Originally Posted by
kipper
That's the issue I have with a lot of local places. You don't know the quality, price or selection in advance. At a chain, I can figure that it's passable quality, at a minimum, or if it's not, that they'll take steps of some sort to make it right for me.
If a local diner or restaurant doesn't have many patrons at what should be a busy time, I'm likely to not frequent it, figuring that if the locals won't eat there, I don't want to eat there either.
New and unusual has its place, and can be good, but so can knowing the general quality and menu in advance.
Perhaps I haven't been very observant in the US but certainly in many places in Europe, and in Canada too, the restaurants have menus outside the door, so you can take a look at selection, price etc. without committing. I also have no problem asking to see a menu if there isn't one posted, before deciding whether we want to remain there. Quality is hit or miss, whether a chain or not. Service, I tend to find it better at an independent restaurant, where the staff may be related to the owner, or have been there a long time. At the chains I go to occasionally, the staff seem almost exclusive college age, and move on frequently.