Chain restaurants that are actually good
May 14, 2005 | 1:03 pm
#256
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Traveling the World
Posts: 6,140
Cheesecake Factory Rocks
I love the Cheeseckae Factory. Good bang for the buck. Even if you share the entree and cheesecake you will go home happy. So with that being said you can't go wrong with their Godiva Cheesecake. If I were the President of the company I would the CKF in major airports so you can fill up on a nice meal. The flight attendants and passengers in coach will drool and say"Man wish I got what your eating" lol.
So with that being said I think the Cheesecake Factory should be in most airports and international destinations. What's your take?
So with that being said I think the Cheesecake Factory should be in most airports and international destinations. What's your take?
May 14, 2005 | 1:06 pm
#257
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 1,123
Originally Posted by letiole
Pasta Pomodoro
This is my favorite thing on the menu. It's especially good if you have them add sun-dried tomatoes.
RAVIOLI DI ZUCCA Roasted butternut squash ravioli, browned butter, crispy sage leaves, parmesan. $7.95 APPETIZER PORTION $4.75
This is my favorite thing on the menu. It's especially good if you have them add sun-dried tomatoes.
RAVIOLI DI ZUCCA Roasted butternut squash ravioli, browned butter, crispy sage leaves, parmesan. $7.95 APPETIZER PORTION $4.75
Dec 7, 2005 | 6:28 pm
#258
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Dec 7, 2005 | 8:01 pm
#259
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Zurich and Sausalito
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When I lived in San Francisco, Houston's was an after-work favorite. I always liked the food. But I was also struck by the prices...quite high for what you actually got. I could eat at some of the better non-chain restaurants in SF for the sme price.
fduvall
fduvall
Originally Posted by AAflyerDFW
I'll second that vote for Houston's, as well as their cousin restaurants Bandera and Gulfstream. I've had consistently good quality of food and service at many of their locations across the country.
Dec 7, 2005 | 8:24 pm
#261
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 8
Originally Posted by boilermaker
I absoutely love Claim Jumper and Buca de Beppo.
Other favs:
Pappacitos/Pappadeaux http://www.pappas.com/
IHOP http://www.ihop.com/
Original Pancake House http://www.originalpancakehouse.com/
Abueloshttp://www.abuelos.com/
Other favs:
Pappacitos/Pappadeaux http://www.pappas.com/
IHOP http://www.ihop.com/
Original Pancake House http://www.originalpancakehouse.com/
Abueloshttp://www.abuelos.com/
I wasn't impressed with Abuelos. I found that they were sort of trying too hard. In their attempt to be trendy and elite, their food isn't as good as the "lower class" Don Pablos.
Dec 7, 2005 | 8:24 pm
#262
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Zurich and Sausalito
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Posts: 827
I usually get an Andale burrito if my upgrade doesn't clear and I want to eat something decent on my flight. Not great...there are so many great burritos in Bay Area, but better than the alternative...
fduvall
fduvall
Originally Posted by RichardInSF
The operative word in the name "The Cheesecake Factory" is Factory! If you're stuck in Palo Alto staring at the line at their store there, walk out the door, turn left, and go 100' up to Taxi's for a hamburger, fries, and milkshake. Show your "Albertson's Preferred Customer" card (!) for a 15% discount, even. This is a micro-chain in the Bay area, as are nearby Pasta ?, Zao Noodle House, and Taqueria Andale, and any of these would be a better choice.
Never tried the Taqueria Andale at the international terminal at SFO, but I have looked at their menu and it is way more limited than the other stores. Can they even have a slicing knife when they are inside security? I would imagine most of the stuff at that branch is pre-prepared and wouldn't judge the others by this one.
But if the Cheesecake Factory customer-base is cult-like, what would you call the fans of "In-N-Out" or "Krispy Kreme" (some of whom have posted on this thread)? Like Stimpy notes about Legal Sea Foods, when there was only one "In-N-Out" it was pretty good. Now it's nothing special.
Never tried the Taqueria Andale at the international terminal at SFO, but I have looked at their menu and it is way more limited than the other stores. Can they even have a slicing knife when they are inside security? I would imagine most of the stuff at that branch is pre-prepared and wouldn't judge the others by this one.
