what national chain restaurants are overrated?

[RainierBeachPoet]

its self expainatory

to me, whenever i eat at the red lobster, i think to myself:

they just serve that cheesebread to TRY to distract me to how mediocre the food is

and any self-respecting seafood restaurant will have oysters-- red lobster doesnt have them

((btw, lobster itself is overrated-- give me some decent crab legs over lobster anyday))




and whats your opinion on overrated restaurants?

[jbot]

cheeseburger in paradise. i just wasn't that thrilled about it. the live music was cool though.

[KeylessEntry]

Red Lobster is indeed disgusting. I think pretty much any seafood restraunt that has chains in Oklahoma is going to suck. Good seafood is always fresh.

Chilis. All my friends think Chilis has good food, well it doesnt.

[ihatetimthomas]

Pretty much every single chain restaurant sucks

[-primetime-]

Chilis. All my friends think Chilis has good food, well it doesnt.
agreed....

Chilis

Benigens

TGI Fridays

Applebees



all suck...

and to be honest after watching the movie "Waiting" with Dane Cook, I am scared to eat at places like that now.

[intrinsic]

Applebees





Any positive rating, would be overrating this joint.

[-primetime-]

Pretty much every single chain restaurant sucks
there are some really nice chains dude....

ever heard of Fogo de Chao?

http://www.fogodechao.com/



my personal favorite


there are some great steak houses that are chains as well...

[intrinsic]

Pretty much every single chain restaurant sucks

damn. You make me feel ashamed to admit that I really like CPK.

[Lebowsky]

Pretty much every single chain restaurant sucks

Cosign

[ihatetimthomas]

damn. You make me feel ashamed to admit that I really like CPK.

its not they suck i guess, its pretty much they are all overrated IMO. There are decent ones but none of them wow me at all

[-primetime-]

its not they suck i guess, its pretty much they are all overrated IMO. There are decent ones but none of them wow me at all
I would be willing to bet that the majority of the nicest places to eat in your city have multiple locations...

[ihatetimthomas]

there are some really nice chains dude....

ever heard of Fogo de Chao?

http://www.fogodechao.com/



my personal favorite


there are some great steak houses that are chains as well...

never ate there but by chains I mean the ones that have hundred of them in the US. Looking at the site, it looks like tehre are only a few across the US

[-primetime-]

never ate there but by chains I mean the ones that have hundred of them in the US. Looking at the site, it looks like tehre are only a few across the US
oh...ok



well then yeah....just about all of them suck

there are a few I can stand though...

I like The Olive Garden and Macaroni Grill...:confusedshrug:

[mmsupra]

chills!!!!haha :no: total trash except the Molten cake which is fire...

Wendy's

Red Lobster ..U need to take a loan out to go eat there

Pizza Hut..U can't tell me you like that pizza lol

I can go on and will if prompted

[-primetime-]

chills!!!!haha :no: total trash except the Molten cake which is fire...

Wendy's

Red Lobster ..U need to take a loan out to go eat there

Pizza Hut..U can't tell me you like that pizza lol

I can go on and will if prompted
I don't think that fast food or delivery pizza was what the OP had in mind...

[AppleNader]

Olive Garden. Absolute terrible imitation "Italian food." This restaurant (along with AppleBee's), exemplifies the typical joint that serve microwaved/par-cooked/frozen/mass produced and then jack up the price to a ludicrous level.

[-primetime-]

Olive Garden. Absolute terrible imitation "Italian food." This restaurant (along with AppleBee's), exemplifies the typical joint that serve microwaved/par-cooked/frozen/mass produced and then jack up the price to a ludicrous level.
"LUDICROUS LEVEL?!?!?!?!:wtf:

last time I was there most of there meals were like $9.99 - $15.99 along with endless free bread sticks and salad...

very cheap place to grab lunch or dinner IMO...

it is pasta...

and they boil it

IDK...kinda hard to screw up italian food...and I don't think they really did.



I bet if you had thier lasagna/speghetti/ziti/ect. and put it up against a really expensive italian place that you woudn't see that much of a difference...(the places that really jack up the prices on simple pasta)

plus the endless bread sticks and salad are a decent plus...

[BMOGEFan]

claim jumper is by far the best food chain.

[tian820]

claim jumper is by far the best food chain.

Wrong thread

I hate places like IHOP and Denny's (to a lesser level than IHOP though). Both are open late so maybe a little different. Otherwise, Applebee's is pretty bad. I don't hate most of these places other people are naming, just none of them are really anything special, just a normal sit-down restaurant for a decent meal with friends/family. TGI Friday's might be a little overpriced, Olive Garden is pretty decent, but nothing special. I've never actually been to Red Lobster so can't really give any input there, but most of what I've heard is bad except for one buddy, who loves it :lol

[ElPigto]

Meh, I like Chili's, Olive Garden, etc etc.

But I like almost anything. They are just normal restaurants to me, nothing sensational but is not as bad as some of you try to make it seem.

[AppleNader]

IDK...kinda hard to screw up italian food...and I don't think they really did.

That's because its not frickin real Italian food. The crap at Olive Garden (spaghetti, lasagna, chicken parm) is not frickin Italian food. Their meat stuffed ravioli is premade and microwaved, the marinara sauce is canned (many of my friends have worked there and know this for fact), and all chains the size of Olive Garden pre-make and prepackage food to be reheated on site. It's not a secret.




I bet if you had thier lasagna/speghetti/ziti/ect. and put it up against a really expensive italian place that you woudn't see that much of a difference...(the places that really jack up the prices on simple pasta)

How would you know. You've never even been to a real Italian place that serves quality food. There is a big difference. I live in NYC and NJ, home of good Italian food. That's why I never eat at Olive Garden.

[Sonic R]

Pretty much every single chain restaurant sucks

:cheers:
They all are the suck.

Maybe a better thread should be titled:
"What national chain restaurant is actually decent to dine at?"

[AppleNader]

much like Chinese cuisine, Italian cuisine is a far cry from the "Italian-American" food you get at a typical chain restaurant.

[-primetime-]

That's because its not frickin real Italian food. The crap at Olive Garden (spaghetti, lasagna, chicken parm) is not frickin Italian food. Their meat stuffed ravioli is premade and microwaved, the marinara sauce is canned (many of my friends have worked there and know this for fact), and all chains the size of Olive Garden pre-make and prepackage food to be reheated on site. It's not a secret.
I can't tell if you are joking or not here...but if you really think they microwave thier meals like something you would get from 7-11 then you are an idiot.

it is speghetti....they boil the noodles and then pour tomatoe sauce over it...same as any other place does...

and then they jack up the price to "LUDICROUS LEVELS"!!!!

it is cheap...and it should be

all I am saying is that I have no problem eating there for what they charge...

How would you know. You've never even been to a real Italian place that serves quality food. There is a big difference. I live in NYC and NJ, home of good Italian food. That's why I never eat at Olive Garden.
ignorant statement...

not only are there plenty of athentic italian restaurants in Dallas owned by Italians that came straight from Italy but you are making a wild guess that I have never traveled to italy myself...

What made you decide that I have never been to Italy?....did you flip a coin?

[ElPigto]

That's because its not frickin real Italian food. The crap at Olive Garden (spaghetti, lasagna, chicken parm) is not frickin Italian food. Their meat stuffed ravioli is premade and microwaved, the marinara sauce is canned (many of my friends have worked there and know this for fact), and all chains the size of Olive Garden pre-make and prepackage food to be reheated on site. It's not a secret.





How would you know. You've never even been to a real Italian place that serves quality food. There is a big difference. I live in NYC and NJ, home of good Italian food. That's why I never eat at Olive Garden.

Geez man, you want your $hit to be 100% authentic.

[-primetime-]

much like Chinese cuisine, Italian cuisine is a far cry from the "Italian-American" food you get at a typical chain restaurant.
WTF???

have you been to China dude???

I will admitt that I haven't but from what I have heard they serve some of the nastiest sh*t on the planet...

much different than Italy



alot of the places here in America are owned by people from the actual country it is made...

alot of the sushi places in Dallas are owned by Japanese people that make it the same damn way they did/do in Japan.

[mmsupra]

I love the Olive Garden I think its very good and yes I know it's frozen but what isn't at some point....And I'm half Italian so I know good food....that sounds good right about now

[AppleNader]

I can't tell if you are joking or not here...but if you really think they microwave thier meals like something you would get from 7-11 then you are an idiot.

Next time you go to Olive Garden, get the stuffed ravioli. Trust me. If you have even a mediocre palate, you can tell its been microwaved. Nobody said anything about microwaving their meals like 7-11. You need to understand something about chain restaurant food distribution. Most ingredients for complex meals are individually-quick frozen (aka meat and stuffed ravioli come separately in frozen boxes). Most of the time, they are also par-cooked. They are then either microwaved (in the case of the stuffed ravioli), flash cooked on the grill ( in the case of meat). Very very little is prepared from scratch.

[Aldridge Fan]

'Fridays'. That sh?t is gross. :(

I'm not too fond of 'Fuddruckers' either. Hamburgers are too thick, but if you're into that kind of thing, I think the quality is OK. :confusedshrug:

'Shari's' has really gotten bad over the years. I ordered some wings and the middle of them were frozen. Quality is not good. I only like their French onion soup, mini burgers, and country fried steak is OK. That's it though. Everything else is gross.

[AppleNader]

WTF???

have you been to China dude???

Hmm considering I am frickin Chinese, I would say yes, I have been to China, often. Very very good food there. Not saying I don't like Chinese-American food on occasion, but it's not nearly as good as the real thing.

The point I'm making is that much like how Chinese cuisine in America is not even remotely similar to actual Chinese food, food served in places like Olive Garden are not Italian, are not well made, and are not tasty. The third statement about taste is your opinion, the first and second are fact.

[TG1]

Nah it's true, Olive Garden microwaves that ****. Nothing there is edible except the breadsticks and salad. Doesn't matter anyway, there's a 60 and over age limit to get in.

[wTFaMonkey]

WTF???

have you been to China dude???

I will admitt that I haven't but from what I have heard they serve some of the nastiest sh*t on the planet...

much different than Italy



alot of the places here in America are owned by people from the actual country it is made...

alot of the sushi places in Dallas are owned by Japanese people that make it the same damn way they did/do in Japan.

:roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll:

cant believe you even said that.

you have no credibility what so ever.

authentic Chinese cuisine from HONG KONG OWNS ANY PLACE IN THE STATES. IT IS FACT.

you are a ignorant person.

:roll: :roll:

[AppleNader]

Geez man, you want your $hit to be 100% authentic.

No, when I sit down to eat at a restaurant, I want my food to be tasty and well made.

[-primetime-]

Next time you go to Olive Garden, get the stuffed ravioli. Trust me. If you have even a mediocre palate, you can tell its been microwaved. Nobody said anything about microwaving their meals like 7-11. You need to understand something about chain restaurant food distribution. Most ingredients for complex meals are individually-quick frozen (aka meat and stuffed ravioli come separately in frozen boxes). Most of the time, they are also par-cooked. They are then either microwaved (in the case of the stuffed ravioli), flash cooked on the grill ( in the case of meat). Very very little is prepared from scratch.
wow...

no offense but you are kinda dumb.

I promise you that they microwave nothing there...

In fact, one of the Olive Gardens here in Dallas has an open kitchen for viewing...they cook right in front of everyone and place the meals of a bar for the waiters to grab...

making ravioli is not rocket science dude...two squares of pasta, throw some meat/cheese/lobstaer/ect on it and press the edges

there filled pastas:

http://www.olivegarden.com/menus/menu/Default.asp?server_path=/menus/dinner/filled_pastas/

[-primetime-]

here you go dude

videos of the Olive Garden Chefs making thier meals along with the actual recipes:

http://www.olivegarden.com/recipes/

[Aldridge Fan]

Hmm considering I am frickin Chinese, I would say yes, I have been to China, often. Very very good food there. Not saying I don't like Chinese-American food on occasion, but it's not nearly as good as the real thing.

The point I'm making is that much like how Chinese cuisine in America is not even remotely similar to actual Chinese food, food served in places like Olive Garden are not Italian, are not well made, and are not tasty. The third statement about taste is your opinion, the first and second are fact.Yeah, if you're going to eat in America and want the best quality, you eat American food. You can find good Chinese, Mexican, or Italian places though if you look in the right places.

[AppleNader]

it's unbelievable how Primetime completely misses the point about everything I say.

Do you know what kind of meat goes into their ravioli? Frozen meat that they get out of a box.

Do you realize that their sauce is pre-made and mass supplied? If you think they make the sauce from scratch, you are absolute ignorant.

Do you realize how they make their meat filled ravioli? They do not have cooks cooking up meat and filling up individual pasta shells and then boiling them. They are already pre-made and old, and all they have to do is either toss it in some boiling water or microwave it. Very simple and non-time consuming for them to do.

Again, you have completely missed the point. My point is that the ingredients are not fresh. Apparently, to you, "fresh" means that they make it in front of you. WRONG. Olive garden ingredients are frozen and delivered in mass quantities in boxes. They are PAR-COOKED (do you even know what that means?), like almost all national chains, for both speed and uniformity of service. Damn, I have worked in chain restaurants before. Many of my friends have worked there too. This is not anything new.

[ElPigto]

No, when I sit down to eat at a restaurant, I want my food to be tasty and well made.

Must be hard satisfying you. Heck, we all have different taste buds though.

[AppleNader]

here you go dude

videos of the Olive Garden Chefs making thier meals along with the actual recipes:

http://www.olivegarden.com/recipes/


:roll: :roll: :roll:
I'm sorry, but you just tried using video of an chef on the Olive Garden website demonstrating cooking as proof?

Again, have you ever worked in a damn chain restaurant?:roll: :roll:


Do the words "par-cooked", "frozen ingredients", "speed and uniformity of service" mean ANYTHING to you? I guaruntee that if you know what they meant, you would understand that assuming a chef making food from scratch at an Olive Garden kitchen is complete BS.

You don't seem to understand how all chain restaurants work, even though I've repeatedly explained it to you. You are apparently still under the assumption that Olive garden makes everything from scratch with fresh ingredients. Unbelievable.

[-primetime-]

here is an "authentic" Italian place that is within walking distance of my place:

http://www.colarestaurants.com/antonio/index.htm

this is just one of MANY in Dallas btw...


here is a "high quality" italian chain that you may have heard of:

http://www.maggianos.com/




so please don't make ignorant comments about me not knowing what good italian food is please...

and NY/NJ is not the home of italian food.......Italy is

[Hawker]

its self expainatory

to me, whenever i eat at the red lobster, i think to myself:

they just serve that cheesebread to TRY to distract me to how mediocre the food is

and any self-respecting seafood restaurant will have oysters-- red lobster doesnt have them

((btw, lobster itself is overrated-- give me some decent crab legs over lobster anyday))




and whats your opinion on overrated restaurants?


They have them in select restaurants I think. When I Went to one in Pennsylvania, they had them. That's really the only good thing they have there.

Red Lobster sux.

[-primetime-]

:roll: :roll: :roll:
I'm sorry, but you just tried using video of an chef on the Olive Garden website demonstrating cooking as proof?

Again, have you ever worked in a damn chain restaurant?:roll: :roll:


Do the words "par-cooked", "frozen ingredients", "speed and uniformity of service" mean ANYTHING to you? I guaruntee that if you know what they meant, you would understand that assuming a chef making food from scratch at an Olive Garden kitchen is complete BS.
I am gonna make this simple for you dude...

THEY DON'T USE A MICROWAVE YOU MORON!!!!

they have actual chefs.....with hats and all.....I have seen them......cooking

so ****ing retarded...not even McDonalds uses a microwave

[boozehound]

all of them. national franchises rob america of its food heritage and help ruin local economies and food systems. gross



and the food is generally mediocre

[wTFaMonkey]

whoever thinks "panda express" or "pei wei" are good chinese restaurants, needs to go **** themselves.

/end of vent

[AppleNader]

I am gonna make this simple for you dude...

THEY DON'T USE A MICROWAVE YOU MORON!!!!

they have actual chefs.....with hats and all.....I have seen them......cooking

so ****ing retarded...not even McDonalds uses a microwave


Nobody said anything about microwaving their meals like 7-11. You need to understand something about chain restaurant food distribution. Most ingredients for complex meals are individually-quick frozen (aka meat and stuffed ravioli come separately in frozen boxes). Most of the time, they are also par-cooked. They are then either microwaved (in the case of the stuffed ravioli), flash cooked on the grill ( in the case of meat). Very very little is prepared from scratch.

I am going to keep repeating this until you understand something about the chain restaurant business.

Who has worked in a chain restaurant? Who has friends working at Olive Garden? Who knows the difference between actual cooking and "Olive Garden cooks with chef hats" assembling par-cooked, pre-made ingredients? Me.

Evidently, not only do you refuse to acknowledge anything about the chain restaurant business, but you are under the impression people in chef hats assembling frozen ingredients means that a real chef is cooking from scratch.

[tian820]

whoever thinks "panda express" or "pei wei" are good chinese restaurants, needs to go **** themselves.

/end of vent

:oldlol: I'm Chinese too... but those places are tasty every once in a while and relatively cheap. Doesn't compare with authentic Chinese cuisine, but it's a quick lunch on some days :D

[-primetime-]

IMO whoever thinks that they are too good for any of these places as though they only eat at 5-star restaurants on thier lunch break everyday needs to go fu*k themselves...

/end of vent

[AppleNader]

whoever thinks "panda express" or "pei wei" are good chinese restaurants, needs to go **** themselves.

/end of vent

People like primetime are the types of people who think those restaurants are great CHinese restaurants, where people in chef hats make meals for you from scratch.

They are tolerable American-Chinese cuisine when you want a fatty cheat meal on occasion, but I am surrounded by better American-Chinese local joints so I usually go there instead.

[ElPigto]

:oldlol: I'm Chinese too... but those places are tasty every once in a while and relatively cheap. Doesn't compare with authentic Chinese cuisine, but it's a quick lunch on some days :D

I could not handle the taste of those restaurants. Some disgusting crap.

[Hawker]

WTF???

have you been to China dude???

I will admitt that I haven't but from what I have heard they serve some of the nastiest sh*t on the planet...

much different than Italy



alot of the places here in America are owned by people from the actual country it is made...

alot of the sushi places in Dallas are owned by Japanese people that make it the same damn way they did/do in Japan.


I've been to Singapore and had Chinese food and there is A HELL OF A DIFFERENCE between eating there and a place "owned by people from the actual country."

The meal I had at in Singapore was the GREATEST meal of all time. I would go back there just for the food.

[tian820]

I could not handle the taste of those restaurants. Some disgusting crap.

I'm a college student who eats anything :oldlol: Can't choose specific great food all the time

[-primetime-]

I've been to Singapore and had Chinese food and there is A HELL OF A DIFFERENCE between eating there and a place "owned by people from the actual country."

The meal I had at in Singapore was the GREATEST meal of all time. I would go back there just for the food.
yeah...

but in a "weird" way right??

as though you are scared that you are eating dog or something right?

IDK...I have been to San Fran and eaten in Little China...I know it is totally diffent but it is different in a way that kinda scares me because I don't really know what the hell I am eating and sometimes I don't even know how I am supposed to eat it.

[Hawker]

I like Chili's Too. I get chips and queso and a bacon burger w/ fries and I'm never disappointed. Their queso is AMAZING.

Bennigans is alright.

Fridays, Olive Garden, Applebees all suck.

And if yall say Texas Roadhouse, make sure you've eaten one in Texas before you judge it. (Funny thing is Texas Roadhouse didnt originiate in Texas. Originated in Indiana)

[ElPigto]

I'm a college student who eats anything :oldlol: Can't choose specific great food all the time

Me too bro, but some $hit just isn't tolerable.

You are talking to someone who eats just about anything.

[tian820]

yeah...

but in a "weird" way right??

as though you are scared that you are eating dog or something right?

IDK...I have been to San Fran and eaten in Little China...I know it is totally diffent but it is different in a way that kinda scares me because I don't really know what the hell I am eating and sometimes I don't even know how I am supposed to eat it.

You can ask what's in what you're ordering man. They make fish, chicken, pork and "normal" meats too

[ElPigto]

You can ask what's in what you're ordering man. They make fish, chicken, pork and "normal" meats too

Dude is too freakin paranoid.

