Who is conditioned to think national chains are to low brow?

PartyBear said:

---

Who is conditioned to think national chains are to low brow?

---

I thought everyone. Maybe I just hang out with snobby people

But you get my point, right? If someone goes to New York for the weekend and someone asks them where they ate, there is going to be some judgement if they say Olive Garden, Red Lobster, and Chili's.

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. Oddly enough my wife and I typically only eat at chains in Waco. If we are traveling we typically don't hit a chain--exception would be if driving we may hit a chain on the interstate.

PartyBear said:

---

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.

---

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.

PartyBear said:

---

Oddly enough my wife and I typically only eat at chains in Waco.

---

No George's, Shorty's, 135 Prime, etc.?

For the record, when I'm talking about chains I'm not talking about places like Ninfa's, Bubba's 33, etc. Heck, I wouldn't even necessarily count a place like BJ's Brewhouse that has 192 locations across 24 states. I'm also not including fast food restaurants. I'm just talking about The Red Lobsters and Applebees of the world.

Oh we eat locally as well and we don't do fast food . Maybe I'm not sophisticated. But people I hang out with have nothing against going to a chain to grab a bite or drink. Clearly the people I hang with are like most Americans as chains wouldn't be chains if they weren't popular. So I have never seen a stigma except among what I felt were posers on bfans. Btw I don't see you as a poser.

I'm curious as to why on earth you don't think Bubba's and BJ's are to be counted as chains?. Is it because they are significantly younger chains than Red Lobster or Chili's without as many locations yet? I still count any chain a chain. Ninfa's is a chain as well--though regional.

PartyBear said:

---

Oh we eat locally as well and we don't do fast food . Maybe I'm not sophisticated. But people I hang out with have nothing against going to a chain to grab a bite or drink. Clearly the people I hang with are like most Americans as chains wouldn't be chains if they weren't popular. So I have never seen a stigma except among what I felt were posers on bfans. Btw I don't see you as a poser.

I'm curious as to why on earth you don't think Bubba's and BJ's are to be counted as chains?. Is it because they are significantly younger chains than Red Lobster or Chili's without as many locations yet? I still count any chain a chain. Ninfa's is a chain as well--though regional.

---

I do count them as chains. I just don't count them as major national chains, at least not let. I had never even heard of Bubba's before they put one in Waco.

I had not either but I saw one in Albuquerque last fall.

PartyBear said:

---

I had not either but I saw one in Albuquerque last fall.

---

Yeah, they are definitely chains. I didn't explain myself very well.

And BJs is most definitely a chain of the same **** variety.

DioNoZeus said:

---

And BJs is most definitely a chain of the same **** variety.

---

I have clarified what I meant...I doubt most people look at BJ's in the same light as Applebee's.

Damnit. Why did they have to name their restaurant BJ's?

DioNoZeus said:

---

Crash Davis said:

---

PartyBear said:

---

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.

---

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.

---

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

---

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?

Crash Davis said:

---

DioNoZeus said:

---

And BJs is most definitely a chain of the same **** variety.

---

I have clarified what I meant...I doubt most people look at BJ's in the same light as Applebee's.

Damnit. Why did they have to name their restaurant BJ's?

---

I think of it the same way as I think of Applebee's, Chilis, Cheesecake Factory, etc. Any restaurant that gives you a menu with an index doesn't do any dishes well. BJs chose their ridiculous name so you would make dirty jokes while drinking and therefore wouldn't focus on the garbage food they serve you.

DioNoZeus said:

---

Crash Davis said:

---

DioNoZeus said:

---

And BJs is most definitely a chain of the same **** variety.

---

I have clarified what I meant...I doubt most people look at BJ's in the same light as Applebee's.

Damnit. Why did they have to name their restaurant BJ's?

---

I think of it the same way as I think of Applebee's, Chilis, Cheesecake Factory, etc. Any restaurant that gives you a menu with an index doesn't do any dishes well. BJs chose their ridiculous name so you would make dirty jokes while drinking and therefore wouldn't focus on the garbage food they serve you.

---

Yeah, but you are a notch above normal food & drink snobs.

Crash Davis said:

---

DioNoZeus said:

---

Crash Davis said:

---

PartyBear said:

---

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.

---

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.

---

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

---

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?

---

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.

DioNoZeus said:

---

Crash Davis said:

---

DioNoZeus said:

---

Crash Davis said:

---

PartyBear said:

---

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.

---

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.

---

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

---

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?

---

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.

---

Chili's is good. Sorry not sorry.

Nothing wrong with some crispers, corn on the cob and skillet queso.

I used to hit up Chili's occasionally, always seemed a reliable burger when I was a younger man. I have fond memories of the soft tacos and the tempura chicken tenders while working late at night on an audit client.

so wife and I went to one in a pinch about 2 years ago and had one of the worst dining experiences of my life. service and food were both worse than the average ihop.

so, I won't ever go back. but, if the Chili's near you gives you food you like, go for it.

