# Ever eat in a chain restaurant and think it was unique? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 16, 2008, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-eat-in-a-chain-restaurant-and-think-it-was-unique/468209 "2008-10-16T15:11:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![The\_Shroud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/439d5e/32.png) [@The\_Shroud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Shroud)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2008, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-eat-in-a-chain-restaurant-and-think-it-was-unique/468209/81 "2008-10-17T17:54:10Z")
When I was a teenager I ate at McCormick & Schmick’s in Seattle, and didn’t realize it was a chain until I walked past the one on Rodeo Drive a few years later. ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2008, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-eat-in-a-chain-restaurant-and-think-it-was-unique/468209/82 "2008-10-17T19:00:56Z")
> [@Bayard](#): > > I’ll be damned. I’ve been wanting to go to the one in Cincinnati, thinking it was the only one. The local entertainmant paper said it was great, and I thought it was a local place. I wanted to make sure we went there before we moved away. Guess there’s no rush now. Go to the one in Cincinnati (Montgomery, right?) I’ve been to the one down here, on Treasure Island, I think, and it kind of sucks by comparison. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2008, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-eat-in-a-chain-restaurant-and-think-it-was-unique/468209/83 "2008-10-17T19:05:55Z")
> [@Beadalin](#): > > The Old Spaghetti Factory. I grew up in the Seattle area, and they were located in a funky old building on the waterfront, so I had assumed it was a unique place. > > Until I moved to Minneapolis. Yes, they are almost always in a _funky old building_, which explains the _funky old food._😛 ---
**Author:** ![Lisa-go-Blind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Lisa-go-Blind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lisa-go-Blind)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2008, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-eat-in-a-chain-restaurant-and-think-it-was-unique/468209/84 "2008-10-17T20:44:38Z")
> [@Beadalin](#): > > The Old Spaghetti Factory. I grew up in the Seattle area, and they were located in a funky old building on the waterfront, so I had assumed it was a unique place. > > Until I moved to Minneapolis. This was mine too. I went to one on a visit to Austin a few years before I moved here. I don’t remember when I realized it was a chain, but I think I may have seen one later somewhere like Houston or Dallas. I didn’t know until this post that it was even a bigger chain than I thought. ---
**Author:** ![Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hazle_Weatherfield)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2008, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-eat-in-a-chain-restaurant-and-think-it-was-unique/468209/85 "2008-10-17T21:42:19Z")
The one in St. Louis, on the Landing is quite lovely! ---
**Author:** ![Lisa-go-Blind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Lisa-go-Blind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lisa-go-Blind)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2008, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-eat-in-a-chain-restaurant-and-think-it-was-unique/468209/86 "2008-10-17T22:04:47Z")
> [@Lisa-go-Blind](#): > > This was mine too. I went to one on a visit to Austin a few years before I moved here. I don’t remember when I realized it was a chain, but I think I may have seen one later somewhere like Houston or Dallas. I didn’t know until this post that it was even a bigger chain than I thought. :smack: I just did a search and discovered that I actually went to **Spaghetti Warehouse** , not The Old Spaghetti Factory. Apparently, I’m not the only person who has [trouble distinguishing](http://ask.metafilter.com/91171/Its-like-The-Old-Spaghetti-Factory-with-a-goatee) between the two. It’s a chain, either way. ---
**Author:** ![Duke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e8c25b/32.png) [@Duke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2008, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-eat-in-a-chain-restaurant-and-think-it-was-unique/468209/87 "2008-10-18T00:30:58Z")
When I first visited London in 1990 I ate in a restaurant called [Nando’s Chicken Land](http://www.nandos.co.uk/) and I thought it was a one-off. 'Course, at the time it was the only one in the UK, and possibly the only Nando’s outside of Africa, so it wasn’t a difficult mistake to make. ---
**Author:** ![LH75](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lh75/32/4438_2.png) [@LH75](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LH75)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2008, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-eat-in-a-chain-restaurant-and-think-it-was-unique/468209/88 "2008-10-18T00:46:06Z")
There used to be a bar not far from my house that had a small kitchen that served pizza. A few years later, there were a couple of locations locally, serving this same pizza. A few years later, there were a thousand or so locations. The national headquarters of Godfather’s Pizza is just a few blocks from here. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2008, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-eat-in-a-chain-restaurant-and-think-it-was-unique/468209/89 "2008-10-18T15:11:18Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > I ate at **Pizzeria Due** back when it was the only branch of the original **pizzeria Uno**. It’s across the street. Shortly after I ate there, they opened the first franchise in Boston. > > I ate at **Regina’s** in Boston’s North End before it became a (fairly local) chain. > I also went to the original **Steve’s Ice Cream** in Somerville, MA before they became a chain that stretched across the country (there was one outside the University of Utah when I was there). Then it shrank back to nothing – the orighinal Steve’s isn’t there anymore. > In fact, I can’t think of any place that I thought was a single restaurant, but was actually a chain. But i HAVE eaten in single restaurants that _became_ chains. We must be following each other! Pizzeria Due, in Chicago, before Uno’s was everywhere-- check! Steve’s Ice Cream, before it was a chain – check Regina’s (excellent pizza), same time period-- check! My contribution to the thread-- Johnny Rocket’s, 50s themed pseudo diner. We had just moved to Del Mar, CA thought it was unique. No so much! ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2008, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-eat-in-a-chain-restaurant-and-think-it-was-unique/468209/90 "2008-10-18T18:00:05Z")
> [@IvoryTowerDenizen](#): > > My contribution to the thread-- Johnny Rocket’s, 50s themed pseudo diner. We had just moved to Del Mar, CA thought it was unique. No so much! Funny thing is there’s an Irish Johnny Rocket’s rip off called Eddie Rockets that is fast expanding. It has all the same décor but the food is ten times better and ten times more expensive. ---
