Restaurant chains you wish would come back

[Wolf359]

Came to post Souplantation. Kids loved it. Fuddruckers was always fun too.

Boston Market, Chevys, Godfathers, sub sammich shops & a few others mentioned are nothing short of terrible. They won't be missed. Gordon Biersch had a location in San Diego, also sub-par for the price.

I'm no where near a food snob, or even critic, but the only chains we eat at aside from fast food....is Costco food court. So many good places that cost no more than the cookie cutter chains

Costco is pretty bland. I don't understand how their pizza is so popular, maybe it's just because it's cheap.

One thing about chains that probably kills them is the quality and consistency. The smaller chains seem to have problems maintaining consistency so the quality varies by the staff and by the day. McDonalds is probably one of the blandest out there, but pretty much their quality is more consistent chain to chain although you do get some pretty bad food occasionally when it sits too long.

 

[1uz_4me]

Costco is pretty bland. I don't understand how their pizza is so popular, maybe it's just because it's cheap.

One thing about chains that probably kills them is the quality and consistency. The smaller chains seem to have problems maintaining consistency so the quality varies by the staff and by the day. McDonalds is probably one of the blandest out there, but pretty much their quality is more consistent chain to chain although you do get some pretty bad food occasionally when it sits too long.

There's just so much good stuff out there. Example, we love In n Out & The Habit & they're always good to us, but they're more of a last resort for a meal. Chains are definitely convenient & I'm sure we all remember a visit to Chili's that was "pretty darn good." Beyond that, I don't see the appeal.

For Costco...I'm pretty boring so if the shoe fits....

 

[Malo83]

Home Town Buffet, all closed up, loved the fried chicken.

 

[Duffyjr]

A&W Drive-In, Rusty's Burgers, Kings Family Restaurant for chains but we had several locally owned that I would love to see come back.

Double K Drive-In - best broasted chicken, hands down the best onion rings I have ever had.
Prengers Steak House - reasonable prices and great steaks, blackened burgers, home made blue cheese dressing, the list could go on.
China Gate - best Chinese food you could get around here.

 

[97prizm]

Ah A&W, when Yum brands (Yuck brands?) Took over they pretty much eliminated the all-natural draft rootbeer, and ANY consistency with the food. A couple years back when they brought out their three new sauces I had a chicken sandwich with sauce on one side only. I took a picture and emailed the regional manager of KFC with Their picture of the sandwich. I was sent a giftcard

 

[y_p_w]

Ah A&W, when Yum brands (Yuck brands?) Took over they pretty much eliminated the all-natural draft rootbeer, and ANY consistency with the food. A couple years back when they brought out their three new sauces I had a chicken sandwich with sauce on one side only. I took a picture and emailed the regional manager of KFC with Their picture of the sandwich. I was sent a giftcard

Yum sold them a decade ago. But there are still a lot of combo KFC/A&W locations. Not sure how that’s licensed, but they did bring back the scratch made root beer with real sugar. I’ve seen that available at one dispenser at their regular fountains but saw one that still uses a beer style tap. I've been to a few where I might order a KFC special but the cup is A&W and I fill it with the root beer. It's way better than the Mug root beer I'd find at a KFC. I have the 100th anniversary root beer mug, but I don't recall how much it cost.

It's interesting checking the reviews though. I see separate reviews for the KFC and A&W portions on Yelp.

 

[Carmudgeon]

 

[53' Stude]

Hoss’s as not too many around me

 

[billt460]

I'll mention one that I wish would go away. El Pollo Loco chicken. I hated the way they would band saw the chicken in half, then over cook it until it was all dried out. And the skin was tough and hard enough to make a wallet out of.

 

[Malo83]

The Pollo Loco in our town opened and closed twice, Starbucks took over the site, to my wife and daughter's delight.

 

[Finklejag]

Black Angus

 

[BigJohn]

Oh man... I loved Baja Fresh. Their blackened fish and shrimp tacos were the best.... and their green sauce, shrimp enchiladas were spectacular! Can't believe all their sites within 500 miles of me went out of business.

Someone mentioned Fuddruckers.... Well, that burger joint is alive and well in San Antonio... where they originated. The original Fuddruckers is fun to visit.

Back in the 70's and 80's in the Pac NW there was a fish place called Skippers. Their fried Cod and Clam Strips were phenomenal. Miss that place HUGE!!!!!

And what an experience it was to have real glass, frosty mugs of A&W Rootbeer brought on the window tray to the auto, by carhops. AWESOME!



........

 

[y_p_w]

Oh man... I loved Baja Fresh. Their blackened fish and shrimp tacos were the best.... and their green sauce, shrimp enchiladas were spectacular! Can't believe all their sites within 500 miles of me went out of business.

There are still some sort of close to me, but the ones I used to visit are all gone. When I was working in Silicon Valley, there was one that was extremely busy in Santa Clara, California, but somehow that went away after several years. There's a Chipotle there now, but it's clearly not the same - especially without a salsa bar. I still don't get how some places close like the one in downtown Berkeley, California. Maybe the location is cursed, but I remember when it was extremely busy at lunch and dinner time. I'd even go there before a Cal game - either that or Quizno's. Both are gone now.

 

[vavavroom]

Oh man... I loved Baja Fresh. Their blackened fish and shrimp tacos were the best.... and their green sauce, shrimp enchiladas were spectacular! Can't believe all their sites within 500 miles of me went out of business.

We have a Baja Fresh in the creepy shopping village in Corte Madera. They used to be good for a not too unhealthy lunch. I have not eaten there in years.

 

[y_p_w]

We have a Baja Fresh in the creepy shopping village in Corte Madera. They used to be good for a not too unhealthy lunch. I have not eaten there in years.

Which one? The Village isn't bad, but I've never actually been to the place on the other side of 101. BTW - I looked it up and I think that location closed. I looked it up and there are only 5 locations left in the Bay Area, and none are in Marin.

Still - there's a classic style A&W (no sharing with KFC) in San Rafael. I wanted to check it out after the Marin County Fair once but it was too late and I was taking forever to get out of the parking lot. But that roof is rather hard to miss.

 

[Malo83]

Carrows.

 

[Bottom_Feeder]

Boston Market is the only chain place I miss just because it was decent and different. You can only eat so much pizza, sandwiches and hamburgers for lunch before you need something that tastes like (or at least is presented like) it's a bit more 'home cooked'.

 

[earlyre]

Anyone for Godfather's Pizza?

we've still got one here... how it stays open i'll never know.... it's NEVER busy.

 

[Vegoose]

Hi all,

A while back I came across an article about a couple of restaurant chains that I hadn't been to in years. Baja Fresh, which used to have the best homemade salsas, and their steak was grilled to order for their burritos. Boston Market used to have a dozen or more Colorado locations on the front range as I loved their meatloaf sandwiches. Now I think there might be two left in the whole state. I never managed to eat at Taco Cabana but remember the goofy commercials on tv. By the time I got a car and could drive they closed their remaining restaurants. With the holidays coming up what are some nostalgic places you remember eating?

Chuy's. There are few left around the west, but none in Vegas anymore. Best breakfast burritos money could buy.

 

[pghvolvo]

I miss Ponderosa with their salad and meal bar. I think there is one left in the middle of no where West Virginia.