Top U.S. Chain Restaurants - where HAVEN'T you been?

Cafe Society
21

Never been to: Starbucks #4
Never seen: Chick-Fil-A #17
Never heard of: Buffalo Wild Wings #38

22

  1. #4 Never eaten/consumed anything at Starbucks (I don’t drink coffee), but I have been there with other people who were buying coffee.
    1a. If Starbucks doesn’t count because I have physically been inside, then #16 Olive Garden, I have never been inside one.

  2. #26 Papa John’s - I have never been aware of seeing one, although they are probably all over and I haven’t noticed.

  3. #58 never heard of Zaxby’s, ever. There were some other ones that I have only heard of on the SDMB when people post in threads about best/worst chain restaurants.

23

Thank you Antinor, I read the thread but apparently I missed that. Still, I haven’t heard of it.

24

I hadn’t heard of Red Robin, either, until a patron at one in a nearby city found the tip of a finger in her salad. (And a worker really had injured himself. It wasn’t like the “finger in the chili” at Wendy’s.) Red Robin was pretty much all over the local news then!

  1. #10, Dunkin Donuts
  2. #15, Jack in the Box (which I first heard about because of the E. Coli deaths)
  3. #32, Carl’s Junior

And speaking of restaurant disasters, did Chi-Chi’s fold completely after the hepatitis outbreak? I still see Chi-Chi branded salsa and taco seasoning in the grocery stores.

25

no problem. Happens to all of us at times.

26

  1. What is the highest ranking chain that you’ve never eaten at (or otherwise visited)?

  2. What is the highest ranking chain you’ve never seen in person (but may have heard of)?

  3. What is the highest ranking chain you never even heard of?

*1) Applebees #11. There is one nearby but I have never felt the need to go into it. However, I know I have never ordered anything from a Starbucks #4 but I did have to meet someone for a job interview at one once.

  1. I don’t think I have ever seen a Carl’s Jr. #32

  2. I have never heard of Zaxby’s #64.*

27

  1. #12, Chili’s. Never actually been to one. Have driven past a few.

  2. #39, Church’s Chicken. We don’t have any around here, or apparently in any place I’ve traveled to.

  3. #58, Zaxby’s. No clue whatsoever.

28
  1. Never eaten at Chili’s (#12)
  2. Never seen a Popeye’s (#31)
  3. Never heard of Chipotle Mexican Grill (#36)
29
  1. Highest ranking I’ve never eaten at: #22 Panera Bread
  2. Highest ranking I’ve never seen in person: #25 Cracker Barrel
  3. Highest ranking I’ve never heard of: #39 Church’s Chicken

I’ve never eaten AT a Pizza Hut, but I’m pretty sure I’ve eaten Pizza Hut pizza. There are no Chick-Fil-A or Sonic locations near me, but I have eaten at them while visiting relatives. I was not impressed.

There aren’t any Dunkin Donuts locations within 50 miles of my current home, but I grew up eating their donuts in Oregon. Og, what I’d give for one of their maple bars.

Lowest one I’ve been to: #393 Foster’s Freeze

30
  1. Never eaten at Sonic, #13
  2. Never saw in person (that I recall) a Sonic, #13.
  3. Never heard of Golden Corral, #33.
31

1: Never eaten at Sonic (#13)
2: Never seen Golden Corral Buffet and Grill (#33)
3: Never heard of Golden Corral Buffet and Grill (#33)

32

1: Never eaten at Chick-Fil-A (#17)
2: Never seen Bob Evans (#43)
3: Never heard of Zaxby’s (#68)

As an aside, what’s not in Hawaii? Of the Top 25:

#10 Dunkin Donuts
#11 Applebees
#13 Sonic
#16 Olive Garden
#17 Chick-Fil-A
#19 TGI Fridays
#22 Panera Bread
#25 Cracker Barrel

33

Lowest I’ve heard of:

#384 Roly Poly
Lowest eaten at:

#373 - Red Hot & Blue

34

I’ve lived in too many places - NC, TX, FL, WA and now CA so I’ve seen/eaten at a lot of these places. My ex boyfriend from OH made sure we made a special trip to White Castle during a visit home, which I would normally never have seen/eaten at.

I have never eaten at:
38 Buffalo Wild Wings

Never seen:
57 Carrabba’s Italian Grill

Never heard of:
58 Zaxby’s

Surprised:
399 MaggieMoo’s - there is one near where I live presently. It’s good! Would also recommend 384 Roly Poly, there was one in Dallas I used to go to all the time. Have also heard of 400 The Spaghetti Warehouse, I think I used to drive by one in Dallas all the time.

35

I think I’ve heard of #400 Spaghetti Warehouse, but never have been there. There is a #374 Silver Diner close to where I live, and I’ve been there a dozen times or more. That’s the lowest I’m sure I’ve both heard of and eaten at.

36

#43 - Never even heard of this one, much less eaten there.

37

I live in Atlanta. The only one of the top 25 not in Atlanta is Jack in the Box. I guess that explains why I have to go so far down the list-

never eaten at #32 Carl’s Jr
never seen also #32 Carl’s Jr
never heard of #60 Culver’s Frozen Custard & ButterBurgers

and I’ve eaten at Spaghetti Warehouse (also in Atlanta).

Despite the looks of this post, Atlanta has excellent food too, not just chains.

38

The lowest one I’ve heard of is Pretzel Time.

The lowest one I’ve been to is Grandy’s, though I haven’t been there a damn long time. I should change that, I can’t remember them ever being bad or anything.

39
  1. What is the highest ranking chain that you’ve never eaten at (or otherwise visited)? 13: Sonic
  2. What is the highest ranking chain you’ve never seen in person (but may have heard of)? 13: Sonic
  3. What is the highest ranking chain you never even heard of? 22: Panera Bread

Of the first 50, I’ve also never eaten at 17, Chick-fil-A; 25, Cracker Barrel; 29, Hardee’s (though I’ve been to and like Carl’s Jr.); 38, Buffalo Wild Wings; 41, Whataburger; 43, Texas Roadhouse; 44, Bob Evans; 45, Hooters; 46, P.F. Chang’s; 47, LongHorn Steakhouse; and 50, Perkins Restaurant & Bakery.

40
  1. #13 Sonic. I’ve seen a few, but never stopped in to try it. I hear it’s good, though.
  2. #33 Golden Corral. They have TV ads for it here, but the closest one to my house is at least a 45 minute drive away. Odds are not good that I’ll be eating there any time soon.
  3. #41 Whataburger. What a whosis now?