Don't know if this has been mentioned. Chipotle and Baja Fresh are good. ^

There were 3 Friendly's within 5 miles of my house as a kid. Interesting you recommend them as the common consensus was that the the "food items" were as bad as the ice cream was great.

Friendly's has improved a LOT over the past few years. Their ice cream was always good (and I will take their prepackaged half gallons over Breyers any day), and now most of their food is better than average.

They have a Crispy Chicken Salad which is amazing!

Friendlys food was good back in the 60's when I was a kid. The tuna salad was well made, a grilled cheese and tomato was cheap and tasty and a Big Beef Cheeseburger Special came on toast which I prefer to a bun. In the 80's, they were my kids' first choice for a meal out - possibly because of the conehead sundae. I do think Hershey's wrecked the concept. Unfortunately, they are few and far between in the South. I have not been in one in 4 years - last was in Myrtle Beach. I did notice they had added beer, but I did not see the Swiss Chocolate Almond Sundae on the menu. I would kill for one right now - a beer or a sundae!

Friendley's all near my home are very dirty. I used to love going there but now I avoid it. If anything I just get ice cream.

The Friendly's near me was very dirty and run down for a good long time and one day closed their doors.

About a month later, it re-opened and the interior was spick and span and the food seemed to have improved. My friends and I were shocked at the changes and actually made bets on how long it would take for the place to look like it did before it re-opened.

To date, we have all losts our bets as the place is still super clean and food has not declined at all.

Dan

I have not been to a Friendly's in several years, so I'll defer to your opinions here. Some further thoughts on this thread topic:

Red Robin is supposed to have "killer" onion rings; I prefer the fries.
Chili's is fine for what it is - at least it is differentiated. Which brings me to ...
Can someone break down the difference among (I know that's gramatically correct, although "between" looks better to me here): Applebees, TGIFridays, Houlihans, Bennigans and Ruby Tuesday?

I haven't tried Chipotle yet for fear of being disappointed if it turns out to have been over-rated (IMHO). One visit to [boring] McCormack & Schmick was enough. Finally, Claim Jumper ... Dan Savage describes a visit there in detail under "Gluttony" in his book "Skipping Towards Gomorrah: The Seven Deadly Sins and the Pursuit of Happiness in America." I came away with the impression that their food is, essentially, tasteless.

And regarding Bob Evans ... let's just say their much-touted Poppyseed Salad Dressing looked a lot like something else to me, although it tasted fine.

I am not one for deep fried foods however, I have to agree that Rob Robbins Fries are good.

Dan

I am surprised that no one has mentioned Trader Vics

http://www.tradervics.com/restaurant-1.html

There are six restaurants in the US, others overseas. (Sadly NOT in NYC because Donald Trump, when he owned the Plaza, evicted them saying the restaurant did not fit the image of a luxury hotel. SO MAD!)

I was introduced to Trader Vics a few years ago from a fellow Flyertalk buddy. I love the way Trader vic's makes steak in the old fashion kettle, great drinks and fun atmosphere. I have been to Vics in Chicago, San Fran, Palo Alto, Beverly Hills, Tokyo, London... hopefully others soon.

Also, Charlies Steakhouse... awesome steaks, right on the grill.

I like Bertuccis. One opened in Jersey City over a year ago. It's nice to go to alone or with friends, decent food and decent prices.

Regarding Palm... I had a horrible time at the Vegas location. came in solo, had a reservation and they made me wait over an hour for a table. The waiter was rude, the steak coooked raw> I left the waiter a 34 cents tip. he came chasing after me in the Caesar's mall saying what was my problem. I pointed to a mirror at the Coach store and said "No me, YOU!" The NYC location was mixed.

In Canada... the legendary Hy's Steakhouse. Go to the Toronto location set in a former big bank. Love the steaks there too.

There's also a decent chain of Italian restaurants in London I think called Zizzi.

Right on Catman! Trader Vics is a very worthy mention. The Mai-Tai's alone do it for me.

Sorry you had a bad time at the Palm in Vegas. I've never been there, but I know the Palm in LA and BH are very good.

