When hubby & I were vacationing in Oregon in Sept., we stumbled upon a chain called Elmer's. Apparently there are several in the Portland area, plus some others scattered throughout OR & CA. They reminded me of a Denny's, but with nicer decor and better food. I had a potato-encrusted fish (cod?) which was quite tasty.

We also ate at a Spaghetti Factory, and it turned out to be pretty good. We normally avoid the one in STL (on the riverfront), because you can never get in without an ungodly long wait. Several posters have mentioned the insanely long waits to get in places like Cheesecake Factory, Macaroni Grill ... heck, even Olive Garden. And yes, it baffles me. In some instances (i.e., Spaghetti Factory) I somewhat understand the popularity -- cheap eats, especially for a family. But places like Cheesecake Factory, for example, are not what I'd consider inexpensive, and people still wait over an hour to be seated!

If nothing else, it proves that people are nutty all over the US, not just in STL.