Same pattern here. I live in Silicon Valley, and there's a TGIF about 6 miles away (Cupertino). I think the last time I ate there was 10 years ago. I have eaten a few times at other TGIFs since then-- typically while traveling on business in midwestern suburbs when I've settled in to my hotel for the evening and don't want to go more than a few blocks for dinner.

So our TGI Friday's in Durham has run out of boneless wings, yet this promotion is going strong. Their solution? Sell chicken nuggets as wings:

http://cmk10.smugmug.com/Travel/Flye...0713_003-L.jpg

Actually only at his 'gastropubs', which do not claim to be fine dining, nor do they cost $100 a plate.

And boil in the bag is no problem at all, it's cook-chill which is less than ideal.

Dude, you gotta get outta that place....

That's why I have the CMK10 chant!

Two more years til I'm a lawyer
Two more years til I'm a lawyer
Two more years til I'm a lawyer

Plus, this job is going to make it so I can graduate with zero debt and savings. And also, having consumed a lot of Pick 3 For All appetizers :D

I'd be curious what the most creative interpretation (or strategic maximization) CMK10 has seen so far is. I started a contest for this on my blog too as I'm fascinated by it.

I don't think any of these are wheat-free, corn-free, MSG-free, nitrate-free so I don't think I'll be eating there so I won't be able to test them out, but I'm morbidly fascinated.

We have some creative people here, if you're smart enough, you'll treat your server like a human being and they can help you save money. Do the opposite and they'll find ways to overcharge you.

Btw if you want to use the picture on your blog, you're more than welcome to.

Thanks!

And I totally agree with your advice on treating servers well. That's tip #1 beyond all else and I 100% agree. I waited tables from high school to grad school - and also worked in management/audit along the way in a couple fast/fast casual spots - six places in all with five being national chains and one being a local test concept for a regional spot.

Two of those companies were local/regional with under 25 locations when I worked for them - Chilis and Jason's Deli - which I point out as an observation that most large chains were locals once and that you never know when your local place will be the next big thing.

What do you think "boneless wings" are in the first place? They aren't wings. They're just a different type of nugget.

Well obviously, but the usual product is a higher quality meat. We're talking school cafeteria style nuggets here. Several guests complained. I talked to the GM and he said that the people he sent to procure chicken did not get what he wanted them to get.

Still amazed that one reopened after the murder...

(That's my hood.)

Given how much of the appetizer fare those sorts of places may be fried, it may just be a case where one is accidentally simulating biliary insufficiency by overloading the body with grease.

Here's a word many of you probably don't really want to know: steatorrhea

While I realize that's hyperbole, acute hypernatremia is unlikely to cause stroke.

Further, while there are certainly long term health risks (including hypertension which can lead to stroke) to having too much salt, the worst case scenario (say, 10g aka 10,000mg of sodium in a meal from two plates there) is nowhere near enough for acute salt poisoning in an adult with normal water intake and healthy kidneys.

Good place for frozen girly drinks; when my wife and I were in college, she liked the SF location for that.

Food was mediocre even by my standards back then, although I'll still eat at them occasionally when traveling if I can't find something better or am stuck at an airport where the alternative is fast food.

from a review:
They were out of mashed potato. ...!! How can a steakhouse run out of mashed potato..
uhmm, because it isn't a steakhouse! :D

Reminds me of the story in college when our star running back took his offensive line out to Old Country Buffet as a thank you for helping him get All-American honors. Apparently the only reason there was no carnage was that the guys ate the carnage, and eventually they were politely asked to leave by management because the buffet needed to be able to provide food to other customers there.

I ate at a Golden Corral in the late 90s in Mayfield, Kentucky. If you didn't want the surprisingly decent strip mall Chinese stuff or chain pizza, there weren't many other options. I remember getting a rotisserie chicken off the buffet that was essentially identical to rotisserie chicken you'd find at an average grocery store. So call the experience thoroughly average and surprisingly inoffensive.

Last time I was at a TGI fridays there was a baby cockroach floating in my water glass. I pointed it out to my server and very nonchalantly she said "oh", and took it away. Guess it was a fairly common occurrence for her.

Hilarious take on testing the limits of "endless" appetizers:

http://gawker.com/my-14-hour-search-...-ap-1606122925

:D