America's Best Restaurant Chains
 

From Consumer Reports with 50,000 responses...

First Watch and Le Peep started locally. IMO they both do it right.

What we found

Nine chains earned especially high marks across the board for the seven attributes in our Ratings—taste, value, service, mood, noise, menu, and cleanliness—and were praised for menu variety, cleanliness, and a lack of noise. They were:

Biaggi’s Ristorante Italiano, focusing on big portions and personal attention.

Black Angus Steakhouse, for flame-grilled steaks with an “over-the-campfire flavor."

Bob Evans, for breakfast and homey fare.

Bravo Cucina Italiana, for “upscale affordable dining” in a “Roman ruin” décor.

First Watch, for eggs, pancakes, and sandwiches.

J. Alexander’s, for American classics, sandwiches, salads, and specialties such as grilled fish with mango papaya salsa.

Le Peep, for eggs, crepes, and salads.

Elmer’s, for pancakes and comfort food.

Fatz Eatz & Drinkz, for grilled or fried sandwiches, entrées, and finger foods.

I have only heard of Bob Evans.

I must admit I've only eaten at three of these. Maybe a restaurant search is in order.

Same here. I thought I would probably be the only one living under a rock.

They forgot to include Denny's on the list.

Le Peep...overpriced for what you get, come on it's ****ing eggs!

J. Alexander's ...overpriced. I can go to Texas Roadhouse and get the samething in bigger portions for 1/2 the money

I think there may be an east coast bias here, I live in AZ and all we have is black angus and
they suck

Never heard of a lot of those....Fatz?

A lot of them are still regional. I've only seen Bob Evans in a few areas.

You lost me when you left off Go Chicken Go!

Texas Roadhouse is disgusting. Worse than Outback Grill is such a thing is possible. J Alexanders is good and not that pricey.

Texas Roadhouse has to make the list.

First watch is good but it used to be better. Most of those I haven't heard of. Chipotle's is probably the only place I ever go in the fast food market with rare exception.

LMAO

Next up Olive Garden and Red Lobster.

ROFL @ Black Angus

**** Bob Evans. Got food poisoning from their CoMo location. I used to enjoy it; but it's pretty much like eating in a nursing home.

Le Peep was surprisingly good the few times I've been there. And I'm generally an anti-breakfast dude. Hate spending good money on ****ing eggs, bacon, and toast. But I'd go to Le Peep again.

Bravo is pretty good. Beats the shit out of Olive Garden; which is where my girlfriend would go every time she had the craving for Italian food if it weren't for me.

At least I have heard of Bob Evans.

First Watch is pretty solid, haven't even heard of the rest though.

Other than Black Angus, I've never heard of any of these restaurants, but have you ever eaten eggs at Denny's?

I mean, come on, it's just eggs, right?

**** Biaggi's -- portions are average and the food even more so.

I disagree with this statement, but I guess it proves why shitty chains are so popular - people either don't know the difference or they don't care.

Bob Evans sucks always got the runs after eating there

Waffle house

I prefer to eat at places that are owned and operated by someone in the culinary field and not someone who only cares about bottom line. Chains pretty much suck once they get franchised and so do most corporate places with few exceptions.

Do you like Hepatitis with your eggs :D

http://i48.tinypic.com/o05grm.png

Never heard of any of those places. Where's Chick-fil-A??? Does it not qualify as a restaurant?

Yeah, it's a restaurant.

One that ****ing sucks.

Chicken and a pickle on a bun??? **** YES.

I love Longhorn Steakhouse.

J. Alexander's is solid.

lol houston's is pretty good, It's been years since I've ate there though.

Yeah, it's fine for a plain ass chicken sandwich; but I'll never understand the fanatical following the place seems to command.

Waffle fries suck dicks too. JMO.

Houston's is awesome.

I agree - they never salt them, that's a problem for me, considering i'm on the go, constantly.

I'm sure to go there a couple of times per month.

Texas Road House

/Thread

There's a Cheddars close to where I work. You can get a really good lunch for just a couple more bucks than what you'd spend at McD's or KFC. You can call ahead and carry out. Decent food for a decent price.

This is a good point. I've noticed how the prices at McDs and a few other fast food places have been creeping up the past few years. It's almost as much as a sit down resteraunt now.

Bob Evans is the only one I've ever heard of, and it's OK, but nothing special.

Chain restaurants suck. Give your business to the local establishments.

