chain vs vs independent restaurants

[UglyCasanova]

Definitely independent restaurants. I can't believe all of the comments of doing chain restaurants when traveling either. I absolutely love going to the places I can't get at home, particularly exotic/ethnic food. And when there, I order stuff that I've never had before.

That said, I do love Cracker Barrell and at the end of vacations we tend to stop at one of those on the way home.

 

[zerocool84]

There are so many horrible independent restaurants out there, finding a good one isn't easy, lots of horrible service and bad food, but if you do it can definitely pay off. Seriously though, too many food snobs here, I have no problem eating at chains.

I should have eaten at local chains when I went to Washington DC a few years ago. Stayed there for five days and only ate two good meals. Went to little restaurants that got good reviews but were horrible.

Just because it's independent doesn't mean it's good.

 

[Capt Caveman]

Ruth's Chris, Cheesecake Factory, Romano's... Are all great chains that I'd pick over some of the inde places around here...

:biggrin: A menu so large, you know most of the stuff isn't fresh and probably frozen.

 

[Ns1]

if restaurants could get report cards...

chain = consistency, always scores a B- or C+.
independent = hit or miss, always scores A or F.

 

[evident]

I'd rather have a boring, but semi decent meal from a place like Applebees

I'm really sorry but I extremely disagree with you. Applebees is hell on earth. I got a 50$ gift card there once and it was god awful. I'd rather eat McDonald's or chef boyardee. If I ever get stuck there with a gift card I now know they have a decent bottle of wine or two.


I avoid chain restaurants, although I'll go to a few ones I know I like. Traveling? No way am I going to a chain. I have to travel with a bunch of co-workers to a foreign country and all they do is go to kfc or McDonald's, ugh.

 

[KlokWyze]

There are so many horrible independent restaurants out there, finding a good one isn't easy, lots of horrible service and bad food, but if you do it can definitely pay off. Seriously though, too many food snobs here, I have no problem eating at chains.

I should have eaten at local chains when I went to Washington DC a few years ago. Stayed there for five days and only ate two good meals. Went to little restaurants that got good reviews but were horrible.

Just because it's independent doesn't mean it's good.

Correct sir. Chains are more predictable because they have processes in place and are more likely to be held accountable if you get food poisoning.

That being said, a quality mom and pop place is priceless.

 

[KlokWyze]

I'm really sorry but I extremely disagree with you. Applebees is hell on earth. I got a 50$ gift card there once and it was god awful. I'd rather eat McDonald's or chef boyardee. If I ever get stuck there with a gift card I now know they have a decent bottle of wine or two

Some chains are wretchedly bad..applebees is one. Olive garden..... disgusting.... I find it depressing that people actually enjoy it.

 

[Zeze]

I don't know why this is a debate.

It's like comparing apple vs oranges.

Local - unique & adventurous

Chains - reliable through their brand (that's the god damn very point of 'chains')

Sometimes I crave specific chain food, sometimes I love trying local spots. Why does it have to be 'vs'?

 

[JulesMaximus]

I don't know why this is a debate.

It's like comparing apple vs oranges.

Local - unique & adventurous

Chains - reliable through their brand (that's the god damn very point of 'chains')

Sometimes I crave specific chain food, sometimes I love trying local spots. Why does it have to be 'vs'?

Look, you're either with us or you're against us. Now which is it.

 

[Zeze]

Here's one small aspect where I enjoy a chain over local:

I do think Texas Roadhouse beats 90% of similarly priced ($20~) local steakhouses.

So so so many of local steakhouse joints do a HORRIBLE job. You just can't compare to the sheer economies of scope of TR and their sheer focus on doing steaks & prime ribs...

Mmmmm Texas Roadhouse...

As for the opposite, I REALLY miss my hometown's crabcake place, pho place, and this awesome pad thai place.

 

[JimmiG]

It depends. For a quick lunch I prefer the established chains. I know what to get and what to expect.

For a fine dinner I definitely like to try some independent restaurants, but not without doing some research online or hearing from friends who have been there.

 

[biostud]

Definitely independent restaurants. I can't believe all of the comments of doing chain restaurants when traveling either. I absolutely love going to the places I can't get at home, particularly exotic/ethnic food. And when there, I order stuff that I've never had before.

This

 

[QueBert]

I'm really sorry but I extremely disagree with you. Applebees is hell on earth. I got a 50$ gift card there once and it was god awful. I'd rather eat McDonald's or chef boyardee. If I ever get stuck there with a gift card I now know they have a decent bottle of wine or two.


I avoid chain restaurants, although I'll go to a few ones I know I like. Traveling? No way am I going to a chain. I have to travel with a bunch of co-workers to a foreign country and all they do is go to kfc or McDonald's, ugh.

Have you ever eaten at a mom & pop place you've never been? Applebee's might be boring and forgettable. But the food's safe, mom and pop places, shit I went to one a few years ago, there was a piece of bone AND the twisty tie from the loaf of bread on my pork sandwich. Oh yeah, and they used fucking bread I can buy at Vons. Had I went to Applebee's I could have had a bland meal, but I went somewhere that could have killed me. For the record I've only gotten a twisty tie in my sandwich at one place, and it wasn't a chain. There's nothing like almost choking and almost breaking your tooth all from the same sandwich.

After numerous bad experiences with unknown local places I no longer feel adventurous when I'm traveling. I'll stick to Cheesecake Factory, which is always pretty decent. Or if they have one a nice chain like Mastros. Which no local place could ever touch.

 

[Eos]

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

The Italian place (opened and run by Italians; from Italy) down the street order from Sysco. It's not a chain.

 

[evident]

Have you ever eaten at a mom & pop place you've never been? Applebee's might be boring and forgettable. But the food's safe, mom and pop places, shit I went to one a few years ago, there was a piece of bone AND the twisty tie from the loaf of bread on my pork sandwich. Oh yeah, and they used fucking bread I can buy at Vons. Had I went to Applebee's I could have had a bland meal, but I went somewhere that could have killed me. For the record I've only gotten a twisty tie in my sandwich at one place, and it wasn't a chain. There's nothing like almost choking and almost breaking your tooth all from the same sandwich.

After numerous bad experiences with unknown local places I no longer feel adventurous when I'm traveling. I'll stick to Cheesecake Factory, which is always pretty decent. Or if they have one a nice chain like Mastros. Which no local place could ever touch.

i usually always eat at mom and pop places. only a chain or fast food if i'm starving, on the go and have no other choice, or if i'm with people who cant eat anything except white bread and french fries. you could have used any chain restaurant and i may have agreed with you, but you picked applebees. bonefish grill, outback steakhouse, hell even shitty ass red lobster or olive garden. applebees is the devil and makes me question your palatte

and i also find it sad that you are no longer adventurous. it's probably my favorite thing about traveling either for work or vacation to try out the local joints. When i go to japan for work im straight up appaled by the lack of adventuresomeness and ignorance that some people exhibit. people pay hundreds or thousands of dollars to go vacation somewhere and try out new experiences. these fools come all the way there and go to mcdonalds and hard rock cafe D: D: D: and if you're too scared to try something without any prior knowledge how hard is it to ask your hotel concierge or go look on tripadvisor / yelp?