I don't have anything against chains. And independent restaurants are not always good. I just want to have choices and unique dining options that offer a lot of diversity for various tastes. This is something that has rapidly been becoming extinct.

I hate going to another town and seeing the same **** everywhere and having a really difficult time finding something unique to the area. It's depressing seeing the same exact signs dominate the landscape.

People wanna jam garbage into their craw at Glutton Corral that's their business. Just give people something else to choose from who prefer something besides greasy heat lamp troughs and microwave TV dinners posing as fresh cuisine.

Grubes?

greatdivide said:

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Crash Davis said:

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We had Chili's tonight, as we do from time to time...and it was damn good.

I know we're conditioned to think that major national chains are too low-brow for us. But the food at Chili's is good. I would prefer not to eat at one if I'm traveling to a new city and I certainly wouldn't recommend it to someone visiting my city, but sometimes my unrefined palate needs some skillet queso and chicken crispers.

It feels really good to get this off my chest.

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Preach! Not my favorite place to eat but enjoy going there. And I ate at a Spanish Tapa's bar last night and an "Artisan" cafe the day before so I like good food. Just not snooty enough to miss out on Chilis from time to time.

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We ate at a tapas place in Colorado twice last week. It basically changed my life. Oh my.

As much as I enjoy a lunch at Chili's(reliable/consistent food, and I'm a fan of their skillet queso), I really need a T.G.I. Friday's to be built in Waco!

Weston Rogers said:

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As much as I enjoy a lunch at Chili's(reliable/consistent food, and I'm a fan of their skillet queso), I really need a T.G.I. Friday's to be built in Waco!

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We had one and it didn't make it.

I don't PREFER chain restaurants because they're all the same and I like local restaurants that can make something a little different but even then, a lot of the local places serve **** off a Sysco truck so it's kind of the same thing.

With that being said, I agree with you. I even like fast food. I like everything. I'm not a food critic and idgaf. I ate McDonald's nuggets on Saturday cause I wanted them. A nugget dunked in sweet and sour takes me back to my damned childhood, but so does steak. I had it all as a child and I still do as an adult. The chicken strips at Applebees are crazy good and every New Year's Eve my wife and I have a party for two with all Chili's appetizers and my standard cup of chili and damn it if I don't enjoy it every single time.

The point of eating is to enjoy flavors. If you enjoy flavors who gives a **** where they come from?

DioNoZeus said:

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Crash Davis said:

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PartyBear said:

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Well yeah but that's because unless you live in some extremely rural outpost far from any urban area (even far from a Waco sized urban area), you have all of those where you live.

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I don't think I am off base to suggest there is a stigma around major national chains. But maybe I'm wrong on this. I feel like people would be judged for telling others their favorite restaurant is Chili's.

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Yes, if you told me your favorite restaurant was Chilis I would judge you harshly

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I would also judge you harshly mainly because of how much sodium is in their food. Chili's is off the charts salt even compared to other national chains.

Edmond Bear said:

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DioNoZeus said:

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Crash Davis said:

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PartyBear said:

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Well yeah but that's because unless you live in some extremely rural outpost far from any urban area (even far from a Waco sized urban area), you have all of those where you live.

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I don't think I am off base to suggest there is a stigma around major national chains. But maybe I'm wrong on this. I feel like people would be judged for telling others their favorite restaurant is Chili's.

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Yes, if you told me your favorite restaurant was Chilis I would judge you harshly

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I would also judge you harshly mainly because of how much feces is in their food. Chili's is off the charts for feces, even compared to other national chains.

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FIFY

SMack said:

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Grubes?

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I miss Grubes.

Crash Davis said:

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Weston Rogers said:

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As much as I enjoy a lunch at Chili's(reliable/consistent food, and I'm a fan of their skillet queso), I really need a T.G.I. Friday's to be built in Waco!

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We had one and it didn't make it.

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The building that now houses The Longhorn Steakhouse, after extensive remodeling, was a TGIF in the late 90s-early 00s. (It w as a hibachi place from early 00s- about 13).

TGIF is fine in terms of food. But it is basically a way over priced Chili's or Cheddar's in my view.

I only eat lunch at Chili's, and there are only two menu items I will eat, but my main reason for eating at Chili's is the pay kiosk. One of my biggest pet peeves is to finish your meal and then it takes for ever for your server to bring the check and then bring back your receipt. Applebee's has it too, but there is only one item I will eat at that place. Other than fine dining, I wish all restaurant's had pay kiosks. It would be ok with me if they had order kiosks, too.

gobears. said:

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I only eat lunch at Chili's, and there are only two menu items I will eat, but my main reason for eating at Chili's is the pay kiosk. One of my biggest pet peeves is to finish your meal and then it takes for ever for your server to bring the check and then bring back your receipt. Applebee's has it too, but there is only one item I will eat at that place. Other than fine dining, I wish all restaurant's had pay kiosks. It would be ok with me if they had order kiosks, too.

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The Ziosk is amazing. And if I take kids, I can request additional Ziosks so that for the very-attractive price of 99c, they can play Toca Boca kitchen to their hearts' content.

Crash Davis said:

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DioNoZeus said:

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Crash Davis said:

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DioNoZeus said:

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Crash Davis said:

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PartyBear said:

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Well yeah but that's because unless you live in some extremely rural outpost far from any urban area (even far from a Waco sized urban area), you have all of those where you live.

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I don't think I am off base to suggest there is a stigma around major national chains. But maybe I'm wrong on this. I feel like people would be judged for telling others their favorite restaurant is Chili's.

