Favorite chain restaurant? Mine is now Ruby Tuesday

[jharner]

If the wife and I go out for dinner( witch is every Friday night at our favorite Mexican hole in the wall ) it is usually at a local place. If we go to a chain it will be either Joe's Crab Shack or Chilies

[prepperjack]

We go to chili’s for one reason and one reason only: it’s one of the few places that serves something for everyone. The food and service are passable and the kids almost always eat their food.

[au4stree]

Chick-fil-A!!
but the salad bar at RT is legit.

[Huskee]

Resurrecting an old thread. Since my local Ruby Tuesdays have closed, and I recently went south to areas with Chick-Fil-A, it is now my favorite. Yeah, I live in an area where Chick-Fil-A is only known from the news. I hope they make their way up near me soon.

I was blown away at how tasty those chicken sandwiches are, how juicy too, and we ate there for lunch probably 6 or 7 days in a row. My whole family loved it. The lines were huge but they really have their ordering process streamlined in a way I'd never seen at other fast food places. Order takers roam the lines taking your order while you wait. 2-3 staff members are outside at the windows handing you your food. I never once talked to or met a person behind a window, they were all outside in the sun, smiling. I was highly impressed all the way around.

I know all the fast food places are copying their chicken sandwiches but I can't figure out why they don't copy their drive-thru and customer service methods. This should have long ago been obvious to the others.

[Jerod Broussard]

SPAMMER!!!!!! REHASHING OLD THREAD, ENGL-ISH....IF YOU CATCH MY DRIFT, where's a mod.... Seriously came here expecting a BOT

[Huskee]

Put that banning finger away, it's only me (sigh).... Jerod Broussard.

[Jared49]

Big fan of Chick-Fil-A, their handling of the pandemic is/was amazing. The drive thru during dinner hour was packed but the lines kept moving. "Almost" faster than pre-pandemic!!

[FireMan]

Around here it’s Kwik Trip don’t ya know.

[Huskee]

Neverhearduvvit. Must be a west-of-the-water thing.

[FireMan]

Yup! WI, MN, IA, they are every where.

[Jared49]

I drive for an Expedited Transfer Co., and KT is awesome! Clean restrooms, fresh good food. Very friendly staff. A true oasis for travelers.

[JCBBQ]

Huskee I like the customer service at Chick fil A too. But it took me a while. Living in NJ for 25+ years has made me suspicious of anyone being that nice...

[JCBBQ]

We don’t really eat out at chain restaurants for dinner bc there are so many nice individually own joints in town. Maybe Cheesecake Factory on occasion but I used to like it more in the past so we haven’t been in a very long time. I do like the occasional chicken sammie at either Chick fil A or Popeye’s, but again, we’ve got some pretty good food trucks around town that make really excellent stuff so I don’t find myself going in them much. Road trips are another matter - I’ve only been to a Red Robin twice but I wouldnt hesitate to stop in the future. Really good.

[JCBBQ]

Also Diners are a big thing in NJ so if we go out for breakfast it’s usually to a diner...or just grab a bacon egg and cheese on an everything bagel.

[prepperjack]

OK, it seems as though all the focus on improvement has gone into y'all's RTs because the one near me is absolutely horrid. Seriously, I drove by it yesterday and my stomach hasn't felt the same since.

I think my favorite chain restaurant is Texas Roadhouse.

Breakfast is where the wife and I disagree the most. When I go out for breakfast, I just want breakfast. I hate places that feel like they have to make breakfast fancy. All I really want is 2 eggs over easy, some bacon or sausage and some hash browns, home fries or grits. My wife, though, basically has dessert for breakfast, so she loves those trendy type breakfast places. For me, it is usually Waffle House.

If I want a sandwich for lunch, there's really only two places I go. If I'm near one, I'll go to Baldino's, though I think they may only be here in GA. About the only other chain that I'll get a sandwich from is, well, not a restaurant - Publix, hands down, makes the best subs.

Fried Chicken - I go through periods where I prefer either Bojangles or KFC.

Pizza - This one I struggle with. Its Hungry Howie's, but while they were all over the place when I lived in Florida, I think there's only one near me now and its about 25 miles away, so I normally get Johnnys. If the wife and I go out for dinner and are brining something back for the kids though - Little Caesars. Mainly because those little jerks like Hawaiian Pizza, so they get what they deserve. ;-)

[RonB]

My wife is the same way about breakfast - she wants fancy. It kills me to pay twice as much for food that's half as good as Waffle House. But. I. Do. It.

[Huskee]

I like all the pizza chains. it's all delicious to me.

[Clark]

We like Cheddars the best. The menu has variety, the service is usually great, and the food is consistently very good. We have eaten at many of them around the country and feel that they deliver a good value. The only downside is the noise. No drapery or carpet to absorb sound so we always try to sit in the front section which is "divided" by a wall of booths.

[Jfrosty27]

Here in Milwaukee, WI area we have a local diner chain call George Webb’s. THE spot for breakfast or late night. For subs another local chain, Cousin’s Subs. Outstanding.

[MBMorgan]

If you don't count what can be found at almost any major airport terminal (and that's been several years ago), we don't frequent any chains but one. Lately, we've come to depend on Culver's when it's time to scratch the smash burger itch and there's either no time or no inclination to fire up a cooker at home. (Their onion rings aren't bad either).

