• The TUGBBS forums are completely free and open to the public and exist as the absolute best place for owners to get help and advice about their timeshares for more than 30 years!

    Join Tens of Thousands of other Owners just like you here to get any and all Timeshare questions answered 24 hours a day!
  • TUG started 30 years ago in October 1993 as a group of regular Timeshare owners just like you!

    Read about our 30th anniversary: Happy 30th Birthday TUG!
  • TUG has a YouTube Channel to produce weekly short informative videos on popular Timeshare topics!

    Free memberships for every 50 subscribers!

    Visit TUG on Youtube!
  • TUG has now saved timeshare owners more than $21,000,000 dollars just by finding us in time to rescind a new Timeshare purchase! A truly incredible milestone!

    Read more here: TUG saves owners more than $21 Million dollars
  • Sign up to get the TUG Newsletter for free!

    60,000+ subscribing owners! A weekly recap of the best Timeshare resort reviews and the most popular topics discussed by owners!
  • Our official "end my sales presentation early" T-shirts are available again! Also come with the option for a free membership extension with purchase to offset the cost!

    All T-shirt options here!
  • A few of the most common links here on the forums for newbies and guests!

Favorite Chain Restaurants

OldGuy

Guest
Joined
Mar 4, 2019
Messages
1,564
Reaction score
576
Points
123
Resorts Owned
some
For us . . . . Texas Roadhouse.

Chilis is a frequent choice, sorta by default since it is so functional. We split fajitas, and have enough to take some home with extra tortillas and chips.

Favorite chain pizza is Hungry Howie's, ham and mushrooms, uncut, and I finish it off at home, 350 for 6-8 minutes. Carry-out pizza is notoriously undercooked. We only get HH in Florida.
 

clifffaith

TUG Member
Joined
Feb 24, 2016
Messages
5,480
Reaction score
6,637
Points
498
Location
San Juan Capistrano, CA
Resorts Owned
Worldmark
Cracker Barrel. We don't have them anywhere near us, so any trip from Sedona to Santa Fe involves a highly anticipated stop at CB. Lemonade, fried chicken and cornbread, and fingers crossed it's not a Sunday when all the locals are there for Sunday dinner. At home we have become Olive Garden fans. Especially during buy one take one promos -- between leftovers and the take home meals we eat for at least four days.
 

Passepartout

TUG Review Crew: Veteran
TUG Member
Joined
Feb 10, 2007
Messages
28,463
Reaction score
17,214
Points
1,299
Location
Twin Falls, Eye-Duh-Hoe
We try to avoid chain joints, preferring instead to support local people. Not always possible, but we try. Just got an Indian restaurant. The owner came out and thanked US for coming in and said WE were the reason he opened here. (there aren't enough S.Asians around here to sneeze at) The Mexican eateries are stiff competition for each other. Same with Chinese bufays. Favorite chains are McAlister's Deli and Panera Bread.

Jim
 

Luanne

TUG Review Crew: Expert
TUG Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
19,353
Reaction score
10,185
Points
1,198
Location
New Mexico
Resorts Owned
Maui Lea at Maui Hill
San Diego Country Estates
None. There are too many really good non-chains.
 

PcflEZFlng

TUG Member
Joined
Nov 19, 2018
Messages
1,052
Reaction score
1,331
Points
274
Location
CA
Cracker Barrel. We don't have them anywhere near us, so any trip from Sedona to Santa Fe involves a highly anticipated stop at CB.
No CB near us, either, and we also like to go there when in AZ and other states. They finally opened one in CA a year or so ago, but it's out in the desert on the way to Las Vegas. So we're still not regulars of CB.
When at home, we usually go to local restaurants, including locally-based chains that are for the most part known only here. There are a lot of good locally-based choices (chain and non-chain) in our area.
One fast-food chain that we particularly like is Freddy's Steakburgers. Great burgers, frozen custard, and cheese curds. I think they're primarily in the Midwest but they have a few outposts in CA, including one near us.
 

heathpack

TUG Review Crew: Veteran
TUG Member
Joined
Oct 22, 2008
Messages
4,651
Reaction score
3,750
Points
598
Location
Los Angeles
Resorts Owned
Hyatt High Sierra and Highland Inn
Disney’s Grand Californian and Hilton Head Island
Marriott Barony Beach and Mountainside
MVC Points
Sheraton Broadway Plantation
We like a couple of chains:

1. Mimi’s Cafe for breakfast, because I’m a sucker for their buttermilk spice muffins. Also you can get a calorie count of all their items online, which really helps if you’re going to eat one of their giant buttermilk spice muffins.

