My source for restaurants is chowhound.com, where I frequently post. Of course the big metropolitan areas are better represented, but when I had to work in South Carolina for several months I found very good recommendations.
The SC city in which I worked and lived had about every single chain restaurant in existence...except Cheesecake Factory. The non-chain mid-to-upscale restaurants would typically be a steakhouse, which can get boring. I would frequently overhear the locals excitedy talk about how there would be a Cheesecake Factory opening soon.
My favorite restaurant I found there (a $18-26 main dish type of place) was family run, small, great food with Southern influences, and used local produce. Unfortunately they closed due to the slowing economy at the end of last year, but I made sure to eat there as often as I could.

For as much as I agree with those who've mentioned the relatively indistinguishable characteristics of said BenAppleChilFridaginabees, it comes as no surprise to me that people frequent them whether they are at home or on the road. I always assume it is the "known quantity" element that comes into play. The fact that some people associate restaurants with the dish they always order goes along with why Applebees would be deemed by many as a decent choice for a meal.

My wife really likes their Oriental Chicken Salad. So, on occasion, she will want to go when we're traveling, but only for that dish. I would be willing to wager that when asked if she likes Applebees, she would say yes. I don't care for Applebees in general, but who am I to judge her for liking one thing at one place.

I've been to Applebees 3 times in my life. 10-11 years ago. Its reheated, boiled, microwaved food. You can taste that it is.

I love hole in the wall joints, but we do randomly eat Chilis TOGO (there is a dearth of good takeout near me), and I do like Cheesecake Factory, but I only would go during a weekday. Its never worth waiting the long lines.

I've only eaten in Applebees twice. Once in Virginia several years ago -- it was OK, not a treat, but better than fast food. Once recently in the San Fernando Valley -- I had a bogo from the Entertainment book, and this was the only location it was good at. That should have been a tip off. It was terrible.

These chains do vary in quality location by location. Here in the San Fernando Valley there is a Marie Calendars in Glendale that I would consider patronizing, and one in Burbank I will not.

None of these places are fine dining, but for a family on a budget its a nice break from burger joints.

I consider Applepees to be about one degree better than the "choke n puke diners" they have at bus stations. But hey, I'm a food snob so what do you expect (-;

I have no idea how they cooked this thing, but it had the weirdest internal cooking pattern. One side was half rarish and half medium well and the same but opposite on the other. Its like they wrapped heat tape around the steak and cooked it. The meat was alright. But they suck at cooking meat.

Wait. Did anyone ever claim that a place like Applebees could cook a steak?

There's sooooo that can be said about Applebee's...

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Sounds like the cooking surface (grill?) had a cool spot, and your steak straddled this spot half-on, half-off as it cooked.

Their George Foreman Grill must need repair.

Yeah, Applebees is not really a steak joint.

Well, I guess I have an unrefined palate, or sometimes just get lazy and eat at chain places

I love finding a good local place, and when I want to find one I usually ask people who work at the site at which I happen to be working. I find if I ask at the hotel, they start recommending restaurants that are in the guide. I am on the road 90% of the time, and quite frankly sometimes am very tired of eating out and really don't care what I eat that night. When I am in that mood, Applebee's will do just fine. I know what to order there, and will order something simple like a sandwich rather than a steak. That being said, there are chains that I do really like, although Cheesecake Factory is overpriced and overcrowded, the food is OK. I like Outback to have a decent steak and stay within my allowance. Berns it ain't, but it�s not bad. There are some chains that I really do love though, Abuello's, Zio's, Brio's Tuscan Grill, BJ's Brew house (addicted to the fish taco's), Bonefish Grill, to name a few. If that makes my palate unrefined, so be it

Kind of funny you mention their ribs. Basically the beginning of a shift, they cook off a quantity of them while brushing them with a liquid chemical called 'liquid smoke' to give them flavor. When they get an individual order, they reheat and serve.

Ughhh!

I'd add a puke emoticon if I could.

And that is why most of this category of restaurant is utter and complete crap. Contrast that to say a Lubys Cafeteria, which at least when I lived in Texas had each store get local bought ingredients and base their daily, fresh cooked menu on that. Lubys had good food even though it was a cafeteria. It isnt about cost or snobbery, it is about having decent standards and holding places to that. If people wouldnt eat the slop there would be more places not serving slop.