re: How are traditional sit-down chain restaurants still in business?

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I'm saying how is Cracker Barrel not listed, as it is a 'traditional sit-down chain restaurant'

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No its not

i recently had the misfortune of going to Olive Garden in Birmingham. $14 for chicken piccata, It was a chicken breast cut in half with a crappy sauce and 3 sliced zucchini pieces. Service was terrible, food was lame, our waitress was good though.

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The face of our town changed. The face of all towns changed. The South became less Southern. Streets lined with fast-food logos look the same everywhere. Of the dozens of "cafes" and restaurants of my youth, only the Beechwood remains. You can still get a good burger there...probably even "sandwich style." It's more than a quarter, though

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It is sad, but a good many these types of places still exist in the ms delta. I looked up Beechwood and that menu is pretty typical for most of these restaurants.

Good restaurants around here

Belzoni, ms
Allison’s (fine dining)
Lunch basket (cafe)
Varsity (cafe)

Greenwood, ms
Giardinas (fine dining)
Lusco’s (fine)
Crystal Grill (casual dining)
Webster’s (casual)
Stevens BBQ (casual)
What’s Cooking (cafe)
Park Ave Cafe

Indianola, ms
Nola (fine)
Pea Soups (cafe)
Lost Pizza (casual actually a small chain of 7-8 locations now but started here)
Blue Biscuit (casual)
Guadalajara (Mexican)

Inverness, ms

Hometown (casual)
Town Market (fine)

Leland
Vito’s (Italian)
Lillos (casual Italian American)

Greenville

Sherman’s (fine)
Does (steakhouse)
Gino’s (burger joint)
Pasquale’s (Italian cafe)
Frosttop (burger cafe)
Downtown Grill (fine)
Spectators (sports bar)
Rivals (sports bar)

Cleveland has a ton of local places with the college there but my point is here you can find plenty of traditional southern restaurants, many which have been here 6 or more decades. One of the few things I love about this area

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These are still pretty good as are the steakhouse ones like Texas Roadhouse and Logan’s

They are still a good bit cheaper than a nice locally owned place that is worth a shite. Most larger towns I’ve been to seem to lack many locally owned places. Usually a couple high end places and some sketchy places in bad areas of town. And then all the chain restaurants on the main drags. So people will go to the chains because they usually have young kids and ain’t spending 200-300 bucks at a local 4 star place.

Here in the ms delta we have a ton of locally owned Italian, steakhouse, bbq, seafood type restaurants (many are a combo of 2 or 3 of these) and most are delicious. But we don’t have chains except for fast food. I prefer it this way tbh

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This is pretty much exactly where I live in Florida. Besides some good ethnic places there aren't that many good local owned restaurants. You have a few that are more upscale ($50 and above per person, and that's without any alcohol) and then a few that are in the iffy areas of town. All of the areas by interstates, in tourist areas and in the suburbs by the shopping areas are full of chains.

I absolutely despise Applebees, TGI Friday's, Olive Garden, Logan's, Outback, Bahama Breeze, Joe's Crab Shack, Ruby Tuesdays, O'Charley's and Chili's and haven't been to any in years except for one time six months ago at Bahama Breeze. I remembered at that time just how mediocre their food was.

With that said some chains are pretty decent. Like others said Cracker Barrel offers really good food at a good price. I also enjoy Texas Roadhouse and Chuy's. Those are about the only ones I enjoy going to.

I will say I used to go to Chili's a fair amount back when they would have free chips and salsa at the bar. I would go there, have their 2 for 1 happy hour drinks, chips and salsa and one of their cheap $3 or $5 appetizers. That was back when I didn't make as much and I could have a good meal there with drinks for like $10. Once they stopped the free chips and salsa though and raised their appetizer prices I was out of there. Again I can go to Chuy's, get free chips and salsa and better food.

Chili's has really suffered down here in Florida when they stopped the free chips and salsa. They used to always be packed and now most of the time when I drive by the parking lot is pretty empty.

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Chili's is decent

Believe it or not, a lot of people think the other places have really good food. Their taste buds just can't handle too much flavor, so they stick with generic, frozen food

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I think it goes back to what a previous poster said. People, especially families, like consistency, even if it's mediocre. You aren't going to get an incredible meal that you're going to remember for the rest of your life, but you probably aren't going to get a meal that's horrible either.

Whether we like it or not, chains are more consistent than family owned places. You could get a great meal at a local family owned place, you could also get a horrible meal or a meal that put you in the ER.

My brother in law travels a fair amount for work and he always sticks with the chains for that very reason. He knows what he's going to get, he knows they'll take credit cards (I still see a few local family owned places that take cash only) and he knows it's a very small likelihood of getting sick.

Personally, I'm one of those people who eats anywhere but a chain when I travel. I don't want to eat at a restaurant that I can eat at back home. The only exception would be a Cracker Barrel for breakfast or lunch off an interstate, usually when I'm just driving through. With that said I understand that people, especially families, like the safety of a chain.

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Locally owned restaurant

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I love the Olive Garden here

That is some damn fine authentic Italian food

Ruby Tuesday is good if we're looking for a salad bar.

The one I don't get is Olive Garden. Had a 79 yr old relative recently raving about going to Olive Garden whenever they go to a town with one. I can make better Italian at home with little effort So many better Italian options.

A buddy's wife manages an applebees. I keep telling him they are going out, but he doesn't think so. She is in a small town with few dining out options, so their store does well he says.