[gloco]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kugino /img/forum/go_quote.gif don't like any of these...for the money i'd much rather eat at an unknown hole in the wall, a greasy diner, or a plate lunch place...spend just a little more and i can eat a great meal at some fine-dining place...just my preference...

Agreed. The chains often have subpar food and my girlfriend has gotten sick twice (once at Applebee's and once at Red Lobster). The food is anything but good. I'll take a diner any day of the week over a franchise.

 

[jbloudg20]

I definitely love these type of restaurants, because you can ALWAYS get a decent meal.
My favorites are Bugaboo Creek, Outback, and Chile's.

 

[dhwilkin]

TGIF is sub-par. Applebees is the very definition of generic, chain food. I would not eat at either of these.

Outback is decent. Olive Garden is not bad, though I would much rather eat at a Macaroni Grill or local italian place. Hooters is good, for the combined buffalo chicken + eyecandy experience.

Never been to a Bennigan's.

 

[craiglester]

I have a kind of unofficial moratorium on applebees until they stop molesting classic 70's rock songs for their ads. And i don't like the fake australian of outback. Or the fake irish of bennigans. and don't get me started on Papa Johns...nearly killed me that place

 

[nysulli]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dhwilkin /img/forum/go_quote.gif TGIF is sub-par. Applebees is the very definition of generic, chain food. I would not eat at either of these. Outback is decent. Olive Garden is not bad, though I would much rather eat at a Macaroni Grill or local italian place. Hooters is good, for the combined buffalo chicken + eyecandy experience. Never been to a Bennigan's.

i agree with your points, but i still eat at applebees from time to time, but now theres a great local bar/restaurant next door to it that blows it away (and thats killing their business)

same goes for the macaroni grill, love their food, but theres 2 amazing italian places i can go to that take me the same amount of time to get to, and cost me about the same for me and the women to eat

as for bennigens, thats the worst of the chain joints, ok food, but you can get a better burger at mcdonalds, i only ate there because we knew the bartender and our bar tabs would be mysteriously low at the end of the evening

 

[mobayrasta]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wmcmanus /img/forum/go_quote.gif Ya, I like all of those kinds of places. I'm always amazed at the sheer variety of eating choices at reasonable price levels in the US. When I'm in the States it's my strictly enforced policy never to eat at any restaurant that I could eat at while in Cayman. But that's not many of them! About all we have now (since Outback never reopened after Hurricane Ivan) is Subway, Wendy's, Burger King, KFC, Pizza Hut, Dominos, Papa John's, Baskin Robbins, Dunkin Donuts, and Arthur Treachers. It's just junk food and pizza, but none of the really cool places like those mentioned in this thread. We do have all sorts of interesting local restaurants, from those featuring traditional Caribbean food to some rather expensive 5 star types of places like at the Ritz and such. What is missing in the middle ground in terms of American chain restaurants. The population base is simply not big enough to support it. Most local people want "cooked food" (as they call it) which means rice and beans, dumplings, cassava, bread fruit, plantain, yams, and green bananas with either baked, stewed, curry or barbeque chicken, pork or beef. Also oxtail, cow foot, ackee and salt fish, and all sorts of strange things! As much as I enjoy some of this type of food (especially ackee), I really love it when I'm in the States and cna try something different every night! For that matter, going to Arbys or McDonalds is a treat!

I spen alot of time in the Caribbean and love me some Ackee and saltfish. I can get canned Grace ackee at my local grocery store for the low price of $9.00 US a can. It is such a rip off. I could eat four full breakfast for that in Jamaica.

I was in Jamaica during Ivan. We got off pretty easy. It really messed you guys up though. I remember all the Jamaicans that worked in the Caymans evacuating and coming back home the day before Ivan plowed into you.

At least in the Caymans you have some choices. In jamaica fast food is Burger King, Kentucky fried chicken or pizza (pizzahut) McDonalds pulled out of Jamaica about 2 years ago. (hate mcdonalds anyway). There are no other American franchises there.

Good thing I like to eat like a yardie anyway!

 

[Samgotit]

I go to those place to harass the hot college girls that make up most of the staff.