**Author:** ![Leiko](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Leiko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leiko)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2008, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-eat-in-a-chain-restaurant-and-think-it-was-unique/468209/91 "2008-10-18T21:35:37Z")
I didn’t eat there, but at first, when my friends talked about Carino’s, I thought it was unique to Missoula. Then I actually saw it, and instantly knew it was a chain. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2008, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-eat-in-a-chain-restaurant-and-think-it-was-unique/468209/92 "2008-10-18T21:48:38Z")
When we visit the US, we are always taking a crapshoot on the eateries we go to - sometimes we think we’re in the local flavour place, and it isn’t (we find out later, as we see more of them). In all fairness, though, we don’t have many chains here that are ubiquitous in the US beyond McDonald’s and Burger King. The last one that we thought was really cool was a restaurant with a science fiction theme; we really liked that place, chain or not. Hell, for all I know, every restaurant we’ve gone to in the US has been a chain. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Harriet\_the\_Spry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e56c9b/32.png) [@Harriet\_the\_Spry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harriet_the_Spry)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2008, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-eat-in-a-chain-restaurant-and-think-it-was-unique/468209/93 "2008-10-18T21:58:19Z")
This thread has been kind of eye-opening for me with respect to how, to a great extent, the restaurant business seems to be about seeing opportunities at a level beyond the individual restaurant level. It reminds me of economics problems where differences in economies of scale determine how many firms will enter an industry. [/nerdy tangent] ---
**Author:** ![MandaJo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac91a4/32.png) [@MandaJo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MandaJo)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2008, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-eat-in-a-chain-restaurant-and-think-it-was-unique/468209/94 "2008-10-18T22:11:38Z")
> [@Mtgman](#): > > Also, [Blue Mesa Grill](http://www.bluemesagrill.com/) is another Dallas-spawned chain which is up to five stores celebrating their 20th anniversary. They have a wonderful take on southwestern style Mexican food. Very different from the Tex-Mex which most people think of when they think Mexican food. Sweet Potato chips forever! > > Enjoy, > Steven Interesting. I didn’t realize Blue Mesa was so small: I assumed it was a big chain. It is really awesome. Do you know Celebrity bakery? The same folks that bought La Madeline bought it, so we may see those spreading out. I used to teach the son of the people that started it. It’s popular with the people I work with, though I think it’s sorta so so. ---
**Author:** ![SanibelMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@SanibelMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanibelMan)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2008, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-eat-in-a-chain-restaurant-and-think-it-was-unique/468209/95 "2008-10-18T22:25:53Z")
Yet another poster who thought there was only one Le Peep. (Specifically, the one on Quivira about 5 minutes from my house.) My wife remembers eating there as a kid, but we haven’t tried it since we moved here. Apparently, they’ve done an excellent job of random expansion where no one would ever see two of them. ---
**Author:** ![Cyberhwk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7993a0/32.png) [@Cyberhwk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cyberhwk)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2008, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-eat-in-a-chain-restaurant-and-think-it-was-unique/468209/96 "2008-10-19T03:38:55Z")
> [@Justin\_Bailey](#): > > There’s a sandwich/wrap shop nearby called Camille’s Sidewalk Cafe. I thought it was local (because it seemed local), but apparently they have locations in 27 states. Ooooooo…do they still have the **Mexican Daredevil Wrap**? Our’s closed down. ---
**Author:** ![JpnDude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/838e76/32.png) [@JpnDude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JpnDude)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2008, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-eat-in-a-chain-restaurant-and-think-it-was-unique/468209/97 "2008-10-19T03:50:31Z")
About 15 years ago, I went to visit a Japanese friend living in a Tokyo suburb. He took me to a rotisserie chicken restaurant that he said “seemed American.” It turned out to be a “Kenny Rogers Roasters” franchise. At the time, I obviously knew who Kenny Rogers was, but had no idea he had a chain of restaurants. Afterward, I found out that they had quite a few places in the US and Asia. PS: It was a great meal and a decent price. Ended up visiting there often, then one day a couple years later I found out it had closed down. ---
**Author:** ![LavenderBlue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e95f7d/32.png) [@LavenderBlue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LavenderBlue)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2008, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-eat-in-a-chain-restaurant-and-think-it-was-unique/468209/98 "2008-10-19T19:14:30Z")
We also ate in a [Qdoba’s](http://www.qdoba.com/) a few years ago. I didn’t realize it was chain until I checked online. Very good food though. They don’t stint on the spice. I’ve happily eaten there several additional times since. ---
**Author:** ![whitetho](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whitetho/32/1059_2.png) [@whitetho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whitetho)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2008, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-eat-in-a-chain-restaurant-and-think-it-was-unique/468209/99 "2008-10-19T22:01:53Z")
About 30 years ago, a new pizza place opened in Charlottesville, Virginia which heavily advertised its 30-minute delivery policy. It was a Dominos – I had no idea it was part of a large chain. ---
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2008, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-eat-in-a-chain-restaurant-and-think-it-was-unique/468209/100 "2008-10-19T22:24:01Z")
I also never suspected that Le Peep was a chain when I ate at one. I was completely unimpressed. It’s the kind of place that might as well have a sign on the door saying “Nobody under 65 years old allowed.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-eat-in-a-chain-restaurant-and-think-it-was-unique/468209.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-eat-in-a-chain-restaurant-and-think-it-was-unique/468209.md?page=6)