Thoughts on chain restaurants.

[maflynn]

I'm not sure how many folks visit chain restaurants but I've noticed a clear decrease in quality since the pandemic.

• The 99 restaurant - A regional chain here in the northeast. Pub food at a good price, its a shell of its former self, both in food selection and quality.
• Olive Garden - more microwaved food then anything
• Panera bread - once marketed as a fresh alterative to fast food, is preprocessed and mediocre. Hell, the last time we were there, my daughters said their chicken soup was worse then the canned Progresso soup sold in supermarkets, i.e., the ingredients were all mushy and falling apart, and it was luke warm
• Red Robbin, we tried going there yesterday, and it was dirty, empty and no help could be found - at one point we wondered if it was even open.

I ALWAYS go by the mantra, that I avoid empty restaurants. They're empty for a reason and that reason typically isn't good. I'm finding that these chains tend to be mostly empty, but locally owned are still very busy.

Anyways what are your thoughts and/or opinions on chain restaurants.

Conversely my experience to locally owned restaurants continue to be overly positive, so its no the food service industry but its limited to chains.

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

As a family we’ve cut back from eating out and if we do we’d rather support a pub rather than the big chains. Portions have shrunk and prices have gone up 20% which I understand to a degree, but at the same time I don’t want to be the one that’s ripped off. I think the only chain I’ve eaten in during the last couple of months is a JD Wetherspoon and that’s about as cheap and low quality as you get even if it’s convenient as you can order via an app and no queuing at the bar lol.

Support family run pubs I say, don’t support fast food restaurants who see your food as a bill of materials and sacrifice quality.

 

[maflynn]

s a family we’ve cut back from eating out and if we do we’d rather support a pub rather than the big chains.

We have too, don't get me wrong, but there were times where we were out and about, and there's a Panera bread or in yesterday' case a Red Robbin.

I'm fortunate enough to live in a location where there's many small family owned restaurants, but the family and were talking about this and we saw this trend where these chains have cut corners and quality and its odd that it seems that most chains we're familiar with are doing that.

 

[velocityg4]

Don't care for them. I really don't like eating out at all. The foods always too fatty, salty, disappointing, &c. Since the pandemic started. I've had McDonalds regular hamburgers once. That's it, no other food orders.

If I'm out and absolutely have to eat something. I'd rather just grab a protein bar. Which isn't very often.

I guess I've been out to eat more than once. If you count the hospital cafeteria. When visiting a sick family member. Which actually has some really good, healthy food.

 

[Silencio]

I can't think of the last national chain restaurant we've been to, at least for fast casual or full service dining. They've all gone slowly but steadily downhill over the decades, so I can't imagine how bad they are now.

There are so many good local, independent restaurants that deserve support.

 

[icanhazmac]

I'm not sure how many folks visit chain restaurants but I've noticed a clear decrease in quality since the pandemic.

I avoid certain chains like the plague, mostly the traditional fast food ones like:

McD, BK, Wendy's etc., If I have to I will go to Chick-fil-a but I'm not overly fond of them either.

The next tier up is where I have found the mixed bag:

Five Guys - Consistently good, when its not it is usually a day old bun or under cooked fries but the burgers are always good. Smashburger used to be in this category for me but lately has been mediocre at best, super greasy.

Olive Garden, Red Robin, Outback, etc. style chains - I avoid these like the plague too. I always found these to be wildly inconsistent.

I really prefer local restaurants, since the pandemic they are very expensive but at least I can say I am supporting my local economy and a much better quality food and experience.

 

[Graham Caracas]

What you're served in those places is product, not food. No more thought goes into the menu than how cheaply it can be manufactured. I can't imagine what makes you even consider corporate food as acceptable for human consumption.

