Favorite chains, yes or no?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/03/americas-favorite-casual-dining-chains_n_991997.html?icid=maing-grid7%7Cmain5%7Cdl4%7Csec1_lnk3%7C101207#s384365&title=1_Cheesecake_Factory

well-I've eaten in four--and the only one i would consider going back to is Golden Corral--I like the pot roast and salad bar---and the cobblers and fudge---what can i say--the rest don't interest me, although i get tempted by "Dead Lobster" because seafood here means catfish or a 60 mile drive up to White River Fish Market and Rest.!

I've eaten in a few of them....
 
The salt industry must be elated.
 
I'm a fan of Outback because I like their pork chops which can't be found other places.
 
 

I'll admit that I think Longhorn makes a pretty good burger.

White Castle

IHOP& Dennys
       only for breakfast.
Applebees, Chilis, TGI Fridays, Ruby Tuesdays.
       all have the same crap.
     I like the Rubys rib eye.
been to once, no need to go back-
      Olive Garden. Carrabas,
     Red Lobster. I live in Daytona FL. our local seafood is still alive.
Longhorn Steakhouse.
    the best of the bunch but I make bigger & better steaks at home for less $.
Outback
   I would go again if somebody else was buying & I can't talk them into a better place.
   never been,would never go.
       Red Robin
 have never been to,
      P F Changs, Cheese cake Factory, Texas Roadhouse, Crackerbarrell.
it might sound like I don't like chains but there are ALOT of local places that are better & less expensive around where I live.
 
 

I didn't go to the link because I've already taken my shower tonight and don't want to feel like I need another one.

I've eaten at 15 of those.
I like Outback and Golden Corral the best.
If I never go back to Olive Garden, it would suit me just fine.  The same can be said of Red Lobster.

I can't stand Red Lobster and most of the chains listed (some are not available around here).  I've never tried Golden Corral, but have heard it is good.  If I had to pick two favorite chains they would be Cracker Barrel and Mellow Mushroom.

I like the unlimited soup/salad/breadsticks menu option at Olive Garden but otherwise I can take 'em or leave 'em.
 
Brad

Golden Corral up in my neck of the woods is yuck, but surprisingly in Raleigh, N.C., it was pretty good. We were going to a funeral, so the majority of relatives wanted to meet there the night before. They served excellent fried chicken, greens, pinto beans, chess pie(3 kinds) and bbq...I am sure I could have had better fare around the area( and have, since then) but that meal was pretty good!
Olive garden IS good for their salad and breadsticks, and will go their when requested to join some kind of celebration.
Red Lobster is only good for those people that havent had any decent seafood. Period.

mar52


The salt industry must be elated.

Good grief, yes. A friend just took me to Applebee's today and I haven't been able to drink enough water to get that taste out. Not really my choice but it's an easy in and out for a handicap person.

Well, than you should know salt content.I always ask, and get a good response.

ScreamingChicken


I like the unlimited soup/salad/breadsticks menu option at Olive Garden but otherwise I can take 'em or leave 'em.

Brad

 
Oh would you just admit that your wife makes you go to OG  

ann peeples


Well, than you should know salt content.I always ask, and get a good response.

 
Not my choice. It was a surprise "attack" and not the place I would pick. I go to many many restaurants every week and have not had this much salt in a plain steak before.

I am not being insensitive. .Surprise attack or not, you have a choice in asking the food service workers, and if they are not helpful, than decide on your own. ANY fast food place has horrible sodium content.

The Roadhouses, Texas, Logan's, LongHorn, and the other clones are ok. Outback is a small step up from them.
We have some good fish places in the area so Red Lobster is no longer acceptable.
Funny that Famous Daves didn't make the list. It seems to be a solid business enterprise in the franchise setting. The food can be ok in areas where good BBQ is not available.

Denny's, IHOP, for breakfast perhaps, but this is a place I would go to if I was travelling long distances, was hungry and there it is. If I really want breakfast, I go to Waffle House. I have never heard of anyone saying "Hey, let's go out for dinner, how about Denny's or IHOP?" It's more of, "I'm drunk, who's open?"
 
Ruby Tuesday makes me think of the Rolling Stones song. If Mick Jagger liked it so much, it couldn't be too bad. But it is in the same league as TGIF, Chilis and Applebees. TGIF is sort of fun, Chili's is generic, and I never think about going to Applebees, and I heard that it has a subpar reputation. Most of these places are owned by a giant corporation who build these places in soulless suburbs in huge parking lots.
 
Golden Corral. Longhorn. Texas Roadhouse Outback. These chains sell the same thing in about the same way. Personally, I would rather take that 20-25 dollars, buy my own meat and cook at home. it's wonderful. Make a fire, put on meat, drink a beer, flip meat, drink a beer, talk football, flip meat, done. Then one leaves the air with the majestic aroma of cow flesh. Golden Corral has a buffet. The problem with buffet food is that it is of varying quality.
 
Cracker Barrel is crap except for their bread, specialty sodas, peanut butter pie and the giftshop.
 
Dunno about Red Lobster. Lobster is easy to make. Boil the water, drop the poor bastard in. They do make something called Cheddar Bread(?) or something similar that is supposedly good. My father was a firm believer that seafood is best left in the sea.
 