2. Lazy Dog Restaurant, which is a mostly California chain. Pet friendly patio and I really like their Thai Chicken Salad, which is super tasty and under 500 cal. Good cocktails and lots of options that Mr H likes, so I can get my healthy salad and he can find something he likes too

3. Wood Ranch BBQ, another local chain. Good barbecue, healthy sides. Oh yeah and plenty of non healthy sides for Mr H too. They make a mean Paloma and have good wine and beer options.

4. Baja Fresh. A fast food place where you can actually avoid fried stuff if you want to

5. And for a dog-accompanied road trip where you can’t stop to eat in a restaurant: Wendy’s (decent salads) or McDonalds (Egg McMuffin)...
 

heathpack

TUG Review Crew: Veteran
TUG Member
Joined
Oct 22, 2008
Messages
4,651
Reaction score
3,750
Points
598
Location
Los Angeles
Resorts Owned
Hyatt High Sierra and Highland Inn
Disney’s Grand Californian and Hilton Head Island
Marriott Barony Beach and Mountainside
MVC Points
Sheraton Broadway Plantation
Oh yeah. I like Panera Breads you pick two option. Half a Mediterranean Veggie Sandwich and half a salad, or sometimes soup.
 

dioxide45

TUG Review Crew: Expert
TUG Member
Joined
May 20, 2006
Messages
47,374
Reaction score
18,932
Points
1,299
Location
NE Florida
Resorts Owned
Marriott Grande Vista
Marriott Harbour Lake
Sheraton Vistana Villages
Club Wyndham CWA
We try to avoid chain joints, preferring instead to support local people.
Interestingly, chain restaurants are usually operated by a franchisee that is local and employ locals...
 

dioxide45

TUG Review Crew: Expert
TUG Member
Joined
May 20, 2006
Messages
47,374
Reaction score
18,932
Points
1,299
Location
NE Florida
Resorts Owned
Marriott Grande Vista
Marriott Harbour Lake
Sheraton Vistana Villages
Club Wyndham CWA
Perhaps our favorite is Cheddar's Scratch Kitchen. Really liked it when it first opened up near us in Ohio. Then Darden bought it out and quality has suffered a little. Have one close to us where we are now in Jacksonville. We also like Chuy's. Have to have the jalapeno ranch with the tortilla chips, salsa is for sissies.
 

Luanne

TUG Review Crew: Expert
TUG Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
19,353
Reaction score
10,185
Points
1,198
Location
New Mexico
Resorts Owned
Maui Lea at Maui Hill
San Diego Country Estates
Interestingly, chain restaurants are usually operated by a franchisee that is local and employ locals...
Yes, true. But that doesn't make the food any better. :)
 

dioxide45

TUG Review Crew: Expert
TUG Member
Joined
May 20, 2006
Messages
47,374
Reaction score
18,932
Points
1,299
Location
NE Florida
Resorts Owned
Marriott Grande Vista
Marriott Harbour Lake
Sheraton Vistana Villages
Club Wyndham CWA
Yes, true. But that doesn't make the food any better. :)
I wouldn't say the food is better or worse than some local establishments. We have eaten in some bad local joints. One thing you can say about chains is that it is consistent and you have a pretty good idea of what it will be like when you walk in. Local places can vary from one to the other and you have to rely on reviews pretty heavily, which of course are not always accurate.
 

klpca

TUG Review Crew: Veteran
TUG Member
Joined
Sep 11, 2006
Messages
8,273
Reaction score
7,280
Points
749
Location
CA
Resorts Owned
SDO, Quarter House, Seapointe, Coronado Beach, Carlsbad Inn, Worldmark
I only have two that I frequent, and at both I eat the same thing every time. So I am actually recommending the Pasta Fagioli soup at Olive Garden and the Dynamite Shrimp at PF Changs. Oh, and I actually like the salads at Chipotle. Skip the dressing and add guacamole.

For local chains, I like Rubios.

And I really like the unsweetened iced tea at McDonalds. At $1 it's a deal!
 