 

[icanhazmac]

This should be illegal:

Food Ads vs. Real Food Photos: Crimes Of Culinary Deceit

When photographers become magicians.

www.huffpost.com

 

[dannyyankou]

When it comes to value for the food you get, Texas Roadhouse ranks pretty high up there

 

[Mousse]

I avoid certain chains like the plague

Having seen how a lot of folks reacted to COVID, I have stopped using that phrase. Since know only a handful of people who uses the oxford comma regularly🤓, I'm gonna start saying, "I avoid <insert place/person here> like the oxford comma."😏

This should be illegal:

Food Ads vs. Real Food Photos: Crimes Of Culinary Deceit

When photographers become magicians.

www.huffpost.com

View attachment 2072000

The burger built exactly like the one in the photo would be inedible. It might even kill ya.😑

 

[TSE]

Chain restaurants are almost always terrible and overpriced. Not to be confused with Fast Food chains. Fast food has it's place for the convenience, price, and availability. But chain restaurants - think Applebee's, Panera, Chili's, etc. are usually more money than a mom-and-pop place, significantly worse quality, and you are not supporting a small family business by going there.

The worst of them is Panera - I have a friend that swears by it and I had it with him one time. A small bowl of canned soup, the most basic sandwich I could make at home, and a coffee for $12. No thanks.

 

[KaliYoni]

Maybe MR members–at least those posting in this thread–don't match the typical attributes of fast/fast-casual food and casual restaurant customers.

For example Darden (DRI) is on track to drive around $10 billion in revenue this year and Chipotle (CMG) close to $9 billion. So somebody is eating regularly at these places.

I personally don't go to chains unless I'm traveling and there are no other acceptable options to get food. But I live in a city so that's an easy path to follow.

Maybe Yogi Berra had it right: "Nobody goes there anymore, it's too crowded."
;-)

 

[maflynn]

Chain restaurants are almost always terrible and overpriced

My opinion was that they could be good and many used to be good. Olive Garden for instance was a decent restaurant where you knew you'd get a good meal for a decent price. As they got bigger and they consolidated and the kitchens did less and less cooking.

The worst of them is Panera

At one time as I mentioned it was good, with fresh ingredients, now not even close.

While not a restaurant, in the strictest sense, Dunkin Donuts. Growing up, and even 15 years ago, each DD made their own donuts, everything was fresh. Someone had the bright idea of having a single location to make the food and once that happened you didn't eat a fresh donut but something akin to cardboard.

My point is they wanted to grow the business and cut corners, the quality suffered, many restaurants like the Olive Garden are doing the same it seems. Looking at ways to maximize profits at the cost of quality.

 

[mecloud]

I always avoid national chains, and I’d add Cheesecake Factory (🤮) and Cracker Barrel (🤮🤮🤮) to the list. It’s all boil-in-bag swill, no “cooking” going on in the restaurants. The more “local” chains can go either way. In SF/Bay Area Gott’s is to me an example of a local chain that does a good job.

 

[shadow puppet]

Just a personal choice as I rarely get to eat out but when I do, I prefer to support our local Mom & Pop restaurants rather than chain restaurants.

 

[Expos of 1969]

If in Canada, you certainly want to avoid Tim Hortons. Years ago it was half decent but then started to send frozen baked goods to the outlets, abused franchisees financially etc. Yet many people still consider it a Canadian iconic symbol of some sort, ignoring the fact that a few years back it was purchased by the Brazilian investment bandits who also own Burger King. Crap coffee, crap donuts....beware.

 

[icanhazmac]

If in Canada, you certainly want to avoid Tim Hortons. Years ago it was half decent but then started to send frozen baked goods to the outlets, abused franchisees financially etc. Yet many people still consider it a Canadian iconic symbol of some sort, ignoring the fact that a few years back it was purchased by the Brazilian investment bandits who also own Burger King. Crap coffee, crap donuts....beware.

Couldn't agree more. The US version of course is Dunkin Donuts (or dunkin dog-nuts as it is accurately nicknamed due to the taste of their coffee).

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Personally, I passionately prefer and will always try to support small, locally owned, places (where the food is locally sourced, the staff decently treated, and the quality of what they serve tends to be very good) over chains.

