# Chain restaurants that are actually rather good? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 17, 2010, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chain-restaurants-that-are-actually-rather-good/543519 "2010-06-17T05:22:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![StusBlues](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@StusBlues](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StusBlues)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2010, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chain-restaurants-that-are-actually-rather-good/543519/41 "2010-06-17T15:02:27Z")
Very odd list. I’ve only eaten at Popeye’s and White Castle, neither of which I would call good food by any reasonable definition. My dad is addicted to Popeye’s, though. Honestly, I’ve not had the Olive Garden experience that many of you have, but I haven’t been there in many years. Perhaps it’s deteriorated. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2010, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chain-restaurants-that-are-actually-rather-good/543519/42 "2010-06-17T15:05:13Z")
> [@bordelond](#): > > … odd poll to have Popeye’s and White Castle side-by-side with Ruth’s Chris and Morton’s. I was thinking the exact same thing. ---
**Author:** ![joebuck20](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/74df32/32.png) [@joebuck20](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joebuck20)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2010, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chain-restaurants-that-are-actually-rather-good/543519/43 "2010-06-17T15:16:27Z")
Texas Roadhouse, probably the best place to get a steak for under 20 bucks. Also their steak fries, or heart attack on a plate as my wife and I like to call them, are a thing of beauty - a full sized dinner plate stacked high with fries covered in shredded cheese and strips of bacon with ranch dipping sauce. Yep, that’s the type of indulgence we only allow ourselves once a year. Also Buca di Beppo. Where I grew up that was probably the closest place where you could get anything resembling authentic Italian food. ---
**Author:** ![gwendee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/35a633/32.png) [@gwendee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gwendee)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2010, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chain-restaurants-that-are-actually-rather-good/543519/44 "2010-06-17T15:19:10Z")
Unfortunately the only **Popeye’s** reasonably near me is regulalry featured in the annual “hidden camera restaurant horrors” expose on Channel 2. It was a regular lunch haunt when I worked near one in SoCal. I love **White Castle** , and make a side trip on the way to my sister’s house to stop at the one closest to me, but it isn’t because the food is good. I’m not even sure it’s really food. But it’s appealing and hits a few nostalgia notes for me. For fast food burger chains I like \*\*Checkers \*\*(and liked **Rally** when I lived in the midwest. It’s apparently the same like Hellman’s and Best Foods. I don’t know why either needs two names.) At a lot of the places I’ve had good food, and also bad food. The **Five Guys** that just opened near my house has been good half of the times I’ve gone there and the other half have served me sad soggy underfried fries. **Friendly** was a place my family went a lot when I was growing up. The one here is dreadful; not too clean, very slow service. As for **Chick-Fil-A** , I went there for the first time about 6 weeks ago - I had a coupon. The food isn’t mind bending or original but it’s made well, and seems fairly priced. The thing that made me think “this is my new place” was how pleasant the staff was, and how clean the restaurant was. Instead of a fountain out on the floor a person comes around and asks if you’d like a refill or anything else. I hope that’s chain wide. It’s just a nice atmosphere. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2010, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chain-restaurants-that-are-actually-rather-good/543519/45 "2010-06-17T15:27:20Z")
I too want to know (1) why this was an exclusive poll, and (2) why you chose the places you did. Of the 19 restaurants listed, there were 2 that I have locally and am familiar with 2 that we used to have locally but are long gone 1 that we don’t have locally, but I’ve eaten at 5 that I’ve heard of but never seen or been to 9 that I don’t remember ever even hearing of before. And I could name doznes of chains that weren’t on the list. Bottom line: I’d say that, in my experience the majority of chain restaurants are “actually rather good” for what they are, in the sense that I’ve had a secent, enjoyable dining experience there that left me perfectly willing to go back. At least, it’s a majority if you include the “not bad at all, but there are other places that do roughly the same thing better” category. ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2010, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chain-restaurants-that-are-actually-rather-good/543519/46 "2010-06-17T17:32:45Z")
Other: Gordon Biersch. Good beer, good food. ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2010, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chain-restaurants-that-are-actually-rather-good/543519/47 "2010-06-17T17:43:42Z")
> [@anu-la1979](#): > > The answer to this question will always be Zankou Chicken. And, of course, with Zankou, it’s not even in question. “Rather good” is to put it mildly. ---
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2010, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chain-restaurants-that-are-actually-rather-good/543519/48 "2010-06-17T17:46:32Z")
Mmm, Popeye’s. Also Chipotle, Ruth’s Chris, El Pollo Loco, Red Robin, Benihana, Buca di Beppo, Chart House, and Outback. ---
