# 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:** 3
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2005, 7:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-chain-restaurant-has-the-best-food/297895/41 "2005-04-06T07:10:38Z")
When I hit the mall food court, I head straight for the **Panda Express**. My next choice would have to be **Arby’s**. Just thinking about those potato cakes is makkkgghh _Homeresque gurgle_. I like both **Burger King** and **Wendy’s** but I think BK gains the win with their breakfast menu. **Chipotle** has gained my favor as of late as well. ---
**Author:** ![DoctorJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctorj/32/2904_2.png) [@DoctorJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DoctorJ)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2005, 10:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-chain-restaurant-has-the-best-food/297895/42 "2005-04-06T10:27:53Z")
> [@](#): > > 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. I pondered in the other thread whether or not this was true for the Olive Garden, since I seem to remember thinking it was pretty good when I first ate there, but it’s more likely that I’ve changed than they have. I think you’re spot-on regarding the Macaroni Grill, though; I ate there several years ago, and then not again until just recently, and the quality seemed much poorer than before. I love Baja Fresh, and Moe’s Southwest Grill is good, too (if a bit annoying). I’ll lose my gourmet card for saying it, but when they’re fresh and properly cooked, McDonald’s french fries kick ass. Easily the best of any of the big national chains. ---
**Author:** ![Miss\_Mapp](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miss_mapp/32/369_2.png) [@Miss\_Mapp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Mapp)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2005, 11:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-chain-restaurant-has-the-best-food/297895/43 "2005-04-06T11:15:36Z")
Fuddrucker’s, for the fresh toppings you can pick out yourself to go on your cheeseburger (and they make pretty good, if very large, burgers), and also for the fact that their milkshakes are actual milkshakes–milk, ice cream, syrup, rather than the gelatinous non-dairy “shakes” you get elsewhere. ---
**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, 11:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-chain-restaurant-has-the-best-food/297895/44 "2005-04-06T11:43:27Z")
> [@DoctorJ](#): > > I’ll lose my gourmet card for saying it, but when they’re fresh and properly cooked, McDonald’s french fries kick ass. Easily the best of any of the big national chains. I loved them, too, until they got all skinny. ---
**Author:** ![Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_It_s_That_Guy)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2005, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-chain-restaurant-has-the-best-food/297895/45 "2005-04-06T12:03:14Z")
> [@Miss Mapp](#): > > Fuddrucker’s, for the fresh toppings you can pick out yourself to go on your cheeseburger (and they make pretty good, if very large, burgers), and also for the fact that their milkshakes are actual milkshakes–milk, ice cream, syrup, rather than the gelatinous non-dairy “shakes” you get elsewhere. Fuddruckers is the best! I love eating there so much, it fills me with happiness just thinking about it. I noted my choices in the “other” Best Chain Restaurants thread: Fuddruckers Cheesecake Factory Smokey Bones Sonny’s Real Pit Barbecue Quizno’s Subs Cajun Grill (usually in mall food courts, occasionally called Kelly’s Cajun Grill or Cajun & Grill… I love their Bourbon Chicken!) Skyline Chili (major guilty pleasure) ---
**Author:** ![Scott\_Plaid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Scott\_Plaid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scott_Plaid)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2005, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-chain-restaurant-has-the-best-food/297895/46 "2005-04-06T12:54:57Z")
> [@Waverly](#): > > Legal Seafood. I’m not sure if it is much of a chain, but we have them in NY and Boston. It can also be found in Baltimore. ---
**Author:** ![badbadrubberpiggy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/57b2e6/32.png) [@badbadrubberpiggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/badbadrubberpiggy)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2005, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-chain-restaurant-has-the-best-food/297895/47 "2005-04-06T13:12:08Z")
> [@even sven](#): > > Anyone know what happened to the bad chain food thread? I can’t access it either. I forget who started it, maybe a sock or something? When I click the OP’s link, it goes the the “you don’t have permission to access this page” page. Anyway - best chains? For fast food, I love Popeye’s chicken. I’ve only had it a few times, at layovers in the Georgia airport (forget the name), but it was soooo much better than KFC or any other fast food chicken, and I’ve had chick-filet! Crunchy outside, juicy inside, and the buiscuts were nummy. For actual “restaurant” I like the Longhorn. They always make my steak the way I like it (medium rare) and have really good margaritas. ---
**Author:** ![yellowval](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/919ad9/32.png) [@yellowval](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yellowval)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2005, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-chain-restaurant-has-the-best-food/297895/48 "2005-04-06T13:50:59Z")
I’ll admit I don’t eat at chains too often. When my husband and I want “fast food,” we generally order from a local joint that feeds both of us for about $8 (with my husband ordering two sides). I can get lunch there for about $2.50. It rocks! My favorite chains are most certainly **KFC, IHOP** (both of which I get to eat at this weekend! Yum!), and **Taco John’s**. If you’ve never been to a **Taco John’s** , you should really try it. It kicks **Taco Bell’s** ass! ---
**Author:** ![fessie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c37758/32.png) [@fessie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fessie)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2005, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-chain-restaurant-has-the-best-food/297895/49 "2005-04-06T14:04:34Z")
Skyline Chili Cousin’s Subs LaRosa’s Pizza Taco John’s ---
**Author:** ![Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_It_s_That_Guy)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2005, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-chain-restaurant-has-the-best-food/297895/50 "2005-04-06T14:35:50Z")
Does anyone remember Taco Viva? There were a few around Miami in the '80s long before Taco Bell became the ubiquitous giant chain it is today. They were mostly in mall food courts, but they had at least one free-standing location. Were there Taco Vivas anywhere else? They were so damn good, and I really miss the chain. By the mid-'90s, they were all gone. ---
