# What's the Worst Thing You Ever Ate at a Restaurant? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** food-cooking\ **Created:** [November 3, 2022, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-worst-thing-you-ever-ate-at-a-restaurant/974287 "2022-11-03T13:23:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 16
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2022, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-worst-thing-you-ever-ate-at-a-restaurant/974287/302 "2022-11-17T19:42:47Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > The McRib has had more Farewell Tours than the Rolling Stones. I just pissed myself laughing at this! 🤣 Not sure why, exactly, but it just strikes me as hilarious. I’ve never had a McRib, by the way. ---
**Author:** ![BippityBoppityBoo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bippityboppityboo/32/5745_2.png) [@BippityBoppityBoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BippityBoppityBoo)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2022, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-worst-thing-you-ever-ate-at-a-restaurant/974287/303 "2022-11-17T20:16:20Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > I’ve never had a McRib, by the way. Let our collected wisdom spare you that tragedy. ---
**Author:** ![SuntanLotion](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suntanlotion/32/16165_2.png) [@SuntanLotion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuntanLotion)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2022, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-worst-thing-you-ever-ate-at-a-restaurant/974287/304 "2022-11-17T20:34:52Z")
I have never had a McRib or a shamrock shake. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2022, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-worst-thing-you-ever-ate-at-a-restaurant/974287/305 "2022-11-17T20:50:54Z")
I can top that! I have never had a McRib, a Shamrock Shake, or a Big Mac. And I worked at McDonald’s for years. ---
**Author:** ![echoreply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/echoreply/32/3641_2.png) [@echoreply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/echoreply)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2022, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-worst-thing-you-ever-ate-at-a-restaurant/974287/306 "2022-11-17T21:04:44Z")
> [@ParallelLines](#): > > especially giving Dickey’s BBQ the stink eye Oh, that place, yeah, easily the worst barbecue I’ve ever had. It’s like a 1980s school cafeteria interpretation of barbecue. The brisket was dry, crumbly, and tasteless. But at least brisket is hard to do well. The pork ribs were burned and tough. Pork ribs are _easy_. I can make passable faux-barbecue pork ribs in my oven that are at least tender and the meat falls off the bone. The sides were at best unmemorable. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2022, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-worst-thing-you-ever-ate-at-a-restaurant/974287/307 "2022-11-17T21:11:47Z")
Guess what chain is the only BBQ joint in my city? 😬 ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2022, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-worst-thing-you-ever-ate-at-a-restaurant/974287/308 "2022-11-17T21:12:52Z")
> [@scabpicker](#): > > Hehehe, I actually like the McRib, but it’s kind of like screwing your ex-whatever. It’s pretty enjoyable while you’re doing it. It’s messy and kind of pleasurable and comfy. But as soon as you get done, you’re filled with ambiguous regret because you have no idea why you did it and what it was you found appealing about it. Here’s a better version: > **[Big AZ® Rack-O-Ribs BBQ Pork Rib Sandwich](https://www.tysonfoodservice.com/products/big-az/handheld/sandwiches/00071421000900)** > > BIG AZ® Rack-O-Ribs BBQ Pork Rib Sandwich delivers big on flavor and size with a massive, tasty rib patty smothered in our classic barbeque sauce and nestled in a soft hoagie roll. This extra large sandwich is individually hand wrapped and ready to... DoorDash’s DashMart carries 'em around here. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2022, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-worst-thing-you-ever-ate-at-a-restaurant/974287/309 "2022-11-17T21:40:43Z")
They’ve pretty much always had a nasty chemical taste to me which is why I’ve avoided them for the past twenty years or so. They taste like something cooked at a cookout where the fire was started with lighter fluid and not allowed to fully burn off. If it tastes even more of that now … shudder. I did love their Ch’King sandwich for the like 5 seconds it was available. ---
**Author:** ![Orville\_mogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/aeb1de/32.png) [@Orville\_mogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orville_mogul)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2022, 10:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-worst-thing-you-ever-ate-at-a-restaurant/974287/310 "2022-11-18T10:03:20Z")
Sarson da saag. It’s a Punjabi speciality and I used to eat it all the time when I lived in Delhi. It is made primarily with mustard greens and eaten with a flatbread made with corn meal. Sublime. I love my bitter greens. > **[Sarson ka Saag](https://www.vegrecipesofindia.com/sarson-ka-saag/)** > > This Sarson ka Saag Recipe is an authentic Punjabi recipe made in winter. Make the comforting sarson da saag and serve with Makki ki Roti. ---
**Author:** ![Orville\_mogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/aeb1de/32.png) [@Orville\_mogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orville_mogul)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2022, 10:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-worst-thing-you-ever-ate-at-a-restaurant/974287/311 "2022-11-18T10:26:24Z")
Andouille/Andouillette is disgusting. The ones I come across in southern France tend to be made, not just from the large intestine, but specifically from the colon. It smells and tastes literally of shit. You are basically eating pig ass. My wife and I refer to them as ‘fecal sausages.’ The only time I had it, I made the mistake of slicing one open, and a bunch of intestines squirted out. It looked and sounded like this: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/MhIaXk36dIA/hqdefault.jpg "Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back - Obi-Wan Sends Luke to the Dagobah System - Han Solo Saves Luke.") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MhIaXk36dIA) ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2022, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-worst-thing-you-ever-ate-at-a-restaurant/974287/312 "2022-11-18T15:57:02Z")