:roll:

[tian820]

Me too bro, but some $hit just isn't tolerable.

You are talking to someone who eats just about anything.

Yeah, well it's all pretty similar to me. I don't like that it's been sitting out for a while usually, but it's quick and fills me up. By "similar", I mean generic Americanized Chinese food. My parents even eat that kind of junk. They have less appetite for it since they prefer it more "fresh", but it's all relatively similar

[wTFaMonkey]

I'm a college student who eats anything :oldlol: Can't choose specific great food all the time
i agree.

but if you are paying over 10 bucks on a meal. you should get a $10 meal. not a $3 dollar meal.

[-primetime-]

People like primetime are the types of people who think those restaurants are great CHinese restaurants, where people in chef hats make meals for you from scratch.

They are tolerable American-Chinese cuisine when you want a fatty cheat meal on occasion, but I am surrounded by better American-Chinese local joints so I usually go there instead.
you are wrong dude...pretty much about everything you have said in this thread.

that is all I can really tell you here



If you want to belive that Olive Garden microwaves thier food then you are dumb...

If you want to pretend that I think "panda express" or "pei wei" are "GREAT CHINESE" then you are ignorant...

[Da KO King]

Pretty much all chain restaurants suck with the exception being Cheesecake Factory. Sorry but if you don't like the Godiva Chocolate or Brownie Sundae Cheesecakes there is something wrong with you.

[-primetime-]

You can ask what's in what you're ordering man. They make fish, chicken, pork and "normal" meats too
yeah but there have been ocassions where I have a stange soup/noodle dish with like 6 cups around it all filled with strange roots and seaweed type stuff and other strange stuff that I have no idea what to do with...

and the waiter can barely speak english...



IDK..."real" asian food kinda scares me a little sometimes.....that's all

[AppleNader]

you are wrong dude...pretty much about everything you have said in this thread.

that is all I can really tell you here

You have yet to disprove a single thing in this thread stated by somebody (aka ME) who worked in the chain restuarant biz, and has many friends currently working at Olive Garden. You have yet to disprove ANYTHING I stated regarding the FACTS about chain restaurants (funny how you have yet to address the issues of par-cooking, ingredient supply, and uniformity of service). I personally have microwaved filled ravioli, and like my friends, always encourage patrons to get something other than pre-packaged, frozen crap like that.:roll:

The only thing you have managed to say after all this time is your personal glance into a kitchen, the fact that you assume "people with chef hats" are actually prepping meals from scratch, and the fact that you used a damn Olive Garden video to try and prove that they cook their food fresh. :roll:

[Aldridge Fan]

I like Chili's Too. I get chips and queso and a bacon burger w/ fries and I'm never disappointed. Their queso is AMAZING.

Bennigans is alright.

Fridays, Olive Garden, Applebees all suck.

And if yall say Texas Roadhouse, make sure you've eaten one in Texas before you judge it. (Funny thing is Texas Roadhouse didnt originiate in Texas. Originated in Indiana)Applebees does bite, but I'd pick it over Fridays any day.

[ElPigto]

you are wrong dude...pretty much about everything you have said in this thread.

that is all I can really tell you here



If you want to belive that Olive Garden microwaves thier food then you are dumb...

If you want to pretend that I think "panda express" or "pei wei" are "GREAT CHINESE" then you are ignorant...


A lot of chain restaurants have operated that way for years.

You would have to be pretty dumb to think that a restaurant prepares your meal from scratch when you enter it.

Pizza Hut and Little Caesers mass prepare their biggest selling pizzas in certain markets so that when you call, they just stick it in the oven. They do this for a couple of reasons....so every time Sally calls for a deluxe pizza, Billy doesn't break the bank giving her triple pepperoni at no extra cost, and to save time.

Chains like Chilis, Applebees, Red Lobster (all the Darden restaurants for that matter) mass produce their best selling meals and freeze them for the same reason (ensure consisten portion size, decrease preparation time during meal hours etc).

It's not frozen food like a frozen dinner, but it is mass produced food which is frozen prior to ending up on your restaurant table.

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080224150331AAHDBYi



phungus's Full Review: Olive Garden
I have been to the Olive Garden several times and each time I wonder why I came back. Usually it is because the person or persons that I am with want to go, or that it has the shortest wait on a friday or saturday night.

The Olive Garden has a decent sized menu, but I think the prices are a bit much. The best thing about this place is the salads. I would pay just for the salad because it is full of vegetables and has just the right amount of dressing. The bread is also excellent.

So, after eating the wonderful salad and bread, you are presented with the main entree. It always seems to me that the food looks like something you'd get from a microwave dinner. Perhaps it is the way the sauce looks, or the texture of the food. It's not that it tastes bad, now! Most times it is pretty good, but it looks and feels cheap. Does that make any sense?

In other words, I feel like I'm not getting authentic Italian here. When I go to the Olvie Garden, I fell like I'm getting great salad and bread, and then presented with a mediocre main dish which is definitely not worth the price.

http://www.epinions.com/rest-review-7187-530BFCB-38B894AF-prod1

Just two opinions, but shoot I don't doubt their foods are frozen.

[tian820]

yeah but there have been ocassions where I have a stange soup/noodle dish with like 6 cups around it all filled with strange roots and seaweed type stuff and other strange stuff that I have no idea what to do with...

and the waiter can barely speak english...



IDK..."real" asian food kinda scares me a little sometimes.....that's all

:oldlol: Drink it? :oldlol: Just playin' man. I understand the feeling. I get like that with some foods too, not many, but some.

[AppleNader]

A lot of chain restaurants have operated that way for years.

You would have to be pretty dumb to think that a restaurant prepares your meal from scratch when you enter it.

Pizza Hut and Little Caesers mass prepare their biggest selling pizzas in certain markets so that when you call, they just stick it in the oven. They do this for a couple of reasons....so every time Sally calls for a deluxe pizza, Billy doesn't break the bank giving her triple pepperoni at no extra cost, and to save time.

Chains like Chilis, Applebees, Red Lobster (all the Darden restaurants for that matter) mass produce their best selling meals and freeze them for the same reason (ensure consisten portion size, decrease preparation time during meal hours etc).

It's not frozen food like a frozen dinner, but it is mass produced food which is frozen prior to ending up on your restaurant table.

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/in...4150331AAHDBYi

This is something that -primetime is either deliberately ignoring, or just flat out doesn't understand.

[Aldridge Fan]

McDonald's = Overrated

Wendy's = Underrated

[tian820]

McDonald's = Overrated

Wendy's = Underrated

Who likes McD's more than Wendy's?? Wendy's $1 menu >>> McD's as well

[Sonic R]

Pretty much all chain restaurants suck with the exception being Cheesecake Factory. Sorry but if you don't like the Godiva Chocolate or Brownie Sundae Cheesecakes there is something wrong with you.

I enjoy cheesecake!

[-primetime-]

You have yet to disprove a single thing in this thread stated by somebody (aka ME) who worked in the chain restuarant biz, and has many friends currently working at Olive Garden. You have yet to disprove ANYTHING I stated regarding the FACTS about chain restaurants (funny how you have yet to address the issues of par-cooking, ingredient supply, and uniformity of service). I personally have microwaved filled ravioli, and like my friends, always encourage patrons to get something other than pre-packaged, frozen crap like that.:roll:

The only thing you have managed to say after all this time is your personal glance into a kitchen, the fact that you assume "people with chef hats" are actually prepping meals from scratch, and the fact that you used a damn Olive Garden video to try and prove that they cook their food fresh. :roll:

can you read dip sh*t????

some of them have open kitchens

LIKE THIS:

http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m4/_primetime__photos/OliveGardenOpenKitchen.jpg

WHERE EVERONE CAN WATCH THEM COOK!!!

WITH NO MICROWAVE!!!


fast food jionts refuse to use microwaves...

you're dumb

[-primetime-]

This is something that -primetime is either deliberately ignoring, or just flat out doesn't understand.
that link is broken

and they are talking about Chilis and Applebees...NOT PASTA!!!

f*ck it...

you're dumb, I am done with you






if anyone here has ever waited tables before could they please explain the lack of microwaves in most places please...

[ElPigto]

can you read dip sh*t????

some of them have open kitchens

LIKE THIS:


WHERE EVERONE CAN WATCH THEM COOK!!!

WITH NO MICROWAVE!!!


fast food jionts refuse to use microwaves...

you're dumb

You know, is quite irritating that he made other statements such as frozen meats yet you are still with the microwave argument. Yes he talked about them microwaving food, but he went for a different approach yet you are still on the same argument.

Fact of the matter is that their meals are mass produced like the link I posted from Yahoo and hardly any of their food is made from scrap.

[wTFaMonkey]

that link is broken

and they are talking about Chilis and Applebees...NOT PASTA!!!

f*ck it...

you're dumb, I am done with you






if anyone here has ever waited tables before could they please explain the lack of microwaves in most places please...
there are microwaves in restaurants. even in the one i work for. :confusedshrug:

[-primetime-]

You know, is quite irritating that he made other statements such as frozen meats yet you are still with the microwave argument. Yes he talked about them microwaving food, but he went for a different approach yet you are still on the same argument.

Fact of the matter is that their meals are mass produced like the link I posted from Yahoo and hardly any of their food is made from scrap.
that is because I am only argueing about the his "microwave" theory...

not the mass produced theory....obviously a large chain like that would buy in bulk...

but they do cook the damn food....they don't thow a pre-cooked steak in a mirowave...

they even ask you how you want it cooked

that is all I am argueing

the pasta isn't pre-cooked....they boil it....when you order it


that's all

[mmsupra]

I am gonna make this simple for you dude...

THEY DON'T USE A MICROWAVE YOU MORON!!!!

they have actual chefs.....with hats and all.....I have seen them......cooking

so ****ing retarded...not even McDonalds uses a microwave


:roll: :roll: :roll: :roll:


Oh and Panda Express is terrible ...If there was a throw up icon I would use it.

[-primetime-]

there are microwaves in restaurants. even in the one i work for. :confusedshrug:
what restaurant is that????


how the hell can Taco Bell and McDonalds and Ect all not allow microwaves but a sit in restaurant does...:confusedshrug:


what the hell is it that you microwave????....T.V. dinners???