**Author:** ![Loisseau](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/2bfe46/32.png) [@Loisseau](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loisseau)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2010, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chain-restaurants-that-are-actually-rather-good/543519/49 "2010-06-17T20:53:27Z")
With a dozen in MA, and some in VA, Not Your Average Joe’s is quite good. ---
**Author:** ![FordTaurusSHO94](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f07891/32.png) [@FordTaurusSHO94](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FordTaurusSHO94)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2010, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chain-restaurants-that-are-actually-rather-good/543519/50 "2010-06-17T20:56:32Z")
Firehouse Subs is awesome. P.F. Chang’s is awesome. I don’t care if it’s not “authentic Asian.” It’s better. ---
**Author:** ![It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/it_s_not_rocket_surgery/32/312_2.png) [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/It_s_Not_Rocket_Surgery)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2010, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chain-restaurants-that-are-actually-rather-good/543519/51 "2010-06-17T21:16:15Z")
I voted for Carrabba’s, but could have written in Nathan’s, too. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2010, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chain-restaurants-that-are-actually-rather-good/543519/52 "2010-06-17T21:16:32Z")
Steak ‘n’ Shake: The salads are good, the burgers are good, the thin-cut fries are good, the milkshakes are good. (I wouldn’t recomment the chili, but then I’m a chili snob.) The atmosphere is bright and cheery, everything’s always clean, and the '50s-diner-theme is not too overdone. ---
**Author:** ![SmellMyWort](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@SmellMyWort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmellMyWort)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2010, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chain-restaurants-that-are-actually-rather-good/543519/53 "2010-06-17T21:37:04Z")
> [@KarlGrenze](#): > > Regional ones, like Cane’s, Mellow Mushroom, and Willy’s Mexican Grill. Huh, I didn’t realize there was Mellow Mushroom outside of Baton Rouge. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2010, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chain-restaurants-that-are-actually-rather-good/543519/54 "2010-06-17T22:06:19Z")
Zaxby’s is good, as is Red Robin and (my vote) Popeye’s. Mellow Mushroom is good as well (cheese bread!!), but, my God(!), are they slow. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2010, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chain-restaurants-that-are-actually-rather-good/543519/55 "2010-06-17T22:07:28Z")
> [@SmellMyWort](#): > > Huh, I didn’t realize there was Mellow Mushroom outside of Baton Rouge. The chain started in Atlanta, GA in the 1970’s and now there are more than 100 of them. ---
**Author:** ![KarlGrenze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dbc845/32.png) [@KarlGrenze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGrenze)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2010, 9:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chain-restaurants-that-are-actually-rather-good/543519/56 "2010-06-18T09:44:00Z")
I thought the Mellow Mushroom chain started in Athens, GA. And I’ve thought of them as a regional/college town chain. There was one in Gainesville, I saw it in Baton Rouge, and now of course the one in downtown Athens. And if you do go to the website, it is pretty obvious it is a chain (I did that once to check on something before I went to the Gainesville place). ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2010, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chain-restaurants-that-are-actually-rather-good/543519/57 "2010-06-18T12:26:49Z")
The first one started near the Ga. Tech campus in downtown ATL. Athens didn’t get theirs until much later - I moved from there in 1993 and the best pizza in town was DePalma’s. I don’t even think that MM was there at the time, but I remember when the Chili’s opened on Alps Road and it was packed for _months_. ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2010, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chain-restaurants-that-are-actually-rather-good/543519/58 "2010-06-18T14:10:49Z")
> [@SmellMyWort](#): > > Huh, I didn’t realize there was Mellow Mushroom outside of Baton Rouge. They’ve got one in Jackson, MS, and somewhere in the Mandeville-Covington area, too. Hoping they get one on the southshore eventually. ---
**Author:** ![MTCicero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a4c791/32.png) [@MTCicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MTCicero)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2010, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chain-restaurants-that-are-actually-rather-good/543519/59 "2010-06-18T14:12:02Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > I too want to know (1) why this was an exclusive poll, and (2) why you chose the places you did. Of the 19 restaurants listed, there were > 2 that I have locally and am familiar with > 2 that we used to have locally but are long gone > 1 that we don’t have locally, but I’ve eaten at > 5 that I’ve heard of but never seen or been to > 9 that I don’t remember ever even hearing of before. > And I could name doznes of chains that weren’t on the list. Answer: Because I made the poll and you didn’t. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2010, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chain-restaurants-that-are-actually-rather-good/543519/60 "2010-06-18T14:16:39Z")
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