I hate chain restaurants.

[Liberty Belle]

Hmm. Not really. I like some chain restaurants and some local restaurants. We really don't eat out that much, so it all is a treat.

 

[bavaria]

I think people also need to look at the area the posters are from before making a determination. The US in general I believe (don't have 1st hand experience as I have not traveled extensively outside the US) has more chain restaurants, fast food, etc. than many other countries. When you look at pictures of London or Paris it is not riddled with Outbacks, Applebees, Olive Gardens and such. I'm not saying they don't have them but they don't seem to be the dominant places. You see cute little cafe's and bistros and other independent type places to eat. From what I have seen of various countries there are limited Uno's and McDonalds and such while in the US you can't drive a block w/o passing several. I have to ask....In Canada where the OP is from, are the chain restaurants abundant or are there more local restaurants? I think if I grew up around one vs. the other I would be inclined to think one way....or the other.

I absolutely refuse to patronize Autobahn reststops with a Burger King. But having said that, I miss Wienerwald and I love Nordsee. In France, I visit the chain Paul almost every day. In India, Cafe Coffee Day is a known entity so I will eat there sometimes if I don't know the neighbourhood.

I don't understand the argument that chains don't have any fresh foods and are somehow better than independents. The salad I just ate wasn't frozen. It may have been made from prepared ingredients, but as already stated many independent restaurants do that as well.

While I like to seek out independent restaurants, my travel schedule is often packed and I don't have much time to research online. As my American colleagues point out, when they work very long days and only have a few minutes to find a place to eat in a strange town, sometimes going to a chain is a safer option that going to the local diner and finding that the food is ill prepared or the place is not clean. Yes, sometimes it is about convenience - shocking isn't it?

And the comment about being adventurous? I travel 300 days a year. I have a very adventurous palate. But sometimes I don't have time, or want comfort food, and eat at a chain restaurant, American or otherwise.

 

[MoniqueU]

I don't like them either. We live in a rather large suburb and that is about all we have and not that many of them either. All the mom and pops without patios went out of business within a few years of the smoking ban taking effect and the number of fast food places about tripled. I have one local pizza and pasta joint I like and one breakfast type placce. The good news lately is instead of hour long waits at the chains we have been getting right in I guess due to the economy. On easter sunday we got to our breakfast place about 10 30 and were expexting the line from hell. No line and the restaurant was half empty. Very strange as on a normal weekend they used to have a line down the sidewalk.

 

[bavaria]

In Canada where the OP is from, are the chain restaurants abundant or are there more local restaurants? I think if I grew up around one vs. the other I would be inclined to think one way....or the other.

It varies. In the specific area where the OP is from, chains were not prevalent until recently. American chains have become more common. But there are many Canadian chains, and many of them are very tasty! White Spot, Milestones, Cactus Club, Earls, Chez Cora, Harvey's, Swiss Chalet are a few which come to mind. (The last two are fast food)

Check out this place http://www.chezcora.com/f/02-au-menu/2-0-caroussel.htm - looks horrible, doesn't it?

 

[Spoodleink]

In Canada where the OP is from, are the chain restaurants abundant or are there more local restaurants? I think if I grew up around one vs. the other I would be inclined to think one way....or the other.

St. Stephen is a very small town on the US/Canadian border. Its been a few years since I was there it was mainly fast food chains and not so much sit down ones. I know from living in St. John ( a small city about an hour from St. Stephen )there were not a lot of chains and the only US chains were fast food. There were some "local" sit down chains but not alot. Things may have changed b/c I have not been to either place in about 4 years.

 

[smkiss02]

I think people also need to look at the area the posters are from before making a determination. The US in general I believe (don't have 1st hand experience as I have not traveled extensively outside the US) has more chain restaurants, fast food, etc. than many other countries. When you look at pictures of London or Paris it is not riddled with Outbacks, Applebees, Olive Gardens and such. I'm not saying they don't have them but they don't seem to be the dominant places. You see cute little cafe's and bistros and other independent type places to eat. From what I have seen of various countries there are limited Uno's and McDonalds and such while in the US you can't drive a block w/o passing several. I have to ask....In Canada where the OP is from, are the chain restaurants abundant or are there more local restaurants? I think if I grew up around one vs. the other I would be inclined to think one way....or the other.

We've got lots of chains around here. McDonalds, Earls, Subway, A&W, Pita Pit, Pizza Hut, Applebees, Swiss Chalet and more within 10 minutes of me. We've got a coffee/donut chain here, Tim Hortons, that's pretty much on every corner, LITERALLY (esp. in the Southern Ontario area).

I don't really eat at many local places. We mostly just go to the chain restaurants, I don't know why, just happen to go there and the food's good. If we like it we eat it, if we don't like it we don't eat it.

 

[Humphrey Bear]

My wife manages a kitchen in a chain restaurant. They have a huge prep list every day because of all the fresh things they use. While they may get things like frozen chicken breasts in a box, they use fresh burger and hand make their patties. They make most sauces and dressings from scratch. All salsa is made fresh daily, not from a can or jar. Mashed potatoes are made fresh not instant. All fried fish is hand battered. Very little is out of a box. They really do care about the product they sell and go out of there way to make sure the product is fresh.