[Dasher]

Nah it's true, Olive Garden microwaves that ****. Nothing there is edible except the breadsticks and salad. Doesn't matter anyway, there's a 60 and over age limit to get in.:oldlol:

[Hawker]

can you read dip sh*t????

some of them have open kitchens

LIKE THIS:

http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m4/_primetime__photos/OliveGardenOpenKitchen.jpg

WHERE EVERONE CAN WATCH THEM COOK!!!

WITH NO MICROWAVE!!!


fast food jionts refuse to use microwaves...

you're dumb

Microwaves could be under the counters?

[AppleNader]

At this point, everybody is laughing at primetime because he is still stuck at that single argument, even though he has never worked in a chain restaurant and doesn't even understand how chain restaurants get their ingredients and prep their meals.

Microwaves are often used to cook frozen veggies, meat filled ravioli (which again, is pre-made), and other things.

And STILL, he has yet to address any of the facts I have already presented. All he can do is type in bigger font, which indicates that he is getting angry, and has no way of rebutting anything I've said (mainly because he's naive and has never worked in a chain restaurant like me).

[-primetime-]

Microwaves could be under the counters?
lol...

yeah they sneak the pasta under there and microwave it instead of simply boiling it...:oldlol:

sweating and hoping no one sees or that the secret doesn't get out...


and they just use fake props near the stove and oven

[Aldridge Fan]

Who likes McD's more than Wendy's?? Wendy's $1 menu >>> McD's as wellWell, we all know McDonald's is the burger giant in sales. Wendy's was doing poorly in sales and has recently been acquired by Arby's to help out.

I love Wendy's hamburgers though. They're the best for fast food. BurgerVille and Ruby's Diner also have the best.

[wTFaMonkey]

what restaurant is that????


how the hell can Taco Bell and McDonalds and Ect all not allow microwaves but a sit in restaurant does...:confusedshrug:


what the hell is it that you microwave????....T.V. dinners???

how do you know that those restaurants dont use microwaves? especially the fast food restaurants

there are microwaves in tons of restaurants :confusedshrug:

[ihatetimthomas]

Every chain restaurant has microwaves. Only the nice restaurants dont have any. They use them to heat things up, like the side dishes. Your main meal may be made when ordered, but the veges, potatoes, etc are all pre made

[-primetime-]

At this point, everybody is laughing at primetime because he is still stuck at that single argument, even though he has never worked in a chain restaurant and doesn't even understand how chain restaurants get their ingredients and prep their meals.

Microwaves are often used to cook frozen veggies, meat filled ravioli (which again, is pre-made), and other things.

And STILL, he has yet to address any of the facts I have already presented. All he can do is type in bigger font, which indicates that he is getting angry, and has no way of rebutting anything I've said (mainly because he's naive and has never worked in a chain restaurant like me).
I just don't know how to say it any different...

I have watched them toss dough in the air for the pizza...

I have watched them cut out squares for the ravioli...

I have seen the veggies being cooked on a stove...

they have an open kitchen jack ass...




do they buy all the ingrediants....YES....but I am not argueing that, so I don't know why you are talking about it.

[AppleNader]

that is because I am only argueing about the his "microwave" theory...

not the mass produced theory....obviously a large chain like that would buy in bulk...

but they do cook the damn food....they don't thow a pre-cooked steak in a mirowave...

they even ask you how you want it cooked

that is all I am argueing

the pasta isn't pre-cooked....they boil it....when you order it

I truly, truly, question your reading comprehension skills. My entire point through this entire thread is to show how Olive Garden doesn't prepare sh&t from scratch, and relies on bulk frozen ingredients. You just admitted it yourself.

My second point is that they microwave or flash cook many of their ingredients. It's funny how you STILL have not addressed the issue of par-cooked ingredients. If you know what that is, and if you ever worked in a chain restaurant (which I know you haven't), you would understand this second point.

Only your closed mind is under the impression that I said they microwave your dinner like in 7/11:roll:

[-primetime-]

Every chain restaurant has microwaves. Only the nice restaurants dont have any. They use them to heat things up, like the side dishes. Your main meal may be made when ordered, but the veges, potatoes, etc are all pre made
how is it that fast food places can aviod this but not acual restaurants???


I am assuming that you waited tbles and have seen this with your own eyes...right?

[AppleNader]

I just don't know how to say it any different...

I have watched them toss dough in the air for the pizza...

I have watched them cut out squares for the ravioli...

I have seen the veggies being cooked on a stove...

they have an open kitchen jack ass...




do they buy all the ingrediants....YES....but I am not argueing that, so I don't know why you are talking about it.

You are just flat out confused. This all boils down to a single fact: You've never worked in a chain restaurant before, so you really don't know jack sh&t other than what you assume.

Pizza dough- frozen, then thawed and tossed

Pasta dough- frozen, then thawed and boiled

Filled raviolis- frozen and pre-filled, then thawed and boiled/microwaved

Veggies- almost always frozen, then thawed and boiled/microwaved.


do they buy all the ingrediants....YES....but I am not argueing that, so I don't know why you are talking about it.

that's not what I'm arguing about clueless. I'm telling you, as a former employee, that most of the ingredients are frozen, bought in bulk, pre-filled, pre-made, and PAR-COOKED (do you still not know what this means?).

[-primetime-]

I truly, truly, question your reading comprehension skills. My entire point through this entire thread is to show how Olive Garden doesn't prepare sh&t from scratch, and relies on bulk frozen ingredients. You just admitted it yourself.

My second point is that they microwave or flash cook many of their ingredients. It's funny how you STILL have not addressed the issue of par-cooked ingredients. If you know what that is, and if you ever worked in a chain restaurant (which I know you haven't), you would understand this second point.

Only your closed mind is under the impression that I said they microwave your dinner like in 7/11:roll:
you said microwave...

and that is the only part I am argueing because that is the only part I disagree with...

get it???

do you want a blue ribbon for the rest of your statements???

[ihatetimthomas]

I just don't know how to say it any different...

I have watched them toss dough in the air for the pizza...

I have watched them cut out squares for the ravioli...

I have seen the veggies being cooked on a stove...

they have an open kitchen jack ass...




do they buy all the ingrediants....YES....but I am not argueing that, so I don't know why you are talking about it.

If you havnt ever worked at a chain restaurant, then you honestly wouldnt know what really goes on. Sitting at a restaurant with an open kitchen doesnt mean you now automatically know everything that goes down in those chains. What do you do?, just stare and watch the cooks the whole time?

[Steve Nashty]

i dont know about y'all , but i love chillies, applebees, hooters and buffalo wild wings. down here in north carolina, they're probebly the most popular restaurant besides those private restaurants from friends.

where are y'all from? it might just be the south that makes it a little different

[AppleNader]

you said microwave...

and that is the only part I am argueing because that is the only part I disagree with...

get it???

do you want a blue ribbon for the rest of your statements???

Again, I have personally microwaved veggies and raviolis, so again, you have absolutely nothing to go on except for your own uneducated assumption that they produce food from scratch using chefs. Oh wait, I'm sorry, I forgot that you can see a piece of the kitchen from your table, so you obviously know how food is prepared right? J:rolleyes:

Just because you don't see it doesn't mean that it doesn't happen. Do you think restaurant kitchen microwaves look like the piece of junk in your home? Of course not.

[-primetime-]

You are just flat out confused. This all boils down to a single fact: You've never worked in a chain restaurant before, so you really don't know jack sh&t other than what you assume.

Pizza dough- frozen, then thawed and tossed

Pasta dough- frozen, then thawed and boiled

Filled raviolis- frozen and pre-filled, then thawed and boiled/microwaved

Veggies- almost always frozen, then thawed and boiled/microwaved.



that's not what I'm arguing about clueless. I'm telling you, as a former employee, that most of the ingredients are frozen, bought in bulk, pre-filled, pre-made, and PAR-COOKED (do you still not know what this means?).


see red...

only part I am argueing



for your happiness:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Par-cook

[AppleNader]

see red...

only part I am argueing



for your happiness:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Par-cook

And have you acknowledged the fact that since you have never worked in a restaurant, that you really don't know sh&t? Come on, read the other posts. People are laughing at your naivety.

The fact that chain restaurants buy their ingredients mostly par-cooked and frozen means that they don't prep from scratch. What they DO use are microwaves to prep things like frozen veggies/etc, grills to flash cook the par-cooked ingredients just for heat and texture, and other "shortcuts" in order to get the order out in time and to maintain uniformity of food.

[Aldridge Fan]

What happen to Dairy Queen. The taste and quality has gone to sh?t over the past ten years. Yuck! :banghead:

[-primetime-]

And have you acknowledged the fact that since you have never worked in a restaurant, that you really don't know sh&t? Come on, read the other posts. People are laughing at your naivety.

The fact that chain restaurants buy their ingredients mostly par-cooked and frozen means that they don't prep from scratch. What they DO use are microwaves to prep things like frozen veggies/etc, grills to flash cook the par-cooked ingredients just for heat and texture, and other "shortcuts" in order to get the order out in time and to maintain uniformity of food.
1. no one is laughing at me....I have see then laughing with me at you though with these things : :roll:

2. I don't care if they people laugh at me....so just stop it

3. I have watched them cook dipsh*t....no microwave

4. have you worked at Olive Garden jack ass???....ok then shut up about that



look dude...they have vids of how they cook thier food on thier site along with recipes...they even have thier own damn "Olive Garden School"....

If you want to believe that they microwave pre-boiled pasta then you're a damn idiot...that is all

[AppleNader]

3. I have watched them cook dipsh*t....no microwave

4. have you worked at Olive Garden jack ass???....ok then shut up about that

#3. You watch the entire cooking process from your seat? FAIL. Again, there is a lot you do not see or understand since you have never worked in a restaurant before.

#4. YES, in addition to another chain restaurant. As have my friends. I actually know what the hell I'm talking about, rather than having a completely oblivious assumption.



look dude...they have vids of how they cook thier food on thier site along with recipes...they even have thier own damn "Olive Garden School"....

I'll give you a hint, using a commercial put out by Olive Garden as proof is very childish logic. The primary purpose of the "School" is to develop recipe ideas and give cooks a chance to try to cook it. The recipe ideas are ALWAYS modified so that Olive Garden's food suppliers can supply the frozen ingredients in the necessary quantity, and so that the line cooks can prep the frozen ingredients in a timely manner for the customer. This is the FUNDAMENTAL concept behind a chain restaurant.


