Question of the Day, Friday, Jan 8

Good morning!   And Happy Friday! 

Easy (I think) question this morning:  Name a chain restaurant that you will not go to and tell us why.

Rick and I won't go to Applebee's. We went in with friends years ago in New York. Waited an hour, just to give the server our orders, waited another hour for the food and, when it came, the meals weren't correct and half the food was cold. What really frustrated us is that we had seen people who came in after us get their food before our orders were even taken. The people we were with do not complain much about anything and even they had had it by that point. We had a long talk with the manager and ended up not paying anything. But the whole experience left us with a really negative attitude toward Applebee's and it took a long time before we ever went back. 

And a couple years ago, I think it was, we went into our local Applebee's. Placed our order and waited for quite a while before our food came (the place wasn't busy at all). Rick looked at me while we were eating and said, "You know, dear, I haven't missed this place at all!" And that's been the last time. I don't know that we'll ever bother again.

I had a tough time with this one. :lol3: We really don't eat at a chain restaurant often at all, but I can't say never for most. If someone wants to meet us at one some time, we are usually agreeable. I had to google for a list of them and my answer is Country Buffet, although I think they have closed most of the ones around here.

I haven't been to one of them in years, but didn't like the food and really don't need to go to an all you can eat type of place. I have enough problems with my weight. :lol3:

Red Lobster.

Smells like rotting fish. If a dog walked in there it would roll in it like it were heaven. End of story.

I honestly can't think of any I WON'T go to. Obviously some I CAN'T due to the fact they don't exist in the area. I think when I was younger.

Well, I can think of one, but it's not a chain. It's a pizza place that had roaches on their pizzas OFTEN.

Golden Corral I eat way too much bread there! I'd rather go to K-Bobs my favorite place!

Pizza Hut

About 18 months ago I got diagnosed as gluten intolerant and had to give up a lot of my favourite foods, including pizza. Then one day I saw that Pizza Hut make gluten free pizzas so, after not eating but seriously craving pizza for a year, I went and got one. I could not press the issue harder that it needed to be gluten free to the lady taking out order and she said she understood. After eating a few tentative bites (I have a phobia of eating food I haven't prepared now, in case it's not gluten free), I started feeling bloated and got abdominal pains. Turns out the pizza wasn't gluten free. I was in agony for a week after that. Now I just don't trust Pizza Hut.

up until recently, the ones I refused to go to were

Applebee's because I'm not a fan of their food and the one over near work recently received 7 health code violations. Yum

Chili's- The last time we ate there, everything was so salty. I like salt so if it was too salty for me, that says a lot

Arby's- I do not care what they say. That is NOT roast beef. Their RB reminds me of those cheap packets of cold cuts that you find in grocery stores. THIS stuff- http://www.buddig.com/products/Original/Beef#2oz      Every time I had their roast beef I have gotten sick.

Now that I'm on the Vegan train, I'd have to change that list from a few to almost all. I've been looking at the menus of a lot of the big chain restaurants and most have nothing vegan friendly other than their side salads or vegetable side dishes. DD and I love Ruby Tuesday and the only thing they offer is the vegetable side dishes which average 50-70 calories each like the steamed broccoli, grilled zucchini or roasted spaghetti squash. Thankfully they have the salad bar. Olive Garden's massive selection includes:

Breadsticks - (I don't like their breadsticks. they are more like skinny hot dog rolls)

Steamed broccoli

Pasta

Kids tomato sauce (I better get a paper placemat and some crayons with that)

Raspberry dipping sauce. ( to dip my fingers in?  )

Quiznos. Mainly because of that commercial they had with the hamsters in the really annoying song. Because of that, it turned me away from Quiznos, lol

Draco said:

 
Quiznos. Mainly because of that commercial they had with the hamsters in the really annoying song. Because of that, it turned me away from Quiznos, lol

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HAHAH, Yes that commercial is so annoying! "Quiznos toasted subbies...." One of mine is also Quiznos for a different reason. I don't like warm lunch meat. I feel like subs should always be cold. 

I also can't (not won't) eat at Taco John's/Taco Bell. I have a dairy allergy, and EVERYTHING they serve has cheese or sour cream on it. 

Paiger8 said:

 
HAHAH, Yes that commercial is so annoying! "Quiznos toasted subbies...." One of mine is also Quiznos for a different reason. I don't like warm lunch meat. I feel like subs should always be cold. 

I also can't (not won't) eat at Taco John's/Taco Bell. I have a dairy allergy, and EVERYTHING they serve has cheese or sour cream on it. 

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Taco Bell will leave cheese off anything if you ask them to. You can also add to anything. I think that most things don't come with sour cream unless you order it supreme. If it does come with it, you can ask them to sub guacamole for it if you like that (or just leave it off). They are surprisingly accommodating. I might go there tonight for 2 bean burritos, no cheese, add black beans, rice and guacamole. Grilled. 

They will grill any burrito if you ask. 

There are an extreme few restaurants that truly pass Board of Health inspections and I am a real stickler when it comes to cleanliness in the kitchen! So, that leaves a LOT to be desired when it comes to dining out - fast food, chain stores, or privately owned restaurants. With that being said, there is a privately owned place here in town that was once a really nice place to go called Maverick's. They have a wide variety of food from steaks and chops to sandwiches and salads, a full bar and they even have a nice outdoor dining area (weather permitting), but both their service and food are absolutely non-existent since a new owner took over a year ago. 

