i voted for denny's.
i think we got all these up north but some special canada-only ones, too... shit, montana's cookhouse, kelsey's neighborhood bar and grill, boston pizza... crazy mountains of bland food. when you drive across the prairies, on the trans-canada, you hit all the minor cities that are completely ringed with red lobster, denny's, kelsey's, smitty's, chili's, applebee's. and in what's left of the deserted downtown, the only places to eat are a seen-better-days kentucky fried chicken with early 80s-vintage signage, a withered steak house, two chinese restaurants (one called DRAGON PALACE, the other called JADE GARDEN), a tim horton's, and... if you're lucky, there's a final surviving diner that aged into fucked up eccentricity and they have a menu 60 pages long and the place is full of drunks and right beside where the greyhound stops but they have good milkshakes and there's a $3.99 meatloaf and mashed potatoes special, or some recent vietnamese immigrants have opened up a place, whatever.
― dylannn, Wednesday, 3 March 2010 01:29 (fourteen years ago) link
I was invited to a friend's workplace Christmas party at a Macaroni Grill. Free meals + five free gimlets + people were drinking red wine from a beer bong by the end of the meal = a quality experience for me.
― How to Make an American Quit (Abbott), Wednesday, 3 March 2010 01:29 (fourteen years ago) link
Golden Corral pwnz all. Really, buffets are a grossness class unto themselves.
― Roomful of Moogs (C. Grisso/McCain), Wednesday, 3 March 2010 01:29 (fourteen years ago) link
i think macaroni grill is the least bad for sure. applebees is bland and stuff but not too gross. red lobster i will never go near but i don't remember specifically why.
― harbl, Wednesday, 3 March 2010 01:30 (fourteen years ago) link
i have not been to golden corral but i have had old country buffet a couple times and it's interesting
― harbl, Wednesday, 3 March 2010 01:31 (fourteen years ago) link
My brain always thinks of Macaroni Grill as "Haim's Macaroni Grill." This is because a guy named Haim Romano played guitar for The Churchills, and I guess I replace his last name in the restaurant name w/his first name. Why my subconscious did not select a more obvious Romano, like Ray, is beyond me.
― How to Make an American Quit (Abbott), Wednesday, 3 March 2010 01:31 (fourteen years ago) link
Boston Market is kind of the same as OCB. My dad tried to take me to one but I shouted and carried on so we wound up at local burger place.
― ned ragú (suzy), Wednesday, 3 March 2010 01:34 (fourteen years ago) link
dylann's description is spot on for large swathes of new jersey as well.
― noted schloar (dyao), Wednesday, 3 March 2010 01:35 (fourteen years ago) link
I hope they have Tim Horton's in Jersey.
― How to Make an American Quit (Abbott), Wednesday, 3 March 2010 01:36 (fourteen years ago) link
hah I guess not, but I do remember there being a JADE PALACE about 15 minutes from where I live.
― noted schloar (dyao), Wednesday, 3 March 2010 01:37 (fourteen years ago) link
yeah up and down rte 1 in NJ its just... chilis after outback after drive thru dunkin donuts
― max, Wednesday, 3 March 2010 01:38 (fourteen years ago) link
cheesecake factory is the grossest of all of these imo because people will wait HOURS to eat at one of these places. i have never been but i really cannot imagine it is that good
― max, Wednesday, 3 March 2010 01:39 (fourteen years ago) link
i kind of love those huge chinese buffet places
― harbl, Wednesday, 3 March 2010 01:39 (fourteen years ago) link
also, punctuated by generic gas stations which use the american flag as part of their logo xxp
― noted schloar (dyao), Wednesday, 3 March 2010 01:40 (fourteen years ago) link
wasn't tim horton's gonna come down into the states more? i've only been to one and i liked it a lot. like a kinder gentler dunkin donuts. that vibe probably wouldn't last long down here.