But if the Cheesecake Factory customer-base is cult-like, what would you call the fans of "In-N-Out" or "Krispy Kreme" (some of whom have posted on this thread)? Like Stimpy notes about Legal Sea Foods, when there was only one "In-N-Out" it was pretty good. Now it's nothing special.
Dec 7, 2005 | 8:27 pm
#263
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 8
Originally Posted by danielonn
I love the Cheeseckae Factory. Good bang for the buck. Even if you share the entree and cheesecake you will go home happy. So with that being said you can't go wrong with their Godiva Cheesecake. If I were the President of the company I would the CKF in major airports so you can fill up on a nice meal. The flight attendants and passengers in coach will drool and say"Man wish I got what your eating" lol.
So with that being said I think the Cheesecake Factory should be in most airports and international destinations. What's your take?
So with that being said I think the Cheesecake Factory should be in most airports and international destinations. What's your take?
Love Cheesecake Factory... especially the ones in Marina Del Rey and Palm Beach's City Place. The food is good and relatively inexpensive, and of course the cheesecake is to die for (Tiramisu is a favorite) I think putting Cheesecake Factories in major airports would be a great idea.
Dec 7, 2005 | 8:29 pm
#264
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Restaurant or not, I have never understood peoples love for In & Out. I was taken there during college 20 years ago...not impressed then and not impressed now. Maybe as fast food burgers go, they are above average, but in LA, Tommy's or even Fatburger blew doors on In & Out.
fduvall
fduvall
Originally Posted by KathyWdrf
I think this thread is informative in more ways than one. The sad thing is that someone asked for chain restaurants that are good, and some of the replies include places like In-N-Out Burger and so on, which may be good (for what they are), but could hardly be called restaurants. And someone else thought a brunch place was special because they serve (gasp!) fresh-squeezed orange juice. 
Are we Americans a bunch of rubes or what?
Are we Americans a bunch of rubes or what?
Dec 7, 2005 | 8:43 pm
#265
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 8
Originally Posted by fduvall
Restaurant or not, I have never understood peoples love for In & Out. I was taken there during college 20 years ago...not impressed then and not impressed now. Maybe as fast food burgers go, they are above average, but in LA, Tommy's or even Fatburger blew doors on In & Out.
fduvall
fduvall
Dec 8, 2005 | 7:27 am
#266
Join Date: Feb 2002
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Originally Posted by MrsWilson
Cheesecake Factories in major airports would be a great idea.
In and Out is my favorite burger...all restuarants included.
Dec 11, 2005 | 5:28 am
#267
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: NYC
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Posts: 3,358
Originally Posted by techgirl
I should not be able to hear the servers gossiping or see them congregating.
Back OT, my definition of a chain restaurant that is actually good means one that consistently has food good enough that I forget it's a chain and not an owner-chef one-off place.
Fast food: In-N-Out. There is no substitute!
Mid range: Pappadeaux, Houston's, and Cantina Laredo, if it counts as a chain.
High end: McCormick & Schmicks plus a very qualified nod to Ruth's Chris and Morton's. I have had mostly good meals at both, but a couple of real losers at each too.
Dec 11, 2005 | 5:40 am
#268
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: NYC
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Originally Posted by fitgirl518
For a really quick salad or sandwich on a travel day I like to stop at Panera's on the way to/from the airport.
They have a new concept bakery/resto here that is much more upscale than the regular Panera/STL Bread Co's and which actually gets the (very different) sandwiches correct. It's good, but I can seldom justify driving over there and waiting 15-20 minutes to buy $9-apiece sandwiches in St. Louis, so don't eat there often.
Dec 11, 2005 | 1:07 pm
#270
Join Date: Sep 2004
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Five Guys!!!!
Originally Posted by MrsWilson
Had my first InNOut Burger about 15 years ago and I've always considered them one of the best. Every time we make a trip to LA, it's a must have. Sure, there are better burgers out there... but as fast food goes I don't think you can beat it.
All in a plain brown paper bag.
www.fiveguys.com
Last edited by Pizzaman; Dec 12, 2005 at 5:39 pm