P.F. Chang??? I live in China.  One note about Chinese people. They are everywhere. EVERYWHERE. Saying that, one can get real Chinese food from real Chinese people. I lived in Jackson, Mississippi and there was a takeaway restaurant ran by immigrant Chinese two blocks away, or the buffet optional restaurant off the highway nearby. Unlike a lot of restaurants which may be hard to find in smaller places (like Greek or Middle Eastern food for example), authentic Chinese food can be found everywhere. Besides, they fired Towlie. F' them.
 
Didn't Olive Garden make some people sick awhile back? Let's get the Goodfella, Henry Hill's take on the place:  "Right after I got here, I ordered some spaghetti with marinara sauce and I got egg noodles and ketchup!"
 
Never been to the Cheesecake factory, and would like to try one. They have cheesecake. And liquor. Cheesecake is the most delicious, prized food in the Universe. Cheesecake can never be screwed up.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Is this the best or the worst list?
 
I admit to have been to all the listed places, but except for Texas Road House & Ruby Tuesday's, it's been a good 10-15 years since my last (and I do mean last) visit for the others.  
 
Technically I was at a Texas Road House about a year ago (first visit), but after about 10-15 minutes, we had to leave due to the ear-shattering noise level.  When I found myself shouting to be heard by the waitress (about 2-3 feet away), we realized that was not going to be a good experience, so we left.
 
Monthly for the past 1-2 years, we've been getting $10 off coupons via the newspaper for use against two entrees at Ruby Tuesday.  We've gone about four times and although the meals were decent, I can't imagine returning without a $10 coupon.  
 
We are typically not chain people, but do stop perhaps 2-3 times / year (in no particular order) at Sonnys BBQ, Waffle House, Steak & Shake, D'Angelo's, McDonalds, Potbellies, KFC, Sweet Tomatoes, Five Guys & Bertucchi's - primarily when traveling.  We rarely stop at a chain when near home - too many independents with far superior quality / value to consider a chain.   
 
Oddly, we went about ten years without stopping at a KFC when about two years ago, we stopped and were quit surprised.  We've since stopped perhaps about a half dozen times and have been especially pleased with their slaw and  original recipe chicken.   We now find Bojangles to be too spicy and Popeye's must search the world for the skinniest birds (all bone / minimal meat). 

Looking at the list of 'top 10' I guess that the 'mini-chains' weren't included in the competition...or the burger stands.
Add to my list, not in any priority order-
Popeyes Chicken
Rally's Burgers
Farmer Boy's (SoCal)
Iron Skillet ( Petro Brothers Truck stops)
Culvers
Smokey Bones
DOES STEAK HOUSES...MS and KY tried so far and they are outstanding. Not in the same league as all of the above...but a mini-chain in the South & MidWest. It's a damn shame to list DOES with all these other places !!
 

mayor al


Looking at the list of 'top 10' I guess that the 'mini-chains' weren't included in the competition...or the burger stands.
Add to my list, not in any priority order-
Popeyes Chicken
Rally's Burgers
Farmer Boy's (SoCal)
Iron Skillet ( Petro Brothers Truck stops)
Culvers
Smokey Bones
DOES STEAK HOUSES...MS and KY tried so far and they are outstanding. Not in the same league as all of the above...but a mini-chain in the South & MidWest. It's a damn shame to list DOES with all these other places !!

 
I wouldn't even metion Doe's in the same breath as Smokey Bones
 
Does is now in the mid west?? where???

WJ-
Al must be referring to the Doe's in Springfield, Missouri.

buffetbuster


WJ-
Al must be referring to the Doe's in Springfield, Missouri.

 
Wow, I had no idea they were there too! 
 

and Doe's in Tulsa.
 

I wouldn't even metion Doe's in the same breath as Smokey Bones



 
Gotta admire Darden's marketing.  When a Red Lobster failed miserably in RI about 5-6 years ago (only one in the state), they replaced it with a Smokey Bones that seems to do very well.  Why compete with a Red Lobster in a place with much seafood competition when one can sell terrible BBQ in a location that has no concept of decent BBQ, much like the way Olive Garden survives well where there is no concept of Italian cuisine.    

You havent made your point, mjambro.Do I know Darden? How weird that Red Lobster would open a place where seafood is prominent.Who, or what, is Smokey Bones? Olive Garden opens wherever there is a space........

ann peeples


I am not being insensitive. .Surprise attack or not, you have a choice in asking the food service workers, and if they are not helpful, than decide on your own. ANY fast food place has horrible sodium content.

 
Look, I am not an idiot. I am not salt sensitive and salt is not a problem in my diet. In fact I add salt to food many times. I eat out a lot, 4 times for lunch just this week and twice last weekend. Applebee's was the only chain I ate at and I did not expect a plain steak to be salted to death, usually I even add salt to a steak but this was ridiculous.  My mistake for eating at a chain to begin with but as I said, they had convenient handicap parking which suited my friend. Back off.

I like the Golden Corral for breakfast.  I go to the omelette station and get two eggs over easy, then load my plate with biscuits and sausage gravy, grits and lots of bacon.  Simple stuff, can't be messed up.

Maybe it's common practice but I read a couple of years ago that the servers at the Olive Garden were reprimanded and could be fired if they didn't sell enough alcohol at their tables. I haven't been for a few years but they used to be very pushy with wine. Seems I remember the servers showing up with a carafe of house wine ready to pour shortly after you were seated.

annpeeples, there are 2 Dead Lobsters here in the Daytona area.
1 right off I 95, the other on A1A across from the beach.
mostly the brain dead tourists go there because its walking distance from the hotels.
at least they're adding to the economy here.