― scott seward, Wednesday, 3 March 2010 01:40 (fourteen years ago) link
in college we used to go to a place called "OK chinese"
― max, Wednesday, 3 March 2010 01:40 (fourteen years ago) link
theres a few tim hortons in nyc. i like dunkin more. coffee is better.
― max, Wednesday, 3 March 2010 01:41 (fourteen years ago) link
they have tim horton's in NY and OH, surprised they are not in NJ
― harbl, Wednesday, 3 March 2010 01:41 (fourteen years ago) link
i miss the indian buffet places i would go to in philly. they weren't very good, but i liked them anyway. my stomach didn't always like them though.
― scott seward, Wednesday, 3 March 2010 01:41 (fourteen years ago) link
there is a place in ohio called TEE-JAYE'S and it is sad but they're open 24 hours. they have something called a "barnbuster"
― harbl, Wednesday, 3 March 2010 01:42 (fourteen years ago) link
oh, barnyard buster sorry
― harbl, Wednesday, 3 March 2010 01:43 (fourteen years ago) link
THE BARNYARD BUSTER®Two biscuits, two eggs, country fries, all on one plate covered with country sausage gravy.
http://www.barnyardbuster.com/images/barnyard-buster.jpg
― harbl, Wednesday, 3 March 2010 01:44 (fourteen years ago) link
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3566/3320831245_b42bd93182.jpg
― noted schloar (dyao), Wednesday, 3 March 2010 01:45 (fourteen years ago) link
shocking that a steakhouse isn't veggie-friendly. you should yelp that!
― hope this helps (Granny Dainger), Tuesday, March 2, 2010 6:42 PM (1 hour ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink
lol sorry I mildly denigrated your favorite restaurant. It wasn't surprising to me that Outback isn't veggie-friendly and I've only ever been there with in-laws because that's where they wanted to go, but since I'm vegetarian that's kind of part of how I assess restaurants. Weird right?
― congratulations (n/a), Wednesday, 3 March 2010 01:49 (fourteen years ago) link
When he daughter got her grad degree, they all planned to go to her favorite sushi place for a nice meal, but her mom called them on her cell from the "Pigs' Trough," saying she'd already started eating there & everyone should come join her.
:( sad story. at Golden Corral you can buy take out by the pound.
― karl...arlk...rlka...lkar..., Wednesday, 3 March 2010 01:58 (fourteen years ago) link
we need a more thorough poll here.
Of the list, I say Chili's in a walk, though I've never heard of Claim Jumpers.
― Matt Armstrong, Wednesday, 3 March 2010 02:06 (fourteen years ago) link
Denny's was the first food I ate on American soil - had been delayed for over a day, had had about 4 hours sleep and it was the only place open. Had been eating plane food & Burger King for like two days so just wanted something vaguely decent. Dennys was not the place to go.
Although it did have some menu items "designed" by Sum41, like these:http://www.dennys.com/en/menu.aspx?menuid=10&parentid=255
and a completely spaced-out-mom waitress.Haven't been to any others, tbh if I want cheap crappy food I'd rather go to McDs or Burger King.
― Not the real Village People, Wednesday, 3 March 2010 02:08 (fourteen years ago) link
dennys is a given in this so i'll say fridays, they seem determined to be the worst at their particular niche. claim jumper is probably the one i'd eat at first, the food is nowhere near as shitty as fridays or applebees. they used to have a good sized 4-beer sampler for 5.00, since they got rid of it no reason to go tbh
good god yeah i ate there in orl not knowing any better, now gc ads are starting to trickle into california against all logic. the race to the bottom between them and hometown buffet will be bloody
― they want a fapz (tremendoid), Wednesday, 3 March 2010 02:23 (fourteen years ago) link
whut about this place?: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carrabba%27s_Italian_Grill
Been there once or twice. In between Romano's and Olive Garden on the Italian chain restaurant quality scale imo.
