No, PF Changs is owned by someone else and not part of the Outback umbrella. Flemings is owned by Outback. Outback and PF Changs are in bed together for an upscale Chinese eatery but I'm not sure of the name.

Flemings Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar is indeed owned by Outback Steakhouse.

http://outbacksteakhouse.com/companyinfo/index.asp

In the DC area, Red, Hot & Blue is great for BBQ. (And I'm picky!). I Do a lot of family eating out: I like Cheescake Factory, Bertucci's, and Macaroni Grill.

Patrick,

The way I understand this is that Paul Fleming (the "PF" in PF Chang's) left Chang's in 2001 and had to sign a no-compete clause. Now that the NCC has expired, Paul has formed a Joint-Venture with Outback, opened Fleming's with them and is in the process of opening a new concept (also w/ Outback) called "Paul Lee's Chinese Kitchen."

He is still involved with Chang's--to some degree--but only because he's a major stockholder.

AL

Go....A friend is telling me the new venture is Paul Lees Chinese Kitchen,less expensive than either OSH or PCHCB...

The problem with these chain restaurants in my area are the ridiculous wait times. I have never been to the Cheesecake Factory where a wait time was under 2 hours. PF Changs, while one of my favorites is easily an hour or more (even with call ahead reservations - duh...everyone is doing the same thing).
Tonight we're going to the brand new Legal Seafood and I bet there will be some enormous wait there as well (I'll report back).

The problem is that these chains are located in a densely populated city located near, or attached to, major shopping malls. Another Mortons just opened up but I'm sure they are not swarmed with post shoppers looking for a meal because the price point is too high.

These chains frustrate me more than anything else, that's why I try not to go to them unless it is after a day of shopping at the mall!

IMO the problem with these chains is that the food is stored in giant freezers, is not made fresh, does not use local ingrediants therefor does not support the local economy but instead puts $$$ into big businesses. Also the portion sizes are huge which is fattening up America. Come on people!!! Do yourself and your community a favor and leave the chains! Support restaurants which use local produce and buy from local farmers. Geesh!!!!!

You're very correct, stormygirl! I usually just divide my meal in half and have it for lunch the next day.

With my son being a personal trainer, he gives us this speech every once in awhile. I can just swim/bike/weight train off those extra calories. It works very nicely for me!

Beth48, does your Red Robin have the guy in the Red Robin costume walking around to all the tables and scaring the little kids? ***kim***

Sorry, stormygirl, but you are guilty of some serious stereotyping. There are plenty of chain restaurants that are local and started at as one restaurant then expanded into chains because they were so successful. In Cincinnati, there is a chain restaurant called Skyline (not upscale) on every corner. It was started by Greek immigrants many many years ago and now you can't turn a corner around here without running into one. It is total Cincinnati tradition and a visit here without stopping at Skyline wouldn't be authentic - even though it is a chain.

One can fatten up at a non-chain restaurant just as easily as a chain restaurant. It's like the subway commercials say (another good example of a good chain restaurant) - being healthy isn't about one decision, it's about all the little decisions. You can splurge on a giant Red Robin burger one day if you eat healthy an exercise on most days.

GoTravel, it's the Steak Nachos that my friend is nuts about at Moe's, and she said, yes, they do always yell at you! And you didn't say what the Homewrecker is....

Not true of Tara Thai, the small DC based chain I mentioned earlier in the thread. They use fresh and local ingredients (seafood is a specialty) and run quality circles around most mom&pop places.

Local people work and eat in restaurants. Local people often own the franchises of the chain restaurants. How is that not supporting the local economy? And inversely, plenty of local restaurant owners do their "neighborhood" shopping at Sam's Club or one of the other monster box shops.

No one who replied to the OP's question on this thread EVER said they only eat at chain places, eschew local places, don't grow their own veggies or use locally grown seasonal produce. They were just answering the question.

These are not mutually exclusive choices.

But thanks for the lecture.

snowrooster I completely agree with your point about how some chains start, but I disagree in that after they branch out all over the nation they do not support the local economies by purchasing produce and meat from local suppliers. And the food at this point is shipped from central locations and is not made on site with these large national chains, this is how they control the consistant taste you get at one Red Robin or another.