If you want to believe that they microwave pre-boiled pasta then you're a damn idiot...that is all

Nobody said anything about "pre-boiling", which lends me to believe that you are just reading what you want to read. Unless you still don't understand how a chain restaurant works. I'll explain it again, very slowly just for you:

1) Microwaves are used to prep frozen veggies and filled raviolis. These filled raviolies are already PRE-MADE by the food supplier, and frozen, and just need to be reheated. Nobody said anything about "pre-boiling" pasta, that's something your brain just made up.

2) Other ingredients, like meat, are par-cooked and are delivered frozen. All the line cooks have to do is sear it up on a grill and plate it.

Very simple concept.

[-primetime-]

#4. YES, in addition to another chain restaurant.

time out

you are telling me that you used to work at an Olive Garden and you personally have microwaved raviloli there?




if so then I guess I can't argue it anymore...

I guess I could assume you are a liar....like you assuming so much about myself....but I won't

[ElPigto]

time out

you are telling me that you used to work at an Olive Garden and you personally have microwaved raviloli there?




if so then I guess I can't argue it anymore...

I guess I could assume you are a liar....like you assuming so much about myself....but I won't

You say people aren't laughing at you, but man, :roll: :roll: :roll: .

Yeah. :oldlol:

[-primetime-]

Nobody said anything about "pre-boiling" pasta[/COLOR], that's something your brain just made up.

how could you microwave pasta that wasn't pre-boiled?

you would be microwaving dough...

right...:confusedshrug:

so you had to have boiled it at some point in time correct?



also let's clear this up...."you" personaly have worked there and you are saying "it is just veggies and raviloi that gets nuked"....right ???

[AppleNader]

time out

you are telling me that you used to work at an Olive Garden and you personally have microwaved raviloli there?




if so then I guess I can't argue it anymore...

Yes, and not only do I have personal experience in a chain restaurant, but I have also explained how food supply and food prep works in a chain restaurant. These are some key points that anybody else who worked in a chain restaurant can confirm (as already shown by other posters in this thread).

you have not proven a SINGLE point. The only arguments you have made are a very one sided view into a kitchen, an Olive Garden commercial, and your own stubbornness.

[-primetime-]

You say people aren't laughing at you, but man, :roll: :roll: :roll: .

Yeah. :oldlol:
well fine...

see #2


hilarious

[-primetime-]

Yes, and not only do I have personal experience in a chain restaurant, but I have also explained how food supply and food prep works in a chain restaurant. These are some key points that anybody else who worked in a chain restaurant can confirm (as already shown by other posters in this thread).

you have not proven a SINGLE point. The only arguments you have made are a very one sided view into a kitchen, an Olive Garden commercial, and your own stubbornness.
why do you keep feeling the need to explain this???

stop.....I get it.......I got 100 posts ago

I am argueing microwaves here....that is all



but you have worked at an actual Olive Garden and microwaved people's meals....so you win i guess

I guess I am just assuming that they don't use microwaves...and yes, it is due to the fact that I have watched them back there cooking that I assumed this....and the fact that fast food place forbid microwaves so I find it strange that Olive Garden doesn't....that's all

[mmsupra]

1. no one is laughing at me....I have see then laughing with me at you though with these things : :roll:



I'm on the floor :lol

[ihatetimthomas]

Why are you guys arguing so much about something you dont have 100% knowledge about? Unless either of you 2 have worked in Olive Garden, then you dont know specifically how it goes down. If you guys have, then my apologies, but serioulsy give it rest

[-primetime-]

Yes, and not only do I have personal experience in a chain restaurant, but I have also explained how food supply and food prep works in a chain restaurant. These are some key points that anybody else who worked in a chain restaurant can confirm (as already shown by other posters in this thread).

you have not proven a SINGLE point. The only arguments you have made are a very one sided view into a kitchen, an Olive Garden commercial, and your own stubbornness.
you worked at an actual "Olive Garden" right????

I want to make sure that is what you are saying to me...

[AppleNader]

why do you keep feeling the need to explain this???

stop.....I get it.......I got 100 posts ago

I am argueing microwaves here....that is all

Because I know what's up in the kitchen, that's why I keep explaining this to you.


but you have worked at an actual Olive Garden and microwaved people's meals....so you win i guess

Are you STILL under the impression that we microwave complete meals like in 7/11? This just proves your utter ignorance. Like I have explained countless times, we microwave individual ingredients to decrease prep time, and simplify the cooking process.


and the fact that fast food place forbid microwaves so I find it strange that Olive Garden doesn't....that's all

:rolleyes: Maybe if you gave it some THOUGHT, it wouldn't be that complicated. Olive Garden recipes have lots of cooked vegetables, which are EASILY prepared in microwaves. Fast food restaurants don't. Name one fast food you can prepare in a microwave. There are almost none, since you can't cook fries, patties, nuggets in a microwave.

However, things like frozen veggies and sauce you CAN, that's why there ARE microwaves.

[-primetime-]

Why are you guys arguing so much about something you dont have 100% knowledge about? Unless either of you 2 have worked in Olive Garden, then you dont know specifically how it goes down. If you guys have, then my apologies, but serioulsy give it rest
it is a dumb arguement....

but he is saying that he has worked at an Olive Garden...and personally microwaved food

[-primetime-]

Because I know what's up in the kitchen, that's why I keep explaining this to you..
well stop please

Are you STILL under the impression that we microwave complete meals like in 7/11? This just proves your utter ignorance. Like I have explained countless times, we microwave individual ingredients to decrease prep time, and simplify the cooking process..
so you just warm up the dough before you boil it?

makes no sense...

unless I was right with "pre-boiling" the pasta

:rolleyes: Maybe if you gave it some THOUGHT, it wouldn't be that complicated. Olive Garden recipes have lots of cooked vegetables, which are EASILY prepared in microwaves. Fast food restaurants don't. Name one fast food you can prepare in a microwave. There are almost none, since you can't cook fries, patties, nuggets in a microwave. .
so now you are limiting it to veggies only???

if anything I would have thought they are pre-cooked on a stove, like a Luby's or a BBQ joint....that serves tons of different veggies....not microwaved.

still as far as the pasta dishes go, I have watched the dudes cut up oinions/peppers /ect. and cook them on on a skillet together....right in front of me...


However, things like frozen veggies and sauce you CAN, that's why there ARE microwaves.
we are talking Olive Garden right?


you did work there correct???

[Day La Ghetto]

whats the difference between chain restaurants and a sole restauraunts cooking? they do if different? cheaper?more love put into the food? ive worked in both and there nothing different except ones a franchise and the other is sole/joint ownership (excluding fast food places like mc,bk).olive garden here is better then the antionos down the street, but olive garden is a chain, so is must be pre packaged crap because its a chain, other resteraunt don't do that, ever :rolleyes:

[-primetime-]

this MF never worked at a Olive Garden...

whatever


time for me to log off and go home.....later

[ElPigto]

this MF never worked at a Olive Garden...

whatever


time for me to log off and go home.....later

please, you are making a fool out of yourself.

This is why people think less of Texans on these message boards.

[AppleNader]

so you just warm up the dough before you boil it?

makes no sense...

unless I was right with "pre-boiling" the pasta

Yes, the food supplier cooks the pasta, then freezes it. The restaurant then can thaw it and reheat it in the microwave. You are deliberatly skewering the concept of "parcooking."



if anything I would have thought they are pre-cooked on a stove, like a Luby's or a BBQ joint....that serves tons of different veggies....not microwaved.

No, not always.


still as far as the pasta dishes go, I have watched the dudes cut up oinions/peppers /ect. and cook them on on a skillet together....right in front of me...


we are talking Olive Garden right?

Yes, and there are plenty of other menu items that don't require veggies to be cooked on a skillet. In addition, sauce is pre-made, and can be warmed in the microwave too.

Again, just because you haven't seen it, doesn't mean that there are no microwaves to help prep the food. Unless you consider your fleeting view into the kitchen as more credible than the FACTS of chain restaurant food distribution and preparation.

[boozehound]

gotta rep nader for this. kept a level head while arguing with a guy who knows nothing about the topic at hand. smarten up smarty mcprimetime. microwaves are a fact of chain restaurant food prep. especially a place like OG that has lots of very similar dishes that consist of combinations of pastas, sauces, veggies and meat.

hell, if you order a well done steak they are gonna give it grill marks and finish it in the 'wave so it doesnt hold up the rest of your tables order.

[Wadeisabeast]

This board is full of haters. I've eaten at chili's a few times and the food has always been good. Always get the bacon burger, and its always better than any other burger i ever eat. I've also had a few other things that were also good.

Most posters think their taste in food/music/movies/etc, and anything that is popular in America in sh*t compared to what they like.

Sure, some National chain restaurants might not be as great as your local joint that serves everything completely fresh. But that doesn't mean places like Chili's are not good, they are just not as good.

And Applebee's is one that I do not prefer. Food is bland for the most part. Still eat it occasionally and used a gift card a while back and the food was still enjoyable.

[Day La Ghetto]

gotta rep nader for this. kept a level head while arguing with a guy who knows nothing about the topic at hand. smarten up smarty mcprimetime. microwaves are a fact of chain restaurant food prep. especially a place like OG that has lots of very similar dishes that consist of combinations of pastas, sauces, veggies and meat.

hell, if you order a well done steak they are gonna give it grill marks and finish it in the 'wave so it doesnt hold up the rest of your tables order.

worked at og, youre wrong, rep yourself in the azz because your full of shtt.

[Doomsday Dallas]

Why are you guys arguing so much about something you dont have 100% knowledge about? Unless either of you 2 have worked in Olive Garden, then you dont know specifically how it goes down. If you guys have, then my apologies, but serioulsy give it rest

You know what... here is a theory... just a theory.

Some perticular Olive Garden restaurants in the more 'up scale' areas of the country, might prepare thier meals differently than than the Olive Garden restaurant that is located in Compton?

just a thought.

Have you ever been to a chain restaurant, and ordered the same dish at two different locations,... and one was good and one tasted like $hit?



(I once heard that Burger King uses microwaves to heat up thier food)...

