Who here has worked at a chain restaurant/what was precooked/frozen?

I don't eat at chains either. But my little brother worked in the kitchen at Chili's years ago. I won't get into details, but he said "don't ever eat at Chili's."

I worked for several large and small chains long ago

Back then most had off site commissaries s to make soups and salad dressings do the bulk of the prep work and raw meats were delivered frozen then cooked to order on the line in that kitchen BenniGans Cuco'so and later Chili's all were similar TGI Fridays did all fresh preparation of soups sauces salad dressings, even the onion rings garnish on every one of the 150 menu items was fresh from scratch Very labor intensive!

Today the Applebee's of the world had gotten to the point that everything is cooked in microwaves and boiling bags almost exclusively.

Customer feedback is now directing the chains that people expect that at minimum a grill operation is necessary; thus the recent resurrection of the "new Woodfield grills in all Applebee's


Been there doberman that

I feel sorry for you if you literally never eat at chain restaurants. Unless you are strictly eating at $30+ a plate placing then you are probably getting less quality than a chain. Food costs generally run restaurants anywhere from 22-35% of cost. Plus chain restaurants don't get outsourced foods because of cost, its about consistency. It is irresponsible to have inconsistency when you work at a chain restaurant. Your local, comparably priced "scratch" kitchens are typically dirty and honestly no scratch either. Farm to table is a nice way of saying "we don't operate with guidelines on quality or food safety control for the safety of our guests".

When people say they don't eat at chains only a couple things come to mind.
1. Too poor to eat out
2. Pretentious and full of shite
3. Have no culinary bone in their body
4. Love to yell "look at me" on Yelp

No trying to start crap but hate when people say crap like that.

Worked fast food at a Dunkin Donuts/Baskin Robbins for some spring break money once. Don't know if that meets OP's criteria, so I guess this is more of a PSA.

EVERYTHING IS FROZEN.
Except for the pressurized cool whip cans and the Bananas.

Delivered to Wendys, Popeyes, Churches, Outback and Blimpies.

All of them did frozen fries except Outback, they used fresh. Blimps did not serve them.

Wendys used 100% fresh beef, made their own salads and cooked chili daily. They also empty the frosty machines daily, store them in the cooler over night and reuse it the next day.

Outback cooked a lot of food, we had the produce contract but being in the kitchen I remember them with pots of soup.

Popeyes use to make biscuits fresh in house, frozen in a box now. They also use to buy tenders in a case, defrost, batter, fry and sell. Now they come in a box pre-battered and they drop them in the fryer. Shrimp were frozen as well, all meats except chicken, that was fresh. Cajun rice, red beans, gravy..... all of that was shipped from diversified in boil in bags. Mashed potatoes were instant.

Churcjes, everything frozen except the chicken wing, thighs, legs and breast.

carrabbas.....everything but the pasta was when i worked there 8 years ago


minus the produce obviously.


bread came cooked, we just heated up and ran thru the slicer. i would be weary of eating that shite. saw many of loaves fall on the kitchen floor to be picked up and taken out.

Copeland's had very little frozen.
Joes crab shack everything was frozen.
I've never seen a restaurant that didn't use frozen shrimp fwiw.

I worked at Wendy's in the late 90's (during the time they removed the salad bars).

Frozen: French Fries, Regular & Spicy Chicken patties, chicken nuggets, pita bread came in frozen.

Fresh: Tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce, onions, potatoes for baking all came in fresh in produce boxes and were prepped every morning.

Canned: tomato base for chili

I feel like you start this thread about once a month.

My kid is currently working for Chic Fil-a. He said that the grilled chicken breast for sure are frozen. He's never seen how the fried ones come in. I feel comfortable they are frozen too.

The lemonaide is made fresh every day with squeezed lemons.