# 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:** 10\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Glory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7cd45c/32.png) [@Glory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Glory)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2010, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chain-restaurants-that-are-actually-rather-good/543519/101 "2010-06-22T14:32:54Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > I have to order without rice, since it has cilantro mixed in and I’m a soap-taster, but that makes it a little bit healthier, perhaps…fewer carbs in an already carb-loaded meal. But it’s so GOOOD! I hate to interrupt your carb-free Chipotle love-fest, but you can ask them for unseasoned rice. They generally have some plain rice available for cilantro-haters. It doesn’t have all the salt of the regular rice, so that’s a bonus. I’m also a Chipotle-lover, had dinner there last night! ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2010, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chain-restaurants-that-are-actually-rather-good/543519/102 "2010-06-22T14:43:29Z")
> [@Glory](#): > > I hate to interrupt your carb-free Chipotle love-fest, but you can ask them for unseasoned rice. They generally have some plain rice available for cilantro-haters. It doesn’t have all the salt of the regular rice, so that’s a bonus. > > I’m also a Chipotle-lover, had dinner there last night! Ooh…really?! I have to ask the next time I’m there. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2010, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chain-restaurants-that-are-actually-rather-good/543519/103 "2010-06-22T15:37:06Z")
Nothing on the poll list really floats my boat. Chipotle is excellent, but my heart belongs to [Nando’s](http://www.nandos.co.uk/). I believe they’ve only recently broken into the US market (Washington DC and one or two other locations) but are in several other countries including the UK. MAN I love me some spicy chicken. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2010, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chain-restaurants-that-are-actually-rather-good/543519/104 "2010-06-22T20:44:44Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > Chipotle is excellent, but my heart belongs to [Nando’s](http://www.nandos.co.uk/). I believe they’ve only recently broken into the US market (Washington DC and one or two other locations) but are in several other countries including the UK. > > MAN I love me some spicy chicken. I like Nando’s (South African chain, with the food being some sort of Mozambique/Portugal combo) a lot. Very tasty food. Also **alexandra** upthread mentioned Pizza Express - they are pretty good too. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2010, 9:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chain-restaurants-that-are-actually-rather-good/543519/105 "2010-06-23T09:46:46Z")
> [@Baron\_Greenback](#): > > I like Nando’s (South African chain, with the food being some sort of Mozambique/Portugal combo) a lot. Very tasty food. Also **alexandra** upthread mentioned Pizza Express - they are pretty good too. I go back and forth on Pizza Express - some days I really like them; other days I can’t be bothered. And Carluccio’s frustrates me because they make beautiful food and then put \*way \*too much salt in it. But I never tire of Nando’s. ---
**Author:** ![alexandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e68b1a/32.png) [@alexandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alexandra)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2010, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chain-restaurants-that-are-actually-rather-good/543519/106 "2010-06-23T22:29:10Z")
Oooh, yeah, forgot Nando’s. Yum yum. ---
**Author:** ![alice\_in\_wonderland](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alice_in_wonderland/32/176_2.png) [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2010, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chain-restaurants-that-are-actually-rather-good/543519/107 "2010-06-24T00:38:56Z")
The only one on the list I’ve eaten at was Ruth’s Chris and it was decent - not really geared towards vegetarians; however, I was able to get something that I really enjoyed so that’s good enough for me. I was going to say Earl’s is pretty tasty - hubby and I go there fairly often, but I think it might only be in Canada. ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2010, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chain-restaurants-that-are-actually-rather-good/543519/108 "2010-06-24T02:38:29Z")
I believe there are exactly two Nando’s in the U.S., both in D.C. One is in Dupont Circle and the other is in Chinatown. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2010, 9:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chain-restaurants-that-are-actually-rather-good/543519/109 "2010-06-24T09:40:06Z")
> [@Wendell\_Wagner](#): > > I believe there are exactly two Nando’s in the U.S., both in D.C. One is in Dupont Circle and the other is in Chinatown. The one in Annapolis has just opened, and there’s one in Silver Spring opening soon. ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2010, 10:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chain-restaurants-that-are-actually-rather-good/543519/110 "2010-06-24T10:36:31Z")
Huh. That’s interesting. They don’t bother to list them on the Nando’s website. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chain-restaurants-that-are-actually-rather-good/543519.md?page=5)