ClaimJumpers if it hasn't already been mentioned.

Having eaten at the Outback in Bangkok (in Siam Discovery Center) the menu was only loosely related to the one in the states; the basic sirloin steak was pretty good, if very pricy by Thai standards - I don't rememeber the exact price, but lunch for 1 totalled somewhere around 800-900 baht. The salad was disappointing - small, not very fresh, and weedy.

I do recall the menu having their "bloomin' onion" appetizer, but I don't recall if they had the cheese fries or the "alice springs chicken" (chicken breast w/ cheese + bacon + mushrooms) which is my wife's standby.

I do prefer their steaks out of the moderate-priced US "steakhouse chains, although I suspect many would find them overseasoned.

(While I'm on the subject of American chains in Bangkok, I was very unimpressed with the Tony Roma's on Sukhumvit... the "steak + ribs" combo was expensive, and the steak was tiny, gristly, and overdone while the ribs were pretty good but a very small portion - 4-5 ribs if I recall right)

Chili's two big attractions for me are fairly good baby back ribs, and good burgers; they have various other "southwestern" style entrees as well, the quesadillas or fajitas might be worth trying.

Different strokes everywhere. One common point is that many of the great restaurants lose something as they expand. Chevy's comes to mind. Freshness is their hype and at one time when they had just a few locations, it was fresh, there was serious quality control and we kept going back. Now it is anything but fresh. Olive Garden also falls into this category. It's got to be difficult to maintain the quality when the managers are trained and hired and transferred in just a few months.

Mike Royko did a hilarious piece about this subject years ago, comparing a Midwest family operation run by Greeks.. Father working 18 hours a day, mom inspecting each plate and all the kids involved. This vs the MBA for the chain who was gone in a month.

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.

Zankou Chicken recently opened in W. Los Angeles. They have other locations in Southern Ca. Their food is absolutely delicious. My new favorite place to eat :)

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?

I couldn't agree more. I was so shocked to find out this place was a chain. The food is great. Excellent value and I love it. Can't wait to go back to SF soon.

good, can be great: http://www.leye.com

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

Wolfgang Puck Express...tad expensive pizzas but not bad.

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.

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

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.

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

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.

A Cheescake Factory cafe serving cheesecake, salads, coffee and cold sandwiches was located at both ends of DCA (outside Delta and US Airways security) when the new terminal opened in the 90's. They shut them down a few years later.


In and Out is my favorite burger...all restuarants included.

I agree, whadda they think they are, F/As? :D :D :D :p

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.

Panera is name that the St. Louis Bread Company uses for all its locations outside of STL. I love their bread, but I just about refuse to eat their sandwiches and soups - not because they are bad, but because they CANNOT get orders correct - we used to live near one and it was so bad (entire sandwiches omitted from the order, wrong item -e.g. ordered turkey sandwich got tuna, not prepared as ordered, etc.) that eventually I totally refused to order anything from there.

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.

Fast food burgers: In N Out
Other restaurants: Outback, Chilis, Cheesecake Factory

Five Guys!!!!
 

I officially beg to differ. Nothing against In N Out, but get yourself to a Five Guys Burgers and Fries. Been around for 20 years, just started expanding over the last couple. 70 stores up and down the East Coast. I'm biased, because I'm a franchisee, but it is the best. We bake our own bread, hand make our own patties, hand cut our fries, hand cut all our toppings. No freezers, no microwaves, huge portions.

All in a plain brown paper bag.


www.fiveguys.com

I'd rather eat McDonalds then Fatburger.

Never been to Tommy's but I'll check it out.

In & Out is the best fast food burger, Steak & Shake is a close second.

My Favorite Chains--
 

1. Fogo de Chao (Brazilian style "churrascaria")--just opened at 11th and Pennsylvania NW in Washington, DC--I have eaten in their restaurants in Addison, Texas and Chicago--about the best food I have ever eaten.

