Run for your lives! It''s a chain!
 

It seems whenever the topic of food comes up on this forum, someone mentions a restaurant and them someone else pipes in, derisively, "It's a chain."<BR><BR>That, of course, implies that the food at a chain isn't first-rate (for the money). Is that true? Or are there chains that provide good food and service for the money?<BR><BR>And one last thought: How come when someone asks about, for instance, the Holiday Inn in Topeka or the Hilton in Peoria, no one snobbishly replies, "It's a chain."

Chains lack originality.They employ at a low wage and therefore use less skilled workers, resulting in higher risk for food-borne illnesses.Unless I'm starving, I will avoid chain restaurants, especially fast food. Fodorites, do yourselves a huge favor and pick up a copy of "Fast Food Nation" by Eric Schlossberg. It might also help all those potbellies out there, LOL!

There are chains and then there are chains. Here in Naples, Florida we now have a number of "world class" restaurants. One of my favorites is Roy's, of the Hawaiian Roy's fame. It is a chain -- in fact this local one is owned by the same people who own Outback Steak House and Carraba's. One would think from that description you should run from the place. But it is one of our finest restaurants. My other favorite is Campiello's -- a wonderful indoor/outdoor Tuscan Italian place with great food. It is a branch (therefore a chain) of a group of restaurants in Minneapolis.<BR>Don't confuse "chain" with "fast food".

Link:<BR><BR>Good point. Chains were born because good, reliable cooking (or lodging, for that matter,) wasn't always available. I think they're great. As a consumer, I'm always fond of having choices.<BR><BR>I don't like McDonald's hamburgers. But many's the morning I set off on a day's (mis)adventures with a sausage & egg McMuffin to give my system a starting shot of energy. A couple of bucks, a couple of minutes at the drive-through, and I'm "On the Road Again." (Don't like their coffee, either; I bring my own.)<BR><BR>Thanks for starting a good subject. I can see this one growing maniacly.

Many times chains of any sort, lack the local flavor of the town or city.

When I orginally posted, I figured I didn't have to say, "I'm not talking about fast-food joints." My bad: I'm not talking about fast-food joints. The subject of McFood has been beaten to death. I'm asking about your opinions of chain restaurants that are several steps above the Mc-type.

I don't mind chain restaurants at all. (don't mind a Big Mac for lunch either but htat is another story) If going on vacation though, I usually like to eat at a "local" place to get a real feel for that city's unique feel. Sometimes people on this board will mention a specific restaurant in a city and ask how it is not knowing it is a chain because they don't have it where they live (recent threads include questions about Buca de Beppas and P.F.Changs both of which are above average chains)<BR>If it were me I would want people to point out that it is a chain so that I don't go there expecting unique food. I love Outback Steakhouse, Joe's Crabshack, and P.F. Chang's but I wouldn't want to eat at one of these while on vacation to somewhere like D.C. or New York. When I'm in my home city and going out for a bite on Saturday afternoon fine.

Funny, because I was thinking the same thing this weekend - how people put down chain restaurants. I generally do avoid most chain restaurants if I am traveling because I want to experience places that are unique, but I don't do the same thing as much at home. Chain can't be equated with bad food. Maybe on the whole they are less imaginative and have worse food, but I wouldn't say that is a matter of course. And of course, chains themselves differ - some have three or four stores in a local area, and others have hundreds or thousands worldwide. I think there is also something to be said for chains if you are in a location without much information about the local options and don't always want to be adventurous. Ok, I want a steak, so I can try this little spot I saw down the street f(which might be pretty darned bad), or I can go to Outback, which I know has pretty good food.

