Favorite Chain Restaurants

[Bucky]

Don't know how they get them to rise up like they do. Ours are always as flat as a, well, pancake.

Baking soda. I make ours from scratch once a week and two tsp of baking soda works wonders.

 

[Glynda]

I like the sausage & egg mcmuffin special of two for $4. They won't sell you one for $2; you have to buy two for $4. But they're so good!

Another place we like that hasn't been mentioned is Raising Cane's for chicken fingers.

We got a Raising Cane recently but haven't tried it. Now I will. I put their strawberry jam on my Egg McMuffin.

 

[Glynda]

Egg McMuffins have always been my favorite. I was happy when they started offering breakfast items anytime. Before that McDonalds was not a viable mealtime stop for our family with their lunch/dinner menu.
Except over the last year I was 3-for-4 on having egg shell in my McMuffin. My theory is that daytime workers just haven’t developed the cracking skills. So I have given up.

That has never happened to me. Yikes!

 

[1Kflyerguy]

So many chains I've never heard of.

Same for me, seems like lots of the more regional chains are the favorites.

 

[clifffaith]

Baking soda. I make ours from scratch once a week and two tsp of baking soda works wonders.

The day I have to make pancakes from scratch is the day we go to Denny's or IHOP! Apparently the box mixes don't use enough baking soda, or more likely they quickly age on the shelf and lose their oomph.

 

[silentg]

Just ate a Denny’s today. Blueberry Pancakes and AARP discount.

 

[klpca]

I don't normally eat pancakes, so I can't speak much about those (although the apple one that DW always gets looks fabulous). For me personally, it's everything else on their menu, starting with the omelettes. Way better than the other chains, plus I can get 2-3 meals out of them!

I love the green chile and pepperjack omelette - which I didn't see on the regular OPH menu, but it is on the Poway one. Maybe it's a local thing.

 

[Glynda]

The day I have to make pancakes from scratch is the day we go to Denny's or IHOP! Apparently the box mixes don't use enough baking soda, or more likely they quickly age on the shelf and lose their oomph.

This is more than I even like to do for breakfast but sometimes we have breakfast for dinner:

OVEN PANCAKE
Preheat Oven to 400 degrees

Place baking dish (can use pie plate, skillet or other) in oven with ½ stick of butter to melt.

Fresh fruit can be added to the baking dish as the butter melts. ½ Granny Smith apple, thinly sliced and dusted with ¼ cup brown sugar, sliced peaches, cherries or blueberries, for example.

Mix 3 room temperature eggs by hand with ¾ cup room temperature milk. Add ¾ cup plain flour. Mix lightly (small lumps OK to leave) and add a dash of salt.

Pour mixture over melted butter. Bake until browned and very puffy. Will be uneven in appearance. Serve immediately with syrup, honey, jam or jelly. You can dust it with powdered sugar.

 

[OldGuy]

This is more than I even like to do for breakfast but sometimes we have breakfast for dinner.

Growing up, dinner on Sunday was at noon after church, and supper was normally breakfast . . . pancakes.

 

[PcflEZFlng]

I love the green chile and pepperjack omelette - which I didn't see on the regular OPH menu, but it is on the Poway one. Maybe it's a local thing.

I'll have to try that one, since Poway is the one nearest to me. Besides their omelettes, I'm a big fan of their crab cake benedict (it doesn't come with an English muffin, so I always order one as a side so I can put the crab cakes on top of it). It's awesome.

 

[PcflEZFlng]

Same for me, seems like lots of the more regional chains are the favorites.

It seems there are many chains known in much of the rest of the country that aren't known in CA, and vice versa. A few that come to mind that I see national ads for but aren't anywhere around here are Carrabas, Ruby Tuesday, and CiCi's.

 

[joestein]

Great:
Houston's Steakhouse...
https://www.houstons.com/gallery/
THE BEST CHAIN EVER and in a class by itself, ambience is more like a very upscale tavern
(mahogany & red leather booths, expensive fixtures).
Best steaks (Filet Mignon is "perfect"), best French Dip Sandwich, best Hamburger, etc......
best Spinach/Artichoke Dip starter, best sides, best desserts (hot Apple Walnut Cobbler w vanilla ice cream, OMG!),
best salads, great fish & other entrees, great sandwiches, great drinks, best everything, in a romantic atmosphere.
It's every bit as good as any other great steak house at which I've dined. There are two locations in Atlanta
(also located in other big cities), and we make the 2.5 hr trip to Atlanta just to dine there.

