Penzey’s Spices: fantastic source for all cooks. Products are fresh and top quality. I’ve ordered from them from all over the world and they’ve come through every time.
www.igourmet.com: an online source for hard-to-find spices and cookware, and a huge selection of the best cheeses you have ever tasted.
Tienda: a source for Spanish foods and cooking equipment such as paella pans.
Yes, she does. You do have to be a kid, though. Is that a problem?
Well, mom says I have a baby face…
Men’s Wearhouse. Went to one in Auburn Washington just before my step daughter’s wedding and told them I had $250 to spend. The total bill came to $223 and I looked good. This included jacket, slacks, shoes, socks, belt, shirt, and tie. When I picked up everything 4 hours later the slacks were hemmed perfectly, the shirts was pressed and ready to wear and Lisa even pre-tied the tie in some 4 hand knot. George, you have a life long customer now even though I wear a suit maybe once a year.
Cafe Press. Custom printed t-shirts without the hassle or expenses. I sell customized t-shirts to those in the classic car community. I take a picture of your car, 15 minutes of work in Photoshop and 2 weeks later the t-shirts are delivered to your mailbox. I’ve done about 100 now and have had no returns and the only complaint was for the delivery being a day early.
Harbor Frieght Tools. Decent prices, free shipping and they have exchanged stuff I bought from them 20 years ago.
and don’t forget direct satellite TV at every seat – a much needed feature when flying a 5- hour cross-country flight. Just the fact that they have non-stop cross-country flights deserves props.
and I have to mention googlegear.com – often the cheapest prices and free 2nd day delivery. can’t been that.
Another vote for Southwest Airlines here. I’ve been a fan for several years. Once I wrote a letter to their founder, Herb Kelleher. I got a response that was clearly not a form letter. Way cool. Never been late on one of their flights either, often early.
I like Saturn too.
Seconds to Amazon and Nordstrom.
Must respectfully disagree on Sodexho. They do the food where I work too, and I drive a couple of miles instead of eating at there. They serve chicken that is pink in the middle (can you spell “salmonella?”), as well as canned soda that is past its expiration date. So I don’t trust the rest of it knowing how dangerous what I can see is. When I stopped eating there a number of annoying digestive disorders went away.
Nordstrom is where I go first for clothes. You can get actual service! And free alterations for women’s clothes. If they don’t have the size you need, they search all over creation and find it for you. Awesome.
I love Priceline.com, at least for the hotel rooms. Rarely have I been disappointed in my selections and usually I save a ton over what the room would cost.
Honda is great. I don't know if I will ever buy another American car.
Krispy Kreme......it is so bad for you, but those are the best fresh donuts money can buy.
This is a local chain only, I believe, but Q-Doba Mexican food is the best. Huge buritos for about $5 that leave you stuffed. And very tasty.Both Krispy Kreme and Q’doba are in Colorado too. But IMHO, KK doesn’t even approach Lamarr’s donuts.
Where KK’s are like eating puffy sugar, Lamarr’s are warm pudding with a slight crunchy exterior.
I’ll agree with the Waffle House voters. But also agree that it might fall under the Denny’s rule. For the Waffle House on US 64 in Knightdale, NC has the best coffee I’ve ever had (apart from what I got at the Grove Park Inn one day, which I paid 4 times as much for). And the Texas Cheesesteak & Egg sandwich is just a little slice of heaven. Yummy.
But the Waffle House 8 miles west of it on 64 is so scary-looking I’ve never set foot in it. And the Waffle House near NC State campus makes Callahan’s Crosstime Saloon look like, well, Dennys. And the Waffle House on Hwy 1 N has a history of shootings…
So that’s one gold mine out of 4 within my everyday sphere.
I’ll second CiCi’s Pizza, which is the only place we can eat out at while I’m sans job. Especially since they came out with 99¢ coupons: “Buy one buffet at the regular price of $3.99 and get a second buffet for 99¢!”
So my wife & I get all-you-can-eat for $5. And the cub eats for free. You can’t make food at home that cheap.
And this ain’t cardboard pizza, either. It’s nearly as good as PapaJohn’s, plus there’s a salad bar with nary a speck of brown lettuce ever, and tasty desserts (they made “CHOCKA!” one of my daughter’s favorite words).
I will further agree on Men’s Wearhouse. Few years ago I got a sudden job interview. I put on my old suit: “Oh, my God, I’ve got a gut now, my suit doesn’t fit, my interview’s TOMORROW, WHATAMIGONNADOOO?!?”
So we drove over to Men’s Wearhouse, and a very nice young lady (more than a little attractive, too) figured out my measurements (since I weren’t the same size anymore sigh), and fitted me for a very nice suit and shirt to match one of the ties I’d brought with me. They had it hemmed about an hour-and-a-half later. Suit and personalized, friendly service for less than $200. Plus I got the job, PLUS my wife so liked how good I looked in the suit that she enthusiastically showed her approval in a somewhat ironical way. 
