Olive Garden versus local fare?

[SunDeck]

I like Oliver Garden. Large portions fairly cheep. It's hard to screw up spaghetti.

About 5,000,000 Italian mothers just bent over in pain at that remark.

What's more, I don't generally go to restaurants to eat things I can do at home. If I'm going to an Italian restaurant I want something interesting, with a fresh canoli and espresso dessert. I tried the espresso at Olive Garden- it tasted like Sanka.

[BuckeyeRed27]

Really? Huh, didn't know that.

I'm not much of a corporate traveler, but if I were, that's where I'd see a use for eating at a sit down chain restaurant. Where I'm in a situation where I want some consistency, but also fairly cheap, and fairly easy.

As others have said, if I'm going for a vacation, I specifically want something I can only eat at that location.
If I'm home, then I want to actively search out and find the restaurants that make my hometown unique.

That said, I do like Red Robin, but I'm not a fan of Olive Garden or Chilis or Uno or Applebees.

BW3 has expanded quite a bit in the past 3-5 years, but the first one was in Columbus, Ohio and it used to be pretty hard to find them outside of the Midwest.

[Kingspoint]

Depends on the look of the local places, but I do avoid Olive Garden.

Hear! Hear!

[Kingspoint]

I always get a kick out of the "I stay away from chain restaurants at all costs" crowd. I'd had just as many bad meals at "local" places as I have at large national or regional chains.

And, you're more likely to find a filthy restaurant at a "local" place than at a chain restuarant. Your chances of getting food poisoning are much greater at a "local" restaurant, especially anything where "hip" people work at it.

If the way you dress is disgusting, your clothes and hair are constantly unkempt, it's more likely that your cleanliness habits at home and at work follow the same pattern.

So, for me, it's all about finding a "local" restaurant, but the staff and place must be exceptionally clean.

During my College Days' experiences of working in restaurants, it was pretty much the norm that, "the fancier the restaurant, the filthier the kitchen was". Not always the case, of course, but it was the norm.

[Kingspoint]

If you go into a restaurant and you see a lot of elderly people in it, turn around and leave quickly. Elderly people have no taste buds, and quality of food is the last thing that's important to them. They couldn't tell you if they wanted to tell you how good something was when it came to taste.

[Kingspoint]

There has been a trend for a number of years now for corporate restaurant chains to specialize in huge amounts of mediocre food.

That "trend" ended more than 10 years ago....really more than 20 years ago.

For a whole generation now, the "trend" has been to put a proper amount of "quality" food on a small plate. The goal is to make you feel satisfied at the end of the meal, not stuffed. Restaurants that still give you gobs of food at cheap prices cater to people who either can't taste their food (the elderly), don't care what it tastes like (fat people), or are looking to feed their kids off of the adult plates (cheap people) and want to have a "people" bag. There are plenty of Americans who fall under these categories, so some chains might still survive (buffets).

[redsmetz]

I like to try local places. I will often check out reviews on a few websites, usually Yelp.com or Urbanspoon.com, although I just glanced now at Zagat.com too.

[BuckeyeRed27]

I like to try local places. I will often check out reviews on a few websites, usually Yelp.com or Urbanspoon.com, although I just glanced now at Zagat.com too.

Yelp is amazing.

[Red in Chicago]

I like Oliver Garden. Large portions fairly cheep. It's hard to screw up spaghetti.

Actually it's quite easy to mess up spaghetti, and most restaurants do by overcooking it. I loathe the Olive Garden.

[remdog]

That "trend" ended more than 10 years ago....really more than 20 years ago.

For a whole generation now, the "trend" has been to put a proper amount of "quality" food on a small plate. The goal is to make you feel satisfied at the end of the meal, not stuffed. Restaurants that still give you gobs of food at cheap prices cater to people who either can't taste their food (the elderly), don't care what it tastes like (fat people), or are looking to feed their kids off of the adult plates (cheap people) and want to have a "people" bag. There are plenty of Americans who fall under these categories, so some chains might still survive (buffets).

Frankly, I think you are blatantly wrong. Chains like Olive Garden, Cheesecake Factory, Daily Grill, etc. have made corporate fortunes with the big plate/poor food concept---and they continue today. There's no reason for them to stop since the concept performs so well.