Ruth's Chris ....reputation well established, but I like Houston's more.
Bonefish....amazing restaurant and consistently great at all locations.

Very good, consistent:
Carrabbas
Monterrey Mexican (Southeast)
Mellow Mushroom
Zoes Kitchen
California Dreaming (Southeast)
Chick-fil-A
The Chop House

Good, consistent:
Cracker Barrel
Red Lobster
Texas Roadhouse

I can't disagree with Houstons, but there are so few of them (I wonder if they still make the cheesebread?). When my parents were alive, they ate at Houstons (in Boca Raton) at least 4 times a week. I think they spent the majority of their retirement income there. They certainly never traveled.

However, Bonefish has gone way down in quality over the last 4 or 5 years. At least the ones by me in NJ.

We like Carrabbas, but as their prices have gone up signficantly the last few year, I would rather spend the same or more at a local italian restaurant where the food is better.

 

[joestein]

I think my favorite chains are the ones I dont have near my house or work.

We ate in a Chuy's in florida last year, my daughters keep talking about going back to one. It was good, but not that special IMHO.

My daughters ate at "Nando's Peri Peri" and they keep talking about it.

We are taking a roadtrip to the Smokey Mountains and then to Williamsburg. We will try to hit both of these places on the way.

Joe

 

[geist1223]

We do not have a favorite chain restaurant. There are a few we will never or only if only choice eat - Burger King and MacDonalds. The last few times at these chains the Burgers and Fries have been cold. At one MacDonalds that had one price on the outside sign board but charged us a higher price. Their excuse was we have not gotten out to change the sign board. They would not lower the price. The exception for MacDonalds is over seas. They always have free WIFI and the coffee is ok.

 

[Talent312]

Guilty Pleasures:
Whoppers at BK & Reubens at Arby's.
Also: Choc. Shakes at Steak 'n Shake.

 

[jme]

I can't disagree with Houstons, but there are so few of them (I wonder if they still make the cheesebread?). When my parents were alive, they ate at Houstons (in Boca Raton) at least 4 times a week. I think they spent the majority of their retirement income there. They certainly never traveled.
However, Bonefish has gone way down in quality over the last 4 or 5 years. At least the ones by me in NJ.
We like Carrabbas, but as their prices have gone up signficantly the last few year, I would rather spend the same or more at a local italian restaurant where the food is better.

Whenever I say to my wife we're headed to Atlanta, the FIRST thing she says is please make reservations at Houston's.
Same goes for my two children---when they're in ATL they automatically go there.
We've had some great times there over the past 25 years.

Bonefish has always been good, no downturn at all for the locations we've been to----that would be my home town of
Augusta Ga, Orlando, Hilton Head, and a couple of others. Never had a bad meal at Bonefish. Sorry your Carrabba's
has declined, as it's a fun place to go when it's good. Ours stays packed all the time.

Carrabba's is the one that imho has gone down a bit...
It's always been very good, but in the last two years the restaurant lighting has been so bright that I tell the manager it's
"like being in a hospital cafeteria". Apparently the managers don't care one bit, as it never changes, and the same practice
must have been initiated at all locations. It used to be a lower-light, cozy, romantic type atmosphere,
now it's not so much. The food hasn't suffered, but the little things, including the service, have certainly declined.
But it still rates high to me because of the delicious food, which remains consistent. For me, all important elements
at any given restaurant must be present......good food, good service, nice atmosphere, and good price point.
If any of those aren't there, even just one, it can affect a place in a big way and even ruin it.

 

[MULTIZ321]

Guilty Pleasures:
Whoppers at BK & Reubens at Arby's.
Also: Choc. Shakes at Steak 'n Shake.

+1 for Shakes at Steak 'n Shake. Our favorite shake is the specialty strawberry with fudge and whip cream on top. Better yet to get it during their 50% off Shake prices between 2pm and 5pm, Mon-Fri.

Richard

 

[Marathoner]

+1 for Shakes at Steak 'n Shake. Our favorite shake is the specialty strawberry with fudge and whip cream on top. Better yet to get it during their 50% off Shake prices between 2pm and 5pm, Mon-Fri.

Richard

Sounds like a thousand calories. 2 hours of running is required to burn that many calories.