I agree with Penny completely when it comes to fast food.Read that book-you'll never eat a hamburger or chicken nugget again! However, Patrick makes a point. Morton's of Chicago and Ruth's Chris Steakhouses are chains, but the quality is top-notch.If I'm in an area where there is no alternative to a chain- I know that Appleby's has a good grilled salmon. O'Charleys offers a good steamed veggie plate. Ruby Tuesday has a salad bar.There are healthy choices at chains, and that is important to me.

penny is obviously an independent restaurant owner or she's simply completely ignorant to the realities of the industry. <BR><BR>I have worked in restaurants on both coasts and in between, and now manage a retaurant in Baltimore (not a chain, by the way, but I've worked in both). <BR><BR>I'd certainly like to see penny's evidence that chain restaurants have a higher incidence of food borne illnesses. In my educated opinion, just the opposite is true. Chains have the resources (financial and otherwise) and the internal controls to ensure the highest level of safety and cleanliness. It's the independents that can't afford the proper sanitizers and don't have the background or skills for proper employee training. <BR><BR>Low wage? Give me a break! In my experience and that of my friends, chains almost uniformly pay HIGHER wages than independents. Again, penny, let's see some authority for your statement. As a general rule, chains do not suffer from the same financial pressures as independent restaurants and their overworked owners. <BR><BR>I'm not saying that chain restaurants are great or anything, I'm just countering penny's erroneous assertions.

To ABC: What if I'm not looking for "local flavor"? <BR><BR>For some people, food is not a big part of the travel experience. And then you have the business traveler who's just looking for a decent meal at a decent price and really couldn't care less about local flavor.<BR><BR>Maybe we can start a thread here describing your worst and best chains.<BR><BR>Worst: Applebee's, TGIFriday's, Olive Garden.<BR>Best: Bandera's (mainly in the Southwest)

I think "a chains" reputation relies on its local management. We took our children out to dinner Saturday night. (six of us) They chose Red Lobster and we had a good meal. Their policy is two wait staff if six or more, so we had a lot of attention. The entrees were a little slow so they treated all of us to free dessert, which was wonderful! We will definitly go back because of the good service, decent food and decent prices.

We like the "Lettuce Entertain You" chain of restaurants. Pretty diversified chain.

Derrian,<BR> I told you to read the book. That's where I got my statistics. They apply mostly to fast food restaurants, however. My assertions were absolutely correct and this book alludes to many studies by the government and independant testers.Ever since the administration of President Richard Nixon, the fast food industry has worked closely with its allies in Congress and the White House to oppose new worker safety, food safety, and minimum wage laws.My family has been in the industry for years as food distributors, so I know the business very well.

Chains build a brand image and brand image brings customers in because they know what to expect and don't get surprises. Chains tend to work with higher margins than independents. They can afford to pay their employees more and have standards to meet. Generally, the food should be fresher and safer at a chain.

A "chain restaurant" sometimes means that the food is not really made on the premises. Many times the food is premade frozen and shipped to the restaurant. That is true of Olive Garden at least.

Did you know that Lutece in New York is part of the Ark Restaurant chain? Gets a 25 for Food and costs $78 per person in Zagats.

Both Everest and Ambria in Chicago are part of Lettuce Entertain You Restaurants and are widely considered among the top restaurants in Chicago.

Actually, its part of the Ark Restuarant goup. NOT a chain, as there is no Lutece anywhere else. Chain refers to multiple restaurants with the same name, or very similar names. Some upscale restaurants have gone 'chain', like Nobu and Emeril. However, the original chefs do still retain total control and do sometimes cook in the kitchens. I personally would be skepticle about eating at any knock-off, like the Nobus not in NYC. Also, while Ruth's Chris is quite good, it is still a chain and I think you can get better food at a local place for at least the same price. <BR>The real devils of the chain food are the Chilis, Applebees, and TGIFridays. Greasy, boring food, oversauced and without any subtlety. And the portions--no wonder Americans are so fat. I try to run from chains, but sometimes that's not possible, so I suck it up and go to the least onerous one I can find. I would never eat at a cahin while on vacation and never in a big city where you can actually find good food.

Although the notion of a chain restaurant seems to indicate uniformity among different locations, that isn't always the case. I've noticed that the same chain in different cities--or even different neighborhoods--might vary in food quality, service, etc.<BR><BR>To complicate things further, I've encountered *local* chains or at least sister restaurants. For instance, there is a great place in Winston-Salem NC called Nobles, which was preceded by J. Basil Nobles in nearby High Point NC, and there is now another Nobles in Charlotte.<BR><BR>Some favorites:<BR>1. Carraba's in North Myrtle Beach and Myrtle Beach.<BR>2. Copelands in Winston-Salem<BR>3. Macaroni Grill in Winston-Salem<BR>4. Papadeux in Houston (hope it's still there and still good, it's been a few years).