And what's 'elderly'? You appear to have an age bias. 'Elderly' people have fine taste buds and they are more likely experienced diners---usually having actually experienced fine dining whether in their 'home town' or around the world. They actually know what an excellent meal tastes like and can distinguish between the mundane from the magnificant.

Here in Newport Beach, the local newspaper publishes a weekly list of restaurant violations. I check it from time to time---there are always more violations at 'chain restaurants' than at stand alone sites.

Rem

[LoganBuck]

ALL of the old people in my family and my wife's family like terribly bland food. The only spice they know how to use is salt. Then they get that taken away by high blood pressure, and they just eat the blandest, mildest, crap. They like places like Bob Evans, Country Buffet, the waffle house, and the local restaurant that goes out of business every two years. They like their meat WELL DONE!!!! I saw my wife's grandfather order prime rib well done once.

I see no refinement in that.

[remdog]

ALL of the old people in my family and my wife's family like terribly bland food. The only spice they know how to use is salt. Then they get that taken away by high blood pressure, and they just eat the blandest, mildest, crap. They like places like Bob Evans, Country Buffet, the waffle house, and the local restaurant that goes out of business every two years. They like their meat WELL DONE!!!! I saw my wife's grandfather order prime rib well done once.

I see no refinement in that.

So what defines old people for you? Over 20? Over 40? Over 60? Frankly, most Americans are disturbingly devoid of taste when it comes to food. Age has nothing to do with that flaw. The one thing that 'older' diners have going for them over the 'younger' diners is that they have often experienced a wider variety of food and have, generally, a more knowledgable definition of what makes an outstanding meal.

My B-I-L, who is younger than me, used to order his steaks well done. One day I was grilling steaks and I informed him that I refused to cook a steak past medium-rare and if that didn't work for him then there was a MacDonalds not too far away. He said 'OK, I'll try it'. He hasn't ordered any beef more than medium-rare since, sometimes ordering rare. Even 'old dogs' learn 'new tricks' so age, to me, doesn't really make a good argument. Maybe you can educate the 'older' folks in your family. Take a shot. (shrug)

I can't tell you how many times I've walked into a burger joint and tried to order a cheeseburger, rare, only to be told that they only do burgers medium or above. At that point, I walk out. If ya' can't fill my order the way I want it then ya' ain't gettin' my money. Pretty simple. One of the reasons I like Fat Burger is because, while they are in the business of selling burgers, they are also in the business of giving the customer what they want. As the 'most interesting man in the world' might say, I don't eat fast food often but, when I do, I eat at Fat Burger'. LOL

Rem

[Kingspoint]

Frankly, I think you are blatantly wrong. Chains like Olive Garden, Cheesecake Factory, Daily Grill, etc. have made corporate fortunes with the big plate/poor food concept---and they continue today. There's no reason for them to stop since the concept performs so well.

And what's 'elderly'? You appear to have an age bias. 'Elderly' people have fine taste buds and they are more likely experienced diners---usually having actually experienced fine dining whether in their 'home town' or around the world. They actually know what an excellent meal tastes like and can distinguish between the mundane from the magnificant.

Here in Newport Beach, the local newspaper publishes a weekly list of restaurant violations. I check it from time to time---there are always more violations at 'chain restaurants' than at stand alone sites.

Rem

It's not an opinion, it's a fact. The older you get, the less your taste buds are able to differentiate between various tastes. It's just like all the other senses. Your eye sight gets worse, your hearing gets worse, your ability to smell gets worse (which ties a lot into how something tastes), and your taste buds get worse.

The "elderly" is anyone 60 or over. (according to most restaurants, it's about 55 or over as that's when you get the "senior" discount)

That poor eating establishments like The Olive Garden are able to make money has nothing to do with whether or not they offer quality food. As I said, there's those who can't taste anything (the elderly), those who don't care because it's about volume for them (fat people), and those who want to feed their kids off of their adult plates and want a "people" bag for the leftovers (cheap people).

And, yes. The days of serving customers on "platters", and loading up the volume ended a generation ago. Ask any chef or restaurant owner that's started up their business in the last 10-15 years, and he/she will tell you this.

[Sweetstop]

circling ageism here. whoa.

who knew olive garden chatter might belong in the politics/religion subset..


btw, my 62 year oldlady taste buds bloom just fine, thank you very much.

[RFS62]

Fat Burger is indeed awesome. And I love the name. Not "garden burger"... not "healty burger".... we're freakin' fatburger, and don't you forget it!