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Yes, if you told me your favorite restaurant was Chilis I would judge you harshly

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Thank you.

This thread was not going like I thought it would. I thought I was making a big confession--revealing a deep, dark secret--and then the response was basically, what's wrong with chains?

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I mean, if you like having premade food some teenager is warming up for you in a microwave, I will buy you a microwave so you can do it yourself and save yourself the trouble of going out.

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Chili's is good. Sorry not sorry.

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I guess if you like food with your salt, it's ok.

Edmond Bear said:

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SMack said:

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Grubes?

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I miss Grubes.

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He's even better on Twitter.

An entire thread about chilis and not a single mention of Pam or the Dundees. What a pile of garbage.

sicemkentucky said:

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An entire thread about chilis and not a single mention of Pam or the Dundees. What a pile of garbage.

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That amazingness aside, I already judged the hell out of Crash, and now I do so much more harshly, and from a position of true superiority.

Chilis is awful and I refuse to eat there.

Chains are, generally, awful as well, with only a few exceptions.

RebelT said:

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sicemkentucky said:

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An entire thread about chilis and not a single mention of Pam or the Dundees. What a pile of garbage.

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That amazingness aside, I already judged the hell out of Crash, and now I do so much more harshly, and from a position of true superiority.

Chilis is awful and I refuse to eat there.

Chains are, generally, awful as well, with only a few exceptions.

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Ate there again tonight. Suck it.

I went to Chili's the other day, first time in a long time. It was a'ight. The tablet kiosk thing was OK until the receipt jammed up in the machine.

Crash Davis said:

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RebelT said:

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sicemkentucky said:

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An entire thread about chilis and not a single mention of Pam or the Dundees. What a pile of garbage.

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That amazingness aside, I already judged the hell out of Crash, and now I do so much more harshly, and from a position of true superiority.

Chilis is awful and I refuse to eat there.

Chains are, generally, awful as well, with only a few exceptions.

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Ate there again tonight. It sucked.

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FIFY. Glad you're coming around.

DioNoZeus said:

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Crash Davis said:

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RebelT said:

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sicemkentucky said:

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An entire thread about chilis and not a single mention of Pam or the Dundees. What a pile of garbage.

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That amazingness aside, I already judged the hell out of Crash, and now I do so much more harshly, and from a position of true superiority.

Chilis is awful and I refuse to eat there.

Chains are, generally, awful as well, with only a few exceptions.

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Ate there again tonight. It sucked.

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FIFY. Glad you're coming around.

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Crash Davis said:

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BaylorOkie said:

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bularry said:

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I am also of the mindset that when I spend money, I'm voting for something, and I generally choose to vote for a restaurant that is owned by someone local or at least not some corporate owned entity. Not easy in Sugar Land, TX, I promise, but it is what we try to do when we go out. yes, you might spend a few bucks more, but I'm okay with that. same reason I'd rather buy a bottle of wine for $23 from a local, well thought out wine shop than the same thing for $2 less as Spec's or Total Wine or whatever.

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I agree, and I've found myself to be this way more and more the past few years. Tulsa loves its chain restaurants, but we are getting more local establishments lately, which is great.

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I grew up in a neighborhood off 106th and Sheridan.

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Found the Okie

Brian Ethridge said:

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The chips and salsa are still solid.

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Brian Ethridge said:

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The chips and salsa are still solid.

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Definitely agree with you there. Their chips are better than most ******** restaurants' chips.

Edit: Mess-ican is filtered out? Is that supposed to be a slur or something? Bizarre

Crash Davis said:

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BaylorOkie said:

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bularry said:

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I am also of the mindset that when I spend money, I'm voting for something, and I generally choose to vote for a restaurant that is owned by someone local or at least not some corporate owned entity. Not easy in Sugar Land, TX, I promise, but it is what we try to do when we go out. yes, you might spend a few bucks more, but I'm okay with that. same reason I'd rather buy a bottle of wine for $23 from a local, well thought out wine shop than the same thing for $2 less as Spec's or Total Wine or whatever.

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I agree, and I've found myself to be this way more and more the past few years. Tulsa loves its chain restaurants, but we are getting more local establishments lately, which is great.

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I grew up in a neighborhood off 106th and Sheridan.

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In honor of the 3-year anniversary of this thread, I just want to point out that crash is an Oakie

Haven't eaten at Chili's in at least a year and am now craving southwestern egg rolls. At least I can blame it on being pregnant.

One thing that Chili's has managed to do quite well over the years is come up with a dish that I like -- and then immediately take it off the menu. It almost seems like a gift.

Still, it's easily the best of the broad menu type chains. Doug's critique that they don't serve chili is on target, but they do at least use peppers in their cooking.

Two words:

Chili's Trip.

No longer on the menu but it's the burger that started it all. Most locations will still make it for you.

Yummy!

Gunny Hartman said:

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30 years ago Chili's burgers were awesome. I always got the exact same thing, the Chili's Trip (chili, cheese, and sauteed onions).

Then those ass holes took it off the menu around 20 years ago. On the rare occasion we go to Chili's, I still order it, and even though it's not on the menu, they usually know what it is. But unfortunately, their burgers just aren't the same. They used to be super juicy, but I guess they're using the lower fat content meat now because they're usually pretty dry. I have disappoint.

Their skillet queso and southwestern egg rolls are still pretty good, but alas, those aren't as good as they used to be either.

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I don't know why I find it so hilarious when folks break the word ******* into its constituent parts? It's just twice as funny that way.

Don't go changin'