Sent from my LG-H932 using Tapatalk

 

[Glynda]

I forgot one. I love the warm, fresh chips with salsa and the steak fajitas at On the Border. Instead of the shredded meat one gets in so many fajitas, On the Border's are strips of meat; just the right thickness. In the case of the steak, the strips are cooked to a perfect medium rare that continues to cook on the sizzling platter if you would prefer a higher temperature. Unfortunately, our's closed and I have to go the Greenville, SC or Charlotte, NC to find one. Ah, but I am going next week to one!!

 

[dioxide45]

I think Steak'n'Shake milkshakes have really gone downhill. While they don't ever seem to raise the price, they just keep shrinking the cups and putting less ingredients in. The last time I could barely tell there were any Reese cups in the thing. They are also poorly mixed. Sonic shakes are kind of the same. Just had one tonight. I could at least taste the Reese Cups and there were a few good size chunks in there, best of all they were half price. Of course Steak'n'Shake has half price shakes too, but even still I don't find them worth it. Just raise the prices already, I will pay it for a better milkshake!

For ice cream, we love Dairy Queen but really love frozen custard. Ritters was big where we moved from. Down here it looks like Wit's Custard, which apparently started out in Ohio. Also like Freddy's and Culvers for their frozen custard, but for some reason Ritters was always a bit better and I think there was a better value as the portion size were a bit larger.

 

[PcflEZFlng]

I think Steak'n'Shake milkshakes have really gone downhill.
For ice cream, we love Dairy Queen but really love frozen custard. Ritters was big where we moved from. Down here it looks like Wit's Custard, which apparently started out in Ohio. Also like Freddy's and Culvers for their frozen custard, but for some reason Ritters was always a bit better and I think there was a better value as the portion size were a bit larger.

We tried Steak 'n' Shake once a couple of years ago when I found out they have a few outlets up in the Los Angeles area and we were going to be on the road going by one of them. We weren't all that impressed; they were only okay. Like I mentioned upthread, we like Freddy's a lot. I also tried Culver's once when I was back east on a trip last year and liked it - it would be on our rotation (along with Freddy's and In-N-Out) if they were in our area!

 

[joestein]

I forgot one. I love the warm, fresh chips with salsa and the steak fajitas at On the Border. Instead of the shredded meat one gets in so many fajitas, On the Border's are strips of meat; just the right thickness. In the case of the steak, the strips are cooked to a perfect medium rare that continues to cook on the sizzling platter if you would prefer a higher temperature. Unfortunately, our's closed and I have to go the Greenville, SC or Charlotte, NC to find one. Ah, but I am going next week to one!!

And my wife will refuse to go the on the border in our area. She thinks it is gross. So opinions are all over the place.

 

[Icc5]

I think Steak'n'Shake milkshakes have really gone downhill. While they don't ever seem to raise the price, they just keep shrinking the cups and putting less ingredients in. The last time I could barely tell there were any Reese cups in the thing. They are also poorly mixed. Sonic shakes are kind of the same. Just had one tonight. I could at least taste the Reese Cups and there were a few good size chunks in there, best of all they were half price. Of course Steak'n'Shake has half price shakes too, but even still I don't find them worth it. Just raise the prices already, I will pay it for a better milkshake!

For ice cream, we love Dairy Queen but really love frozen custard. Ritters was big where we moved from. Down here it looks like Wit's Custard, which apparently started out in Ohio. Also like Freddy's and Culvers for their frozen custard, but for some reason Ritters was always a bit better and I think there was a better value as the portion size were a bit larger.

Ice Cream I'm with you at Daity Queen but the last few years on vacation we look for frozen custard and our favorite is Andy's. We are in California and all we have is Rita's in our area which neither of us care for.

 

[OldGuy]

I forgot one. I love the warm, fresh chips with salsa and the steak fajitas at On the Border.

Back in our working days, that was one of our go-to places, and order, when we were on the road.

That's about what we get at Chili's . . . fajitas . . . and we just share a single order. We normally eat 4-6 there, then take about the much home. & they normally bag us more chips to take home.

 

[OldGuy]

Steak and Shake was a local favorite for my wife, but we never (hardly ever) go to them. Same with Freddy's and Culvers. We have them, too, and they are good, but we don't go to them.

The Steak and Shake near us in Florida is busy, busy, busy, busy all day and evening. I don't think they ever have a chance to deep-clean it, so if we stop, it's just for a 1/2 price shake. Need those calories.