# Which Chain Restaurant Has The \*Best\* Food? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 5, 2005, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-chain-restaurant-has-the-best-food/297895 "2005-04-05T19:55:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2005, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-chain-restaurant-has-the-best-food/297895/21 "2005-04-05T22:21:49Z")
I’m going to throw my lot to Baja Fresh. Washington DC is a cesspool of bad Mexican food, and it’s the best we can get around here. ---
**Author:** ![Anastasaeon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@Anastasaeon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anastasaeon)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2005, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-chain-restaurant-has-the-best-food/297895/22 "2005-04-05T22:28:27Z")
Almost every chain mentioned in the “worst” food list is on my “good” list. Suffice to say I am not a picky eater 😉 Jack in the Box? Good. Olive Garden? Goood. Denny’s? Gooood. Red Robin? Goooood. Only restaurant I don’t care much for is McDonalds, but every now and then, I like me some McNuggets. I love food. However, I also love things labelled as “food” and served to me in a cardboard box. My younger brother and I once made the startling and mildly disturbing discovery that neither of us liked “home made” food that much - we preferred boxed, frozen, deep fried, limp burger, chain-restaurant foods. _shrug_ I _do_ try to eat as healthy as I can, though, lest you think I’m rotting away somewhere eating Jack in the Box Pannidos by the dozen. I just like the _taste_ of garbage more than I like good, proper foods. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2005, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-chain-restaurant-has-the-best-food/297895/23 "2005-04-05T22:51:43Z")
Fast food: Wendy’s for burgers, KFC for chicken. I’ve never tried Chic-fil-A, but may do so based on the number of compliments here. Let’s pretend we’re a real restaurant: drawing something of a blank here. I doln’t eat at many chain places these days. I used to love the Bob’s Big Boy chain for the burger/salad bar combo, but they’re long gone. There’s a spotless, well-run Denny’s near my office, but I’ve had so many horrible meals at other Denny’s locations that I can’t really give them a nod, not to mention they’ve taken my favorite item, the Patty Melt, off the menu. Seems like TGI Fridays was actually not bad once upon a time but ever since they went into full expansion mode, and after watching _Office Space_ a few times, I can’t hack going back. Oh well, PF Chang’s, then. I guess I’ll check out Macaroni’s, too, since everyone here seems to like them. Add’l Notes: Unlike most of the folks in the other thread, I quite like Jack in the Box and Carl’s Jr/Hardee’s. And, God help me, Boston Market. Go figure. I’m really fairly amused at how seriously pissed off some posters are about people listing the joints they don’t like in that other thread. Try not to take it personally, folks. ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2005, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-chain-restaurant-has-the-best-food/297895/24 "2005-04-05T23:34:17Z")
> [@Corii](#): > > I love Red Robin, but the best chain food ever is Chik-fil-A. I’m very sad they don’t have any out here on the left coast. ☹ It’s a bit far of a drive for you, but I know there’s a Chik-Fil-A buried inside the food court at the Del Amo Fashion Center. ---
**Author:** ![Agent\_Foxtrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc29f/32.png) [@Agent\_Foxtrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agent_Foxtrot)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2005, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-chain-restaurant-has-the-best-food/297895/25 "2005-04-06T00:10:53Z")
I’d have to go with Ruth’s Chris for steak and Quizno’s for sandwiches, though I think Quizno’s is a franchise, not a chain. Adam ---
**Author:** ![Agent\_Foxtrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc29f/32.png) [@Agent\_Foxtrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agent_Foxtrot)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2005, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-chain-restaurant-has-the-best-food/297895/26 "2005-04-06T00:12:08Z")
Oh, and Macaroni Grill for Italian. ---
**Author:** ![Avarie537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/48db29/32.png) [@Avarie537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Avarie537)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2005, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-chain-restaurant-has-the-best-food/297895/27 "2005-04-06T00:36:25Z")
Macaroni Grill is my new favorite. I’m a sucker for Applebee’s smothered grilled chicken. I don’t care enough about steak or seafood to care about those. I’ll eat Taco Bell three times a week without complaint. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2005, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-chain-restaurant-has-the-best-food/297895/28 "2005-04-06T00:47:24Z")