I'll give my business to where ever the **** I want to. Sitting by the computer and telling me where to go? Go **** yourself. Just for that I'm going to Olive Garden tonight. Bitch

Texas Road House is a good steak place, but is soooo campy with all the yee-haw stuff.

Both you two can go eat an Aids sammich from a burning antifreeze tree.

You don't like watching them 22/25 year old girls in little shorts line dance?

http://img.tapatalk.com/61473c72-d57c-75fd.jpg


WTF lol. Yeah as SR said I usually do talk outta my ass. Calm down bro it was just a goof.

The only chain steakhouse that I respect.

Longhorn is excellent 18oz Outlaw Ribeye... Had one today with a baked sweet potato and a couple of draft beers

Disgusting might be overstating it, but Dave Lane is closest to the truth here. Longhorn >> Texas Roadhouse

Longhorn gets its beef from the same buyers as Capital Grille. You're getting nice quality for basically the same price that you'd eat at some bullshit place like Chili's or TGI Friday's (or, if you will, the disastrous steakhouses Outback or Texas Roadhouse). I have no qualms with eating at Longhorn, and I'm typically a big eat-local guy.

Bob Evans ****ing sucks.

I've been to 3 different restaurants, and all 3 were ass.

Their definition of chain is pretty liberal.
Posted via Mobile Device

Same here.

The others must be small chains.

If you have 3 locations, it's OK to consider you a chain. Maybe even 2 locations.

Besides, there are tiers of chains. There's local chains, regional chains, and national chains.

Several First Watch in Ohio, but I've never even noticed them.

I don't disagree that it's a valid definition- just seems odd to include so many small ones in an article that's theoretically national in scope.
Posted via Mobile Device

Never eaten at a chain. My homemade....is better/cp

Applebees or GTFO.....I've heard of Bob Evans & Black Angus.

Growing up and living in NYC I usually don't go to chain restaurants.

Brio
Maggiano's
Houston's
Flying Biscuit
Five Guys
Mellow Mushroom
Chuy's

Those are good chains. Bob Evans is worse than sexton with a cactus.

but but you can throw peanuts on the floor! oh how cooooool

is that the place that's like that? with trash everywherE? I've only eaten at one once, I recall cinnamon butter bread, microwaved vegetables and rice and a cheap cut of steak.

I'm East Coast and I only know of a few of these names

I think Texas Roadhouse has the best prime rib of any of the national chains. Longhorn is a close second. I am not a fan of Outback at all.

Ive never been disappointed in Cheddars.

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Biaggi’s Ristorante Italiano - Never heard of it.

Black Angus Steakhouse - Have eaten there a time or two. Seemed pretty good to me.

Bob Evans - Have eaten there a time or two. Not sure what it has that's above average.

Bravo Cucina Italiana - Never heard of it.

First Watch - Never heard of it.

J. Alexander’s - Never heard of it.

Le Peep - Went there a few times when we first moved to Denver, and while it's popular here we could never understand why. It had long wait times and average food, so we haven't been back in 15 years even though there are a couple nearby.

Elmer’s - Never heard of it.

Fatz Eatz & Drinkz -Neverz heardz ofz itz.

I go by this one sometimes in Gaffney SC but I have never ate there

http://www.allenforrest.com/.a/6a00d...3686970b-800wi

Went there recently for the first time and had some prime rib. It was great.

I eat at chain restaurants a lot at work because I'm on the move, and I won't eat fast food. I'd rather eat a mediocre steak for 12 bucks than eat that shit they serve at McD's for three bucks. It's practically dog food quality meat.

I like First Watch.

The Egg and I beats the shit out of Le Peep, imo.


I haven't eaten at any others.

I haven't heard of a single one of those places.

This thread just shows what a difference individual locations can make.

Texas Roadhouse is relatively new to the Des Moines area. It's damn good imo, and extremely popular.

Meanwhile, Longhorn went out of business.

J Alexanders isn't bad, one right across the street from where I live in OP

We have a Biaggi's here, but I've never eaten there. It's located in a upscale area so I always assumed it's too expensive for me. As for the rest, they may have well titled the article "Nine great restaurants that you've never heard of and probably aren't anywhere near you anyway".

Oh, and who the **** goes out for eggs?

I really like the food at Roadhouse but hate the loud atmosphere.

This is true. Most new resteraunts do pretty good business, but once the newness factor wears off, it has to be pretty good food or service to keep people coming.


There's way too much competition in the resteraunt biz. I've seen lots of good ones go under. chains and mom and pops.

I eat at the first watch in nkc once in a while, I dig the sports bar across the street as well.