Favorite and least favorite chain restaurant

[spork]

I don't have strong opinions either way. Whether it's franchise or corporate, their natural evolution is toward meh. I will however patronize some small, local, private chains.

I used to like Pizza Hut. And then Pepsico bought it. They cashed in big time on its real estate value. And made it into gross fast food, leasing floor space inside Target stores or combining it into their other chains. If I see a rare, free-standing Pizza Hut on a road trip, it's usually still a pretty good chain meal experience for me.

 

[Rocklobster]

My favorites are Outback Steakhouse and Subway. They have a large selection of low carb menu choices.

My least favorite is Chili's (never again!!), and Denny's (Too much sugar, Too much fat, Too much salt!)

I just read an article where Subway has become the largest chain restaurant in the world. It moved ahead of McDonalds. Subway Passes McDonald's To Become The World's Largest Restaurant Chain

 

[Selkie]

It's not the largest in income, but it now has more worldwide store locations than Mickey D's.

 

[DaveSoMD]

About the only place I won't go into is the Bob Evans down here. The food has always been okay, nothing spectacular, but the service has always been bad and they were just plain rude the last time we where there (2004 I think).

I like Olive Garden and Cheeseburger in Paradise and they usually are able to accommodate SO's wheelchair so if we go out that is where we go. We get take out from 5 Guys, Apple-bee's, Lone Star, and Ruby Tuesday's. Not exceptional food but okay. Some of the local takeout places are good too.

 

[mollyanne]

These 2 are fast food chains...do they count as restaurants?...sorry, I lost focus (scroll down for favorite restaurant):

Chipotle Grill is clean, delicious, fresh natural ingredients, friendly service...oh yeah, you serve yourself (not wonder i think it's friendly lol), and you can get 3 huge Carnitas Tacos (juicy grilled pork) for only $6. I can't even eat it all. You pick your own toppings and I always throw good sense to the wind and load it up with black beans, pinto beans, shredded mexican cheese, sour cream, guacamole, fresh mild chunky salsa and lettuce. You can also pick steak, chicken, or vegetarian, grilled bell peppers&onions, rice, chili peppers, corn salsa, etc etc.

When I HAVE to go to the mall...I search the food court for a Sbarros and order the Chicken Vesuvio...tender chicken breasts smothered in a lemon and mushroom sauce that is soooo tasty...also $6

I dislike ALL other fast food chains

Favorite Restaurant Chain is Bone Fish Grill...atmosphere is nice and everything is always delicious. Service is fast fun and friendly....and even more fun if you order a specialty martini called Hypnotiq that glows blue in the dark.

Least favorite...I echo everyone's previous posts on that with one exception. Our Maggianos is excellent.

 

[jacky77]

Favorite-i love the Olive Garden. I'll eat at Applebees once in a while. Love Chevy's and their greasy chips and Extreme Pizza is pretty darn yummy.
Least favorite-Fresh Choice, Carl's Jr, BJ's bleh-the worst service and the only thing good on the menu is those cookie icecream things..Sbarros. I do not like Subway, bleh...

 

[Bolas De Fraile]

It's not the largest in income, but it now has more worldwide store locations than Mickey D's.

you are correct mate, I read a 1 page article in the Guardian about it, I tried a sandwich when the opened in the UK, we have a lot of cxxp bread over here but nothing to compare with that it was offal(pun intended) the filling was ok, is it the same bread in the US? the plastic and processed geezer who served me said it was.

 

[Selkie]

...is it the same bread in the US? the plastic and processed geezer who served me said it was.

Soft, almost mushy, no flavor, no chewy crust, no substance... yep, that's it!

 

[Foodie418]

My favorite is Bahama Breeze.
Least favorite is TGIF

 

[CraigC]

Foodie, if you are in SE Florida, you should check out Michelle Bersteins show "Check Please". It airs on PBS and features local restaurants that her guests try and then critique. Might give you some alternatives to the chains.

Craig

 

[taxlady]

I'm not a big fan of chain restaurants. There are little chains here that are pretty good. I live in the 'burbs, so we usually go to those or non-chains when going out locally. In Montreal, there is so much choice that even local chains get ruled out unless it's someone's birthday or something and someone chose that as the venue.

I like Jack Astor's, a small (less than 100 restaurants) Canadian chain with one restaurant in Buffalo, NY and one in Cary, NC. This is a fun, loud restaurant with tasty food and good service. They use brown paper as a table cloth and put a jar of crayons on the table. Great place for a party.

Haven't eaten at McD since the early '80s; haven't even gotten a coffee there since the early '90s. For coffee I would rather go to Second Cup or Tim Horton's (both are Canadian chains). I happily eat doughnuts at Timmy's, but the other food doesn't look appealing, so I haven't tried it. The food at Second Cup is okay. I try to avoid Starbucks - I don't like their coffee, but occasionally have little or no other choice on a road trip.

