What Restaurant Chain do you think serves the best food?

DIna00

DIna00

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For us it is hard to find a decent chain where it is worth it for us to go out and eat. Nothing makes me madder than a $60 check for food that just came out of a freezer pack.

The worst experience I recently had was with Cheesecake Factory - I ordered salmon for dinner and it came precooked, overcooked, and cold - right out of the fridge. Maybe I'm am getting too old but I just couldn't believe they would have the nerve to serve that - maybe it's only me, but as a salmon lover that is the absolute worst way to eat salmon.

What restaurant chains do you think serve some decent food?
 
My experience with chain restaurants in the last 10 years is pretty limited, but I would have to vote for Olive Garden myself. The reason is that they have come out with a "light" section on their menu for those who can't or shouldn't eat a huge portion. The portions on the light menu are actually very reasonable and healthy for an average woman, and they taste great. Since I switched to ordering from that section I have been able to finish everything while not feeling stuffed, which is a wonderful thing to be able to do at a restaurant. I don't like to have to take some home because it never tastes good the next day.
 
I agree! I have had some very good experiences at Olive Garden, minus 1 meal that stands out, but that was years ago. I think some hardcore Italian food lovers look down on it, but I have many good meals there, regardless if they are truly authentic or not.

I notice their prices fluctuate though, at times they have reasonably priced things, then it seems they will change the menu and raise the prices. That's actually when we stopped going.

Thanks for the reminder on this restaurant, it is a good one!
 
I really only eat out of 2 chains and really only very occasionally.

Most chains can't or won't cater for me (being allergic to dairy and effectively began as far as they are concerned) but Pizza Express (at lest in the UK) now has a vegan option for all 3 courses but you do have to ask for a slight change to the dough balls getting an olive oil and garlic option rather than butter and garlic dip... The main menu has 1 pizza which is cheese free now and the raspberry sorbet is dairy free if you ditch the dark chocolate straw... The other place I can eat in is Wagamama who have a couple of options that are vegetarian and dairy free... Change the noodles if you are vegan to non egg ones and you are sorted... I know that i can have born starter and main course there, never tried for a dessert.

Both serve freshly made food on the premises and both are very accommodating, and so totally different from one another than I couldn't really day which one I prefer!
 
As we seem to be a pretty spread out community I can't see how one good place can reflect on another. After all commuting from north east England to the USA is a bit of a hike for a meal out and vice versa. One thing I have always found however is it tends not to be the actual food chain but the chef at the time that really makes a difference. Surprisingly this is even true of big 'industrial' type places. A tiny bit of extra care transforms what can be an average meal into a very pleasant experience.
 
I'm in the Uk too, and may well get flamed for this, but I think the food served at Wetherspoons is good value, particularly the burgers. I know that the majority of the food is basically heated up packaged portions, but you have to do a burger on the grill so it goes nowhere near the microwave. Having said that, everything there is perfectly edible and is really cheap compared to other chains.
 
I can't speak about any of my local restaurants and truth is I don't eat out much when I am home. When I travel I am persuaded to go to Chili's. It's my son's favourite and convenient place to eat. Sometimes I'll get to choose and I get to go to T.G. I Fridays. So far I have not been able to go to Olive Garden which looks like somewhere I'd like to try.

Anyway in answer to the post it's a toss up between the two I've mentioned. I've had some hits and misses at both.
 
Most restaurant chains serve precooked and reheated food. Unless you to a really high end fine dinning chain it is hard to find fresh food. There are a few places that are in between serving fresh and quality food. There are a lot of vegan and vegie chains that are popping up as well, and I have to assume that those are not reheating their food, but since I'm not much of a vegetarian, I'm not certain. My preferred fine dining chain is Capital Grill. Mid range restaurant chains that serve decent food are Islands for great burgers and Macaroni Grill for Italian.
 
prezzo for pizzas ,chimichaga for tex mex and wagamama for noodles,these chains are consistent and standards quite good
 
I'm not a big fan of chain restaurants but if I had to choose one, it would be Olive Garden. I do love their soup and salad combo for lunch. I have never had a bad meal at the Olive Garden and I think its a good deal for your money. You certainly don't leave there hungry.

I know, many avid Italian Food lovers, don't really care for the Olive Garden but I find the variety and taste of the pastas quite good.
 
Ruby Tuesdays. I've never had any complaint from any of their meals. Outback Steakhouse is another. Failing that, any mainstream Chinese Buffer (Imperials Chinese Buffer) and things like that.

Here's a pick of why I say Ruby:

20070212-Ultimate_Colossal_Burger_Pics_2.jpg


You can taste yourself dying with eat grease soaked bite. AND it comes with a steak knife down through the middle, keeping the giant monster together. One of the most fattest meals I've ever eaten. Loved eat bite.
 
Food out of a freezer pack is precisely the reason to avoid chain restaurants. I ate at PF Chang recently and when I asked for the eggplant, my server/bar tender said he needed to check to be sure it had come in. I did not like the sound of that. The dish turned out to be okay, but I am used to having my food prepared to order from fresh ingredients. When you're used to fresh, anything else is just mediocre in comparison.
 
Though for "FAST" food, the best joint is Wendy's, in my opinion. Burger king tastes too flame-broiled fake. McDonalds is too greasy and slippery. Wendy's is the best, fresh food, the meat tastes good like you actually want to eat it.
 
We recently tried the Red Robin burger restaurant, it was another let down. Although they made me a very good mixed drink I was able to somewhat copy at home (Orange creamsicle with coconut rum), the burger was clearly a frozen patty at one point and the bun I could have got myself at Walmart. Fries straight from a bag. I'm always let down every chain we try... :( I will say though my husband got a burger with an over easy egg on top, so his was actually much tastier.
 
It's not health food by any means, but I am a big fan of Penn Station. They are a fast food chain that makes Philly Cheese Steaks and similar type sandwiches to order. They are also known for their fresh cut french fries and fresh squeezed lemonade to order as well. Nothing is cooked in advance. You can see them cook your entire order while you are standing in line. As soon as you place your order, one employee portions out your meat and puts it on the grill, while another employee puts some potatoes through a french fry cutter and drops them into the peanut oil. I've not tried their lemonade, but I'm sure it's great. It's your basic lemon shake you get at festivals with the half squeezed lemon in it. They keep their entire cooking area clean because all the guests can clearly see it.

Another one I enjoy, though it's pricey, is Morton's Steakhouses. Every one I've been to (well, only Cleveland and Chicago) has been fantastic each time we went. I almost always get their prime rib ribeye steak, and their horseradish mashed potatoes when I go there, but they have plenty of other stuff on the menu.

I've also been pleased with DiBella's subs when I used to work near one. Their subs are enormous, and on a really hard and crusty roll. The roll itself is almost too hard, and I wouldn't recommend getting the one loaded with seeds on the outside because it's hard to eat. But their regular roll is just fine, and what's really nice is it holds up well to store for leftovers. The kicker with DiBella's is they put a ton of meat on their subs. It would literally cost me more to buy that much lunch meat in the store myself than what I pay for an entire large sandwich at their place.
 
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