Olive Garden versus local fare?

[Kingspoint]

Originally Posted by Redsfaithful

Didn't know that. I do know it seems like every time I got to Wendy's a medium drink gets bigger and bigger. A medium there definitely used to be a large. Same deal with the fries.

I quit fries about 20 years ago, and I know what you mean about drinks. "I don't want a Super Drink. I don't want a Large Drink. I don't want a Medium Drink. And, I don't want to pay two bucks for a small drink. Give me that size right there [pointing to what used to be a large drink 30 years ago, which is now the small...but I usually carry around several cans of soda water wherever I go, as it's my drink of choice (no sodium ones)]"

Last week I went to a Red Robin for only about the second time (it's the closest restaurant to my house, but I won't go to it) in the last eight years, and I told them to not give me any fries. I then wondered what I was doing there (was with my girlfriend). I ordered French Onion soup and it was gross. They had put so much bread in it that there wasn't any stock left after it was absorbed. There was so much mozzarella on the top that it was a mass of sticky goo that looked like a polar ice cap. It'd been so long since I had been in, there were about 1/4 of the hamburger choices that were available the last time I was there. And, of course, I didn't even bother to ask for it medium rare as I know I couldn't get it and didn't order a burger. I ordered a Caesar salad that had so much Caesar dressing on it that it was all stuck together in a paste. The lettuce was good and fresh and would have been alright if they had put half the amount of dressing on. Besides, I can't go into any of those kinds of places without thinking of Jennifer Aniston in "Office Space". "Yeah. You know what, yeah, I do. I do want to express myself, okay. And I don't need 37 pieces of flair to do it. (enter sign language)"

[frenetic wave]

Haha. Great post. Imagine the agony and trauma if you went to Red Robin every 3 years instead of every 4.

I also love that instead of asking for no fries, you TOLD them

My favorite part of your post though was that the actual problems with the real food weren't enough for you, so in your mind you created an imaginary scenario where they ruined your imaginary hamburger. Too funny.

[LoganBuck]

Originally Posted by Redsfaithful

Didn't know that. I do know it seems like every time I got to Wendy's a medium drink gets bigger and bigger. A medium there definitely used to be a large. Same deal with the fries.

We try to avoid sit down chains, but when we go I can never finish my food. But it might have been even worse 20 years ago, I dunno, I'm only 29.

Wendy's might be making their drinks bigger, I don't know. I do know that they have been making their sandwiches smaller and smaller. Which I find annoying. So because the sandwiches are getting smaller, people load up on fries and drinks for 49 cents more. Out goes the protein, in goes empty carbs and sugars.

[cumberlandreds]

Originally Posted by LoganBuck

Wendy's might be making their drinks bigger, I don't know. I do know that they have been making their sandwiches smaller and smaller. Which I find annoying. So because the sandwiches are getting smaller, people load up on fries and drinks for 49 cents more. Out goes the protein, in goes empty carbs and sugars.

Totally agree on Wendys. I can remember going there in the late 70's and 80's and getting thick, juicy hamburgers. I usually got the double. They were really good. Now they are paper thin and much like McDonalds regular hamburger. Basically pure crap. I won't eat there anymore. My wife sometimes gets something there and I tell her it ain't like it used to be.

For some reason all the restaurants where I live,Sterling Va, are going out of business. Last week I was going to go to Ruby Tuesdays and they had shut down. Name off the building and totally dark. In the last few months it along with TGI Fridays and Teds Montana Grill have all bit the dust. I assume its the sign of the economy just not getting better.

[Roy Tucker]

Originally Posted by cumberlandreds

For some reason all the restaurants where I live,Sterling Va, are going out of business. Last week I was going to go to Ruby Tuesdays and they had shut down. Name off the building and totally dark. In the last few months it along with TGI Fridays and Teds Montana Grill have all bit the dust. I assume its the sign of the economy just not getting better.

There are many of these kinds of places (TGI Fridays, Applebees, Ruby Tuesday's, Chilis, etc etc) that used to be a decent place to go to. Maybe not ultimate event kind of place, but on a child's birthday or a random Friday night, we could take them there and the kids could get some chicken fingers, Mom was happy with her dinner salad, Dad could get a decent burger and a cold beer, and we'd all walk out happy.

But for the most part, those days are gone and I think their quality has gone waaaay downhill. After about the 10th time after I felt ripped off when I walked out of the place because the menu, food, service, etc etc was lousy, I said "enough". They've coasted too long on name recognition and that doesn't work with me any more. We have a buttload of franchise type places around us that I flat-out refuse to go to any more.

[Sea Ray]

Originally Posted by Roy Tucker

They've coasted too long on name recognition and that doesn't work with me any more. We have a buttload of franchise type places around us that I flat-out refuse to go to any more.

It's a shame that out in the 'Burbs that we don't have more Ma and Pa choices. We're overrun with chains and family run places like Guenther's in West Chester are few and far between. If you truly refuse to go then you'll likely have to do some driving

[RBA]

The best Italian Food I have ever had was on a Ferry from Athens to Venice.

[LoganBuck]

Originally Posted by RBA

The best Italian Food I have ever had was on a Ferry from Athens to Venice.

They don't call it Italian food they just call it food.

[fearofpopvol1]

Eating at Olive Garden would be a sin here in NYC with all the fantastic choices here.

[westofyou]

Originally Posted by fearofpopvol1

Eating at Olive Garden would be a sin here in NYC with all the fantastic choices here.

Worst pizza I have ever had was in Northern New Jersey, as well as the worst calzone.

Alas all is not perfect in Italian cusine on the eastern seaboard always.

[RBA]

Originally Posted by westofyou

Worst pizza I have ever had was in Northern New Jersey, as well as the worst calzone.

Alas all is not perfect in Italian cusine on the eastern seaboard always.

Agreed. I have had bad Mexican food, all over the southwest.

[Reds]

This OG is okay for a chain.. but here there's always a line and the food is so bad for you - but if there's no line and lunch is in order it's not the worst option.

[Reds]

DP

[Sea Ray]

You get what you pay for and I can't complain about the Olive Garden

[Yachtzee]

Originally Posted by westofyou

Worst pizza I have ever had was in Northern New Jersey, as well as the worst calzone.

Alas all is not perfect in Italian cusine on the eastern seaboard always.

The worst pizza and the best Italian meal I've ever had were both in Venice, about 6 hours apart.