Stormygirl, you are basing your comments on the theory/concept of "McDonaldization", which I completely agree with but people are still entitled to making their own decisions and choices regarding what they eat. Obesity is a huge problem (no pun intended) but some people do have the will-power and control to say enough is enough.

Seetheworld, ya think? Snowrooster, speaking of Subway, I love this sandwich chain. I usually go for their seafood sandwich, but my favorite is the cheesesteak with Southwest sauce and all the trimmings (hold the olives) on the whole wheat bread. Pair this with a pink lemonade and a bag of salt n' vinegar chips and we're in sandwich chain heaven!

My DD like Quizmos, but I think their bread is too big and toasty. (How weird is that?) I did enjoy their new Black and Bleu salad, tho. Steak strips with crumbled bleu cheese. A nice alternative to the big bread! It fit the bill nicely after our WP tournament out of town Sat.! ***kim***

Some chains are definitely subpar, I can't disagree with that. However a lot depends on what you order and the quality can indeed vary from location to location. A lot of the chains mentioned here were not national chains (as I've never heard of some of them). Also, I think some chains do use fresh ingredients. The eggplant at PF Changs is to die for and I never had a subpar vegetable at Ruth's Chris.

BTW, I'm a weight watchers girl (lost 30 lbs and kept it off - looking better than ever at age 32 after 2 kids) so I watch what I eat every day. However I love to indulge guilt free once or twice a week (flexpoints!). I exercise and watch everything I eat daily so I can eat a big ol' plate of food every once in a while. I couldn't agree more about the obesity problem in american (especially w/children) - you just to figure out what works for you.

I am a tiny person and can never finish the large restaurant portions you get at most restaurants (both chain and local). I just pack up a doggie bag and take it home for lunch the next day. In fact, sometimes I get several meals out of my leftovers. My husband always says I sure get my money's worth!

Brasserie Jo.

Interesting thread! Eating is waaaaaaay at the bottom of my priority list. But that doesn't mean i don't recognize or appreciate a stellar meal when i have on!e! (which is quite often when i'm wearing my corporate hat). So i totally agree that local independents are without a doubt the best.

Having said, i agree with Paul - who hasn't had a craving for a taco bell burrito?! Or when only mickey d's fries will satisfy! Or burger barf's toll house chocolate chip cookies, fresh (?) and hot from their microwave (!) as a quick drive thru break in the middle of the afternoon, with a diet coke (gotta watch those calories - i'm a runner )

Seriously, if you're honest you'll have to agree there's something you crave sometime or other. Right now i'd kill for a NATHAN's dog from the city or thrashers fries from ocean city, or that kick butt awesome carmel corn from the boardwalk, whose name espcapes me....

Having said that, these are my fave chains, regardless if upscale or not!

#1 - HARD ROCK CAFE! We've been to almost every one in america and they are just FUN!! Could NOT care less if the food is average since the 'experience' and the people makes up for it.

#2 - Bahama Breeze. Another simply fun place, killer drinks

#3 - Cheesecake Factory

#4 - Outback Steakhouse - i never order steak, i'm a semi-veggie, but LOVE their bloomin' onion and caesar salad!

I agree with the Hard Rock as a good chain. They are fun to take the kids for one vacation meal. While their food is not memorable it's not horrible either. Legal Seafoods is definitely my favorite chain though. I think some food is great because of the circumstances. One January, DH, 2 daughters, two sons, a son-in-law, and me, piled into the mini-van and traveled from MA to Columbia SC to see another daughter graduate from Boot Camp and visit with her before she left for Texas. We left at 6:00 pm and arrived in Columbia at 8:00 am. We had nothing to eat except for some stuff purchased in a Tiger Mart on the Jersey Turnpike. When we got to the hotel we couldn't check in (too early). After crying (me) and gnashing teeth (DH) we got back in the car and stopped at the nearest place. It happened to be a Shoney's. That was the best meal that I have ever had in my life! Maybe my vote should be for Shoney's even though I have since seen the menu and can hardly believe that we thought everything was so delicious. I really don't think that all food should be covered in some kind of white gravy.

No wait at Legal Seafood tonight but now that I have been there, let's just say that it's not "my cup of tea" or more accurately "my plate of fish".

Have you ever signed your credit card receipt with a lip liner? Well, that what we got to sign our bill with- I guess they were *short* on pens!

Kimamom - I'm not sure what the "ya think" was in reference to.