> [@Dignan](#): > > I’m pretty sure I ate at a Red Robin in New Jersey, unless you mean that the only good Red Robins are on the West Coast. I checked the official Red Robin website (I don’t recommend it: it’s one of the most annoying blinky-beepy Flash sites I’ve seen in a while), and they’ve expanded a lot since the last time I was paying attention. They did used to be West Coast only; they started in Seattle, in fact, down by the waterfront. Here, at least, they’re mostly a reliably good chain restaurant. Don’t know about the national presence. Another one to add to the list: I like going to Taco Del Mar, which is definitely a [western outfit](http://www.tacodelmar.com/locations/index.html). The fish tacos are yummy. ---
**Author:** ![Odinoneeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/97f17d/32.png) [@Odinoneeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odinoneeye)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2005, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-chain-restaurant-has-the-best-food/297895/29 "2005-04-06T01:46:13Z")
> [@El\_Kabong](#): > > [snip] And, God help me, Boston Market. Go figure. 😕 You say that like it’s a bad thing. I stopped going to KFC and Churches when Boston Market came out. Didn’t seem to be a point. Great chicken, FRESH side dishes (this is important) and great seasonings. ---
**Author:** ![Kiros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/439d5e/32.png) [@Kiros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kiros)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2005, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-chain-restaurant-has-the-best-food/297895/30 "2005-04-06T01:55:12Z")
The various chain steak houses tend to be pretty good, if a little expensive. I seem to recall Longhorn being the cheapest of them, though I’m not particularly sure of that. For fast food, it’s Chic-fil-a and not even particularly close. I like Wendy’s best of the various burger places, though there is something disgustingly satisfying about Burger King. For breakfast, IHOP isn’t the most amazing thing in the world, but I’ve never had a bad experience there. I don’t really get the people who are crazy for Subway, the bread is pretty good (and it smells SO tantalizing when I walk by the Subway on the way to campus every day) but the deli meats always seem lower quality to me than, like, actual deli meats. Quizno’s is definitely tastier. All of the “American Food” places (Applebees, Ruby’s Friday’s, etc etc etc) are the same to me… something nice to eat at once in a while, probably a little too expensive, but I know what I’m getting into. Add or subtract points from Ruby’s depending if a salad bar is the greatest invention ever, or if it’s insulting to be expected to graze at a “sit-down” restaurant. Incidentally, I _love_ the barbecue sauce at Applebee’s. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2005, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-chain-restaurant-has-the-best-food/297895/31 "2005-04-06T02:12:17Z")
I don’t know which chinese restaurants are chain, but they have better food than any steakhouse, italian, mexican or any other restaurant. El Rodeo is a really good chain restaurant. ---
**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:** [April 6, 2005, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-chain-restaurant-has-the-best-food/297895/32 "2005-04-06T02:49:16Z")
we have two red robin’s here in omaha. being from omaha, i found ruth’s chris food not too bad but priced about triple what a comparable steak dinner would cost at almost anyplace in town. (warren buffet and i frequent he same family owned italian steak house. when in omaha, try the steaks at gorat’s) favorite chain: carraba’s italian. the sirlion marsala is like sin on a plate. i like ruby tuesday’s salad bar/baked potato combo for lunch ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2005, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-chain-restaurant-has-the-best-food/297895/33 "2005-04-06T04:49:14Z")
As chains go, Carrabba’s Italian Grill is very good. WAAAAY better than Olive Garden (I know, faint praise!). ---
**Author:** ![Unregistered\_Bull](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3da27b/32.png) [@Unregistered\_Bull](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unregistered_Bull)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2005, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-chain-restaurant-has-the-best-food/297895/34 "2005-04-06T05:03:10Z")
I like McDonalds for consistancy. Taco Bell and Whataburger come close. Church’s Fried Chicken is good too (especially if they have livers and okra on the menu). Fast food chains are about the only chain restraunts that I eat at frequently enough to opine on. \*formerly Machetero ---