IDK, I just know that when I'm hungry, I get something to eat and thank God that I even have food to begin with... I try not to complain about the way food tastes, or the amount of food that is on my plate.

Last time I took a couple of my Boys to a ghetto NY style pizza place... and all they did was b*tch about how $hitty the food was and how expensive it was for 3 slices..... But that's a whole different topic.

[mmsupra]

You know what... here is a theory... just a theory.

Some perticular Olive Garden restaurants in the more 'up scale' areas of the country, might prepare thier meals differently than than the Olive Garden restaurant that is located in Compton?

just a thought.

Have you ever been to a chain restaurant, and ordered the same dish at two different locations,... and one was good and one tasted like $hit?



(I once heard that Burger King uses microwaves to heat up thier food)...

IDK, I just know that when I'm hungry, I get something to eat and thank God that I even have food to begin with... I try not to complain about the way food tastes, or the amount of food that is on my plate.

Last time I took a couple of my Boys to a ghetto NY style pizza place... and all they did was b*tch about how $hitty the food was and how expensive it was for 3 slices..... But that's a whole different topic.

When i'm in BK in the morning I see them throw my croissant in the microwave

[Killer_Instinct]

Meh, I like Chili's, Olive Garden, etc etc.

But I like almost anything. They are just normal restaurants to me, nothing sensational but is not as bad as some of you try to make it seem.


Co/Sign. Damn Emos.

[RainierBeachPoet]

I don't think that fast food or delivery pizza was what the OP had in mind...

yes

i was not thinking about neither fast food or pizza delivery type places

but a place like olive garden--- i know italians who refuse to eat there

yuck

[RainierBeachPoet]

Red Lobster is indeed disgusting. I think pretty much any seafood restraunt that has chains in Oklahoma is going to suck. Good seafood is always fresh.

Chilis. All my friends think Chilis has good food, well it doesnt.

please my friend, i started this thread in order to get my mind off of OK!!!

:banghead:

[RainierBeachPoet]

:cheers:
They all are the suck.

Maybe a better thread should be titled:
"What national chain restaurant is actually decent to dine at?"

people can comment in the positive here too:cheers:

eventhough it has the reputation for an old folks joint,

cracker barrel has some decent food-- esp. for brunch

[RainierBeachPoet]

.

authentic Chinese cuisine from HONG KONG OWNS ANY PLACE IN THE STATES. IT IS FACT.


once one has eaten at a first rate chinese restaurant (esp-- those 9 course meals that are served at banquets)

it is difficult to go to those "all you can eat" chinese restaurants

[RainierBeachPoet]

they have actual chefs.....with hats and all.....I have seen them......cooking

so ****ing retarded...not even McDonalds uses a microwave

:roll::roll:

[RainierBeachPoet]

Pretty much all chain restaurants suck with the exception being Cheesecake Factory. Sorry but if you don't like the Godiva Chocolate or Brownie Sundae Cheesecakes there is something wrong with you.

i have eaten twice at cheesecake factory and thought it was overpriced for what i did get

(btw, i am not a big dessert guy and didnt even order the cheesecake)

there are many things wrong with me, but they have little to do with dessert!!

[boozehound]

worked at og, youre wrong, rep yourself in the azz because your full of shtt.
ahh, a nice azz repping. So, you are telling me that OG has no micros in the kitchen and/or doesnt use it for anything? regardless if whether the OG does this, plenty of chain (and non-chain) places do. And really, whats the difference between some pre-prepped alfredo sauce sitting in the steam table all evening and getting heated in the nuker? I bet you couldnt taste the difference in a blind test.

[RainierBeachPoet]

You say people aren't laughing, but man, :roll: :roll: :roll: .

Yeah. :oldlol:

actually, i dont think i have laughed this hard at a thread in a long time!!!

thanks guys for taking my mind off of clay whatever-the-fu(k-his-name-is from OKC

[boozehound]

Originally Posted by -primetime-

they have actual chefs.....with hats and all.....I have seen them......cooking

so ****ing retarded...not even McDonalds uses a microwave


First off, putting a hat on the teenagers who work there does not make them a chef. While there may be one or two people on the staff who are qualified to call themselves chefs of any kind (which I highly doubt at most OG or other chain locations), most of those cooks are straight up greasy spoon line cooks.

What would mcdonalds microwave? heres the deal, using a micro doesnt make the food worse or the place a worse place to eat at. just because a cheap place that serves all fried and grilled food doesnt use one doesnt mean a place with better food that could be nuked (boiled and frozen pasta, sauces, veggies, etc) wouldnt use one.

[roreezy]

i think chilli's is a good place to eat....i always get the same thing but i may be wrong...but the fajita trio is the ****

as far as overrated:
red lobster
ruby Tuesdays
apple bee's
Fridays
Cheesecake factory
PF Changs - this place no matter where it seems to be is always PACKED with people waiting outside Everyday of the week. ive tried ALOT of things there and ive only truely enjoyed one dish that they serve. There is a peking duck place in falls church va that owns anything that pf changs has to offer...Peking Gourmet is the name i believe

underrated
Chedders...the place is cheap as hell compared to Fridays/ruby Tuesdays/applebees but the food is on the same level. ive only see one in newport news va but i assume they are located in other places???

[RainierBeachPoet]

Some perticular Olive Garden restaurants in the more 'up scale' areas of the country, might prepare thier meals differently than than the Olive Garden restaurant that is located in Compton?

just a thought.

Have you ever been to a chain restaurant, and ordered the same dish at two different locations,... and one was good and one tasted like $hit?



good point-- it has to be that way in order to compete

i hadnt considered the regional differences when i made the thread

at the risk of sounding elitist, people who have eaten in restaurants in big cities such as ny, san fran and dare i say seattle have a different palate than those in states/places where dining is more limited

i used to live in texas and a lot of people thought that pizza hut was the best "italian" place in town!!

i actually like pizza hut pizza for what it is-- but when that is considered the best ya got in town-- youre in culinary trouble!!

[RainierBeachPoet]

PF Changs - this place no matter where it seems to be is always PACKED with people waiting outside Everyday of the week. ive tried ALOT of things there and ive only truely enjoyed one dish that they serve. There is a peking duck place in falls church va that owns anything that pf changs has to offer...Peking Gourmet is the name i believe


i have eaten at PFs a couple of times and find them VERY overpriced; the people who took me there LOVE it though but i didnt want to burst their bubble as to what i really thought

[boozehound]

worked at og, youre wrong, rep yourself in the azz because your full of shtt.
so heres the deal. whats the difference between boiling a bag of sauce and nuking it? nothing. and frankly, I dont believe that OG doesnt have a nuker in the kitchen. look into any cooking board and there are plenty of topics about the OG and other places using micros. Plenty of people saying they worked there or had friends who did in the industry and they do in fact nuke plenty of the food.

heres a quote from a yahoo answers question
I work there. Only a few things are actually microwaved. Mussles Di Napoli, Manicoti, brocolli and any hot desserts. The majority of the food is frozen at some point, gets thawed then dipped to boiling water to bring it back to temp. pasta is pre-cooked, cooled, then reheated in boiling water.
and if you're in a hurry you can get most dishes in less then 10 minutes if you are really in a hurry. How many sit-down restaurants can you say that about?
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080224150331AAHDBYi
great, thats what I want. most meals prepared in under 10 minutes because they already precooked everything. REGARDLESS OF HOW ITS THAWED, MOST OF THE FOOD IS COOKED, FROZEN, AND THAWED OUT TO MAKE AN ORDER

[-primetime-]

worked at og, youre wrong, rep yourself in the azz because your full of shtt.

here we go...a guy that ACTUALLY WORKED AT OG....rather than someone who lied about it

and you know how I know you lied about working at OG Apple?.....because you would have just said that from the start.


don't be scared to let them know they are wrong Ghetto and side with me just because it is me....please


It is a dumb arguement....but I want it settled


did you nuke people's meals at OG or not?

[-primetime-]

REGARDLESS OF HOW ITS THAWED, MOST OF THE FOOD IS COOKED, FROZEN, AND THAWED OUT TO MAKE AN ORDER
it makes a difference...

nuking is out of the question IMO

throw that plate in the oven like everyone else.....and bring out a hot plate

[boozehound]

it makes a difference...

nuking is out of the question IMO

throw that plate in the oven like everyone else.....and bring out a hot plate
first, they generally boil the frozen bags IME. second, the point is that the food isnt freshly prepared. its reheated frozen crap. and you will notice that I quoted someone who also works at the OG who admitted that they use the nuker for some items. there are more posts like that as well. so it makes me question the veracity of day la ghetto's post. they could all be lying, but I would be shocked if they didnt use a microwave for anything at OG.

[AppleNader]

I think you are still misreading the point I have continued to make throughout the thread. i microwaved plenty of veggies, ingredients, and filled raviolis at Olive Garden. no complete meals like you are continuing to claim.

Other people have already posted links explaining how food is prepped at OG.
:oldlol:

Don't blame me for your own inability to understand the chain restaurant industry.

[intrinsic]

-primetime-, do you understand what the terms par-cooked, and individual quick freeze, meant when applenader used them?

[AppleNader]

-primetime-, do you understand what the terms par-cooked, and individual quick freeze, meant when applenader used them?

of course he doesnt. He still thinks everything is cooked from scratch by real chefs like the dude on the Olive Garden commercial, and through is own fleeting glance into a kitchen.

And you can tell from his posts that he STILL thinks I microwave complete meals for people, even though I have repeatedly told him that individual ingredients are microwaved, then put together. he is deliberately skewering my explanations to further his own backwardass logic.

[-primetime-]

-primetime-, do you understand what the terms par-cooked, and individual quick freeze, meant when applenader used them?
yes...

a few pages back:


see red...

only part I am argueing



for your happiness:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Par-cook


doesn't mean nuking the food

this is why I was typing in caps earlier...it seems as though how many times I say it you don't get it.

I am not argueing that the raviolis are pre-stuffed and just ready to be heated up...

I AM SAYING THAT THEY BOIL THEM...NOT NUKE THEM....LIKE ANY OTHER PASTA

my arguement = microwave


question for you Apple,

why didn't you just say you worked at OG from the very start?

and why is Ghetto sayng that he works there and you are wrong?

