Fast food/fast casual restaurants

[westtexman]

I find myself at Chick-Fil-A and Taco Villa most often. Taco Villa is a regional Fast Mexican Chain. I also love Whataburger. Canes is pretty good as well. I also love Rosa’s Cafe & Tortilla Factory, which is fast casual Mexican.

My city has one of the highest number of restaurants per capita in the US, so there are plenty to choose from. I try not to eat out too much, but it can be difficult when life gets busy. I have a 5-mile drive to work down one major street, and I pass multiples of the same restaurants along my route. I pass (directly or indirectly) three McDonalds, three Taco Bell’s, three Taco Villas, three Whataburgers, two Burger Kings, two Sonics, multiple donut shops, and tons of single restaurants.

The joke here is that most new construction around here is either a bank, a church or a restaurant!

 

[vacerator]

JaimieL,

The Schostak bros. built the Oakland and Macomb mall's, etc., etc.

 

[panthera]

After the Iron Curtain came down and before

places to eat sprang up which served food I could eat, McDonald's was often the only place a vegetarian could get something to eat in much of the East. Prague was especially difficult for vegetarians.

Today?

Well, Subway offers some decent food and I still count on McDonald's extensive list of ingredients to let me eat there. Burger King in our neck of the woods is all over the place in cleanliness and quality. Sonic is the worst, most awful, horrid fast-food place on the planet earth and both in our town stink to the heavens.

 

[superocd]

I don't eat fast food very often but when I do go that route, I like Arby's, Carl's Jr/Hardee's, Dairy Queen, Burger King, Runza (a stuffed sandwich place in Nebraska--yum!), and Taco Time. Also like Subway, Popeye's and Long John Silvers and the occasional KFC.

I used to like Wendy's but their food quality/portion size took a hit in favor of Starbucks-ish restaurants with digital soda machines, fireplaces and ambient lighting. If I wanted that I would go to Outback Steakhouse or another mid-range casual dining establishment.

Taco Bell is a complete joke begging for Taco Time to branch out nationwide. Haven't had Taco Bell in years. The old joke about stomachaches after eating Taco Bell have some truth to it. Taco Time puts it to shame. Everything seems a bit more "cooked to order" at Taco Time. Even the vegetables are fresher.

McDonald's? I'll pass. I haven't had McDonald's in years either. It's not Taco Bell bad but the food is blah.

Carl's Jr/Hardee's has great food, I just don't care much for the R-rated advertising. It's not the Hardee's I grew up with.

 

[Ultramatic]

 

Hmmm.

 

Likes: Arby's, Panera Bread, Panda Express, Wendy's, Five Guys, San Loco (local taco chain), Kentucky Fried Chicken, Subway, Cracker Barrel, TGI Fridays, Firehouse Subs, Ruby Tuesday, Friendly's, Romanos Macaroni Grill, Nathan's, Quizno's, Boston Market, Long John Silvers, El Meson.

 

Borderline: Burger King, Taco Bell, White Castle, Churches, Popeye's, Sonic, Little Caesars, Dairy Queen Grill & Chill, 7-11, IHOP, Denny's, Applebee's, Johnny Rockets, Ponderosa, Pizza Hut, Dunkin' Donuts.

 

Despise: McDonalds, Papa Johns, Domino's, Perkin's, Sbarro's, Checker's, Starbuck's, Golden Corral

 

When in Spain:

 

Like: Lizerran, Rodillas, Udon.

 

Borderline: Pans & Company, Telepizza.

 

Despise: McDonalds, Burger King.

 

There is more to the list, but these are the one's that came to mind first.

 

[johnrk]

Cane's If At All

Before I was able to take early retirement a few years ago at 55, I was a health care administrator with employees and projects over several states. For twenty years I'd travel about 25% of the time, often staying in small towns as well as cities. I guess for people who have never done this, the idea of getting to eat out wherever one pleases on an expense account would be great. But--after over twenty years of doing this I got severely burned out on eating out. It got to where it didn't matter what kind of food, or at what price range; prepared food was just prepared food. There were a few small places in tiny towns in the deep South that were fun to visit, but business didn't take me to those places often.