Luanne

TUG Review Crew: Expert
TUG Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
19,353
Reaction score
10,185
Points
1,198
Location
New Mexico
Resorts Owned
Maui Lea at Maui Hill
San Diego Country Estates
I wouldn't say the food is better or worse than some local establishments. We have eaten in some bad local joints. One thing you can say about chains is that it is consistent and you have a pretty good idea of what it will be like when you walk in. Local places can vary from one to the other and you have to rely on reviews pretty heavily, which of course are not always accurate.
When I was a kid and we'd do family road trips we'd always stop at Denny's. It goes to your comment that the food is consistent. Not great, sometimes not even good, but you knew what you were going to get.

Now on road trips we might stop at a chain, if there is nothing else. But, what I tend to do is go online as we're approaching a town and look for restaurants. I'll read the reviews and we've found some gems that way.

I have eaten at chains, and will eat there, if that is basically my only choice. The question was, "favorite chain restaurants". My answer still is, none. I guess my favorite is In n Out, but that might only be because there isn't one in our state and I haven't been there in years. When there was one in the town we lived in in California, I really hardly ever ate there.
 
Last edited:

Talent312

TUG Review Crew: Veteran
TUG Member
Joined
Jul 4, 2007
Messages
17,463
Reaction score
7,277
Points
948
Resorts Owned
HGVC & GTS
Texas Roadhouse... not only for steaks and ribs, but margaritas.
DW likes Carrabba's pollo rosa maria and blackberry sangria.
 

DaveNV

TUG Review Crew: Expert
TUG Member
Joined
Jun 1, 2006
Messages
22,003
Reaction score
29,217
Points
1,348
Location
Mesquite, Nevada
Resorts Owned
Free Agent
Of the places you've all named, the only ones in my area are Olive Garden, Panera, Denny's, and Chipotle. (Well, and McDonald's, but they're everywhere.) We like OG once in awhile - eating in the bar so we can avoid all the screaming kids in the main dining room. I've gotten the Pick Two at Panera for spouse's lunch twice in the last three days. (Major points for me, delivering hot lunch to a starving spouse, who is working at Costco in the run-up to July 4th. Imagine the chaos!) Chipotle is in the same strip mall as Panera, but I tend to forget they're there, because parking is a hassle, and they're at the end of a tight turnaround in the parking lot. I like their food, the few times I've had it. Denny's is in an older, more run-down part of town I rarely visit. Haven't eaten there in years.

I need to travel more, so I can enjoy some of these restaurants you folks like so much. :)

Dave
 

Luanne

TUG Review Crew: Expert
TUG Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
19,353
Reaction score
10,185
Points
1,198
Location
New Mexico
Resorts Owned
Maui Lea at Maui Hill
San Diego Country Estates
I need to travel more, so I can enjoy some of these restaurants you folks like so much. :)

Dave
Just remember The Pantry and ask if you want to eat in chain restaurants. ;)
 

pedro47

TUG Review Crew: Expert
TUG Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
22,072
Reaction score
8,536
Points
948
Location
East Coast
Cracker Barrel for breakfast because they are along I-95 and I-85 for traveling purposes from Virginia. The food quality is average for a National Chain.
 

DaveNV

TUG Review Crew: Expert
TUG Member
Joined
Jun 1, 2006
Messages
22,003
Reaction score
29,217
Points
1,348
Location
Mesquite, Nevada
Resorts Owned
Free Agent
Just remember The Pantry and ask if you want to eat in chain restaurants. ;)

If I ever get back to Santa Fe, you know The Pantry will be at the top of my list. Again. :)

I agree there are plenty of non-chain restaurants that are great. But if you don't know about them, and/or you're a stranger in town, knowing about a chain restaurant may help avoid eating somewhere you shouldn't. We've all done that. I like to ask at the desk staff at hotels and timeshares where they go when they're not at work, specifically to avoid chains. But in lieu of that, a known chain might be better than not.

Dave
 

clifffaith

TUG Member
Joined
Feb 24, 2016
Messages
5,480
Reaction score
6,637
Points
498
Location
San Juan Capistrano, CA
Resorts Owned
Worldmark
No CB near us, either, and we also like to go there when in AZ and other states. They finally opened one in CA a year or so ago, but it's out in the desert on the way to Las Vegas. So we're still not regulars of CB.
When at home, we usually go to local restaurants, including locally-based chains that are for the most part known only here. There are a lot of good locally-based choices (chain and non-chain) in our area.
One fast-food chain that we particularly like is Freddy's Steakburgers. Great burgers, frozen custard, and cheese curds. I think they're primarily in the Midwest but they have a few outposts in CA, including one near us.