The hostess is usually the "hottest". I guess they put their best up front. Inevitably she'll ask, "smoking or non-smoking?" I always come back with the super witty, "hell ya you're smokin', but I'd like a table." At that, she'll melt like butter and call the manager or a larger male staff member.

Let us not forget how special a chain restaurant can make a birthday. This is a excerpt from my happy birthday thread where I express great joy at the thought of the birthday serenade:

I can’t wait to get to the chain restaurant tonight for ye olde birthday meal. They don’t take reservations, but I called a week ago so they’d be ready. I can’t wait to for their special bastardized rendition of Happy Birthday. I love it when the entire wait staff stops working and forms a chorus just for me. They must practice that unison clapping for months. What a spectacle! The kitchen staff, the manager, and the patrons all focused on your big day! I love it when a server gets a little over excited, climbs up on your table, and kicks your tea all over your expensive mock turtleneck. It’s all part of the fun (they have those hot air blowers in the restrooms, so getting dry is not a big deal, though I hate to take off my shirt). How can I get upset when they deem me so special they insist on giving me my dessert for free! Last year they didn’t even ask for my license. They must have noticed the twinkle in my eye, but do they realize less-than-honest ne’er-do-wells might try to take advantage? Apple cobbler doesn’t grow on trees you know.


All kidding aside... I could eat at Denny's daily: Moons over My Hammy, hash browns (covered and smothered), bottomless iced tea.

 

[skudmunky]

I have a TGIF, Applebees, and Outback Steakhouse within walking distance from my house. I happen to like the TGIF jack daniels burger, it's good stuff. Outback and the Longhorn steakhouses make a pretty mean burger too.

 

[VicAjax]

i get so depressed when my in-laws come into the city to see a show and insist on eating at Olive Garden.

 

[nickknutson]

I was in Nashville for a weekend and visited the Longhorn Steakhouse. It's a chain in the Southeastern part of the country. I can only describe the steak I had with one word, HEAVENLY.

 

[laxx]

Back in college, we used to go to Red Lobster, Chili's, Outback, Applebees and Olive Garden all the time. I actually dislike the food from all of these places and prefer a diner almost all of the time. I've never been to TGIF even though it used to be the closest to my house. =T

I find chain restaurants like these exhibit the most inconsistent taste of all. One day you get something very tasty and think, not bad for a chain. The next day it'll be dry as a bone, kicking yourself for ordering it. Since graduating, I have yet to return to any of the previously mentioned restaurants, except Applebee's once for a birthday of a friend that is still in college.

 

[aaroncort]

I really don't have an opinion, I'm just padding my post count.

 

[gloco]

Quote:

Originally Posted by VicAjax /img/forum/go_quote.gif i get so depressed when my in-laws come into the city to see a show and insist on eating at Olive Garden.

That's just ridiculous. Drag them to one of the local italian restaurants. I guarantee it'll be cheaper and the food will be better. I ate at Olive Garden once, the food was rather bland and overpriced.

One time my girlfriend ordered crab legs from Red Lobster and the legs had a greenish tint to them...yum! Green crab legs

She returned them and even questioned the waitress as to why she didn't point it out to the cook before bringing them out to her.

 

[Turnaround]

Quote:

Originally Posted by VicAjax /img/forum/go_quote.gif i get so depressed when my in-laws come into the city to see a show and insist on eating at Olive Garden.

other than carnegie deli and stage deli, i can't think of the top of my head of any other good mid-priced restaurants around the times square area: mostly lunch places for working people, like pax, or recognizable chains for tourists.

i think people from out of town also have a hard time getting used to the idea of walking away from the immediate neighborhood a good restaurant, since they are used to driving to get anywhere more than 1/4 mile away.

 

[hYdrociTy]

I think around here the steak changes all the time. Sometimes med-rare comes to me with a chunk of carbon on it, then I order medium and It comes half raw in the middle.. sigh... I prefer places with actual chefs whom you can be sure are consistent...at least fri/sat/sun. Capital grille in the city is pretty good, though the price is certainly not friendly. Their service and decor definatly reflects the price though and lol it counts as a chain!