Since retiring, I'm delighted to fix at home. I find processed, prepared foods boring and I really like cooking simple at home. I do go by Subway at times, but I'll buy the veggie delight and take it home and put my own barbecue or other meats in the sandwich. I like my own hamburgers off the grill, and often will eat the patty with onions and other stuff without the bun. I prefer frying my own chicken. However, in my city outside Houston we have a Raising Cane's and they do have great chicken fingers. I used to enjoy hitting those at times when traveling through Louisiana. But greasy chain-restaurant hamburgers? No, thanks. If I want quick greasy-cheesy, I'll get super nachos at Taco Cabana. I enjoy El Pollo Loco but there aren't many around my part of TX. I used to drive through Wendy's a lot when I was working and buy their baked potatoes--great road food if you don't mind them 'dry'.

To me, though, there is still one thing that McD's does better than anyone: fries. But you have to catch them coming out of the fryer. We know that they are a special species, grown just for them, and it shows.

 

[fan-of-fans]

I love Golden Corral, I've never had an issue at the one here, but you have to find a good one to have a good experience.

I've been to Cracker Barrel a few times, like it.

Don't care for Papa John's, too much sauce on the pizza. I like Pizza Hut best, like their buffet. Speaking of Pizza, I wish we had a Cici's here. There used to be one in another town that I went to and the pizza was always hot and fresh, and they had dessert pizzas, and it was cheap. Honestly don't know why we don't have one. Dominoes-not as bad as they were before, but still not as good as Pizza Hut imo, I've tried Hungry Howies, wasn't bad. Never tried Little Caesars, heard it was not very good.

Kentucky Fried Chicken, I usually like, but last time I went had the fried chicken and it did not taste right at all. Haven't been back in a while. I like their potato wedges and the chicken pot pie best.

Starbucks- don't drink coffee, but sometimes will get a hot chocolate there in the winter time. Not somewhere I go often.

Panera, used to go there when I had gift cards. Not much anymore, to me it is too pricey for self service. And if you buy a cheap meal, you don't get much more than a sandwich on two small slice of bread and a cup of soup.

Our Twistee Treat sells Nathan's but haven't tried any hot dogs there. Love the ice cream, but it's rather expensive. Usually get a shake if I go. If I go usually just use the drive thru as I don't like sitting out in the sun there as there's no shelter.

I love IHOP but haven't been in awhile. Never ate at Denny's, went once and waited and waited, no waitress ever came after five minutes, the place looked dirty too. My experience with Perkins was ok.

Remember going to Miami Subs once, years ago, never seen any around here nor LJS's. We're supposed to get a Popeye but it's still not finished, just says "Opening Soon" for many months now. Looks about 90% ready to open.

 

[wayupnorth]

We got almost every casual/fast food franchise here all within 20 miles. I just want to go to a Golden Coral buffet as there is none in this part of New England and have been told it is good. Dont want a chick this or burger that at the mall and all the traffic.

 

[retro-man]

Stopped eating at fast food places years ago. Don't like the stuff at all. I think Arbys is the worst of all. Now I find local dinners are the best food around. We have 3 that all have home made food from scratch that I frequent. Lower prices and much better quality of food. Check around where you live they are everywhere and you help support the local folk and their business.

Jon

 

[askolover]

Burger king for hamburgers, Arbys, and Subway here at home. 

When we are in NOLA, it's The Clover Grill (best burger you will ever eat)  and Willy's Chicken Shack.

Makes me hungry just thinking about it.  Hopefully we can go to NOLA next month.

 

[daveamkrayoguy]

Unless it's travel, I am vowing to never really have to eat out again! Prices can be inflated and very un-proportionate to what gets brought to the table...

