I have one near me, and it is very literally a real (former) warehouse. I don’t know if they do it for all of them, but I’ve been to two, and they were both legitimate warehouses. It’s incredibly bizarre.
Then again, they were in Pittsburgh and Cincinnati, so that just might have had something to do with it.
Never eaten at…#25 Cracker Barrel - walked into one, got nauseated from the smell and turned around.
Never seen OR heard of…#39, Church’s Chicken.
Never heard of…#58, Zaxby’s
Everyone who said Panera…whaaaaaat? My hometown of 25K people with little money and even less education now has one. And everywhere I’ve been (all over the US, save for the South just once or twice) seems to have them, mostly nicer strip malls and suburbs. I am genuinely surprised.
#1 and #2 - Papa John’s, # 26. I don’t think there are any around here, or any place I’ve lived. I’m sorry to say I’ve eaten in the 25 places ahead of this at least once.
3 - Golden Corral Buffet & Grill. Is this barbecue or Chinese?
Oops, responded after only reading the OP. The lowest I’ve heard of is Big Apple Bagels (#397). There is one within walking distance of my house, and my daughter met her husband there, since a relative of a friend of hers was manager.
Lowest number that I’ve heard of: Ground Round Grill and Bar (360). It’s also the lowest number I’ve actually eaten at. I actually held my high school graduation party there. (My folks and two friends. Not a big shindig.) I really loved the place, and miss it terribly. There aren’t any around my Chicago area now, as far as I can tell. And the numbers on that chart are still tumbling. Ah, memories…
Never eaten at: #14 Arby’s, to my knowledge. I’ve never heard anything positive about them. I for sure have never eaten at #15, Jack in the Box.
Never seen: #33 Carl’s Jr. Strange that I never noticed one on a my trip to California. On the off-chance that I did and don’t remember, I’ve definitely never seen, of heard of, #38 Buffalo Wild Wings.
Extra: Out of the highest numbered (391-400) I have eaten at #392 Crisper’s (it was catered) and there’s a #399 Maggie Moo’s a couple miles away, but there’s a Coldstone Creamery that’s closer and I’d much rather go there.
1. What is the highest ranking chain that you’ve never eaten at (or otherwise visited)?#22 - Panera Bread 2. What is the highest ranking chain you’ve never seen in person (but may have heard of)?#47 - Longhorn Steakhouse 3. What is the highest ranking chain you never even heard of?#58 - Zaxby’s
I can’t guarantee I’ve never eaten at a Panera Bread (#22) but I can’t recall ever having done so, and it’s not my sort of joint. I am more certain I’ve never had Golden Corral (#33) or Buffalo Wild Wings (#38).
Chik-Fil-A is my JAM, yo. I would eat it morning, noon, and night.
1&2. Panera Bread. They’re doing pretty well for a place so many of us never heard of.
3. Bob Evans, I think, but someone may have mentioned it here. So that means “P.F. Chang’s China Bistro” wins out.
I also want to add a few more
4. (Have seen, but never visited): Cici’s Pizza.
5. (Lowest I’ve visited): Pizza Pro. Although I like Pizza Hut, this is much, much better. And you can get ready made full pizzas for $5 at the drive-thru.
6. (top place I want to visit) Church’s Chicken, thanks to you Dopers.
Oops. Missed lowest I’ve heard of, and forgot to put in numbers. I’ll just redo. Changes besides numbers are in italics.
#22 Panera Bread. They’re doing pretty well for a place so many of us * have never visited.
(excluding PB, as it seems to be an outlier) #35 Cheesecake factory*
#44 Bob Evans, I think, but someone may have mentioned it here. So that means #46 P.F. Chang’s China Bistro wins out.
I also want to add a few more
4. (Have seen, but never visited): #70 Cici’s Pizza.
5. (Lowest I’ve visited): #317 Pizza Pro. Although I like Pizza Hut, this is much, much better. And you can get ready made full pizzas for $5 at the drive-thru. 6. (Lowest I’ve heard of) #389 Simple Simon Pizza.
7. (top place I want to visit) #39 Church’s Chicken, thanks to you Dopers.
Man, I just made myself hungry! (For pizza, apparently)
I’m fairly certain I’ve never actually eaten at #11, Applebee’s, though I’ve seen plenty of them.
I’ve never seen a Church’s Chicken, #39. (Actually, it’s conceivable I may have, but I don’t remember it.) I’m not 100% certain I’ve ever even heard of them.
Zaxby’s, at #58, is the first one I’ve definitely never heard of.
Trivia: My dad’s been to the original Bob Evans a few times. It’s apparently right there on the Bob Evans farm, in (Wiki tells me) Rio Grande, Ohio.
Further trivia: I once failed to get a manager position at a Bob Evans, shortly after getting out of undergrad. Looking back, I think I’m ok with that.
I’ve never eaten at Burger King (#3). I’ve had food from MacDonald’s exactly once, and it was take-out. I don’t like most chain restaurants - the food is usually awful, and they contribute to the homogenization of the culture.