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.

the only chains I've spent money at in the last 12 months are probably whataburger, chick fil a, shipley's and kolache factory. and most of that was begrudgingly to accommodate someone else.

bularry said:

---

I used to hit up Chili's occasionally, always seemed a reliable burger when I was a younger man. I have fond memories of the soft tacos and the tempura chicken tenders while working late at night on an audit client.

so wife and I went to one in a pinch about 2 years ago and had one of the worst dining experiences of my life. service and food were both worse than the average ihop.

so, I won't ever go back. but, if the Chili's near you gives you food you like, go for it.

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.

the only chains I've spent money at in the last 12 months are probably whataburger, chick fil a, shipley's and kolache factory. and most of that was begrudgingly to accommodate someone else.

---

Yeah, I try to go local as much as possible too, but I definitely have my franchises that I still go to from time to time. With the exception of fast food chains (I eat at those way more than I care to admit...trying to cut back) the chain I go to the most is Bubba's. I feel guilty every time I go there that I'm not spending my money at George's or Coach's, but for game-watching purposes, Bubba's is second to none in the Waco area and the food is really good IMO. Also, Bubba's does a pretty decent job of "localizing" each franchise by putting A bunch of Baylor stuff on the walls.

bularry said:

---

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.

---

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.

BaylorOkie said:

---

bularry said:

---

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.

---

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.

---

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

Forest Park South? We've built several homes in that area over the years.
How old are you? I grew up at 119th and Yale.
Live in Owasso now.

BaylorOkie said:

---

Forest Park South? We've built several homes in that area over the years.
How old are you? I grew up at 119th and Yale.
Live in Owasso now.

---

Yep. I graduated high school in 2006.

Chilis is meh... we might eat at a chain sit down restraunt once or twice a month at most- we like the mom and pop local spots and know most of the owners.

Crash Davis said:

---

BaylorOkie said:

---

Forest Park South? We've built several homes in that area over the years.
How old are you? I grew up at 119th and Yale.
Live in Owasso now.

---

Yep. I graduated high school in 2006.

---

You're 10 years younger than me.

BaylorOkie said:

---

Crash Davis said:

---

BaylorOkie said:

---

Forest Park South? We've built several homes in that area over the years.
How old are you? I grew up at 119th and Yale.
Live in Owasso now.

---

Yep. I graduated high school in 2006.

---

You're 10 years younger than me.

---

Haven't spent much time in Tulsa in recent years (parents moved to Texas after my soph year at Baylor), but I've heard it has changed quite a bit. People rarely hung out in downtown Tulsa back in the day unless they were going to one of the downtown concert venues, but apparently now there are all sorts of restaurants and bars that people frequent. Great to see.

Crash Davis said:

---

BaylorOkie said:

---

Forest Park South? We've built several homes in that area over the years.
How old are you? I grew up at 119th and Yale.
Live in Owasso now.

---

Yep. I graduated high school in 2006.

---

When I was your age I ate almost exclusively brown and fried foods

bularry said:

---

Crash Davis said:

---

BaylorOkie said:

---

Forest Park South? We've built several homes in that area over the years.
How old are you? I grew up at 119th and Yale.
Live in Owasso now.

---

Yep. I graduated high school in 2006.

---

When I was your age I ate almost exclusively brown and fried foods

---

We're really making an effort to cut down on fast food. We've had stretches where do pretty good, and then we have stretches where we all back in our pattern. One thing is for sure...Whataburger taste a lot better when you have it once a week instead of 4 times a week.

Chili's has a few decent things. It destroys crApplebee's. They also play pretty good music inside, which is extremely rare. Service is usually pretty good.

Yet it has annoyed me for many years that you can't get a bowl of chili at a place called Chili's, though.

I eat at the Chilis by our house so much that I basically have my own waiter. I sit on the outside patio where no one bugs me and I can write. I dedicated a book to that Chilis patio because that's basically where it got written.

I went there for lunch today and discovered my waiter is now only tending bar and only on Sundays. So this means I have to break in a new waiter. Sigh.

BearChick said:

---

I eat at the Chilis by our house so much that I basically have my own waiter. I sit on the outside patio where no one bugs me and I can write. I dedicated a book to that Chilis patio because that's basically where it got written.

I went there for lunch today and discovered my waiter is now only tending bar and only on Sundays. So this means I have to break in a new waiter. Sigh.

---

...or you just go sit at the bar and keep the same waiter. That sounds like a win/win to me.

Crash Davis said:

---

BearChick said:

---

I eat at the Chilis by our house so much that I basically have my own waiter. I sit on the outside patio where no one bugs me and I can write. I dedicated a book to that Chilis patio because that's basically where it got written.

I went there for lunch today and discovered my waiter is now only tending bar and only on Sundays. So this means I have to break in a new waiter. Sigh.

---

...or you just go sit at the bar and keep the same waiter. That sounds like a win/win to me.

---

No, I don't like the bar crowd and I don't go on Sundays. I go for lunch during the week because I like people to serve me lots of iced tea while I write. The patio is usually just me and is perfect for working on my book. It's too loud inside. Chilis is basically an outdoor office with iced tea and molten cake to me.

Crash Davis said:

---

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.

---

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.