On a recent business trip I ate at a Houston's restaurant in Atlanta GA. I was surprised to find out thqat it was a chain as the atmosphere, food etc. were not what I'd expect from a chain operation. Not cheap but perhaps the best tuna steak I've ever had and all the side dishes were first rate as well. Have also tried Pappadeaux's cajun seafood place in Dallas and it was very good. It had an ambiance that is more typical of a chain but was very good food. Just depends on what you're looking for... if I'm on a road trip and need a quick, moderately priced dinner in a town without any obviosuly great "local" operations, I'll stop into a place like Olive Garden. Is it great, top-shelf Italian food? No but I knoe exactly what I'll get and the price is right (but don't get me started on Red Lobster - how do they manage to make every different type of seafood from lobster to shrimp to fish all taste the same? Wierd...)

A good,juicy Bourbon Street steak from Applebees sure sounds good to me.

That's odd. I was thinking the same thing about Olive Garden: How DO they manage to make everything taste the same? (I think the answer is: too much garlic, too much butter, too much oil -- that'll make anything taste alike.)

Not all chains are created equal. I had a chance meeting with the VP of the organization that owns the HOPS Bar & Grill chain. We love the one in our home town, which surprised him greatly. He said it isn't so well received in other area. The explanation? Individually managed stores - The manager in our hometown is thought to be the best they have on board. The VP said he'd like to clone our guy and send him to every restaurant they own. So there still can be a lot of individuality in chain restaurants.

<BR>Olive Garden employs the use of microwaveable packets for their sauces and nukes pre-cooked pasta. The bread and salad bags that are shipped (almost) ready to serve. This eliminates all human involvement with the food prep. Not that this is a bad way of preparing food for the masses, because it does ensure uniformity. Just please don't tell me that the "real family" commercials have stolen your mind when they tell you that this is "real" Italian. Come on now. There is a difference, and arguing there is none shows that you never had a grandmother or mother to teach you the difference between good food and garbage.

When I'm on vacation I don't want to eat at a chain, unless it's a chain we don't have here in NY - in which case I'll try it. I found I love In-N-Out burgers (Vegas & SF)...we don't have those around here. Also Chipotle Grill in the Denver area is very yummy - I LOVE veggie burritos! I also go to IHOP in Austin whenever I'm there. Those crepes with berry sauce are great! Sometimes it's just EASY to return again and again to a chain restaurant, because you generally know what you're going to get - it requires no thought or planning. <BR><BR>But if someone's coming to NY, I wouldn't recommend they go to McDonalds or Olive Garden...there's so much better out there. There ARE some decent chains in NY though...Baluchi's (Indian) and Manhattan Chili Company are two places I go occasionally. And I like the spinach dip & chicken fingers at Houston's. <BR><BR>Some chains can do things right, some can't. Sometimes you're in the mood to try something new, and sometimes you just want to stop your stomach from rumbling. But I think that vacation is the best time to try new things.

Chains we love:<BR>Il Fornaio (California and Italy)<BR>McCormick and ......(depends on city)<BR>California Cafe<BR>Piatti<BR>Armadillo Willy's<BR>Lettuce Entertain You<BR>Giodano pizza<BR>Fishmarket<BR>

just want to correct Yuck from a previous post - there is another Lutece - it's in Las Vegas.

I'll try to weigh in on this. One thing that I have noticed is that there tends to be regional chains that are able to maintain their quality, while expanding within a limited geograpgic area. They achieve economies of scale, while not expanding so far that they lose the identity of who they are. I can name some from the areas that I am familiar with...the midwest (Happy Joe's Pizza, Maid-Rite, Hungry Hobo).<BR><BR>None of you will be familiar with these, but there's a reason. They do not try to conquer the world ala McDonalds. I'm sure the original McDonald's was good, but along the way they became more about market share than hamburgers. Moderate growth with not losing sight of what made your restaurant popular to begin with is the key here.

