The Perfect Food Court

Suppose you were designing a mall food court, and could include any restaurant chain you wished therein. What chains would you pick, and why?

My picks:
1. In-N-Out, The best fast food burger, in my opinion.
2. Taco Johns, It's like Qdoba, sans the attitude.
3. White Castle, Gotta love the original.
4. Waffle House, I know it's a stretch for a mall food court, but come on, everybody needs some scattered smothered covered now and again.
5. Jimmy John's, Because every mall has a Subway, and I'm sick of it.
6. Skyline, You can't have a mall without hot dogs, and Cincinatti chili makes everything better.
7. Cold Stone, A nearly infinite number of flavor/mix in combinations, how could this be a bad thing?
8. Popeye's. Mmmmmm... Popeye's

Pretty good picks

add in

9. Sakkio of japan - wonderful chicken teriyaki, rice, and steamed veggies cooked to order
10. The Big Easy Cajun - best bourbon chicken of anyplace I hae ever had it
11. Cinnabon - got to make the wife happy
12. The soup nazis joint (whatever it is called)
13. Roy Roger's (but only if they do it like the one in Cincinnati, not the "revitalized" east coast style joints
14. au bon pain -OR- Panera (not both)
15. some kind of hot pretzel counter
16. Arthur Treacher's fish

Too bad I can't think of a single somewhat national pizza place I'd want to include. Pizza doesn't do well in that type of environment anyway unless there is high volume so the slices stay fresh

I think I might prefer Chipotle over Taco Johns BUT (TJ holds his finger up warningly at those about to hurl overripe tomatoes) then again I have never eaten at a Taco John's

I'd be happy with Fatburger over In and Out, but again, haven't had either.

I'm going to be a total jerk, any rail station in a medium to large city in Japan.

V960,
having never been to japan, i'm curious to know
what's available in the rail stations??

I'd add

PANDA EXPRESS-
ONE POTATO, TWO POTATO..(or similiar)
Dump the Cold-Stone..too pricey for Mall food, Insert
Regional Ice Cream like Mayfields (SE), Graetner's (Ohio Valley) I'm sure there are regionals in all areas that would fit the mold.(no pun intended)
DAIRY QUEEN-
STEAK OUT-
Famous Daves or the equivilant for BBQ (Tony Roma's isn't my fav, but could work, Corkies, Sonny's etc)

Remember this is Mall food and expectations should be low...you won't be disappointed !!

i would never complain about mall food.
if it weren't for mall food..hot dog stands in particular, i wouldn't have met the hubster.

I'd like one that has all the places we don't have in Chicago. Jack in the Box for the tacos. All the major Cincinatti chili places so I could have a side by side comparision.

My picks will tend to have a California theme:

1. Tommy's Original, for that double chili cheesburger of my youth.
2. Baskin and Robbins, Pistachio almond, cherry cheesecake, peanut butter chocolate.
3. White Castle, I fell in love with the original.
4. Jack in the Box, for their rings and shakes.
5. Bobby Salazar's (it's a Fresno thing)
6. The Hat, best hot pastrami out there.
7. Pick Up Stix, for that lemon chicken and orange peel beef.
8. Pioneer Chicken. oh man, a bucket 'o gizzards.
9. See's Candies, Rum nougat and Calif almond brittle for dessert.
0. Roundtable Pizza, thin and wonderful, the best chain pizza.

Honorable mention to:

Straw Hat Pizza
Shakey's Pizza
Buca di Beppo
Macaroni Grill
DQ

One Potato Two
Boardwalk Fries
Chick-Fil-A
Saz's
Panda thing
someplace with smoothies

I would like to see a community service type stand in the food court on a rotating type basis, give all groups a shot at it. It might work in some areas and would be a win win situation for all involved, even the compitition in the food court. Chow Jim

Sakkio Japan with their Terriaki Chicken is the est in my book. It is fresh cooked and the veggies are steamed while you wait..

Best in the food court in any mall.

Paul E. Smith
knoxville, TN

I agree Paul. It is the only place at our food court that I will eat.

If I can't get a gyro at a food court, then I don't eat in the food court!

I would be quite satisfied if my food court was Foodlife, in Water Tower Place in Chicago, plus maybe a Graeter's ice cream. I could eat there practically everyday and be a happy boy!

http://www.foodlifechicago.com/

How about some non-chains? The food court at the Corner Mall in Boston has a few, and seems to cycle a few. Sadly, most of them start off good but then slip. But you can get okay Indian, and mediocre and cheap Thai and Greek. Chinese is salty and a bit greasy but better than the chains. A lot of people love the sushi place. Recently they've opened a Mexican I don't recognize but it seems a little pricey to me (with Herrera's a few blocks away) and a Carribean place (which confuses me because they serve chicken about 6 different ways - fried, jerk BBQ, etc.)

All said, it's one of the cheapest places to eat in downtown. Of course if you must have chains they've got McD's, Sakkio, Sbarro, Big Easy, etc. But I prefer to patronize the locals.

quote:

Originally posted by xannie_01

V960,
having never been to japan, i'm curious to know
what's available in the rail stations??

