chain vs vs independent restaurants

[brainhulk]

Which has been better in your your experience?

 

[QueBert]

I've eaten at a shitload of local spots, and the majority of them suck. Being a Mom & Pop diner doesn't automagically made it good. While some of the better places I've eaten at were local non chains, the ovwewhemling majority are shitty. If I'm in a city where I know the spots to eat I will go local if there are ones I've had. If I'm somewhere I've never been I will NEVER go to some hole in the wall on a whim.

I'd rather have a boring, but semi decent meal from a place like Applebees than take my chances at some 1 of a kind family owned establishment. If I was to estimate I'd say the 100 worst place I've eaten at in my life were all mom and pop places.

 

[TeeJay1952]

I like to support M&P over chains. Food in restaurants depends on many things, time of day, workers showing up, freshness of food, your mood and appetite. I have had both great meals and flops at both but prefer to support local over corporate.

 

[lxskllr]

Define "better". Indies have a wider quality range, and it even varies in the same shop depending on the cook. You get mediocrity, and excellence. Chains are more consistent, but they stay around the middle ground. They're predictable and boring. I prefer the indie experience.

 

[NoCreativity]

I like to try independent when traveling. Stuff that I can't get at home. I have never really had a terrible meal doing it while having several exceptional experiences.

We actually eat more chain at home because of the lack of good independent places near our house.

 

[Markbnj]

Independent restaurants when you're someplace you know, or where you know people who know. Chains when you're travelling and just want a predictably decent meal.

 

[Anubis]

Independent restaurants when you're someplace you know, or where you know people who know. Chains when you're travelling and just want a predictably decent meal.

basically this.

National chains are teh safe bet. average food that is basically always the same

pure local places are really like flipping a coin, sometimes they are amazing, sometimes they are crap

Small localish chains (regional) i have found often have very good food

 

[purbeast0]

Independent restaurants when you're someplace you know, or where you know people who know. Chains when you're travelling and just want a predictably decent meal.

im the exact opposite of this. when i'm on vacation i like to try the local restaurants, whether they are high end or not. at home i do both.

 

[Capt Caveman]

I've eaten at a shitload of local spots, and the majority of them suck. Being a Mom & Pop diner doesn't automagically made it good. While some of the better places I've eaten at were local non chains, the ovwewhemling majority are shitty. If I'm in a city where I know the spots to eat I will go local if there are ones I've had. If I'm somewhere I've never been I will NEVER go to some hole in the wall on a whim.

I'd rather have a boring, but semi decent meal from a place like Applebees than take my chances at some 1 of a kind family owned establishment. If I was to estimate I'd say the 100 worst place I've eaten at in my life were all mom and pop places.

Yelp, Chowhound and this forum(when I went to LA) are your friends. Chain restaurant if I'm traveling on the road. Outside of that, I haven't been to a chain restaurant in years. Too many delicious local places to go to before thinking of a chain restaurant.

 

[Juddog]

Yelp, Chowhound and this forum(when I went to LA) are your friends. Chain restaurant if I'm traveling on the road. Outside of that, I haven't been to a chain restaurant in years. Too many delicious local places to go to before thinking of a chain restaurant.

Pretty much the same for me, unless I'm forced to go to a chain restaurant due to being with co-workers. If I'm visiting a town I try to look up some restaurants ahead of time.

There are some chains which are "better than nothing" that I'll hit if I'm on the road and don't have much choice; for example Subway is one of the places that is ok if you're on a long roadtrip and have nowhere else to go. There are other chains which are ok, like Moe's.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Chains suck. There are SOOOO many great restaurants here, the only time I go to chain restaurants is because my kid likes some of their shit food.

 

[KMFJD]

M&P's that do not use services like sysco

 

[brainhulk]

I don't think M&P's can beat In n Out at their price point

 

[BurnItDwn]

Ehh,

Mexican .. haven't been to a chain place in years (unless you count independant chain like "Las Palmas")
Burgers .. I go to chain places all the time, but, much prefer Bulldogs in Wauconda since the meat is better. The small chain Boston Blackies has damn good burger too though. Of the big chains, 5 guys, culvers, and steak and shake are good, but there is no comparison.
Pizza .. I go to chains, but, they are all chicago/regional chains (Lous, Rosatis, etc)
Thai .. I like independant restaurants. There is a small chain called "Big Bowl" which isn't bad, but it's more expensive, and not as good as proper thai places.
Chinese .. There's tons of awesome take out places. Around where I work, Wah Feng, or Yen Yen or Szewhan Kingdom are good. There is a PF Changs, but it's yucky.
There's no Korean chains, but several good Korean restaurants in the area (place called Wooil is damn good)

Overall, I eat at both chains and independent restaurants.

None of the chains are among my favorites, even though I do acknowledge that many of them are good.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

Pretty much the same for me, unless I'm forced to go to a chain restaurant due to being with co-workers. If I'm visiting a town I try to look up some restaurants ahead of time.

There are some chains which are "better than nothing" that I'll hit if I'm on the road and don't have much choice; for example Subway is one of the places that is ok if you're on a long roadtrip and have nowhere else to go. There are other chains which are ok, like Moe's.

I suppose that depends on where you are on the road. In the northeast we have lots of good places to go and get a sub, but Subway is so good at marketing that they can get people who live near a great place to think that paying more for less in terms of product an quality is a superior choice. Subway is awful. Maybe where people can't make bread they are better, but other than that no.