[AppleNader]

my arguement = microwave

And my explanation, as others have also shown you through links, is that we microwave ingredients like filled ravioli, veggies, desserts, etc. It's one of the ways of prepping easy foods faster.


question for you Apple,

why didn't you just say you worked at OG from the very start?

Why the hell would this matter. If I had said "I worked at OG" in my first response to this thread, would it have made it more credible? Everything I said in that first response was a widely known statement held by tons of people who hate OG. You are nitpicking at a sentence while ignoring my explanations of the facts of the chain restaurant industry like Olive Garden.

[-primetime-]

first, they generally boil the frozen bags IME. second, the point is that the food isnt freshly prepared. its reheated frozen crap.
I never argued that.


and you will notice that I quoted someone who also works at the OG who admitted that they use the nuker for some items. there are more posts like that as well. so it makes me question the veracity of day la ghetto's post. they could all be lying, but I would be shocked if they didnt use a microwave for anything at OG.
me too...

although at the start of this thread Apple made it sound as though every meal is just a bowl they bring out of the freezer and nuke...

now it has moved on to "well they just use it to warm up the veggies sometimes...


that is much more believable...but in an open kitchen, I find it hard to believe that they have some secret room they sneak away from while they are cutting up dough and tossing around food on the oven, where they have a hidden microwave that is secret to the public...:confusedshrug:

I could be wrong...

also veggie sides are common at Italian places...mostly just aspargus....and when I get that it tastes crunchy and damn near raw...not pre-cooked

[AppleNader]

I never argued that.


me too...

although at the start of this thread Apple made it sound as though every meal is just a bowl they bring out of the freezer and nuke...

now it has moved on to "well they just use it to warm up the veggies sometimes...

WHERE THE HELL DID I EVER INSINUATE THAT EVERY MEAL IS A BOWL THEY JUST MICROWAVE.

I have REPEATEDLY explained that ingredients are microwaved just so they are heated before being assembled on a plate and then covered in sauce.

Have you ever cooked a complete dinner? you can boil the spaghetti, nuke the sauce since it comes pre-packaged, and nuke the veggies. if you have something like chicken with it, you can toss it all in a skillet just to develop a sear. Then a cook assembles it all together. Doesn't mean the entire frickin meal is prepackaged in a bowl and microwaved as a whole.


also veggie sides are common at Italian places...mostly just aspargus....and when I get that it tastes crunchy and damn near raw...not pre-cooked

That's because asparagus is usually prepped in a skillet. Things like broccolli, and other mixed vegetables usually covered in a sauce, are microwaved both for speed AND because the average eater can't notice the flavor difference.

[-primetime-]

Why the hell would this matter. If I had said "I worked at OG" in my first response to this thread, would it have made it more credible?.
no doubt


Everything I said in that first response was a widely known statement held by tons of people who hate OG. You are nitpicking at a sentence while ignoring my explanations of the facts of the chain restaurant industry like Olive Garden.
I am only talking about nuking at the Olive Garden...

and that is all

no nitpicking




I want Ghetto to answer this for us...he wouldn't come in here and go against the crowd unless he really knew.

also Dooms may have a point in that maybe some Olive Gardens are more "up-scale" so to speak than others...:confusedshrug:

[intrinsic]

Olive Garden. Absolute terrible imitation "Italian food." This restaurant (along with AppleBee's), exemplifies the typical joint that serve microwaved/par-cooked/frozen/mass produced and then jack up the price to a ludicrous level.


Are you STILL under the impression that we microwave complete meals like in 7/11? This just proves your utter ignorance. Like I have explained countless times, we microwave individual ingredients to decrease prep time, and simplify the cooking process.



although at the start of this thread Apple made it sound as though every meal is just a bowl they bring out of the freezer and nuke...

No, he didn't.

[ALBballer]

I've worked in several Italian food restaurants over the span of 6 years, and I'm not going to reply to every comment individually but I'll share some of my thoughts.

First off, like many posters have said, even the nicest restaurants have everything made fresh. Pasta for example is always re-boiled when served meaning it was initially boiled in the morning for example, and then it's taken out and put in the fridge and then re-boiled when served. The places I've worked out pre-made their raviolis and put them in the freezer. They would defrost them with the microwave, and then throw some sauce and cheese and throw it in the oven. I know at my dad's restaurant they would actually make their own raviolis (buy the shells of course) and stuff them, but I could see restaurants just buying them straight up and nuking them.

And every restaurant I worked at had their mozarella sticks pre-made. THey would buy them in bulk, nuke them and throw it in the oven. You might of well just go to your grocery store and do the same. And a lot places do the same thing with chicken wings.

As for the chain restaurants, I have no clue. But I believe that Applenader that most of the stuff is pre-made, and all they have to due is throw it in the oven. As opposed to smaller restaurants that might have smaller things pre-made (for e.g. the chicken) and they have to add all ingrediants (I imagine that the chains would have the sauce pre-made as well) and so forth.

And one quick story, I worked at this Italian restaurant/Steakhouse/Seafood and the place was average stuff. But some people would like to believe that the restaurants only serve the best, and some morons would ask where I got the water from, thinking it was some nice filtered water when in reality it came from an old faucet and I all I did was put the water into a nice jug and throw some ice into it and people thought the water was good.

[-primetime-]

WHERE THE HELL DID I EVER INSINUATE THAT EVERY MEAL IS A BOWL THEY JUST MICROWAVE..
you just came off that way:


Olive Garden. Absolute terrible imitation "Italian food." This restaurant (along with AppleBee's), exemplifies the typical joint that serve microwaved/par-cooked/frozen/mass produced and then jack up the price to a ludicrous level.
made it sound as though everything is just like a pre-made TV dinner or something

this is also where you should have said that you worked there.




That's because asparagus is usually prepped in a skillet. Things like broccolli, and other mixed vegetables usually covered in a sauce, are microwaved both for speed AND because the average eater can't notice the flavor difference.

how come when you order the "choose your own pasta" dish they cook all the veggies in front of you in a skillet...

example:

you pick:

pasta: penne
meat: chicken
veggies: onion, asparagus
sauce: alfredo

they take the meat and veggies and toss them around in a skillet right in front of you...with garlic

the pasta is boiled

the sauce is already mass warmed in a giant pot on the stove

they throw it all together in a bowl

no nuking



so somehow...they do have fresh cut veggies there...

[-primetime-]

I've worked in several Italian food restaurants over the span of 6 years, and I'm not going to reply to every comment individually but I'll share some of my thoughts.

First off, like many posters have said, even the nicest restaurants have everything made fresh. Pasta for example is always re-boiled when served meaning it was initially boiled in the morning for example, and then it's taken out and put in the fridge and then re-boiled when served. The places I've worked out pre-made their raviolis and put them in the freezer. They would defrost them with the microwave, and then throw some sauce and cheese and throw it in the oven. I know at my dad's restaurant they would actually make their own raviolis (buy the shells of course) and stuff them, but I could see restaurants just buying them straight up and nuking them.

And every restaurant I worked at had their mozarella sticks pre-made. THey would buy them in bulk, nuke them and throw it in the oven. You might of well just go to your grocery store and do the same. And a lot places do the same thing with chicken wings.

As for the chain restaurants, I have no clue. But I believe that Applenader that most of the stuff is pre-made, and all they have to due is throw it in the oven. As opposed to smaller restaurants that might have smaller things pre-made (for e.g. the chicken) and they have to add all ingrediants (I imagine that the chains would have the sauce pre-made as well) and so forth.

And one quick story, I worked at this Italian restaurant/Steakhouse/Seafood and the place was average stuff. But some people would like to believe that the restaurants only serve the best, and some morons would ask where I got the water from, thinking it was some nice filtered water when in reality it came from an old faucet and I all I did was put the water into a nice jug and throw some ice into it and people thought the water was good.
I believe that as well...

never argued it

it has to be just the filled pastas though

it isn't like they have frozen pre-made pizzas that they nuke

not even Dominoes would stoop that low

[-primetime-]

No, he didn't.
at the start he came off that way...

then he moved on to just warming up veggies...


IDK....this is dumb and pointless


the place is cheap.....end of story


I have spent too much time on this

[TMacsOneGoodEye]

All chain restaurants are overrated.

Support your local economy by eating at local eateries. Their food is always better since it's prepared unique. Not mass produced.

Some food from some of my favorite local spots here in New Mexico.

Duran Central Pharmacy. This spot is amazing. It's a little tiny pharmacy (think Wal-Greens just smaller and more homely) but in the back they got a little restuarant that fits about 50 people (TINY)

Their tortillas are HOMEMADE and HUGE.

http://www.nmgastronome.com/abq/newmexican/images/Duran01.jpg

I usually sit at the counter.

http://www.nmgastronome.com/abq/newmexican/images/Duran04.jpg

They got the best Huevos Rancheros (Beans, Hashbrowns, 2 eggs, New Mexican Red or Green Chile, smothered with shredded cheese) in town.

http://www.nmgastronome.com/abq/newmexican/images/Duran02.jpg

If you're not from New Mexico and are not familiar with red and green chile, it probably looks disgusting.

[RainierBeachPoet]

And one quick story, I worked at this Italian restaurant/Steakhouse/Seafood and the place was average stuff. But some people would like to believe that the restaurants only serve the best, and some morons would ask where I got the water from, thinking it was some nice filtered water when in reality it came from an old faucet and I all I did was put the water into a nice jug and throw some ice into it and people thought the water was good.

reminded me of that pizza hut commercial where they go to a fancy ny restaurant and serve up pasta from pizza hut. everyone raves how good it is

and then they 'fess up and tell them it was delivered from pizza hut
:oldlol::oldlol:

the people are most embarassed to find that out

[ihatetimthomas]

This shyts still going on? OTC getting more and more sad by the minute

[Razor Ramon]

Hey Yo!

They all suck!
Last time I ate out, I got food poisoning and missed my promo!

Best place for anything is the bar anyways.
Bar burgers, hot wings, beer battered fish, and beer nuts.

[RainierBeachPoet]

just thought i would bump this one!
:cheers:

i was thinking that the cheesecake factory is overrated and overpriced too

[mlh1981]

Bob Evans is overrated. Nothing special about the food. Alot of it is rather bland. Not terrible, but not worth the rep that it gets.