Nothing we would know but nothing we would refuse. Japanese pizza. okana yaka, or stand up noodles or end of the day 1/2 price sushi

v960,
you're right! that would work for me,
especially the noodles.

what is japanese pizza?

McDonalds for Mondays
Taco Bell for Tuesdays
Subway for Wednsdays
Burger King for Thursday
Arby's for Fridays

Then repeat each work week following
The best lineup

quote:

Originally posted by Ashphalt

How about some non-chains? The food court at the Corner Mall in Boston has a few, and seems to cycle a few. Sadly, most of them start off good but then slip. But you can get okay Indian, and mediocre and cheap Thai and Greek. Chinese is salty and a bit greasy but better than the chains. A lot of people love the sushi place. Recently they've opened a Mexican I don't recognize but it seems a little pricey to me (with Herrera's a few blocks away) and a Carribean place (which confuses me because they serve chicken about 6 different ways - fried, jerk BBQ, etc.)

All said, it's one of the cheapest places to eat in downtown. Of course if you must have chains they've got McD's, Sakkio, Sbarro, Big Easy, etc. But I prefer to patronize the locals.

If you look at The Foodlife link above, none of those are chains, all individually run.

My Food Court would look like this.

1. Penn Station Subs for subs, good fries & a good Lemonade.
2. Steak & Shake for Milk Shakes & Burgers. 2nd In-n-Out
3. National Coney Dog for snappy Coney Dogs & Chili Cheese Fries
4. Any Saimin joint from Hawaii, for Saimin & Malasadas
5. El Pollo Loco for Chicken
6. El Rubio's for Fish Taco's
7. Lum's for a sit down place or Farrell's Ice Cream Parlor.
8. Portillo's for Chicago Dogs & an Italian Beef.

I know Lum's & Farell's are no more, but this was supposed to be the Perfect Food Court

1. Arby's
2. Nathan's
3. Chik-Fil-A
4. Sbarro
5. Long John Silver's----Arthur Treacher's has gone waaay downhill in the malls here
6. Wendy's
7. Panda Express
8. Sakkio Japan
9. Taco Time
10. In and Out

Oooohhh...I forgot about Rubio's. Mine would have to have a Rubio's, too. Love those fish tacos!

Hello All,
I agree with Ashphalt, why have chains at a local mall?
It is the perfect place to have locals be local.
The food chains in my area surround our malls, and
have infilterated the mall. There is no choice.
They believe we are sheep, but we're not.
We have a freakin' McDonalds and Subway at our
Wal-Marts. Wal-Mart is to lazy to lend a local flavour.
The holiday season approaches and they will
prosper, but if you can, try local over chains
if local offers better food.
Take Care,
Fieldthistle

Fieldthistle,

Our WalMart is older, shabby, and kinda dirty. But one thing in it's favor...

The McD's moved out. It's now a nail salon. Besides anything else, the manicurists keep it cleaner.

I miss the old Wal Mart snack bars in the small Wal Marts of my youth. Happiness was a hot dog and a Cherry Icee. They tried it again in the supercenters with the "Radio Grill," and failed miserably. I don't see the new Subways lasting longer than McDonald's did. Keep it simple Wal Mart. There will never be a mom and pop restaurant in a Wal Mart. Wal Mart tends to hack mom and pop up with a machete and bury them in the basement.

The perfect food court resembles a buffet in Vegas: "Stations" for every type of popular food

Pizza: Little Caesar
Burgers: Five Guys [east coast] or In and Out [west coast]
Chinese: Panda Express
Hot dogs and sausages: Frank & Stein
Subs: Quizno's
Pasta: Noodles & Co.
Fish: Arthur Treacher's
BBQ: Red, Hot & Blue (a few "carry out only" places exist in my town)
General fast food: Arby's

You could eat at a different spot every day!

quote:

Originally posted by Scorereader

what is japanese pizza?

okanami yaki, very popular train station and fast food in Japan.

My ideal layout, based on general categories

A burger place-- kids can be picky
A sandwich place-- some place for more adult fare, like philly steaks
A sub place or deli-- ditto, but for cold sandwiches
A 'bourbon chicken" place-- these tend to have the healthiest selection of side dishes
A Tex/Mex place-- anything from a T Bell to a mexi-wrap place
A Chinese place-- the typical Wong
A Japanese grill-- a mini-Benihana like Sakkio.
A baked potato place-- because I like One Potato Two Potato
A salad/vegetarian place-- a growing market
An ice cream / dessert place

And space for two local operations-- to encourage diversity

I've seen One Potato Two Potato mentioned on the boards a couple of times. Does this still exist?

The very first food court meal I ever had, probably around '79-'80, was at the newly-opened Corner Mall in Boston's Downtown Crossing. I got a baked potato with beef stroganoff at a potato & fillings bar I suspect was One Potato Two Potato. I thought it was a great idea. What do I know, I never saw the place, or any other potato place, again. Anyone know if this is a chain, an abandoned chain with a few survivors, or just a memory?