What US chain restaurants do you like?

[coastgirl]

Trying to think ahead for a Feb trip, mostly focussing on Universal/IoA this time, and vegging...will need to EAT during park days, but want to combine the places we like to eat with the need to fuel up. (Planning on checking corp websites for locations close to where we plan to be.)

Thinking of sit-down rather than pure fast food, and kid-friendly. We like Cracker Barrel and Bob Evans, Waffle House...maybe Olive Garden. Does Friendly's extend to Fl? What am I missing?

 

[amw]

Trying to think ahead for a Feb trip, mostly focussing on Universal/IoA this time, and vegging...will need to EAT during park days, but want to combine the places we like to eat with the need to fuel up. (Planning on checking corp websites for locations close to where we plan to be.)

Thinking of sit-down rather than pure fast food, and kid-friendly. We like Cracker Barrel and Bob Evans, Waffle House...maybe Olive Garden. Does Friendly's extend to Fl? What am I missing?

We like Chevy's (at the Crossroads) for a nice sit-down. The kids really like Chilli's.

For a very inexpensive meal, there's Steak N Shake and CiCi's pizza -- both are just north of the Crossroads intersection.

 

[Sue M]

There's a Bahama Breeze on I Drive and Cheesecake Factory. I think there is also an Ale House near Universal.

 

[Eliza32]

Just come back from the World ourselves - we were most impressed with Sweet Tomatoes (at Crossroads) and The Cheesecake Factory (at Mall at Millennia)
We love Cracker Barrel too!!

 

[Eliza32]

Forgot to mention Golden Corral at Little Lake Bryan too!!!!

 

[glendalais]

Trying to think ahead for a Feb trip, mostly focussing on Universal/IoA this time, and vegging...will need to EAT during park days, but want to combine the places we like to eat with the need to fuel up. (Planning on checking corp websites for locations close to where we plan to be.)

Thinking of sit-down rather than pure fast food, and kid-friendly. We like Cracker Barrel and Bob Evans, Waffle House...maybe Olive Garden. Does Friendly's extend to Fl? What am I missing?

There are Friendly's in Florida, I could've sworn I saw one on I-Drive the other day.

I'm partial to P.F. Chang's, though they can be a little pricey. CiCi's and Golden Corral are good if you're on a budget, same for Denny's.

 

[Tower]

Personally, I like to make an effort to hit the Olive Garden when in the USA. Ever since they closed all the locations in Ontario, I've been missing them. (The day they closed, we arrived at a Mississauga Olive Garden only to discover they had closed.)
Another pair of personal favourites for me is:
Texas Roadhouse
Outback Steakhouse (better than the Ontario ones were)
Ok, I guess you may imagine that I like my steaks

 

[disneyfreak89]

We LOVE Cracker Barrel, Bob Evans, Sonny's BBQ and Panera Bread. We also prefer KFC in the US, it is VERY different from Canada's version.

 

[scboyd]

Red Robin.... any trip to the states isnt complete unless we stop at Red Robin

 

[sjsjbrook]

Personally, I like to make an effort to hit the Olive Garden when in the USA. Ever since they closed all the locations in Ontario, I've been missing them. (The day they closed, we arrived at a Mississauga Olive Garden only to discover they had closed.)

I love the Olive garden. They closed the one in London and put in an eastside's no comparison. Of course they closed it before I started frequenting London. I have already mapped out how to get to the Olive garden from our villa on our next visit.

 

[aristocat65]

We love Bucca di Beppo. Italian food served family style. Really quaint atmosphere for a chain. I think there is one in the Florida Mall in Orlando.

 

[darwinsrule]

The great American chains. One of my wife's favorite hobbies.

Lonestar steakhouse for mesquite grilled sirloin.
TGIF - so, so
Olive Garden - another post said it all
Waffle House - one is St. Pete's beach we love
IHOP - hello, house of pancakes. can it get better
Chilli's - another classic
Denny's - why bother
Cheesecake Factory - a Vegas tradition for us.

Damn, now I want a cheesecake.

 

[tigger2on]

Olive Garden HANDS DOWN but our second choice is Bennigans

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

We like the Bonefish Grill, Olive Garden, Cheesecake Factory, Sweet Tomatoes, Waffle House and Applebee's.

Although there is an Applebee's we go to in Pickering/Ajax but there are some differences in their menu. For example in Pickering/Ajax that Applebee's doesn't have the 2 for $20 meal deal they have in the United States and the Weight Watchers items. However my favorite item off their menu is the Fiesta Lime Chicken and in the Pickering/Ajax location you can order 1 or 2 pices of Chicken. In the United States locations you only get 1 piece of Chicken.

 

[Ken_Breadbox]

Another vote for Cracker Barrel. Going to try Bob Evans this trip. Why these chains aren't in Canada mystifies me.
For burgers, we like Sonic--it's got a real old-fashioned A&W vibe, but the burgers are better...

 

[sk8jdgca]

Bob evans has a great kids menu-with real food

Sweet tomatoes was amazing-you can sign up for email coupons on their site- my kids loved it-we went twice

Olive Garden-again a great kid menu the chicken, broc and pasta is a big kids meal

 

[braddillman]

+1 Panera Bread. It's the closest thing they have to a Coras.

 

[abdmom]

Houlihan's. There's one on hwy 192. Also Olive Garden.

 

[greenclan67]

Our family loves Chili's when we go to the states!! The kids beg to go there! Also the outback steakhouse! We did like Smokey Bones to in Florida, not sure how big they are, but we went to one in Tampa and one in Kissimee!

 

[two*little*birds]

OMG I'm so hungry now after reading this post!