**Author:** ![MidnightRadio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecd19e/32.png) [@MidnightRadio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MidnightRadio)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2005, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-chain-restaurant-has-the-best-food/297895/35 "2005-04-06T05:19:06Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > As chains go, Carrabba’s Italian Grill is very good. WAAAAY better than Olive Garden (I know, faint praise!). Carrabba’s is nice, but it’s basically a Macaroni Grill clone. There wasn’t a single thing on the menu when I went (granted, this was some time ago) that wasn’t on the Macaroni Grill menu, too, though under a different name. As for Macaroni Grill—they _used_ to be really good. I have several friends who worked at the one in Tulsa (I worked there, myself, for about a month) and I used to hang out there a lot. Back then, they made everything from scratch. Now, they get their sauces shipped to them pre-prepared in a can or a bag or something. So, the quality’s gone down, but the prices have gone up. Not good. There used to actually be quite a bit of variance between the Macaroni Grill restaurants, even though the menus were the same. A couple of my friends were developers, meaning they travelled to other cities to open new restaurants, and they said that the same dish might have noticable differences at different restaurants. I guess the owners thought it was best to sacrifice quality for uniformity. Sad. ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2005, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-chain-restaurant-has-the-best-food/297895/36 "2005-04-06T05:44:46Z")
Anyone know what happened to the bad chain food thread? ---
**Author:** ![Absolute](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b2d939/32.png) [@Absolute](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Absolute)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2005, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-chain-restaurant-has-the-best-food/297895/37 "2005-04-06T05:47:34Z")
Sandwiches and bread: **Panera Bread**. No argument, case closed, discussion over. Not too pricy, either. ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2005, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-chain-restaurant-has-the-best-food/297895/38 "2005-04-06T05:48:19Z")
> [@Kiros](#): > > The various chain steak houses tend to be pretty good, if a little expensive. One word: _Sizzlers._ If it wasn’t for the clam chowder (for me) and the Malibu lemon chicken (for my wife), we’d never set foot in there. I have no idea what part of the cow they get their “steaks” from… > [@Wesley Clark](#): > > I don’t know which chinese restaurants are chain, but they have better food than any steakhouse, italian, mexican or any other restaurant. The only Chinese chains I know of are Panda Express (passably decent and low priced), PF Changs (overpriced fool-de-Ammerukins cuisine), and Pick Up Stix (no idea). Oh, and the various “$1 Chinese Food” places, about which the less said the better. Far as I know, most Chinese restaurants are individual “mom and pop” affairs. ---
**Author:** ![Telperien](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/65b543/32.png) [@Telperien](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telperien)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2005, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-chain-restaurant-has-the-best-food/297895/39 "2005-04-06T05:49:25Z")
I vote for Backyard Burger as well. Logan’s Roadhouse is good too. I finally went there a few weeks ago. The Olive Garden here in town isn’t bad, and the closest Popeye’s isn’t anywhere near close enough for my taste. ---
**Author:** ![picker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/picker/32/13969_2.png) [@picker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picker)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2005, 6:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-chain-restaurant-has-the-best-food/297895/40 "2005-04-06T06:53:54Z")
> [@Ravenman](#): > > I’m going to throw my lot to Baja Fresh. **Washington DC is a cesspool of bad Mexican food, and it’s the best we can get around here.** Are you in DC proper? The bext mexican food I’ve ever had on the east coast was a little place called _El Azteca_ in Clarksville, MD, just outside of Columbia. A mid-sized family run operation in a tiny strip mall next to a High’s Dairy Store. They do incredible ‘traditional’ and authentic Pacific Coast/Baja dishes. Best mole I’ve ever had outside of the southwest. And it’s cheap, like a mexican joint should be. For another really good one, try _La Gringada_ on US 1 between College Park and Laurel, MD. \ [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-chain-restaurant-has-the-best-food/297895.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-chain-restaurant-has-the-best-food/297895.md?page=3)