Although I have to go along with many comments about most of the chains, I think I am able to be a little softer on some of them. Why?

My husband and I enjoy fine dining and indulge fairly often. So, I'm talking about expensive dinners. Most of the time, the food is really good, though I have to say that my husband makes a mean steak that is kind of hard to beat. And we can go and have an excellent chopped salad. But I can make a salad with the best of them. If we have potatoes, they are excellent, though potatoes aren't hard to make in my opinion. So I am not sure that it is worth all that money to many people to have dinner out, even though they enjoy getting out and the food may be delicious. They may just not be interested in dropping $200 for one meal for two people. Or they may not be able to afford it.

So, I don't think it's worth all the little drama being shared here. I haven't been to an Olive Garden since shortly after they opened. I've never been to Old Country Buffet or a Cheesecake Factory. I have been to McDonald's and will say they are a plus in today's world. Although I only go 1-2 times a year because of the fat content. When you have had a long day and all of a sudden you realize what time it is and home is still 45 - 60 minutes away, one of their burgers tastes great. Same thing with Friday's and Applebee's- although they are not all created alike. I wouldn't order pizza from Domino's or Pizza Hut if I was starving to death. Also, not everyone lives where there is a huge load of restaurants that aren't chains.