2. For hamburgers, on the west coast it's In-n-Out; in the midwest and south, it's Steak-n-Shake (both chains are vastly superior to the national burger places). Along I-70 west of Baltimore, the last private franchisee of Roy Rogers restaurants (Plamondon Enterprises) operates something like 32 restaurants, and their food (they sell roast beef sandwiches, fried chicken and even crab cake sandwiches in addition to hamburgers) is about the best you can get in a fast food joint in these parts.

3. For steaks, the best small chain might be Shula's. The best big chain is Ruth's Chris. An outstanding chain those outside of west Michigan have never heard of is Brann's.

4. For cheap eats--Golden Corral (a chain in the mid-Atlantic and southeastern states) changed around their restaurants, to have a buffet experience, along with a steak carvery station. One can eat consistently well at their restaurants for around $10 (considering an unsatisfying combo meal at McD's can cost $6-7).

5. For Cincinnati-style chili, I like Gold Star.

6. For bar-b-q, I think Sonny's (a chain in the southeast) is vastly superior to places like Famous Daves.

7. For tex-mex food, I thought that El Fenix (a chain in the Dallas area) was great--better than Chevy's.

8. For seafood, Red Lobster actually has consistent quality, whether you are eating in their restaurants in Elkhart, Indiana or Annapolis, MD.

9. For Italian, there is a chain in the DC area called "That's Amore" that is similar to Maggiano's in terms of concept but is vastly superior. North of San Francisco, there is a family operated chain called "Mary's Pizza Shack"--I am not a pizza eater (although people tell me it's great), but I have the meat ravioli w/ meat sauce place every time, and it is fantastic. I also happen to like Carrabba's (terrific marsala sauce).

This would be wonderful news if I ever got within 25 miles of Baltimore. :(
Still, I miss Roy Rogers (not to be confused with Kenny Rogers) and would welcome an opportunity to reawaken those taste buds.

Chains, I didn't notice in this post, although I may have overlooked them:

Friendly's - the taste of my youth. They have changed quite a bit from the place I used to take a date to after the movies in the 60's and 70's. It was as much to socialize as to eat. In the 80's (Hershey ownership era) it was a place to bring the kids. We don't have many in the south. I've seen one in Orlando and one in Myrtle Beach. Nice to see beer on the menu, but that's the only improvement I can cite. Otherwise, they seem to have gone downhill.

Fudruckers - I guess I'm a sucker for anyplace I can fix my own burger. My kids seem to like that too.

Uuuuuuuugh.


No offense, just my $.02.

My Fav's (categorized by increasing $):

Fast Food/Burgers: Inn-N-Out definitely, though I think they are still limited to CA and NV. I've never been to Five Guys, but will now look out for them in the East.

Casual Dining: Red Robin, or Chili's. Don't enjoy TGI Fridays or Outback personally. Cheesecake is ok.

Moderate: PF Changs was a favorite, used to love the one on Paradise in Vegas, but since their IPO (and subsequent expansion binge) I've found many PFC's to be much less consistent in food and service.

Upscale (these are good for client entertaining):
Palomino is excellent ^ ; American menu with a European flare. The original one is in my office bldg in Seattle, but they are also in many big cities - I've been to SF, LA, Cinci and all were very good.

McCormick & Schmicks is a good choice for traditional American (seafood and steak).

In'n'out is one of the best burger chains ever. Hamburger Mary's is pretty good, too.

Palomino is excellent. So is Roy's. In-N-Out is awesome for what it is. Denny's for breakfast is fine.

My Top 4:
Cheesecake Factory

PF Chang's

Flemmings

Ruth's Chris

For anyone who like Japanese Yakatori (BBQ) NANBANTEI restaurants are very good.
There are several in Japan of course, also Singapore, Hong Kong, LA, SFO, Chicago (I think) and if not mistaken one in NYC. They serve hibachi bbq, skewered chicken, gizzards, asparagus wrapped in bacon, ginko nuts, and many other tasty's. Good sauces and dips alongside. That and a couple of Asahi Dry's make a very good meal, if a little pricey.
bb

They are also in AZ. All stores must be within a day's drive of their food plant in CA, as they don't own a freezer.

Anyhow next time you are real hungry... try a 4X4