Breakfast - Waffle House or Bob Evans
Chicken - El Pollo Loco even though the closest one is like 1000 miles from me. My better half always goes for KFC
Pasta - The Pasta House, a St Louis local chain.
Burger - Depends on how you define burger (see below) but probably Red Robin
Guilty Pleasure - White Castle
For a sit down chain restaurant I’ve always liked The Macaroni Grill.
For fast food chicken Rasing Cane’s is incredible. They only have 6 things on their menu but they are all great.
Chicken Tenders
Crinkle Cut Fries
Coleslaw
Texas Toast
Cain Sauce
Fresh Squeezed Lemonade
I always like Wendy’s Hamburgers but I think that’s because the one in our town is the best one I’ve ever been to.
I am a fan of Wendy's over McDs and BK. But when I lived in Jacksonville all the Wendy's there were horrible. Very sloppy, every table was sticky, the burgers weren't assembled well, etc. But back up here in the Northwest they are as good as they ever were.
You may already know this, but if you sign up for RT's emails (which come nearly daily, several a week anyway) you will get a free burger every year on your birthday. You actually get like a week to use it, doesn't have to be *on* your birthday. I've been able to get me my free burger a couple times. Buy a beer to go with it and I get a nice meal for $4.50 plus full tip. That's another touch that makes me really like that place.
We've discovered some new to us chains when we moved here to Tennessee. O'Charley's, Cheddar's, BoJangles, and Zaxby's top the list. We are definitely missing Boston Market, Wingstop, Romano's Macaroni Grill, and Red Robin where we are now.
5 Guys is one of my favorites. It is a favorite of me and my wife for a treat after the kids go to bed. We will feed them quesadillas or mac and cheese or something like that they enjoy, put them to bed, and then go pick up 5 Guys for a nice at home date.
Culvers amazes me. Our local has the cream of the crop for servers, and counter people. All high school age, all extremely polite. They will literally run to hold the door open with a smile and hello for customers coming in or out.
I went to Chuy's in Stevenson Ranch, CA back in about the spring of 2001 and was amazed they had a live fire grill in the kitchen using mesquite lump charcoal. Do they still use a charcoal fired grill? I loved their chicken.
Buffalo Wild Wings and Red Robin, it's a toss up between the two. I actually really like Hooters wings but the wife prefers BWW so that's my favorite wing place now
ssandy_561 we get them double fried (wife asks for all flats), I prefer the dry rub (Sweet desert heat or whatever, but do wish it was hotter) the wife gets medium. I like their fried pickles the most.
This week I'm having Smoked Brisket Burnt Ends, Smoked Brisket Flat, Brisket Flat Pastrami, Sous Vide 8oz Tri-Tip Steaks seared in Clarified Butter with a Blackberry Wine Sauce, Bacon and Biscuits......
As far as the "high end" chainfrieses, we have Applebee’s & Buffalo Wild Wings. I am not impressed by either, so don’ go. We have 3 McD’s, 3 Culver’s which are pretty good, a Panda Express, Panera’s, Burger King, Jimmy Johns, Subway, Cousins Sub & a KFC. Won’t do KFC due to a good case of F.P. about 30 yrs ago. Was sick for3 days while I was on the road working in the U.P. We have plenty of chicken joints around here.
Pizza places are fairly represented. We like Little Cheezers or Jets due to their Detroit style pizza.
That’s pretty much it. We are a big little town. So the the eateries mentioned are up north or south of us. So when we go to eat we usually take advantage of the "local" fare where we go. There is a Famous Dave’s about 2 hours away that we go to once a year, but it is nothing like the original up in Hayward that burned down a couple years back. Dave did rebuild but under a different name since he is not affiliated with the outfit anymore.
Favorite chainfries, I have to say Mcd’s.
BWW is the worst service ever. I don’t even remember the food but I remember being thirsty the whole meal and never did get a refill. And this happened each time I went and to different locations.
We have 2 BWW near us and both are excellent, top notch service & food. Perfect crispy & juicy wings. It makes me sad to read stories of folks not liking BDubs...it's one of my faves!
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