[Steve R.]

Good call, I really like Culver's. And it is the standard for smash burgers in my house. When I got my Blackstone griddle and started making smash burgers at home, my daughter gave me her highest compliment by proclaiming my burgers "just like Culver's."

[Jared49]

Love Culver’s. All of their food is good. Considering it’s a "fast food" joint, the grilled Rueben Sandwich is quite good.

[Dan Deter]

We tried Culver's for the first time weekend before last while driving to Texas. It was very tasty and we would stop again!

[jgreen]

Couple of great chain spots here, but I think local only to Winnipeg. Restaurant called Salisbury House is great for breakfast or lunch. For fast food, we don’t have as many options as our US friends so usually get A&W. Really like chick-fil A as well but can only get that on trips.

[prepperjack]

About 15 years ago I visited Winnipeg for work. The only thing I remember about it is how proud they were of their slurpee machines. They actually ended up taking a break from a meeting to take me to a 7-11 so that I could marvel at all the flavors available. 🤷

[surfdog]

Well, two years later and I still don’t have a fave chain. LOL

I only go to chains out of necessity because I’m out of town/state and they might be the only place remotely close to my hotel. Same goes for fast food.
Texas Roadhouse, Rudy’s (mostly TX BBQ chain), Ruby Tuesday, Sonny’s (mostly FL BBQ chain) generally across the street or within walking distance from a hotel I might stay at.

I know people that could probably eat fast food daily. I am not one of them. At all. LOL
I only go when my pickup needs fuel and I’m miles from where I want, or need, to be.
At best, most fast food is merely edible IMO. Part of why I carry at least three different hot sauces in my suitcase. Sometimes it’s an exercise in futility, but it sometimes it helps.

And until I see a full English/Irish breakfast on a menu...pass. And I don’t see a chain adding that any time soon.
How a chain can screw up an omelette or breakfast burrito is beyond me...and yet... O_o SMH

Fun fact: I ordered a brisket sandwich one day at a Rudy’s and watched the "cutter" completely remove the bark. O_o WTH?!
I asked why... And the guy taking my order said, "We always do that."
”Ok...but why?!”
He didn’t know. SMH

[latenight71]

check out O'Malley's in Seal Beach for a good Irish breakfast.

http://www.omalleyssealbeach.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Omalleys-on-Main-Traditional-Irish-Fare-and-Dessert-February-23-2020.pdf

[synodog]

Fogo de Chão Brazilian steakhouse. I’d go more often if my wallet could handle it. I usually settle for the less expensive Rodizio Grill chain.

At the In and Outs here, lines look like the lines at Chick-fil-A in the south. The two times I’ve been to In and Out I didn’t see any reason to wait that long. Sorry. The Chick-fil-A closest to us has an In and Out right next door. That parking lot is awful.

[surfdog]

Never have I understood the people waiting in long lines for In-N-Out. O_o
I honestly do not understand that draw... Every time I see a line there I think, "You people need to get out more!"

[Bkhuna]

I second Fogo de Chão. There are any number of churrascaria's near me in Orlando but Fogo de Chão is my favorite. I never plan on being the driver on our trips back home after a meal there.

[SmokeyGator]

Ruby Tuesdays still exists? All of them in my area have gone belly up. But as far as my favorite chain place goes, there is currently only one. Hurricane Wings and Grill. Because they have Space Dust on draught. Really. That is it. As for as food they have a wing sauce I really like (boss sauce) and the burgers are decent. What more do I need? Nothing. My needs are simple.

For ribs I like Flanagan's. This chain started in my home turf with a booze store chain known as "Big Daddy's". The booze store was in South Florida blocks away from a marina. The owner liked to fish and had a sweet boat. One of his kids came up with the idea to stash a grill behind the booze store and after a day on the water hang out with select friends and regular customers with a few beers and fresh grilled fish. Eventually the booze store was expanded and the "restaurant" made legal. The first Big Daddy Flannigan's was born. Anyhow they have really good ribs.

Recently a new place opened up that is all the rage. Walk Ons. It is "Louisiana" themed, started by two guys who were "walk ons" for the LSU basketball team. Anyhow it is interesting. Not sure about it, but the first order was good. I say not sure because it is weird. For example, they have crawfish etouffee - but it is served over egg noodles? So is it really etoufee? Same with what they call "Jambalaya". It is not served over rice either. Not a huge deal, but just strange.

[surfdog]

Space Dust?! O_o LOL JK
I’m not a huge fan because I’m not a huge fan of IPAs in general. But every time I meet one of my sons at a Yard House...that’s what he gets. Not many other places offer it regularly. (For those that have never been, Yard House is a chain "famous" for their beer selection.)

Love the history of Flannigan’s. Might be worth seeking out. Though I rarely have time to venture south of Cape Canaveral.

Not sure about the egg noodles & étouffée, but I’d certainly try it.

[STEbbq]

Like a few others have said: Culvers, Chick-Fil-A, and Papa John’s.

[STEbbq]

I have not had a dinner in a sit-down chain place like Ruby Tuesday, Chili’s, TGIF for years and years. Generally I have found the food to be overpriced, over salted, or when I have ordered BBQ subpar.

[STEbbq]

I know Papa John’s may be controversial especially being in Chicago but my wife and I have eaten it for 20+ years at this point so definitely a habit for our taste buds.