Favorite Meal at a sit -down chain restaurant

Cafe Society
1

I was inspired by a trip to my favorite: Max & Erma’s tonight. I see a lot of threads about favorite fast food meals lately so thought I’d ask about places like BW3’s T.G.I. Friday’s, Ruby Tuesday, Applebee’s’ and Olive Garden.
At Max & Erma’s I always get a Garbage Burger, (bacon, cheddar, Swiss, American, mozzarella, caramelized onions, sauteed mushrooms, guacamole & marinara. I get it sans bacon) some of their tortilla soup, peach iced tea to drink, and for dessert, some of the awesomest White chocolate cookies ever.

So what is your favorite meal/menu item at your favorite chain?

2

Applebees’ chicken taco using egg roll wrappers

3

@ Red Robin

The Royal Red Robin burger (the one with the fried egg and bacon on it I wish they’d put a fish stick on it! So I could gloat)

@ Katz’s

The Reuben and the fried pickles (as appetizer)

@Willie’s Icehouse

The Black and Bleu burger with fried pickles and peppers (also as appetizers)
This is why I try to cook at home as much as possible. (Or go for something like Thai or Indian.) I make the WORST choices when we go out!

4

At Applebee’s I guess it is the 1/2 price veggie pizza or chicken wings at “Special Happy Hour prices” (after 10). Both if you are splitting/sharing them with somebody. That is, if they still have them… haven’t been to one in quite a while. (Along with two for the price of one Yuengling drafts.)

5

Lubys - chicken fried steak, white gravy broccoli with cheese sauce, cornbread.

Cracker Barrel - ham, mashed potatoes green beans and cornbread

Colton’s - Ribeye, medium with French Fries, salad with tomato dressing (French)

6

I’ve tried Applebee’s steak several times and always got a tough one that cost me more than it was worth. A shame, because their outside, car pickup service is very convenient for takeout. But, the steak is just too tough and its not worth the price. I rather go to Colton’s.

I haven’t been to TGIF in twenty years. Mainly because the current location (its in NLR) is too far from my house . Even the one twenty years was way downtown and it just wasn’t worth fighting the traffic. The downtown location closed at least fifteen years ago.

7

Living in a city means I don’t hit the chains all that often, but there’s a few that I’ll bang out when we’re heading to the burbs for a errand.

Olive Garden - Tour of Italy
A little fettuccine alfredo, a little chicken parm and a little lasagna. Wins all around.

T.G.I.Fridays - Jack Daniels Ribs
I like ribs. There’s a damn good chance they are getting ordered if they are on a menu.

Red Robin - Teriyaki Burger
I think that’s what it’s called, the one with teriyaki and pineapple. Makes me feel all devil-may-care.

8

Me too, except for me, it is the Country Ham, Navy beans, Turnip Greens, and cornbread. That’s very West Virginian to me.

9

Waffle House. Four egg whites, scrambled well. Toast, dry. Double order bacon (crispy.) And hash browns! omg hash browns. The best ever. I wash all this stuff down with lots of coffee, because I usually only end up there when I’m drunk.

10

Grand slam, pecan, bacon, smothered, over easy, raisin. Diet coke.

11

Applebutter for the raisin.

12

Ooops, sorry, it’s the Allstar breakfast, not Grandslam, evidently confusing Denny’s and Wafflehouse terminology, although I haven’t been to a Denny’s since the 90’s.

13

Chili’s - I get a bowl of chili and the southwestern eggrolls (the chili is okay, the chicken taquitos made with spring wrappers are pretty good).

Ruby Tuesdays - I hadn’t been in one in 6 or 7 years, but they still had my favorite dish: a white bean chicken chili soup. I’ve tried over the years to duplicate this at home and have failed. Probably put in too many green chilis now that I think about it. Too vegetal.

I don’t tend to eat burgers at these places because I like fairly plain burgers and none of them seem to be able to make an edible hamburger without piling a load of of other stuff on it. (This is especially disturbing at Red Robin since burgers are supposed to be their specialty.)

14

I like the Venetian Apricot Chicken at Olive Garden - diet friendly and delicious.

15

Charmstr, the plain burger at Red Robin is the “Natural Burger.” It’s not on the menu, but they’ll make it for you if you ask. I usually get that without the bun and with fresh fruit or vegetables. It makes an otherwise 2000-calorie meal much friendlier.

My favorite Cracker Barrel meal is the baked haddock with carrots, green beans, and turnip greens. Light and delicious.

And my favorite Applebee’s meal is any of the steak dinners on their 550-or-less calorie menu. Same deal as Red Robin: A 2000-calorie meal reduced to 500.

16

Cracker Barrel: Chicken and Dumplings, turnip greens, fried apples, biscuit.

Pei Wei: Orange Peel Chicken with brown rice, hot and sour soup

17

Macaroni Grill for the Penne Rustica.

BJ’s does a decent Jambalaya.

18

I’m all over the turkey burger at Red Robin. For some reason, it just hits all the right notes for me. A little spicy, a little savory, and it’s a turkey burger so I like to feel like I’ve shaved off some calories there. (I probably haven’t, but I *feel *like I have.)

I haven’t been to Applebee’s enough lately to have a “standard.” We used to go more frequently, back in earlier days, and then I’d usually order their tequila lime chicken. I think they still have it, but it’s a million calories and I’m older now (read: not a calorie burning powerhouse) so I usually don’t indulge anymore.

19

I almost always order the Seaside Shrimp Trio at Red Lobster.

20

Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse [and yes it is a chain]
<no drink or wine, I don’t tend to drink anything as I tend to be the driver]
Tempura onion rings
Wagyu NY strip, very rare
Lettuce wedge salad, hold the blue cheese crumbles, vinaigrette
Shoestring potatoes
Fresh Asparagus, hold the hollandaise, add squeeze of lemon juice
no real dessert, but coffee and a small cognac to split with husband
[it tends to be our usual anniversary dinner]

And the fun is Itend to only be able to eat half, so I get it again at home the next day for dinner too =) - I slice the steak very thin and make it into a steakhouse salad with any veggie leftovers reheated on the side.