[BMW F22]

I like Texas Roadhouse and Chipotle. The latter I frequent more often and the former I haven’t been to since pre-covid. I don’t usually visit chain restaurants except for the occasional McDonalds, BK, and Taco Bell. I’m sitting here trying to think of anything else that I frequent and nothing comes to mind.

[Nivarox]

I don't particularly go to chain restaurants but sometimes I do . I guess it depends on the situation .I prefer chef owned restaurants if possible

[dreamingat30fps]

Originally Posted by vreihen16

We tried to stop at Cookout last spring to find out what the hype was, but they were closed due to COVID!

There's actually a Culvers down the street from our hotel in SC, and I plan on trying them tomorrow for dinner. I'm munching down the last of my Zaxby's chicken strips as I type this. We had Bojangles last year, and it was good.

The one that bothers me is Sonny's BBQ. Tried it three times at different locations, and it was always dry and meh. In comparison, we stopped at a hole-in-the-wall independent BBQ buffet off of I-95 in the center of some town, and would absolutely make that detour again just for the hushpuppies.....

I refuse to wait in line for fast food so I may never be able to try cookout.

Culvers is probably in my top 3 burgers. I'm not a fan of the "fancy" burgers with weird ingredients that are so big you can't even take a bite out of them. I like them easy to eat, either with a nice chargrill taste or a good crust on them. I love the milshakes at Culvers also.

I think I prefer the chicken at Zaxbys, but Bojangles has those biscuits.... MMMmmm.... they have a "family" meal that's $20 and comes with a ton of tenders like 4 biscuits, 2 sides and a whole half gallon of ice tea. Can't beat that if you want something tasty, fast and cheap!

BBQ is a different story. No good BBQ chains that I've tried. There might be some OK ones, but never had a really good one. I typically stick to ribs if I'm at a BBQ chain. Luckily both in FL and NC we have some pretty good local BBQ places around the house.

[Tommy-G]

Originally Posted by dreamingat30fps

I'm not a fan of the "fancy" burgers with weird ingredients that are so big you can't even take a bite out of them.

You mean like this?

[M_Six]

Aside from the usual fast food places, the only chain restaurants near us are BWW and Cracker Barrel. Haven't been to either in years. When we used to go to Indy once a month or so, we'd sometimes hit PF Chang's. But again, haven't done that in years either.

[erickonphoenix]

I'll eat Whataburger on road trips but that's about it. Houston has too many indie restaurants to sample.

However, once a year when I go back to East Texas to visit family they take us out for a night on the town at Golden Corral.

[dreamingat30fps]

Originally Posted by Tommy-G

You mean like this?

Yeah! I hate that shit! I also hate it when they don't know how to properly construct a burger so the shit falls apart as soon as you try to take a bite and you end up having to eat it with a fork. No thanks!

[BMWCCA1]

On Fridays I'll use my McDonalds app to get free fries and the well-hidden Daily Double (skip the mayo and save calories) for a total lunch bill of $2.39. I'm a big spender. Who can pass up free McD fries?

[///MPhatic]

Not sure what we'd do without chain restaurants, we eat at them regularly. The Chic Fil A addition is real, as is Olive Garden (for me), Tractors (not sure if that's a chain), Rally's, hell, we do them all.

[Tuxedo]

I would ask when checking into small towns what local restaurants we're favorites, sadly Olive Garden is a common response. I'd then ask where everyone wish they'd gone for their prom date? I'd then get the answer I was looking for.

Sure Olive Garden tastes good but it tastes like boil in a bag sauce per serving portion control not a made with love from scratch by a Chef in a pot the day of or day before. Mass buying food for couponing delight deals isn't my style.

Here in Chicago is a chain Lettuce Entertain You that does a good business making it from scratch and every place a bit different motif, matches my style for a chain. Guess that's why they call it market share.

[vreihen16]

<=== Has never been to an Olive Garden in his life.....

[Bunnny]

I used to enjoy them 10 years ago.
Now, their food is so cheaply made it shows, and the prices are higher. All for pre-made microwaved foods and cold or deepfried sides. Yuck.

[tcphoto]

I try to avoid chain restaurants and do my best to support individually owned businesses.

[UncleWede]

I struggle to stay out of Popeye's. The biscuits aren't as good as 10-15 years ago, but red beans/rice

Wife digs Outback for steaks. The pour a few decent drinks, and the seared ahi ain't half-bad mixed with a wedge

But our most-visited location has to be Twenty-88 (the address) of a fusion type hipster joint in Camarillo. We rarely order dinner entrée, just various appetizers. Filet skewers, calamari, Ceaser, Brussel sprouts, goat-cheese egg rolls. My go-to is the Kentucky blood for sippin. Buffalo Trace, blood orange, and serrano chile juice/slice. I order mine extra hot, so that my lips go almost numb.

Dang, it's only 8:30 and I'm hungry now. . .

[infinitekidM2C]

I assume you're discussing sit down chain restaurants and not fast food. Not too many i like.

Maggiano's, California fish grill and Panera Bread are good. CPK is ok but overpriced. Cheesecake factory is meh, not that good. The rest are mostly bad and not worth paying them for what you get. Better off at local ethnic places like Thai, Vietnamese,etc.

[///d]

I don't have anything against chain restaurants. Some are really good, some are basic garbage. But anytime I'm on the road I always try to find locally owned places to stop at. You can find some real gems and amazing food that way.

[stevenc]

My wife hates them, but I travel a lot for work, and i like getting a consistent easy meal on the road!

Chilli's, Applebees, Panera, Texas Road House all acceptable.

[ryan stewart]

LOL I thought Id hit CFA after working the polls since we got out at 9:20 and Google said they were open until 10. Well, my first time trying to hit a chain in months failed, turns out they close at 9...

Thankfully I had something to scrounge at the house so I didnt have to go to be hungry.

[vreihen16]

Originally Posted by dreamingat30fps

I refuse to wait in line for fast food so I may never be able to try cookout.

We stopped at Cook Out in SC for lunch today. Two lanes of drive-through, with no seats or counter inside. No line, and our order was ready in less than a minute from paying.

I was expecting Burger King dry meat with faux smoke flavor. The patties were actually moist, as was the bun. I'd definitely go back in the future. I ordered with a $1.99 side of hushpuppies, which were not really great. All in, the hushpuppies and a double bacon cheeseburger (no drink) cost me $7.01 which felt like a great price.....