I can't afford to, even given that that is the ONLY way my daughter will eat (MY "cavalcade of food" is seldom, if ever appreciated no matter what I make--and I can't afford a cook or my own personal chef, either) and my wife, equally fussy about her food takes her to MAC-Donald's! (Although, I do introduce to food & keep her nutritionally balanced, showing her every importance, so no spoiling her, nor deprivation on my part, all of rest the time!)

Like I said, eating out when that is my only option is what I will do--more places I want to go to, visit and see, given the bad news I am hearing about in those other parts of the world... So, enough of what I spend to live here to keep my belly still--and even going out, I watch the spending & somehow still get what I know I'll enjoy... I try to get my wimmin-folk in the same spirit, or on the same page, as well... That is, a meal is not a destination, food is just a journey to survive...

-- Dave

 

[glomain]

Shoneys,Hardees,and Lees Famous Recipe are the best in this neck of the woods,also all the Hardees here have aside kick they put in their stores called Red burrito,puts taco bell to shame.

 

[revvinkevin]

 

 

I used to eat fast food when the mood struck, or occasionally on the way home from work.  It was VERY easy to do when I was single.  But now that it's no longer just me at home, I rarely hit fast food spots and eat at home regularly.

 

McDonalds: while I've had many things on the menu over the years, frequently it was only the basic single or double cheeseburger or other value menu items.

 

In-N-Out Burger: (mostly West coast, but now in Utah & Texas).  <span style="text-decoration: underline;">Good</span> burgers and at a <span style="text-decoration: underline;">reasonable</span> price!  Really good stuff!  Love my burger "animal style".

 

5 Guys:  Went once when a location opened 6 years ago in my area.  No thanks, pass, will <span style="text-decoration: underline;">never</span> go again.  Perhaps I was a victim of all the hype I was hearing about it, but my experience did NOT stand up to all the hype.  Absolutely nothing special about their burgers and my order of fries, while perfectly golden brown, they were soggy and limp, YUK!   Plus they're over priced.

 

Taco Hell... er... Bell:  Been there, done that many times, like the crunchy taco supreme, but very little else!

 

Wendy's:  I like / love the value priced menu item: frosty, chili, jr bacon cheeseburger, chicken nuggets, etc! (the nuggets aren't that ground/chopped/processed/formed crap McD's has).

 

Jack-in-the-Box: Used to stop regularly on my way to work for a breakfast item, but no more.

 

KFC / Pioneer Chicken:  While they are both good, I'm just not willing to pay their prices anymore. 

 

Jollibee: They are the "McDonalds of the Philippines".  I've been to a number of them when visiting the Philippines and one (or 2?) locally.  It's really cheap in the Philippines, but here in the US, it's quite pricey ($7 for 2 pieces of chicken and rice?!?) and honestly it's just not that good.

 

Chick-Fil-A: While I have to admit their sandwiches & nuggets are very good, I've refused to go in any of their stores since all the same sex policy controversy in 2011/2012.

 

**** According to Wikipedia "Fast Casual" falls between fast food and casual dining, like Boston Market, Chipotle Mexican Grill, El Pollo Loco, Panera Bread and others I'm not familiar with.  I have walked into both Boston Market and Chipotle, but then walked out again without buying anything. 

 

El Pollo Loco: (and similar So Cal local - Charo Chicken) both are very good, but again, cost is a factor.  (OK call me cheap, LOL)

 

I have really enjoyed Panera Bread every time I've been, but don't go that often. 

 

Kevin

 

[panthera]

Major challenge

A major difficulty the fast food/casual food places face here so close to the border is the enormous difference in salaries, health insurance and benefits (pot, too) between southern Wyoming and northern Colorado. It's impossible to keep staff in Cheyenne when just a10 minute drive for a poorly educated person gives them double the salary, health insurance benefits, pot and workers rights.