US chain restaurants

POP! said:
Cheesecake Factory owns a restaurant chain called Grand Lux Cafe, which is in most big cities (not anywhere in Michigan unfortunately), and basically does what Cheesecake does but EVEN BETTER. I highly recommend. @RJN have you been?
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Oooh I need to investigate this next time I can go to the US. Probably 2023.
 
Denny's is OK, but not sure I'd go there for any meal except breakfast. A friend of mine got a DINNER SALAD there and unsurprisingly it was awful.
 
The best chain y'all HAVE to try is POPEYES CHICKEN. I had it every night for about a month when I first got here. Their chicken sandwiches literally had to be guarded by security :D

@RJN I cannot be the only one.
 
In terms of breakfast chains, First Watch has been popping up everywhere the past few years and I quite enjoy that.
 
Popeyes is fine but that chicken sandwich was so overrated. Also the second time I tried I felt like I was eating saw dust.
 
@POP! We have a Grand Lux Cafe here, but I've never been. I didn't know it was owned by Cheesecake Factory.

Also I love First Watch. It's probably my favorite breakfast chain.

Chic-fil-a is a guilty pleasure because they are homophobes!
 
They don't have Waffle Houses in the north, but I'm pretty sure I've had LONG AGO. I remember it feeling LESS THAN SANITARY
 
I don't generally eat at any of these though. The thing is that they aren't any cheaper than local restaurants. In rural areas they are sometimes the only option
 
POP! said:
They don't have Waffle Houses in the north, but I'm pretty sure I've had LONG AGO. I remember it feeling LESS THAN SANITARY
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That's part of the experience! The risk of death.

I haven't been since last February, but I walk by one all the time and the cooks and servers do not wear masks
 
I went to Cheesecake Factory the first time I went to the US in 94 and was distinctly underwhelmed, so have never felt the need to visit again when there is so much choice.

I do love a Wendy's breakfast/brunch, though. And i can never resist a diner in the evening. I remember loving a few Lori's Diners in San Francisco, but don't know if they are just a SF or California chain rather than a national one. I don't remember seeing them elsewhere in the US.
 
@Lucille are you imagining a bag of frozen cooked spaghetti?

its not weird to have frozen Bolognese or something in a supermarket, or have I been in japan too long? I mean you’d see a frozen lasagne at least
 
POP! said:
They don't have Waffle Houses in the north, but I'm pretty sure I've had LONG AGO. I remember it feeling LESS THAN SANITARY
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Not to mention, they're always in the NEWS. I remember reading once on Twitter about 2 dudes who tried to rob a Waffle House, only for the waitress to pull out a gun from beneath her APRON :D
 
Yeah frozen pasta is usually the TV dinner kind. Not just straight up unprepared pasta lol
 
Pre-vegetarianism, the Cheesecake Factory's chicken wings were basically the best I'd ever tasted.

But the size of the portions was ridiculous. I could never finish them.
 
RJN said:
Are you surprised that we eat pasta from a frozen bag in America??
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They eat pasta out of a tin, I wouldn’t put much stock in their palates.
 
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Sheena said:
Pre-vegetarianism, the Cheesecake Factory's chicken wings were basically the best I'd ever tasted.

But the size of the portions was ridiculous. I could never finish them.
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Since going pescatarian, chicken wings are the only food that I really miss and can't find a substitute for. Buffalo cauliflower is good but not even close to the same
 
RJN said:
Since going pescatarian, chicken wings are the only food that I really miss and can't find a substitute for. Buffalo cauliflower is good but not even close to the same
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THIS. 100 times over.
 
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RJN said:
:D

How did you like Atlanta? Where did you stay?
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I went for 24 hours in 2019 for the Saints-Falcons game on Thanksgiving so most things were closed (the Waffle House was literally the only option for lunch); I stayed in a hotel behind the aquarium I think. Did some tourist stuff the following day; the aquarium and Coke World weren't bad but the CNN tour was highly underwhelming.
 
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POP! said:
Denny's is OK, but not sure I'd go there for any meal except breakfast. A friend of mine got a DINNER SALAD there and unsurprisingly it was awful.
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Denny's is one of the few places I can tolerate breakfast, though I'm sure they use some kind of "instant egg mix" where they just add water :zombie:

IHOP on the other hand just makes me GAG but their Red Velvet pancakes are to die for, though I only have two whenever I end up going (not willingly I must say :D)
 
Oh I love the IHOP. Especially the banana and nutella crepes :emoji_heart_eyes:
 
I loved exploring all the famous restaurants when I first moved here.

TOP TIER:
Popeyes
Sonic

MID TIER
Olive Garden
Wing Stop

BOTTOM TIER:
White Castle
 
Ooh wings, I do love going to BUFFALO WILD WINGS
KindaCool said:
I loved exploring all the famous restaurants when I first moved here.

TOP TIER:
Popeyes
Sonic

MID TIER
Olive Garden
Wing Stop

BOTTOM TIER:
White Castle
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I never had any of these aside from Olive Garden :o

What does one get at POPEYES? My former boss once took me to KFC (we were in the middle of nowhere in West Michigan) and I was horrified :D
 
POP! said:
Ooh wings, I do love going to BUFFALO WILD WINGS

I never had any of these aside from Olive Garden :o

What does one get at POPEYES? My former boss once took me to KFC (we were in the middle of nowhere in West Michigan) and I was horrified :D
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I actually still prefer KFC, but Popeyes is still excellent.

The chicken sandwich at Popeyes has literally started fights. It's quite tasty.
But the chicken tender strips are also excellent. Also their fries are better than KFC's.

Which ones do you have in your city POP?
 
KFC > Bojangles > Popeyes

None of them compare to real southern fried chicken places though
 
none of the US chains tickle me. it is however extremely frustrating to see all the delicious food trucks and small hipstery eateries on US Netflix food shows and have NONE of that here
 
Mats said:
none of the US chains tickle me. it is however extremely frustrating to see all the delicious food trucks and small hipstery eateries on US Netflix food shows and have NONE of that here
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You've got those FOOD COURTS!

(I had some amazing noodles at the food court in Malmö)
 
I had a thing for SWEETGREENS when I spent some time in America.

Who doesn't want to pay $15 for a salad? :disco:
 
NonEvent said:
I had a thing for SWEETGREENS when I spent some time in America.

Who doesn't want to pay $15 for a salad? :disco:
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Oh I fucking love Sweetgreen! I'm glad we don't have one here so I don't waste all my money on it. The Harvest Bowl is probably my favorite fast casual meal
 
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