[rufuspaul]

just thought i would bump this one!
:cheers:

i was thinking that the cheesecake factory is overrated and overpriced too

I loved it on the Simpsons when Homer called it the Texas Cheescake Depository.

[intrinsic]

This was one of my favorite threads here on ISH. The frustrating exchange between applenader and -primetime- was nothing short of hilarious. This argument displayed -primetime-'s inexplicable arrogance along with his oblivious nature.

Its funny the way he went out actually, citing the removal of thread that was going to be cribs(which is still here if he bothered to look) as reason.

[LilKateMoss]

Awesome thread :oldlol:

[liverandonions]

:roll:

[-playmaker-]

I got a headache just trying to re-read this mess of a thread...

[DeuceWallaces]

I worked at Applebee's for 4 years. All commercial American restaurants microwave the **** out of everything. Unless you see a whole piece of chicken or steak in front of you it was fried or microwaved. THey are the absolute worst places to eat. They won't even release nutritional information while fast food places do. That should tell you something right there. It's nearly all microwaved and so chocked full of god damn preservatives it's amazing you don't shit it out looking just the way it went in.

[NoGunzJustSkillz]

i worked at mcdonalds like 15 years ago and we microwaved every cheeseburger. i used to eat at applebees every weekend when i was younger (like 5-8 years ago, uh i hate doing the math makes me feel so god damn old :banghead: )..anyways it used to be good I THINK...but now, ugh it's garbage. i seen some movie talking about cocker meat sandwiches and i can't say i tried one myself, but i imagine it would taste like applebees baby back ribs.

[Jasper]

Primetime said McDonalds doesn't nuke their food ... I disagree.

If you order a burger with cheese , 99.9% of the time the cheese is not melted.
If you do the drive thru .. ask them to reheat the burger- to melt the cheese they nuke the burger.

I am not a fan of any chain restaurant , because it usually means it has taken the family businesses away that were once there.
A town close to me , had two diners that no longer exist.
prior to fast food , these places were packed with a lunch crowd , and served literally dinners for lunch. :D

The only reason I hit Mcdonalds.. no time to even cook , been busy from 8 a.m. to midnight . :rant

[rufuspaul]

2 words about McDonalds: reconstituted onions.

That's right, they don't buy fresh onions (which cost next to nothing) but instead buy them dehydrated and then "reconstitute" them by adding water in the store. I used to have to do this when I worked there in high school. Fuuukkking gross.

[irondarts]

Applebees
Chilis
Olive Garden

i only chain resauraunt i really like is Red Robin. Only fast food chains i really like are Carls Jr and Arbys.

[Lebowsky]

Lol, Applenader and primetime's back and forth in this thread was hilarious.

[MasterDurant24]

Red Robin's is revolting.

[the_wise_one]

Popeye's.

[vapid]

All of them

[bballer]

red lobster is SHIT.

Ruby Tuesdays is actually decent

[-playmaker-]

Lol, Applenader and primetime's back and forth in this thread was hilarious.
I caught him lieing about working at Olive Garden...

there are 100 here in Dallas and some of them do have completely open kitchens for ALL TO SEE!

if they are nuking their food they are sneaking it elswhere...




I don't know why I was so harsh on him in here though...I must have gottin into it with him in another thread before this or something...

calling him dumb and stuff right away...I had to have some other reason for that other than him saying they nuke noodles...

Nader doesn't post here anymore I don't think though...

[-playmaker-]

i worked at mcdonalds like 15 years ago and we microwaved every cheeseburger. i used to eat at applebees every weekend when i was younger (like 5-8 years ago, uh i hate doing the math makes me feel so god damn old :banghead: )..anyways it used to be good I THINK...but now, ugh it's garbage. i seen some movie talking about cocker meat sandwiches and i can't say i tried one myself, but i imagine it would taste like applebees baby back ribs.
you can watch them cook the meat back there...:confusedshrug:

McDonalds is disgusting, and if you nuked when you worked there I believe you...but you can clearly see them putting meat on a friar back there...:confusedshrug:

[-playmaker-]

Popeye's.
one of the only fast food I like...lol

Popeyes is good stuff

[eliteballer]

Anyone mind posting pics of authentic italian and chinese food?

[JohnnySic]

They all suck, and are all interchangeable. Chili's, Applebee's, Ground Round, American Joe's, Outback, Bugaboo, TGI Friday's, Ninety Nine - I wouldn't know one from the other if my life depended on it. And the food is all the same artery clogging crap. Try getting a side of clean veggies that hasn't been bathed in butter. http://www.mopsen.nl/smiley_puke_ani.gif

Also, I never understood the hype about Panera Bread. Its just Starbucks with a bakery, and the food sucks. But to their credit, they make a good smoothie.

[BankShot]

red lobster is SHIT.

Ruby Tuesdays is actually decent

Its true Ruby Tuesday's used to be one and the same with TGIFridays, Applebees, and the like. They absolutely reinvented their restaurants as simple, clean, and well-done, American food.

[Jailblazers7]

I agree about Panera. I never liked that place.

[Juggernaut_V2.0]

For anybody that cares, I work at this restaurant here... http://www.mandarinkarma.com/content/gallery/8

It's a Chinese/Tapas Fusion bar...I know this has bugger all to do with this thread but just thought I would throw it in there...

[rufuspaul]

For anybody that cares, I work at this restaurant here... http://www.mandarinkarma.com/content/gallery/8

It's a Chinese/Tapas Fusion bar...I know this has bugger all to do with this thread but just thought I would throw it in there...

How's the food?

[The Big Skinny]

One thing i cannot stand is most take out chinese food places. they just add goopy, sugary, sticky sauce to the chicken that has been sitting out all day and throw some white rice. not a big fan at all.

one chain i do like is P.F. Changs. it has some decent chinese food.

http://www.pfchangs.com/index.aspx

[JEFFERSON MONEY]

Again, I have personally microwaved veggies and raviolis, so again, you have absolutely nothing to go on except for your own uneducated assumption that they produce food from scratch using chefs. Oh wait, I'm sorry, I forgot that you can see a piece of the kitchen from your table, so you obviously know how food is prepared right? J:rolleyes:

Just because you don't see it doesn't mean that it doesn't happen. Do you think restaurant kitchen microwaves look like the piece of junk in your home? Of course not.

:oldlol:

[ROCSteady]

My n!ggaz, I just made one of those lasagnas that u throw in the oven for an hour, pre-assembled.

Does this mean my kitchen is better than Olive Garden? Surely dem n!ggaz don't take the care to cook lasagna for an hour.

Not Stouffers joint either! Bought in store doe.

Stouffers: Olive Garden
My store bought lasagna skills: Little italy


Some SAT prep for yo asses, foo

[KeylessEntry]

The back and forth between prime and applenader is too ****ing funny


I am gonna make this simple for you dude...

THEY DON'T USE A MICROWAVE YOU MORON!!!!

they have actual chefs.....with hats and all.....I have seen them......cooking

so ****ing retarded...not even McDonalds uses a microwave

:roll: :roll:

[-p.tiddy-]

:bowdown: OG

[DeuceWallaces]

Apple was right. It's nearly all microwaved.

[highwhey]

I can't stand applebees. All of their entrees taste like food from the frozen isle at your local grocery store. I do like that they offer 20oz beers for $4 though, but even their wings are tasteless.

I really can't think of any chain restaurant I like...the exception being Chipotle, their burritos are good anytime of the day. I just wish they wouldn't close so late. Last week me and my friends ran a couple red lights after playing basketball to make iit to chipotle since it closes at 10pm, made it on the dot. The manager was laughing " I saw your friend drop you off in the middle of the street and you ran inside"

[-p.tiddy-]

okay I was wrong, I know some nuke now...I own up now, 6 years later :lol

the OG that I was going to at the time for lunch had a kitchen open to viewing, yes with chefs complete with hats lol...and they wouldn't dare nuke anything out there, so that is where I got the misconception I think

[-p.tiddy-]

http://www.blogcdn.com/www.slashfood.com/media/2011/04/olive-garden-culinary-institute-sg-590.jpg

^^^ like that

that is what you see from your seats, boiling pasta and such

[KeylessEntry]

http://www.blogcdn.com/www.slashfood.com/media/2011/04/olive-garden-culinary-institute-sg-590.jpg

^^^ like that

that is what you see from your seats, boiling pasta and such

They look very professional. You can tell by the badge on the old guys sleeve that he learned how to microwave ravioli from the very best teachers at olive gardens prestigious tuscany school of reheated food.

[-p.tiddy-]

They look very professional. You can tell by the badge on the old guys sleeve that he learned how to microwave ravioli from the very best teachers at olive gardens prestigious tuscany school of reheated food.
lol this is a classic thread for you isn't it?

not going to reread this whole thing but I am quite sure I was never in here making them out to be 5-star chefs...

I was wrong about them never using a microwave, that I will fully admit...if I didn't already in here

[boozehound]

good old RBP. And they are all overrated

[gigantes]

^^^ like that

that is what you see from your seats, boiling pasta and such
they

[Godzuki]

most chains have at least one or a few things they're good at. Like KFC. Say what you want about original recipe KFC but nobody makes chicken like that. I've had some of the best local chicken joints with kettle cooked friend chicken, hip hop chicken, etc and KFC is real likely above them. Same with Popeyes. I mean HipHop chicken is a national chain too but just saying the ones everyone overlooks because they've been around the longest and have access to them everywhere so they take them for granted are some of the best still. I've had some of the best local joints fried chicken in balt/wash area and i still end up going back to KFC/Popeyes.

then you got Burger King whoppers vs local bar burgers. some local bars got some good stuff but BK whoppers are like half the price and taste pretty much almost as good, even if i get tons of gas afterward.

ChickFilA speaks for itself. some of the best chicken breats and nuggets around.

and Royal Farms is extremely underrated in the fried chicken department. They also got some of the best fries imo(only ones i know that make real western fries with real breading and not pre frozen all in one garbage)


I get it if you live in big cities like New York, LA, Chicago, etc where there are tons of unique really good food joints but in general a lot of chains are underrated vs the typical local private stuff. I mean bar food will always be good at some bars over the chains, same with pizza, etc. But in most places they don't have those great independent places few people here have access to in the big cities generally.

[riseagainst]

idk which ones are overrated. But I really like Cheddar's.