Favorite Chain Restaurant

I used to go to Chili's when I lived in Houston. I go to one here and it makes me want to barf. I know from good Mexican food, and they don't serve any. There are, however, a number of real Mexican and Tex-Mex joints here now. The problem is that the ones in the Anglo areas tend to start out authentic and over time everything starts to go Taco Bell. Luckily there are some real taquerias, where you go in and you're the only Anglo in the place and they have to send you the waitress that speaks English. I tend to leave those very happy.

I like Five Guys pretty well, but they're damn expensive for a burger and fries.

 

When I go to Five Guys, I have to ask for the "tiny" fries twice, because they always try to upsell you on the regular size. Even that amount usually overflows the small cup they give you. (Plus, I like to eat some of them free peanuts too...)

 

Was she going on a cleanse?

 

Mine came from the Oak in Nashville.

Other contenders are chains Ruth's Chris, Morton's and Capital Grille, plus local faves Plaza III and Hereford House. But really, it's Oak by a furlong.

 

I don't care if it's Mexican or Martian.

Those chicken crispers are heaven.

 

So I go to McDonald's today, my first time in a while. I started to get my usual, which is the Quarter Pounder with Cheese Meal (medium). However, I looked up at the menu and noticed they had a (premium) burger with bacon and onion straws.

Intrigued, I asked the cashier what was on this (premium) burger. She started pushing buttons on her touch screen, so I figured there was a way to pull up the components using her touchscreen register. She flopped around for awhile and got flustered. Not being a total asshole, I started to say, never mind. Eventually she had the good sense to ask a coworker how to pull up the ingredients on the terminal. The coworker kindly showed her which keys to punch and instructed her to read the ingredients on the top line of the display which she successfully did.

It was a pretty tasty burger. I would have preferred a traditional sesame seed bun rather than the poofy hipster one that has become de rigueur.

 

The best thing most McDonalds will do is serve food quickly.

You have ape shit kids bellowing, you know McDonalds will get them their food fast as fuck.

Five Guys is a thousand times better on food quality, but there are other perks to fast food.

 

Habit burger moved into my neighborhood, meh they are OK. Anyone know about this place that moved next door?

Burgerim | Chef-Inspired Burgers | See Our Menu and Locations

 

McDs is only that fast in the drive thru. That’s their priority. I don’t know of a worse fast food customer experience than mcds, generally.

They opened a Shake Shack near me. I went to 5 Guys then to SS a couple of days apart. It’s a draw

 

The burgers are good, but what I love most is the copious fries they stuff into each bag. I might not eat it all, but there's always a hungry soul who would be grateful for the bag.

 

Might have already come up in this thread, but I was unaware of them at the time - Any Doughboys fans here? Fun little podcast about chain restaurants.