good italian restaurants in the south, cause Olive Garden does not pass for Italian in my book. On the same page, I think most of you in the south would think most chain BBQ places aren't that great because you can go to a local place that is 10x better.

One thing I dont think has any excuse though is someone enjoying a pizza place like Dominos or Papa Johns. In every town in America there has to be at least one pizza place that makes a pie that is better than their crap. I cant see why anyone would order from there if there is an alternative.

warrrreagl

Grancey and I were at Starbucks yesterday and an odd thing happened for the second time in a row there. One of our long-standing traditions is for her to try and crack me up at drive-thru's when I'm giving my order. Usually it involves a rib-tickle or her chanting something weird-sounding, and it usually works. At Starbucks yesterday, I cracked up a little while ordering my mocha, and the girl's voice came over the speaker, "Why are you laughing, sir?" So naturally, we were as straight-faced and humorless as possible when I pulled up to the window.

But this is the second time in a row that the person on the speaker at Starbucks demanded to know what I was laughing at. Weird.

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ngdawg

That's weird....
When it's none of someone's business about something, that's when I usually go into smartass mode...
"Oh, my wife stuck her foot in my nose"....."I read the sign as Starfucks"....
/end threadjack

I'm a 'regular' at the local Wendy's and for months, every time I ordered, before I could finish, the counterperson would ask, "Cheese?" to which I'd answer either, "If I want cheese, I know when to ask for it" or "I hate it when you ask me that!!!"
They've stopped asking altogether...I guess I wasn't the only one who was annoyed.

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Telluride

Love: Carl's Jr., Jalisco Grill, KFC, Sizzler

OK: Rubios, Jack In The Box, A&W, Arby's, Taco Del Mar, Chick fil-A

Tolerate: Burger King, Wendy's

Absolutely Despise: McDonald's

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Wilkerson

I've always liked Max and Erma's although I find their Garbage Burger to be vastly over-rated.


I cannot stand McDonald's although I do like their fries.



A place to always avoid is the fast food nightmare known as Arby's. Those places always feel slimly and I get the chills just walking by them.

I can tolerate The Olive Garden and even Applebee's but I think the extreme level of advertising has turned them into lower quality than they once were.

The_Jazz

The day that I first went to Red Sqare in Moscow, went to see the changing of the guard at the Eternal Flame and noticed a TGI Friday's 50 yards away was the first time that I'd ever really been embarrassed to be an American.

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quadro2000

When I was in college, I LOVED TGI Friday's. I don't know why. I think it may have had to do with their points card - we'd go out with 25 people, I'd get all the points on my card, and essentially get a free appetizer with every meal for months.

After college, I moved back home and upon going to a TGIF, I realized: "wait a minute...this food SUCKS!" I won't step foot in there again if I can help it.

I can tolerate Olive Garden. In and around NYC, going to Olive Garden is slumming. In Buffalo, it's fine dining.

Can't stand Applebee's. Gave me some sort of food poisoning once. Wait a minute, my wife worked at that restaurant...hmmm....

Love Outback. Love In-N-Out although I never get to have it since I'm in the wrong area of the country.

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snowy

Love: Del Taco, Red Robin (I like their burgers), Burgerville

Like: any place I can get a decent soup and sandwich--Togo's, Big Town Hero

Tolerate: Subway, Olive Garden

Eat under duress: anywhere with a drive-thru

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Cynthetiq

I find that I don't frequent the chains as much as I thought. I tend to do so when travelling only because it is usually the majority selection available in suburbia. I don't have a favorite or a hated, for the most part I go by what I'm craving at the time.

Here in NYC they you can eat out every meal for a year and never set foot in the same restaurant twice.

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World's King

The only one that I will actully go to without being forced is Old Chicago.

It's a local Denver chain that's spreading across the country pretty fast. Check it out. Lots of beer and great pizza.

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popo

Love is a tough thing to think about when dealing with chains. Well Morton's is a chain and I like it there...

Like a lot: In-N-Out, Daphne's, Rubio's, all the Mongolian BBQ joints, Cold Stone (minus the singing), Cheesecake Factory.

Thanks but no thanks: TGIF, Chili's, Applebee's, Olive Garden (once was plenty), and just had my first trip to Islands and I'll place it here.

Local food is infinitely better than 99% national chains. I try and avoid them.