While Ben's IS overpriced, if you like you smoked meat leaner Ben's is a better choice than Schwartz's which serve the artery clogging variety. Not cheap but very very good!! Of course, why would some eat smoked meat if is NOT the artery clogging variety??? There are extensive threads on this topic throughout FT for those interested. A search should reveal these quickly.

Had dinner at Chez Omar in the Paris (3rd) last night. Great local place for couscous. Mmmm merguez!

fduvall

I totally agree with you. That movie scarred me for life, but in a good way of course! I will never eat any meat or fries at a fast food place again. If i have any i'll stick to a salad w/out dressing! I knew it was bad in the first place, but that movie really impacted me.

Me too. I like Ben's. Like a trip back in time and the meat is great.

I used to live about 3 blocks away from Ben's so when the "burning the midnight hour frantically trying to finish a research paper/presentation" munchies hit, a quick stroll to Ben's (even quicker in the -30 C wintertime) would satiate the cravings.....

I like Schwartz's too but for my tastes, and for dietary necessity, I prefer Ben's.

About 4 years ago my family and I went to disney world and went to Emeril's restaurant on either Orlando or Universal Walk, can't remember which but we were very pleased. The service was exceptional, the atmosphere was great and we were very impressed with the food. Of course it was overpriced ($30-40 average entree price) but we just figured everything was that was apart of Disney or Universal would be.

Agree! It's full of over-rated pastas and watered down wine. The only thing I enjoyed was the cabaitta ( ) bread and oil/garlic dip which was free.

We went to the Universal one about 1 year ago. Ordered the prix fixe menu degustation. We were so unimpressed with the items, each lacking something, that we left half-way through--paying our bill, of course.

That was only the second time ever in my life I did that.

You might change your mind if you received a salad like the one I received at a certain McDonald's in Calgary. Opened the top of the plastic container: Long, long hair draped from one side of the container to the other. Hard to have missed, since it was dark against the greenery. I guess on the positive side, the salad was obviously prepared in-store, but why couldn't the food handlers have worn hair nets?

That is so gross! Every wednesday my work eats at Mexico, a mexican (duh) restaurant for lunch and I found a fingernail in my water! I can no longer join them for lunch because I was so disgusted by it. I still get sick to my stomach thinking about it. So avoid MEXICO restaurants around the Virginia area.

Town to town state to state, they're all the same - TGI McBennichilabeeGardenHut.

But, the be all end all most annoying place on the face of the planet has got to be Joe's Crab Shack. "Hi!! Welcome to Joe's Crab Shack!!! May I sing along with the songs being blared over the PA, make sort of weird hand gestures for no apparent reason in an attempt to be jovial and annoy the living s--t out of you today?!!!!" I'd rather gnaw on my own finger than eat there. I wandered in once because it was the only restaurant within walking distance of my hotel and walked out... changed somehow.

I hate to admit that I often gravitate to familar chains when I'm in unfamilliar surroundings. Unfortunately, the ones I personally am familliar enough to avoid include these....

Applebee's: Usually not "bad" in the classic sense, although you can definitely get a bad meal here. More often they're just "undistinguished" and "boring".

Carrabas: Arrogance meets blandness.

Ruby Tuesdays: On balance everthing that's bad about Applebee's, although they sometimes do have a decent salad bar.

Casey's (Canada): The weather outside isn't the only thing that's usually frozen! The clincher came a few year's ago when they were touting "USDA certified SELECT grade steaks" (that's a notch below the "Choice" usually found in chain supermarkets)

Olive Garden: "Better living through chemistry"

Houlihan's: I think they're trying to pass themselves off as an upscale version of TGI Friday's....which, to me anyway, is ridiculous.

Garfunkel's (UK): They seem to be on a mission to serve meals bereft of any flavor (or flavour) whatsoever.

Outback: Occasionally you can get a good meal here. But all too often it's just overpriced and overcooked. I usually just order a burger and tell them EXACTLY how I'd like it. Usually that approach produces a good result.

For whatever its worth, a few I DO like....

Logan's Road House: The atmosphere gets a little annoying, but the food's usually pretty good. I think they're exclusive to the Southeast.

Ryan's Steak House: Also in the southeast. These can get a little frantic and messy, but they have the best cheap salad bar/comfort food buffet on the planet!

East Side Mario's (Canada): Casual basic Italian. Similar atmosphere to TGIF, but better food. As one manager told me, "You may not get a great meal in here, but you'll usually get a pretty damned good one". How true. Minestrone, salad, and hot loaf is always a good choice here when you're in a hurry at lunch time.

Bonefish: Not many of 'em, but good, creatively prepared seafood...cheap!

On the Border: Best of the tex-mex chains isn't saying much, but these folks seem to usually do a pretty decent job.

One man's humble opinions.

OMG, so true! I got suckered into dining here once in the suburbs of Dallas while on assignment. Unfortunately, unlike you, I didn't have the time to walk out and find another option, so I ended up suffering through dinner. I had to have a short conference call on my cell - which due to the loud blasting music, only lasted a few moments before everyone hung up on me.

At least it wasn't like Bubba Gump's - good grief. Stop asking me stupid questions about a movie I saw once 10 years ago and just bring me my damn soup!

I agree with most of what you have to say, but I can't imagine that you prefer Ryan's to Outback. If you're referring to the Ryan's I think you are, it is a cafeteria with the steam tables and bad self serve ice milk and the pudding with the "whipped topping." They are at least as far north as Springfield, IL. At Outback, you can at least get a real steak that hasn't been "seasoned" with Adolph's Meat Tenderizer.

Your comments about Applebee's, Olive Garden and On the Border are exactly on target IMO.

If I'm alone I'll go to a place that has a good chance of being awful
rather than visit a chain, but I have enough friends who like chain
food so I've experienced most of the ones that cyberdad describes.
I agree with his characterizations except would reverse his judgments
on Carrabba's (I've always had nice folks and garlicky if uninspired
food) and Ruby's (just horrendous).