While I also like local places, we have had funny experiences at them to. Like the time we ordered salads with Italian dressing and were amazed when they plopped a bottle of Kraft Italian on the table! When asked about it, they told us it was easier for them because they could just pull the bottles out when people need them. So I don't assume that a local place always means fresh.

 

[npmommie]

My wife manages a kitchen in a chain restaurant. They have a huge prep list every day because of all the fresh things they use. While they may get things like frozen chicken breasts in a box, they use fresh burger and hand make their patties. They make most sauces and dressings from scratch. All salsa is made fresh daily, not from a can or jar. Mashed potatoes are made fresh not instant. All fried fish is hand battered. Very little is out of a box. They really do care about the product they sell and go out of there way to make sure the product is fresh.

Care to name the chain?

 

[manning]

I don't like chain restaurants either. Too much iron in the meals. particularly the links.

 

[Humphrey Bear]

Care to name the chain?

It's a Bakers Square which is a sister restaraunt to Village Inns. They are mostly known for their pies which ARE trucked inn frozen, but the fruit pies are baked in each unit. It is a mid-priced family chain so you may not expect fresh product, but over the last two years they have been moving to fresh products because of the look and taste is better. The sales at their store are way up over last year as a result. I do think that her store may be better than some in the chain because they are one of the top stores in the chain and they have a core group of people that have been there over twenty years. So YMMV with others in the chain.

 

[npmommie]

I don't think we have those here in New England, I have heard of Village Inn though.

 

[mdrob214]

It's a Bakers Square which is a sister restaraunt to Village Inns. They are mostly known for their pies which ARE trucked inn frozen, but the fruit pies are baked in each unit. It is a mid-priced family chain so you may not expect fresh product, but over the last two years they have been moving to fresh products because of the look and taste is better. The sales at their store are way up over last year as a result. I do think that her store may be better than some in the chain because they are one of the top stores in the chain and they have a core group of people that have been there over twenty years. So YMMV with others in the chain.

I loved Baker's Square when we lived in MN! They were the best for a soup/salad lunch.

 

[Cool-Beans]

Once again I have to say 'à chacun son goût'.

They have pills for that now. Colchicine, allopurinol...

 

[Lintasare]

They have pills for that now. Colchicine, allopurinol...

 

[BabyPiglet]

I work at a chain pizza restaurant and surprisingly they do have most of their ingredients fresh. They makes load of pizza dough fresh everyday. They bring in the veggies from a local source and they come in boxes, the employees wash and chop it all. The sauce isn't that fresh I guess. Bags of tomato sauce come in and the mix it with other spices. They have pasta salad which does come in premade though.

Nothing is frozen though...they don't even have a freezer......

 

[SandraVB79]

As a tourist, i like the chain restaurants, because I know what I can or can't expect.

 

[ilisao]

As a tourist, i like the chain restaurants, because I know what I can or can't expect.

And that is the difference between a tourist and a traveler.

 

[Mr. & Mrs. Smith]

Do you think all your local restuarants are running out back to the truck patch and picking their own tomatoes?

I think I have answered this question sufficiently by now. The short answer is no.

For someone who doesn't think there's a need for them you sure sound like you have a lot of experience eating in them.

I didn't say there was no need for them. I'm not proposing we get rid of them. I just said I don't like them. Of course, I've eaten at them. It's often difficult to find restaurants nowadays that don't belong to a chain, unfortunately.

You don't seem to like anything do you?

Pardon?

I personally think that it's pretty easy to avoid chains if you don't like them so I don't see what the fuss is all about.

You obviously don't live where I live. Chain restaurants are taking over.

Check out this place http://www.chezcora.com/f/02-au-menu/2-0-caroussel.htm - looks horrible, doesn't it?

I happen to really enjoy Cora's. They begin prepping at 5 am. I wish there was one nearby.

And that is the difference between a tourist and a traveler.

Exactly.

And as for the PP that said I've never been inside a commercial kitchen: Perhaps I should mention, my DH is a chef.

 

[Maleficent13]

And that is the difference between a tourist and a traveler.

You forgot your

 

[ilisao]

You forgot your

What's so snooty? I was just pointing out a difference. Travelers go places without expectations that need to be met. They are as comfortable in Disney as they are in the Louvre (first thing that popped into my head). But, they are prepared for the unexpected. They don't necessarily need everything to be comfortable and familiar. Tourists tend to need that. Not a big deal.

I don't like chain restaurants. If we are on vacation, we will go into them in transit, meaning if we are driving somewhere and our option for stopping is at a chain restaurant. But, once on vacation, no way will I go to an Applebee's, Chili's, etc. There are always other restaurants to be had and to experience. And our kids are learning that, as well. I want them to be able to feel comfortable in all restaurants and not always be looking for the familiar. Maybe that local restaurant turns out not to be good. Oh well. At least we tried it.