One week we went for dinner and it was wonderful! Two weeks later (new owner's 'grand opening') and it totally sucked! The waitress was the owner's daughter and I don't think she'd ever waitressed in her life. The food/meat was over-cooked and leathery (like it had been cooked ahead of time and left sitting under a heat lamp for hours), the alfredo sauce was literally curdled, salads were brown and wilted, and there were dirty tables everywhere with no customer's at them. We never saw our waitress after we placed our orders - the bus boy brought our food out and told us she was 'on break'!  Five minutes after being served, which took close to an hour, we finally convinced another waitress to notify the manager/owner to come to our table. She was appalled that we complained and refused to compensate us beyond offering us a 10% discount on our next visit! 

Needless to say, we left (yes, we ended up paying just to get away from there) and we have never gone back. There have been negative write-ups in the local paper and news sped like wild fire. The only thing that is keeping their doors open is the fact we have a large casino within a mile of this place and the unknowing customers are drawn in. I doubt the place will stay open very much longer though because word is even getting around at the casino to direct people elsewhere. 

Even with all the complaints and negative feedback, there have been no improvements and the exterior of the building is starting to show neglect regarding cleanliness and landscaping. 

Kat0121 said:

 
Taco Bell will leave cheese off anything if you ask them to. You can also add to anything. I think that most things don't come with sour cream unless you order it supreme. If it does come with it, you can ask them to sub guacamole for it if you like that (or just leave it off). They are surprisingly accommodating. I might go there tonight for 2 bean burritos, no cheese, add black beans, rice and guacamole. Grilled. 

They will grill any burrito if you ask. 

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But is a taco really a taco without cheese and sour cream?   I just usually make mine at home with Daiya cheese and "Tofutti: Better Than Sour Cream." YUM. Thanks for the info though.   Now I'm craving tacos...

There are so many!

Red Lobster.  I quit going there in my late 20's.  Dinner out was a big deal when we first married and every time we went there I spent most of the time in the bathroom with cramps and runs.  After the 3rd time it had to be the restaurant.  Still don't know what was effecting me there.

Applebee's  I had shrimp and spent the next day and a half with cramps and runs.

Chili's, the one by us has the slowest service in the universe.

Paiger8 said:

 
But is a taco really a taco without cheese and sour cream? 

 I just usually make mine at home with Daiya cheese and "Tofutti: Better Than Sour Cream." YUM. Thanks for the info though. 

 Now I'm craving tacos...

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I've heard mixed reviews about Daiya cheese so I haven't tried it yet. There are a ton of recipe videos on Youtube for non dairy cheese so I might try to make my own before I buy some. 

My local grocery store has the Tofutti: Better Than Sour Cream. How is it? I'm usually disappointed by alternative products. I kept hearing how great Beyond Meat chicken strips are so I bought some. I did not like them at all. 

I think I'd rather go without than have a product that tastes odd or has a weird texture which is what I've heard about the majority of non dairy cheese. 

Sorry- back to topic- I also stopped eating at KFC forever last year after I got some really disappointing chicken from them. 

AbbysMom said:

I had a tough time with this one.

We really don't eat at a chain restaurant often at all, but I can't say never for most. If someone wants to meet us at one some time, we are usually agreeable. I had to google for a list of them and my answer is Country Buffet, although I think they have closed most of the ones around here.

I haven't been to one of them in years, but didn't like the food and really don't need to go to an all you can eat type of place. I have enough problems with my weight.

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   We mostly don't go to chain restaurants, either.  Top of my 'don't go to' list would be Black Bear Diner, though.  Ridiculously large portions of bland food.  

We stopped going to the Red Lobster, the service was terrible the last time we were there and that was over a year ago.  I always loved their biscuits and they were uncooked, tasted like we were eating raw dough.  We sent them back but they didn't taste much better. 

Their prices have gone sky high and the portions are smaller, it's not worth it anymore. We go to a place called The Long Horn more often now and their food is delish.

Pam, as far as Applebee's, we go there and enjoy their meals.  We have never had any of the problems you mentioned.  I guess all areas are different.

LaRussa said:

 
We stopped going to the Red Lobster, the service was terrible the last time we were there and that was over a year ago.  I always loved their biscuits and they were uncooked, tasted like we were eating raw dough.  We sent them back but they didn't taste much better. 

Their prices have gone sky high and the portions are smaller, it's not worth it anymore. We go to a place called The Long Horn more often now and their food is delish.

Pam, as far as Applebee's, we go there and enjoy their meals.  We have never had any of the problems you mentioned.  I guess all areas are different.

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They sell a box mix for the cheddar bay biscuits at Wal Mart (and probably grocery stores too) for about $2. It makes 8 biscuits. They taste exactly like the ones in the restaurant. Just don't try to reheat them in the microwave. 

I don't like TGI Fridays or Chili's. At least not the ones in Sioux Falls. My family will go to Applebee's occasionally, when the whole family goes together, because it's pretty much the only place that my dad and brother can agree on (dad=burger guy, brother=vegetarian. Both are extremely picky, just about opposite kinds of foods!). Although a hibachi grill buffet place opened a couple years ago and they both like that so we haven't been to Applebee's much since then. I wasn't overly impressed with Ruby Tuesday's. The food wasn't bad but it seemed overpriced for the same old stuff almost any restaurant has.

Red Lobster has either really gone downhill in the past 10 years, or maybe my tastes have changed. We used to go there for special occasions but the last couple of times it's been blah and kind of icky. Even the biscuits. I've never eaten at Arby's. I don't know why! I guess it just isn't in a convenient area or the food doesn't seem appealing or something. I really like Wendy's though. And Panera is great.

I don't care for Panda Express.  I know that most Chinese food unless you live near a legitimate China town and order from their authentic menu is Americanized.  Panda Express seems to have taken it to a higher level and the food is pretty bland.

I never was a big Applebees fan but they used to have a blondie with ice cream and a maple butter sauce that I really liked.  Someone told me they have changed it and it comes with cream cheese frosting now.  I don't think that would taste right so there isn't anything there that I am interested in.