Not including "fast food" which in genral I love, here is a sampling of my good and bad picks for chains.<BR><BR>Good:<BR>Macaroni Grill<BR>Ruth Chris<BR>Outback Steakhouse<BR>Benihana<BR>Tumbleweed<BR>B.D.'s Mongolian Grill<BR>BW-3's<BR>P.F. Changs<BR><BR>Bad:<BR>Chi Chi's<BR>Red Lobster<BR>Olive Garden<BR>Hard Rock Cafe<BR>Rainforest Cafe<BR>Shoney's<BR>Uno's Pizza<BR>Hooter's<BR><BR>I am sure there are plenty of others!

What does anyone think of Benigans?. Have tried two while in the States, one in Chicago - OK, and one in Boston which was very good. This doesn't seem to have had a mention.

my two cents:<BR><BR>GOOD: Bennigan's, Ground Round, Carlos O'Kellys<BR>ACCEPTABLE: Lone Star, Ruby Tuesday<BR>REALLY BAD: Chi Chi's, TGI Fridays, Olive Garden<BR><BR>Management seems to play a big part in these.<BR><BR>Is "Don Pablo's" a chain? They are all over Minneapolis/St. Paul and I like them.<BR>

What some people knock chains for is what is sometimes good about them - like if you are in a new city and you have hungry teenagers who have been travelling all day and tolerated that funky cafe for lunch and now want recognizable food soon. No, I would not eat in a chain restaurant most of the time - but the above posters have some general agreement on which ones are good and which ones stink - it is that consistency that is important at times. We save the more adventuresome eating for the next day. (And, although I can't stand TGIFridays, the one at JFK Airport was a welcome sight after 10 days in Egypt!)

<BR>Hey Bethany <BR>How can you include Hooters on your bad list of chains? They serve very high quality food and give good service in the process. I certainly only go there for the food - at least that's what I tell the wife.

Huh,<BR><BR>there is a Don Pablo's in Winston-Salem NC. Not a bad place for casual tex mex. The best Mexican cuisine chain (at least I think it's a chain) I have tried is La Paz in Charlotte NC.<BR><BR>It's been a while since I've eaten there, but the Tijuana Fats in Blowing Rock NC is decent too.

Don Pablos is a chain. I have seen them all over the midwest and south but they are pretty good. Another good category chain for Italian is Maggiano's (beats Olive Garden hands down!)

I really loved Bahama Breeze in Orlando and it's a chain. They have a signature scallop dish that is awesome! The scallops were ENORMOUS!

Most chains strive for consistency ,,,,not great food.<BR><BR>They want the dining experience to be the same at all locations. This means portion control, garnishes, food prep is done according to "the manual".<BR><BR>In some chains the "chef" is an 18 year old kid just following the system.<BR><BR>Some chains set higher standards than others(Mortons, etc) ..others don't (Ruby Tuesday, Bennigans, etc.....but regardless each store(restaurant) should be serving the same product.

I'll put my vote in for Cozymel's, good Tex Mex, and awesome Margaritas. Large portions and reasonable prices. We have one on Long Island, NY.

There is a Don Pablo's in Atlanta, too - definitely a chain.<BR><BR>I'm not ashamed to say that I love chains - there's a reason why they're so successful. It's all about consistency, which is very comfortable, especially when you're someplace unfamiliar or if you're exhausted after working an 80-hour week. I love good food and exploring new places, but sometimes I just don't feel like it and eating is something that I need to do to keep from passing out. I will go to McDonald's because I know exactly what I will get, and how it will taste.<BR><BR>Also, while travelling, especially overseas, it's nice to get a little tast of home. I took a bike trip in S. China a couple years ago, where we were out in the countryside for two and a half weeks, eating food that our guide ordered for us. It was great, but when we hit Xian, our first stop was KFC. The whole experience and complete immersion in the culture was so overwhelming, we just needed a little something to help ease our homesickness (besides, going to a KFC in China is a cultural experience in and of itself...).<BR><BR>Some chains I wouldn't set foot in (Olive Garden, for instance). Others are some of my favorite restaurants (California Pizza Kitchen, Outback). I say, go wherever you like the food and who cares what anyone else thinks. You're the only one who knows what you like or feel like doing at the moment, whether that's a new experience in a little family restaurant that may be spectacular or horrible, or the old familiar chain.