We were to Worldmark Pismo in early June and noticed signs for a new CB in Santa Maria. We're headed there again in September or October, so we might just stop for a CB fix.
 

Luanne

TUG Review Crew: Expert
TUG Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
19,353
Reaction score
10,185
Points
1,198
Location
New Mexico
Resorts Owned
Maui Lea at Maui Hill
San Diego Country Estates
If I ever get back to Santa Fe, you know The Pantry will be at the top of my list. Again. :)

I agree there are plenty of non-chain restaurants that are great. But if you don't know about them, and/or you're a stranger in town, knowing about a chain restaurant may help avoid eating somewhere you shouldn't. We've all done that. I like to ask at the desk staff at hotels and timeshares where they go when they're not at work, specifically to avoid chains. But in lieu of that, a known chain might be better than not.

Dave
I said this earlier, but I'll mention it again. I tend to use TripAdvsor, or other reviews I can find online if I'm trying to find something on the fly. Some of the small towns we've been through haven't even had a decent chain restaurant.
 

magmue

TUG Member
Joined
Nov 26, 2017
Messages
535
Reaction score
393
Points
173
Location
Northwest of Normal
Resorts Owned
HGVC: Kingsland
West 57th
Worldmark
Whale Pointe fractional
Point at Poipu (deed)
Lawai Beach Resort
Kauai Beach Villas
The Original Pancake House (NOT IHOP!), sometimes called Walker Brothers Pancake House. Their apple pancake is to die for, and the rest of their breakfasts are excellent as well. They were a favorite when I was a young adult in Chicago and didn't realize they were a chain - started in Portland - until I moved to Oregon and found one in my new home town.

And one that started here in Eugene OR, Cafe Yumm. They're known for their beans & rice bowls topped with Yumm Sauce. Natural and healthy and good. They are taking their time expanding - in 11 Oregon towns, one in Idaho and 2 in Washington.
 

geist1223

TUG Member
Joined
May 20, 2015
Messages
5,974
Reaction score
5,728
Points
499
Location
Salem Oregon
Resorts Owned
Worldmark 97,000 Credits
DRI Cabo Azul 50,500
Royal Solaris San Jose del Cabo
Cracker Barrel for breakfast because they are along I-95 and I-85 for traveling purposes from Virginia. The food quality is average for a National Chain.

Our first and probably last trip to CB the Bisquits were cold and hard.
 

Talent312

TUG Review Crew: Veteran
TUG Member
Joined
Jul 4, 2007
Messages
17,463
Reaction score
7,277
Points
948
Resorts Owned
HGVC & GTS
Our first and probably last trip to CB the Bisquits were cold and hard.

Don't accept cold, hard biscuits, or any food that's inedible, anywhere.
IME, most places are willing to fix or replace just about any dish.

At CB last Friday, our biscuits were steaming hot, fresh from the oven.
But a fellow diner complained his chicken was too spicy.
They made him a new plate of less spicy chicken.

Another time, a diner spilled the leftovers he was putting into a box.
They brought him a new order packed to go. It never hurts to ask.
.
 

clifffaith

TUG Member
Joined
Feb 24, 2016
Messages
5,480
Reaction score
6,637
Points
498
Location
San Juan Capistrano, CA
Resorts Owned
Worldmark
I have eaten at chains, and will eat there, if that is basically my only choice. The question was, "favorite chain restaurants". My answer still is, none. I guess my favorite is In n Out, but that might only be because there isn't one in our state and I haven't been there in years. When there was one in the town we lived in in California, I really hardly ever ate there.

In N Out really does make a great burger. We'd tried Habit Burger, and I think one other of the higher end burger joints where burgers are about $8, so when we picked up In N Out for my now home bound parents we were pleasantly surprised they were only around $4. And the fries are so generous that two orders feeds four people, and Cliff is still left finishing those up when everyone else is full. I do enjoy an occasional Quarter Pounder, if I'm not eating the now available-all-day Egg McMuffin, but for a chain burger the In N Out at least feels like you got your quota of vegetables for the day. My favorite fast food sandwich is the Santa Fe Chicken sandwich at Carl's Jr, but the darn things are like $6 now, and it's been eons since I've seen a coupon.
 
Top