I recognize the convenience factor (and "brand" recognition factor) of the latter, but will rarely choose to go there unless accompanied by those (such as children) for whom this is a marked preference.

 

[Madhatter32]

I never expected much from the chains you listed in terms of ambiance or food quality in the first place. I do not frequent many of them so I do not know if they have declined further from their already low perch due to the pandemic.

I did go to an IHOP over the summer and I did not notice much of a difference. Meh. I also visited one of my favorite chains called Morton's Steakhouse and as David Byrne might say, it was "same as it ever was" -- that is, very good.

 

[Herdfan]

When it comes to value for the food you get, Texas Roadhouse ranks pretty high up there

Really the only one we eat at locally. Wife likes Carraba's but we don't have one.

The nice thing about Texas Roadhouse is their app actually works. Open it and see how long the wait is, put your name in and show up at the designated time, tell it you are there and wait in the car. Never more than 5 minutes.

Longhorn's app will say no wait while you are in the parking lot, walk in and there is a 20-30 minute wait.

 

[dannyyankou]

Really the only one we eat at locally. Wife likes Carraba's but we don't have one.

The nice thing about Texas Roadhouse is their app actually works. Open it and see how long the wait is, put your name in and show up at the designated time, tell it you are there and wait in the car. Never more than 5 minutes.

Longhorn's app will say no wait while you are in the parking lot, walk in and there is a 20-30 minute wait.

Yeah Longhorn's app is trash.

Texas Roadhouse rolls sound really good right now...

 

[maflynn]

Longhorn's app

I dont use their app, but this is one if the few chains that is still good

 

[icanhazmac]

Texas Roadhouse rolls sound really good right now...

Never been to a Texas Roadhouse but when it comes to bread/rolls/biscuits I'd have to hand it to Red Lobster. Those damn cheddar biscuits almost made the visit tolerable.

 

[Huntn]

I'm not sure how many folks visit chain restaurants but I've noticed a clear decrease in quality since the pandemic.

• The 99 restaurant - A regional chain here in the northeast. Pub food at a good price, its a shell of its former self, both in food selection and quality.
• Olive Garden - more microwaved food then anything
• Panera bread - once marketed as a fresh alterative to fast food, is preprocessed and mediocre. Hell, the last time we were there, my daughters said their chicken soup was worse then the canned Progresso soup sold in supermarkets, i.e., the ingredients were all mushy and falling apart, and it was luke warm
• Red Robbin, we tried going there yesterday, and it was dirty, empty and no help could be found - at one point we wondered if it was even open.

I ALWAYS go by the mantra, that I avoid empty restaurants. They're empty for a reason and that reason typically isn't good. I'm finding that these chains tend to be mostly empty, but locally owned are still very busy.

Anyways what are your thoughts and/or opinions on chain restaurants.

Conversely my experience to locally owned restaurants continue to be overly positive, so its no the food service industry but its limited to chains.

No surprise we have mostly stopped going to restaurants, although we do on occasion, a direct result and after effect of the Pandemic. I remember or thought Panera prepared your food at least your sandwiches?
Lately we have been to Chuy’s (TexMex) and Texas Road House, both seem to be thriving.

 

[TechRunner]

While not a restaurant, in the strictest sense, Dunkin Donuts. Growing up, and even 15 years ago, each DD made their own donuts, everything was fresh. Someone had the bright idea of having a single location to make the food and once that happened you didn't eat a fresh donut but something akin to cardboard.

When I was a kid, my dad cleaned office buildings in the evening and I would go with him sometimes because we always stopped at DD on the way home. Waaaay back then, we'd sit at the counter and enjoy a big, fresh donut and watch the overnight crew come in to start making the donuts for the morning rush. Fast forward a few decades, and now they're made in a factory two hours north of that location, frozen and shipped. Oh, and with less than half of the filling they once had...

Back to the topic: We'll occasionally grab fast food (mostly Chick-fil-A...my wife is an addict haha), but typically gravitate towards local eateries for sit-downs to both support small business, and because the price-to-quality ratio is way better than at chains, IMO.