• A few of the most common links here on the forums for newbies and guests!
  • 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 31 years ago in October 1993 as a group of regular Timeshare owners just like you!

    Read about our 31st anniversary: Happy 31st 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 $24,000,000 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 $24 Million dollars
  • Sign up to get the TUG Newsletter for free!

    Tens of thousands of 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!
  • 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!

Favorite Chain Restaurants

Take Sprecher’s off my favorites list. We just went in and they took sauerbraten and spaetzel off the menu.
 
When we’re traveling, Texas Roadhouse and Cheesecake Factory top our list for consistency and quality. If they’re available they’ll often be our first dinner when we don’t know the area. We’ve also become fond of Chart House, but have only been to a couple so, the jury’s still out on this one until we have a larger sample size.
 
Still have a Stroud's where you're at? Is Doc's steakhouse still there?
 
Speaking of traveling. When we go to an unfamiliar place without recommendations beforehand, and really not into chain restaurants, we search out a 'mom 'n' pop', hole in the wall Chinese joint. Everywhere has these, and the menu is so similar that they are almost a chain, though each is family owned and (usually) staffed. You can tell the minute you walk in by the way you're greeted. A cheerful 'nee hau' (hello in Mandarin) will get you a smile, a decent table, and service.

Jim
 
Passepartout said:
Speaking of traveling. When we go to an unfamiliar place without recommendations beforehand, and really not into chain restaurants, we search out a 'mom 'n' pop', hole in the wall Chinese joint. Everywhere has these, and the menu is so similar that they are almost a chain, though each is family owned and (usually) staffed. You can tell the minute you walk in by the way you're greeted. A cheerful 'nee hau' (hello in Mandarin) will get you a smile, a decent table, and service.

Jim
Click to expand...

Everywhere has these, but not everywhere has "Springfield" Cashew Chicken.
 
OldGuy said:
Everywhere has these, but not everywhere has "Springfield" Cashew Chicken.
Click to expand...
True, but it seems that most have a 'Chefs Specialty' section of the menu for some recipes handed down from Grandma or Grandpa from the Old Country.
 
joestein said:
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.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I've been to one that wasn't up to par with those I used to frequent. It's been over a year since I've been to one but will be going next week. Never had a better steak fajita.
 
OldGuy said:
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.
Click to expand...

If I recall correctly, the fajitas I had at Chili's were shredded meat and spicy. It's been a long time though.
 
When we are traveling, I just use the YELP app on my phone to find restaurants. Have had pretty good luck.

Cheesecake Factory makes me nervous. I don't trust that restaurants with huge menu selections can serve fresh food and do each dish well. And again, it's another place with long wait times. The only thing I've had good there was a salad. And decent cheesecake, but I don't really like cheesecake enough to take in the calories.
 
Glynda said:
When we are traveling, I just use the YELP app on my phone to find restaurants. Have had pretty good luck.

Cheesecake Factory makes me nervous. I don't trust that restaurants with huge menu selections can serve fresh food and do each dish well. And again, it's another place with long wait times. The only thing I've had good there was a salad. And decent cheesecake, but I don't really like cheesecake enough to take in the calories.
Click to expand...

I have to fight to go to any place with dessert in the name (Cheesecake Factory) or that is known for dessert (Marie Callendar's). I guess the way I'd fight if the name of the restaurant was "Scotch Factory". We know each other's weaknesses!
 
Glynda said:
If I recall correctly, the fajitas I had at Chili's were shredded meat and spicy.
Click to expand...

I had some just last week, and they were not that. Never have been for us. The steak was steak, the chicken was chicken, and the shrimp was shrimp. We get them with no green peppers. Extra shredded cheese. Extra shredded lettuce. They come with beans and rice now . . . to get them you used to have to order "Cadillac Style."

4b12e0f000d1464cc13474be727c2116.jpg


So, I'm thinking . . . what could be crueler than talking about yummy food . . . posting pictures of it.
 
This is our Famous Dave's order:

1U4A1294.jpg
 
Last edited:
Not a chain, then a chain, then not a chain . . . we have been eating our favorite fried shrimp at Shell's since 1989, the same week we bought our first timeshare. When we first started there, everything was served in little paper boats. Fried shrimp, mandarin orange cole slaw, and parsley buttered new potatoes was $6.99. Salad and a loaf of fresh-baked bread were 99 cents each. Pasta is excellent, too.

We have a local place in our little Florida village that we frequent for fried seafood, too.
 
Last edited:
My husband just decided to become a vegetarian, really puts a crimp in going out to certain restaurants.
 
Passepartout said:
Speaking of traveling. When we go to an unfamiliar place without recommendations beforehand, and really not into chain restaurants, we search out a 'mom 'n' pop', hole in the wall Chinese joint. Everywhere has these, and the menu is so similar that they are almost a chain, though each is family owned and (usually) staffed. You can tell the minute you walk in by the way you're greeted. A cheerful 'nee hau' (hello in Mandarin) will get you a smile, a decent table, and service.

Jim
Click to expand...
The thread is about chains, not independent restaurants :rolleyes:
 
Last edited:
OldGuy said:
I had some just last week, and they were not that. Never have been for us. The steak was steak, the chicken was chicken, and the shrimp was shrimp. We get them with no green peppers. Extra shredded cheese. Extra shredded lettuce. They come with beans and rice now . . . to get them you used to have to order "Cadillac Style."

4b12e0f000d1464cc13474be727c2116.jpg


So, I'm thinking . . . what could be crueler than talking about yummy food . . . posting pictures of it.
Click to expand...

Just had dinner so it's not cruel at this time.

Not bad. What is the orange color on the meat? They give very little shredded cheese or sour cream at On the Border. The tortillas at OTB are made in view of the diners and are served in a container that keeps them warm. I still think I'd prefer OTB's but glad to see that Chili's isn't shredded as I thought I recalled.
 
rapmarks said:
My husband just decided to become a vegetarian, really puts a crimp in going out to certain restaurants.
Click to expand...

It sure would! Don't think mine will ever do that but I do have to keep him away from ice cream shops, bakeries and dessert places. He's borderline type 2 diabetic. Not that it stops him. :ponder:
 
Glynda said:
What is the orange color on the meat?
Click to expand...

Bad photography. Ours are never orange. This is more like ours:

8f78ed3f85d9b8fade49af4cfe63c1b4.jpg


Fajitas was our regular order when we used to do On the Border, too.

We traveled in our business up until 2004, and went out to dinner with a regular group many Friday and Saturday nights. On the Border was in the rotation.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top