 

[Juddog]

I suppose that depends on where you are on the road. In the northeast we have lots of good places to go and get a sub, but Subway is so good at marketing that they can get people who live near a great place to think that paying more for less in terms of product an quality is a superior choice. Subway is awful. Maybe where people can't make bread they are better, but other than that no.

It's awful, but it's better than buying packaged junk at the gas station or eating garbage at a McDonalds / Burger King.

Typically at a rest stop there isn't much selection, and if there is, you take a risk. In my town for instance, a block from work there is an excellent sub shop that's way better than Subway, at the gas station on the corner. That being said, it was a discovery to find it, and not all corner gas station sub shops are created equal.

In general, if I can lookup reviews on Yelp or Urban Spoon, etc., and find a place that way I'll do that, but if I'm on the road for a 10 hour drive and my choices are limited I'll hit up a Subway.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

It's awful, but it's better than buying packaged junk at the gas station or eating garbage at a McDonalds / Burger King.

Typically at a rest stop there isn't much selection, and if there is, you take a risk. In my town for instance, a block from work there is an excellent sub shop that's way better than Subway, at the gas station on the corner. That being said, it was a discovery to find it, and not all corner gas station sub shops are created equal.

In general, if I can lookup reviews on Yelp or Urban Spoon, etc., and find a place that way I'll do that, but if I'm on the road for a 10 hour drive and my choices are limited I'll hit up a Subway.

Yeah I get that.

I have family in the south and I went to find a sub in a small town oh maybe a decade ago. "Subway". OK. So I went to the best supermarket in the area and found a loaf of "french bread" which looked more like an immense impotent phallus. I drove a lot of miles looking for one decent sub roll or equivalent. Dead dongs all. I went to Subway.

 

[Juddog]

Yeah I get that.

I have family in the south and I went to find a sub in a small town oh maybe a decade ago. "Subway". OK. So I went to the best supermarket in the area and found a loaf of "french bread" which looked more like an immense impotent phallus. I drove a lot of miles looking for one decent sub roll or equivalent. Dead dongs all. I went to Subway.

Hahahah! You made me spit up coffee on my shirt, argh.

 

[AstroManLuca]

The average quality of independent restaurants is lower than chains, but the error bars are huge. Chains are almost always decent, never great, and usually not horrible either.

Independent restaurants can be anything from blow-chunks disgusting to the best food ever. They range wildly from cheap-as-dirt to super expensive and you never know what you'll get.

I prefer taking a gamble on independent restaurants unless I am just hungry and need food.

 

[mmntech]

Chain restaurants have consistent food quality across the board. However, at most family type places, this means bagged and microwaved. They're not really that cheap either for what you get.

Independent places can be a gamble, but it's good to try new things. I find you get better service at these places if the owner is there. They have a vested interest in making sure you have a good dining experience. It's not a guarantee, but you're not dealing with minimum wage jockeys who really don't care either way.

 

[Atomic Playboy]

Predictably, zero people have voted for chain restaurants. In this day and age with the internet and Google maps and Yelp and zagat and all other manner of restaurant ratings at your fingertips at any time, why would anyone waste their time on the consistently shitty food quality of a chain restaurant? I watch Bizarre Foods; even the crazy hillbillies barbecuing squirrels are serving up better looking food than you get at Olive Garden. Independent restaurants are totally worth the risk.

 

[purbeast0]

there are PLENTY of chain restaurants with great food. i don't see how people automatically assume that any chain restaurant is a shitty restaurant. that's simply not true.

i love me some local places and go to many non-chain restaurants, but at the same time there are plenty of awesome chain restaurants.

EDIT:

and what is the definition of "chain" restaurant? does it have to be national? does it mean just more than 1 restaurant?

 

[JulesMaximus]

there are PLENTY of chain restaurants with great food. i don't see how people automatically assume that any chain restaurant is a shitty restaurant. that's simply not true.

i love me some local places and go to many non-chain restaurants,
EDIT:

and what is the definition of "chain" restaurant? does it have to be national? does it mean just more than 1 restaurant?

Only chain restaurants I think are decent are Ruth's Chris and PF Chang's.

The food at your average chain restaurant is edible but that's about it really. I've had some decent meals at chains and some absolutely horrible meals at chain restaurants. I generally avoid them like the plague.

but at the same time there are plenty of awesome chain restaurants.

Name them.

 

[purbeast0]

Only chain restaurants I think are decent are Ruth's Chris and PF Chang's.

The food at your average chain restaurant is edible but that's about it really. I've had some decent meals at chains and some absolutely horrible meals at chain restaurants. I generally avoid them like the plague.



Name them.

mortons was great when i ate there. it was better than the emeril legasse steakhouse i ate at in vegas this past july, delmonico steakhouse.

cava - http://cavamezze.com/
matchbox - http://matchboxchinatown.com/
chima - http://chima.cc/site/

 

[JulesMaximus]

mortons was great when i ate there. it was better than the emeril legasse steakhouse i ate at in vegas this past july, delmonico steakhouse.

cava - http://cavamezze.com/
matchbox - http://matchboxchinatown.com/
chima - http://chima.cc/site/

I'd hardly call a restaurant with 3 or 4 locations a chain... although technically they probably are.

I would eat at any of those restaurants you linked. :thumbsup: I might have to check out Matchbox next time I'm in Palm Springs.

One of the worst meals I ever had was at a Cheesecake Factory. Absolutely awful.