― hope this helps (Granny Dainger), Wednesday, 3 March 2010 02:23 (fourteen years ago) link
what about buca di beppo
― harbl, Wednesday, 3 March 2010 02:24 (fourteen years ago) link
how does golden corral compare to old country buffet
― noted schloar (dyao), Wednesday, 3 March 2010 02:26 (fourteen years ago) link
I signed my dad up for the ocb mailing list and he gets so excited about getting free breakfast coupons and stuff
― noted schloar (dyao), Wednesday, 3 March 2010 02:27 (fourteen years ago) link
lol too cute
― harbl, Wednesday, 3 March 2010 02:28 (fourteen years ago) link
maggiano's > bucca di beppo > macaroni grill > carraba's > olive garden.would never choose to go to maggiano's though because it's way overpriced.
― hope this helps (Granny Dainger), Wednesday, 3 March 2010 02:29 (fourteen years ago) link
Oh man, I've eaten at Outback twice and both times I feel disgusting sick because it's just oil dipped in grease dipped in lard dipped in an American flag
― ksh kale (Whiney G. Weingarten), Wednesday, 3 March 2010 02:29 (fourteen years ago) link
i think they rub butter on the steaks i aint bullshittin
― ksh kale (Whiney G. Weingarten), Wednesday, 3 March 2010 02:30 (fourteen years ago) link
anyone who gets a steak at a chain is insane imo
― call all destroyer, Wednesday, 3 March 2010 02:31 (fourteen years ago) link
Cheesecake Factory is more than respectable -- they have bars, which are charming in a generic sort of way, and they know drinks and can mix them well. It's their portions that disgust me.
― Inculcate a spirit of serfdom in children (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 3 March 2010 02:32 (fourteen years ago) link
Once at a Dennys my dad ordered a Lumberjack Slam or whatever, and when he went to pour syrup over his pancakes a big river of dead ants came out instead.
Their patty melt is pretty good, though.
― the jaws of impermanence and soul death (reddening), Wednesday, 3 March 2010 02:32 (fourteen years ago) link
omg @ dead ants
ughhh. but...four meals for the price of two, so. should bring my own tupperware next time.
― rahni, Wednesday, 3 March 2010 02:32 (fourteen years ago) link
A student who works for Friday's sez they basically buy their own brand's frozen potato skins, pizzas, and Monte Christos from the local grocery and microwave them.
― Inculcate a spirit of serfdom in children (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 3 March 2010 02:33 (fourteen years ago) link
wow alfred that they can mix drinks at cheesecake factory is kind of amazing to me (i have never been to one; my gf has threatened to take me because her work goes there a lot for lunch)
― call all destroyer, Wednesday, 3 March 2010 02:34 (fourteen years ago) link
tho I remember when in the eighties Friday's billed itself as "The American Bistro," boasted a menu several pages long, cooked their own food, and Sam from Casablanca played "La Marseillaise."
― Inculcate a spirit of serfdom in children (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 3 March 2010 02:34 (fourteen years ago) link
that is a testament to the quality of TGI friday's frozen grocery store foods xpost
― harbl, Wednesday, 3 March 2010 02:34 (fourteen years ago) link
haha
― Inculcate a spirit of serfdom in children (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 3 March 2010 02:35 (fourteen years ago) link
Are we polling chain steakhouses next? Cuz I totally rep for Fleming's or Morton's.
― Inculcate a spirit of serfdom in children (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 3 March 2010 02:36 (fourteen years ago) link
i'm sorry whiney but you voluntarily eat subway
― HOOM gang (J0rdan S.), Wednesday, 3 March 2010 02:40 (fourteen years ago) link
Oh hell yes they do, according to my sister, six-year Steakback Outhouse employee. They do at Applebee's too, according to my mom, who worked there.
― How to Make an American Quit (Abbott), Wednesday, 3 March 2010 02:43 (fourteen years ago) link
I go to Macaroni Grille once in a while when it's someone's birthday at work; totally acceptable, and occasionally more than that (e.g. their lasagna).
I'll agree with whoever said upthread that the quality of generic American chain restaurant food has deteriorated in twenty years.
― Inculcate a spirit of serfdom in children (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 3 March 2010 02:43 (fourteen years ago) link