If I want a fast food hamburger, I go to Harvey's, another Canadian chain. They grill the burgers in front of you and load up your burger with your choice of lettuce, tomato, pickles, hot peppers, onions, (green peppers?), and condiments. If you ask for extra, they are happy put it on your burger. I'm still trying to convince them to get whole wheat buns

Least favourite chain: probably Scores, another Canadian chain. Yuck.

 

[Zhizara]

I absolutely HATE Subway. Their ads are nothing at all like the skimpy c**p you actually get. I thought that was illegal.

I don't really like any chains, McD's does have great biscuits, and I really enjoyed their McGriddle sausage sandwiches, as I've always loved the taste of pancakes, syrup and sausage together. Theirs is a perfect blend of those flavors, at least for me.

 

[Uncle Bob]

Love that Chicken from Popeyes.....biscuits too.

Will not, under any circumstances eat at McDonald's ......Period.

 

[mollyanne]

I like Jack Astor's, a small (less than 100 restaurants) Canadian chain with one restaurant in Buffalo, NY and one in Cary, NC. This is a fun, loud restaurant with tasty food and good service. They use brown paper as a table cloth and put a jar of crayons on the table. Great place for a party.

Hey, I live in Cary, NC!! I only vaguely remember seeing that somewhere, I think (then again, i'm not very observant). My birthday is coming up and I'm suppose to choose where to go for lunch...maybe I'll pick that! I love to color

 

[Andy M.]

Living in suburban Massachusetts, there are not a lot of choices for fried chicken. As a result, I really enjoy an occasional meal of KFC Extra crispy chicken.

 

[babetoo]

my favorite is carls jr. for burgers. olive garden for light lunch. i don't care for mcdonalds any more. years ago they had a healthy burger. loved it. of course they quit offering it. guess not enough people ordered. i was made just like a homemade burger. don't ever go out for dinner these days, to expensive. for a break will order garlic chicken pizza from round table. also expensive but only treat myself off and on. a small will feed me for three meals. they have super wings as well.

 

[FrankZ]

I like Jack Astor's, a small (less than 100 restaurants) Canadian chain with one restaurant in Buffalo, NY and one in Cary, NC. This is a fun, loud restaurant with tasty food and good service. They use brown paper as a table cloth and put a jar of crayons on the table. Great place for a party.

When I was traveling to the Toronto area frequently the office always made sure to take me to Jack Astor's at least once every visit. There was always a fight for the last of the pan bread. (ok, not always, sometimes more was ordered)

 

[jabbur]

Love 5 Guys for burgers, Olive Garden for lunches, Ruby Tuesdays. Local favorites are Hot Dog King and Crab Shack.

Can't stand Chili's, Will tolerate Applebee's. Buffalo Wild Wings is out not because of bad food but because it is just too loud with all the TV sports blaring.

 

[Claire]

Many, if not most, of the ones mentioned, I've never heard of, and we were on the road for most of our (going on 30 years) relationship.

I really disliked Longhorn (went once, the service was so bad we had a drink and left, so have no idea what the food is like). Outback? I guess it says it is pretty good that I've never been ... because I don't stand in line for food. Too many years and and with the military. If you don't take reservations, I'm not going to spend a half hour out in the parking lot hoping I can get in. No steak is worth that. Although I've liked some of the food I've eaten at Red Lobsters around the country, most have been very noisy and ... cold. And I'm usually hot anywhere I go. But sometimes they were so cold that my food arrived from the kitchen cold. Carlos O'Kelly? Have they never heard of cumin?

I confess to liking Applebee's for lunch. I like that you can order half orders and walk out with a decent tasting meal that you can actually finish and not break the bank; most I've been to make attempts to use local sports teams and such for decor. The ones around here don't do brunch, but in Florida they did one that was really good. HuHot Mongolian Barbecue is my favorite for lunch at the mall and for bringing complaining, fussy guests. Hey, you choose it, you don't like it go back for something different.

there are two regional chains I like and will get back to when I think of their names (ha! At 3 a.m.!)

Ah, there, hubby remembered one. I think it is called Shells or something like that in Florida. Loved that one. We stop at Rafferty's when in Kentucky.

The thing is, we tend to eat out more at lunch than dinner, and then usually do chains when on the road or with groups and are just going along to go along. When we dine out, just the two of us, given a choice, always an individual place

 

[Caslon]

Rubios Fresh Mexican Grill is expanding to other states. They were the first restaurant chain to offer the now famous fish taco and they have a very health conscious menu. El Pollo Loco is also pretty healthy, I like their chicken.

Worst on my list is Carl's Jr. They added mexican food to their menu. The most gringo mexican food I've ever had. Their fish taco consists of 1 fish stick with some salsa
added, wrapped in a tortilla. When I say fish stick, I mean just that, the kind you had as a kid. The rest of their mexican fare is just as gringo.