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2005, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-chain-restaurant-has-the-best-food/297895/51 "2005-04-06T14:49:16Z")
Some of the regional burger chains are pretty good - **Whataburger** in Texas, **Blake’s Lotaburger** in New Mexico, **Good Times Burgers** in Colorado, and **Back Yard Burgers** in the Southeast and lower Midwest. **Village Inn** , a old-people food chain in the midwest and Rocky Mountain region, has a good breakfast. It’s hard to find decent Mexican food in Upstate New York, but **Mighty Taco** in western NY has GREAT Mexican fast food. Did I say **Pizzeria Uno** already? The international chains that seem to be creeping into the US, like **Jollibee** and **Pollo Campero** get good reviews, but I’ve never been to them. **Nando’s** is an every-English-speaking-country-except-the-US chain that also has a loyal following. ---
**Author:** ![Waverly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/57b2e6/32.png) [@Waverly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Waverly)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2005, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-chain-restaurant-has-the-best-food/297895/52 "2005-04-06T14:55:07Z")
> [@elmwood](#): > > It’s hard to find decent Mexican food in Upstate New York, but **Mighty Taco** in western NY has GREAT Mexican fast food. :dubious: Western NY hosts Ted’s and Tom Wahl’s, and yet you mention Mighty Taco, where drunken pre-teens go to flirt with botulism? ---
**Author:** ![PinkMarabou](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ec9cab/32.png) [@PinkMarabou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PinkMarabou)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2005, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-chain-restaurant-has-the-best-food/297895/53 "2005-04-06T15:01:54Z")
My favorites: Buca di Beppo (far better than Macaroni Grill, IMO ) Red Robin Japanese Steakhouse (might only be columbus though) Favorite fastfood: Skyline Fazoli’s Schlotzky’s ---
**Author:** ![zenith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e19b73/32.png) [@zenith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zenith)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2005, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-chain-restaurant-has-the-best-food/297895/54 "2005-04-06T15:38:09Z")
In the other thread, people ragged on Old Country Buffet, but my wife and I happen to think our local one is good. We’ve never tried them away from the Omaha area. Perkins Restaurants are good in the Omaha area, but when we tried them in Rapid City, they had slow service and lukewarm food. Ditto the slow service in Ames, IA. Olive Garden is O.K., but there are a couple of local places we like a lot better. Subway used to be on my favorites list until they got rid of horseradish. I’ll try Arby’s cold sandwiches next time I don’t feel like making one of my own simply because they still have horseradish. BTW, I love the Arby’s Jamocha shakes. ---
**Author:** ![Mint\_Julep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/bc79bd/32.png) [@Mint\_Julep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mint_Julep)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2005, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-chain-restaurant-has-the-best-food/297895/55 "2005-04-06T17:21:59Z")
\*\*Chick-Fil-A (drools) Taco Bell ( I admit it! I like Taco Bell) Wendy’s \*\* ---
**Author:** ![Honey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honey/32/5074_2.png) [@Honey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Honey)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2005, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-chain-restaurant-has-the-best-food/297895/56 "2005-04-06T17:49:41Z")
I haven’t been to Florida for a while but, there was a chain called Morrison’s Cafeteria. I loved it and always wished we had a Morrison’s up here. Florida dopers can tell me whether or not it they still exist. ---
**Author:** ![Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_It_s_That_Guy)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2005, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-chain-restaurant-has-the-best-food/297895/57 "2005-04-06T17:54:53Z")
> [@Honey](#): > > I haven’t been to Florida for a while but, there was a chain called Morrison’s Cafeteria. I loved it and always wished we had a Morrison’s up here. Florida dopers can tell me whether or not it they still exist. All the Morrison’s Cafeterias were absorbed by another chain, Piccadilly Cafeteria, in the '90s. My family used to like visiting Morrison’s at a mall when my brother and I were kids, because they had a variety of foods. It was mostly “old people food,” but I remember trying the liver and onions just to gross out my parents and brother, and ended up becoming a fan. ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2005, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-chain-restaurant-has-the-best-food/297895/58 "2005-04-06T18:04:48Z")
Seafood: Rockfish. McCormick and Schmick is ok, but they are way too expensive. Steaks: Ruth’s Chris. Taste of Texas in Houston beats them, but it’s not a chain. Mexican: Ninfa’s. And Taco Bell. Yes, I like chihuahua tacos 😃 Fast food in general: Subway and Schlotzky’s. ---
**Author:** ![Honey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honey/32/5074_2.png) [@Honey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Honey)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2005, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-chain-restaurant-has-the-best-food/297895/59 "2005-04-06T18:05:35Z")
> [@Big Bad Voodoo Lou](#): > > All the Morrison’s Cafeterias were absorbed by another chain, Piccadilly Cafeteria, in the '90s. My family used to like visiting Morrison’s at a mall when my brother and I were kids, because they had a variety of foods. It was mostly “old people food,” but I remember trying the liver and onions just to gross out my parents and brother, and ended up becoming a fan. That makes me sad. My favorite was the roast beef. We used to take some of almost everything and end up with a whole table full of food. Ah, the good old days. ---
**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, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-chain-restaurant-has-the-best-food/297895/60 "2005-04-06T18:29:56Z")
> [@Waverly](#): > > :dubious: > Western NY hosts Ted’s and Tom Wahl’s, and yet you mention Mighty Taco, where drunken pre-teens go to flirt with botulism? You guys name your Mexican restaraunts “Ted’s” and “Tom Wahl’s”??? You know, I really want to move to New York, but my diet is 80% Mexican food and I don’t know if I could do without my daily cheap burrito fix. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-chain-restaurant-has-the-best-food/297895.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-chain-restaurant-has-the-best-food/297895.md?page=4)