Dickey’s is godawful. Even considering that until _very_ recently, the DFW area has generally been a howling wasteland in terms of barbecue options, Dickey’s has always been the worst of the bunch. I have never understood how they’ve managed to grow and thrive like they have. ---
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2022, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-worst-thing-you-ever-ate-at-a-restaurant/974287/313 "2022-11-18T17:35:35Z")
> [@Orville\_mogul](#): > > Andouille/Andouillette is disgusting. Andouille and Andouillette are two completely different things. Andouille is just an ordinary sausage, and one which is very tasty in Cajun dishes. Andouillette is the thing you described. The similarity in the names is what led to the confusion of a few posters above. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2022, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-worst-thing-you-ever-ate-at-a-restaurant/974287/314 "2022-11-19T05:48:51Z")
Like this Italian restaurant from SNL? [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/993nvsfwvnY/maxresdefault.jpg "Il Cantore Restaurant - SNL") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=993nvsfwvnY) ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2022, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-worst-thing-you-ever-ate-at-a-restaurant/974287/315 "2022-11-19T05:50:59Z")
I loved the old Shamrock Shakes, when McDonald’s shakes were gritty from ice crystals and served in paper cups. I don’t like the new ones quite as much. The one Big Mac I’ve had was memorable because of where it was. I was coming back from a trip to the Boundary Waters, somewhere in Minnesota, and while the food was OK, we all noticed that there was something odd about the decor. I finally realized what it was, and summed it up: “This place looks like a bathroom.” The whole restaurant was done in shades of pink, mauve, and lavender, which even for the early 1990s was peculiar. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2022, 7:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-worst-thing-you-ever-ate-at-a-restaurant/974287/316 "2022-11-19T07:08:21Z")
> [@bump](#): > > Dickey’s is godawful. Even considering that until _very_ recently, the DFW area has generally been a howling wasteland in terms of barbecue options, Dickey’s has always been the worst of the bunch. Eh, the jalapeno cheddar sausage is decent. We don’t have a Dickey’s in this town anymore (I went by there one day in the mood for said sausage and suddenly it was a pho restaurant), but Walmart carries the sausage in their deli case. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2022, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-worst-thing-you-ever-ate-at-a-restaurant/974287/317 "2022-11-20T16:40:02Z")
You’re right- the cheddar jalapeno sausage is pretty good. What I’m frustrated about is that somehow, beyond all reason, _the_ most lackluster of all the lackluster barbecue places in an urban area not known for having good barbecue to begin with, is the ONE that manages to make an empire of itself. Even in the DFW area, Baker’s Ribs is probably the runner up in terms of number of locations, and is so much better than Dickey’s, that it’s not even funny. All I can figure is that it’s one of those pact with Satan things, because they can’t be doing it on the strength of their food, especially not relative to other local (and not really that great either) barbecue joints. ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2022, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-worst-thing-you-ever-ate-at-a-restaurant/974287/318 "2022-11-20T16:50:53Z")
> [@bump](#): > > Dickey’s is godawful. I wonder if this varies a lot by ownership. We have a Dickey’s near us that has some decent BBQ. Even their brisket is moist and falling-apart tender. And I know my BBQ. But I’ve heard a lot of hate for Dickey’s on this board. I mentioned Dickey’s in another thread that was about the best chain restaurants or something similar, and got pretty well ridiculed. So, maybe our local Dickey’s is run by someone who actually knows what they’re doing? ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2022, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-worst-thing-you-ever-ate-at-a-restaurant/974287/319 "2022-11-20T17:00:12Z")
Could be, or it could all be relative. I mean, here in DFW (where Dickey’s is from), the Sonny Bryan’s chain and the Baker’s Ribs chain are both substantially better. Statewide, Rudy’s is far better than all three. And there are better chains in Houston, Austin and San Antonio as well. But I’ve had some ‘barbecue’ in other places (Alabama, Georgia) that makes Dickey’s look stellar. Dickey’s is a franchise outfit, so I’m sure there is some local variation. But in general it’s bland and not smoked enough- kind of like it was cooked in an electric oven. Their sausage is decent, but that’s not a very high bar around here- you can get decent smoked sausage in any grocery store. ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2022, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-worst-thing-you-ever-ate-at-a-restaurant/974287/320 "2022-11-20T17:12:57Z")
> [@bump](#): > > Could be, or it could all be relative. > […] > Dickey’s is a franchise outfit, so I’m sure there is some local variation. But in general it’s bland and not smoked enough- kind of like it was cooked in an electric oven. Their sausage is decent, but that’s not a very high bar around here- you can get decent smoked sausage in any grocery store. Despite being a northerner, I’ve had (and smoked) some pretty good BBQ. The Dickey’s near us serves brisket and pulled pork that’s smoked plenty enough in my opinion. The smell of wood smoke hits you the second you walk in the place. So yeah, I think maybe we lucked out with our local Dickey’s. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2022, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-worst-thing-you-ever-ate-at-a-restaurant/974287/321 "2022-11-20T17:22:11Z")
My guess is that it’s a regional thing; I’m a fan of the Central and East Texas styles of barbecue- both are relatively heavily smoked compared to those of elsewhere, save a KC place or two that I’ve been to. DFW places generally under-smoke their stuff as a rule, with the exception of the Central Texas transplants (Black’s, Lockhart Smokehouse), and newer places trying to emulate that style (Pecan Lodge, Goldee’s, etc…) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-worst-thing-you-ever-ate-at-a-restaurant/974287.md?page=15) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-worst-thing-you-ever-ate-at-a-restaurant/974287.md?page=17)