Yep, George has me as a customer-for-life, too.
I can do one better than that. We have a pediatric practice here that does housecalls. I’m not in that practice (I love my family doctor) but if we had to switch, it would be to them.
I’ll stick up for Disney.
My family & I were on the out to sea on the ‘Magic’ (Disney Cruise Line) when Sept 11th happened. The captain high-tailed it to US waters ASAP and we were off-loaded the 12th. In Florida. With no reservations anywhere. And every last rental car gone with people driving home. Basically, we would have been screwed if Disney hadn’t stepped up.
They put us up in a hotel that was attached to the park (I could walk into EPCOT between France & England, my two favorite places in EPCOT ) and they said that we could stay there, at their expense, until we could be re-booked on a flight north. Every day we got 3 new one-day passes to the park delivered to the room, so we always had something to do.
By the following Saturday, the planes were flying again and Disney booked us on a flight back North…but I’ll never forget how they stood by my family just because we booked through them.
Forgot to mention Serengetti, the sunglass maker. I sent a pair of ten year old glasses to them to replace a broken earpiece. They sent me new glasses, no charge. I’ve talked to other people that have had the same experience.
Whole Foods. Excellent produce? Check. Amazing butcher department? Check. Outstanding selection of high-quality cheese? Check. Tasty baked goods? Check. I’ll put up with a bit of a foofy new age vibe for all the good that comes with it.
Top Pot Doughnuts. Seattle-only – sorry, everyone! I’m partial to the cinnamon crullers and old-fashioned, but they’re all good. Sinfully rich. They make Krispy Kreme seem a step away from Pillsbury.
Scarecrow Video and Rain City Video. Seattle stores, again. Scarecrow, especially, has one of the most impressive rental selections on the planet. I keep hearing good things, but with these two stores in driving distance, I’ve got no motivation to try Netflix out.
We must have a Sodexho anomaly here. Just check out this scrumptious menu from today:
Thursday
Spaghetti & Meat Sauce
Fried Clam Strips
Fried Squash
Chuckwagon blend
Broccoli & cheese
Butter Beans
Pizza Wrap
Philly Steak & Cheese
Just in case you were wondering, I had the spaghetti
Bruce, we get a similar nice-SOUNDING menu where I work, but the actual food itself ranges from poor to vile. I think that what they are doing is sending the dregs from the tables of the better places to us. Both food and preparers of it.
But this was supposed to be about companies that are good. Hmmm. When I bought my last Dell, the ordering and shipping info was pretty screwed up, but they did honor the warranty with no hassle when the floppy drive went bad. Guy came to my house, I showed him the machine and went into the kitchen to put water on to boil. Came back and he was done.
I said it before, but for service the best I’ve experiences is Nordstrom’s.
Many years ago I flew on Virgin Atlantic airline, and it was very good service, and a fantastic price. Are they still that good, or have they lapsed into mediocrity over the years?
You can not be serious! CiCi’s tastes like microwaved frozen pizza! It tastes like something you’d buy in a gas station. Yuck.
I have to second whoever said Chipotle. I was stunned to hear McDonald’s owns the company, but I’d be perfectly happy if they proliferated like Mickey D’s. My version of heaven would include their chicken and black bean burritos.
BookPeople, a huge independent bookstore here in Austin. Great magazine selection, really cool bargain books, great selection, and tons of cool stuff ranging from greeting cards to salt and pepper shakers.
My brand loyalty is seriously anemic. I probably couldn’t easily summon up from memory what shampoo I have in the shower right now.
That being said, I’ve come to appreciate Southwest Airlines after having tried some other regional carriers. Holiday Inn and Embassy Suites are generally OK.
While you can always find somebody who’s had a bad experience with a high volume outfit, I’ve had pretty decent luck with the nine Gateway computers I’ve had over the years (although this one is about to die).
I’ve been wearing Bass Weejuns for several decades, so apparently I perceive them as OK, as well.
And I’ll probably continue to drive BMWs - I’m on my third, and I like 'em.
Most of the rest seems interchangeable, unless we get into the outfits I loathe - but that’s another thread.
Oh, heck - I can eat Domino’s pizza until the cows come home.
Another vote for Gardener’s Supply Company here. A few months ago, Mr. Ruby bought me something for Christmas. He told the sales gal over the phone that it was supposed to be a surprise and that if I called them to order anything, they were to not say anything to me. Several months later (after Christmas), I called them to place an order. The gal brought up our account and said, “Hello Mrs. Ruby. How did you like the gift.”
It was almost like I wasn’t a faceless, nameless, number on the other end of the phone. :eek:
They rock!