re: I feel bad for people who's dining experiences are Applebees, Olive Garden, etc.

No you wouldn't Zach. You might inform clueless yankees about where to eat in NO but you wouldn't t stand in front of olive garden telling people they're stupid. If you did you'd get your shite beat in. Let's be real here.

I'm the exact opposite. I'll go out of my way to find a local place, if at all possible.

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Chains have their place.

Not every city is a food mecca of locally owned reasonably priced restaurants putting out quality food. Not everyone cooks instead of going to a chain. Not everyone is into food as much as the folks on this board are. (That's why these threads never go well. People on this board are here to talk about food and, for the most part, not chains or fast food, though there are plenty here who get excited when Cane's isn't open.) It's not their hobby nor is it at the top of their list of important things in life. I don't have sympathy for them because that's a choice.

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Isn't that more of a condition that we are in or perhaps even a conditioning of the local culture than a reason to continue supporting them? I mean, the reason people have crap food options in certain areas is because they place such little value on it, which is why they have crap food options, which is why they place such little value on it, etc, etc, etc?

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I've only been to an Olive Garden once. It wasn't bad food. It's pasta for crying out loud. I simply prefer other places.

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I don't find all pasta to be just pasta, and not all pasta is cooked properly either. I would argue that neither is the sauce that they put on the plate compared to something cooked in house. I don't think that makes it more expensive to cook in house, just normally much better food in someone with the basic ability to pull off food cooked from scratch, which you would think a chef would have. If anything, product is much more expensive than labor. Done right, it's a push in expense. Value is another thing entirely that may drive up the price, or perceived value.

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I have to eat at an Outback, periodically, because people I know and love happen to like the place. The salads are good and the pork tenderloin with steamed fresh veggies is fine. Nothing wrong with the food. I've had much better and could get something I like more for the money, but what the heck.

I love a good greasy breakfast at Waffle House with extra crispy hash browns and ketchup. Sometimes, there's nothing better at the time. Haven't been in years, but I wouldn't think twice about going if the opportunity or urge presented itself.

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I too have to eat places that I don't care for in business, and it's not that chains can't do good food, or there can't be a person in the back of the house that attempts to do good work. Heck, the state of things shows many culinary grads end up working at chains or working at Whole Foods. But it's just that the business model of a chain in and of itself is what really prevents a national chain from doing really good food.

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I don't know if I'd even prefer that to Olive Garden if we're talking strictly lunch.

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Just off the top of my head thinking of KC, tons of options in NOLA.

I just really hate Olive Garden..

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I mean, the reason people have crap food options in certain areas is because they place such little value on it, which is why they have crap food options, which is why they place such little value on it, etc, etc, etc?

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I'd say part of it is they have very little exposure to good food in the first place. It's not like they know what they're missing out on.

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I don't find all pasta to be just pasta, and not all pasta is cooked properly either. I would argue that neither is the sauce that they put on the plate compared to something cooked in house

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I think the point GG was making is that Olive Garden Pasta isn't really much worse than a similarly priced local place. It's not terribly difficult to execute and you'll usually get a pretty solid plate of pasta there. Their other offerings might be lacking but it's not like they can't cook up a bowl of spaghetti and meat balls just fine.

Of course you have no shortage of self important fallacies filling your brain so you probably think that Olive Garden pasta is all terrible 100% of the time even though you think you're too good to eat there and wouldn't know anyway.

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But it's just that the business model of a chain in and of itself is what really prevents a national chain from doing really good food.

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I don't know. I ate at Ruth's Chris in Destin recently and they don't seem to have much of a problem putting out good food.

I think it's when you get to the lower tier chains like Applebee's and Chili's that are at a really low price point you're going to see it's difficult to put out good quality food.

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I'll give RC their due when it comes to meat and their temp guns they use. I don't have a problem with a steak house really, but when it comes to their sides, it's pretty lack luster IMO. And I realize people don't go there for anything but the meat really, and I get that, but to me, it's as much a part of my meal as the protein is. It matters.

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I actually enjoyed the sides there as well

The voodoo shrimp were cooked perfectly, crab meat salad was good, creamed spinach was excellent as usual.

Sides aren't usually that exciting or aggressive at a steak house because the meat is the star of the meal. I think Ruth's does a great job of providing high quality albeit simple side dishes.

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I actually enjoyed the sides there as well

The voodoo shrimp were cooked perfectly, crab meat salad was good, creamed spinach was excellent as usual.

Sides aren't usually that exciting or aggressive at a steak house because the meat is the star of the meal. I think Ruth's does a great job of providing high quality albeit simple side dishes.

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Like I say, I give them their due. I just don't find their sides to be very impressive, but again, it's all about the steak, and for a steak house that's a given I suppose.

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Emeril was just on colin cowherd. He said the culinary scene in America is light years ahead of where it was 15 years ago. Said you could find a good, well prepared meal anywhere now. Even in Iowa.

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Personally, I think about it this way. You don't have to go any further than a bunch of hicks (that's what the rest of the country thinks at least) from Louisiana whining about chain restaurants ruining America. The growth in the education of America's palate even in the past decade is awesome, due in no small part to the freedom of information of the internet and the popularity food-related tv.

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Personally, I think about it this way. You don't have to go any further than a bunch of hicks (that's what the rest of the country thinks at least) from Louisiana whining about chain restaurants ruining America. The growth in the education of America's palate even in the past decade is awesome, due in no small part to the freedom of information of the internet and the popularity food-related tv.

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You can even get really good food in England now