Favorite restaurant chains

[ftballfan]

What are everyone's favorite restaurant chains to eat out at?

Two of my favorites have locations in my hometown, Subway and Taco Bell. In fact, I eat lunch at Taco Bell almost every day when I am not at school. Some other favorite chains that do not have locations in my hometown are Arby's, Big Boy, Olive Garden, and Red Lobster.
My hometown had a Big Boy until the owner of that location sold out to Walgreens. In fact, there are people in my hometown that intentionally avoid Walgreens even though it has been open almost four years.
On my 17th birthday, my birthday dinner was at Olive Garden in Gainesville, Florida during a thunderstorm.

[texaskdog]

Subway, Sonic, Arbys for fast food, Texas Roadhouse, Buca di Beppo for real food

[ghYHZ]

Subway....... and I wouldn't be Canadian if I didn't also say Tim Horton's. Not so much for the coffee and donuts but for their soup and sandwich lunch combos.

After work or for an evening out at the sports bar......it's Boston Pizza.

And a nice affordable family meal out.......Swiss Chalet for the Chicken & Ribs! 

[corco]

I've been known to drive from Laramie Wyoming to Kansas City Missouri, go to Steak n Shake, order a burger, and drive right back.

So I guess Steak n Shake is my favorite.

I also love Chick-Fil-A and Runza (if I am near one I will eat there) and enjoy In-N-Out, Five Guys, Popeyes, McDonald's, Panda Express, Whataburger, Taco John's, and Maid-Rite.

I won't eat at Burger King.

For sit down I like Applebees, Ruby Tuesday, and Red Robin.

[agentsteel53]

I like Wendy's and Jack in the Box while on the road.  Carls Jr. is pretty good, too.

for Mexican-ish food (I use the term loosely), I like Del Taco, but Taco Bell is surprisingly good for being made apparently of plastic.

[corco]

Taco Bell is the world's best hangover food. Otherwise, gross.

[huskeroadgeek]

I've been known to drive from Laramie Wyoming to Kansas City Missouri, go to Steak n Shake, order a burger, and drive right back.

So I guess Steak n Shake is my favorite.

I also love Chick-Fil-A and Runza (if I am near one I will eat there) and enjoy In-N-Out, Five Guys, Popeyes, McDonald's, Panda Express, Whataburger, Taco John's, and Maid-Rite.

I won't eat at Burger King.

For sit down I like Applebees, Ruby Tuesday, and Red Robin.

Wow-rare to hear anybody not from Nebraska talk about Runza. I love Runza, but I didn't think anybody else on here would know what it is.

Actually, I'll eat just about anywhere for fast food. Taco Bell seems to be about my favorite-it's usually my first choice when it's an option, although I don't usually eat there two meals in a row.

[corco]

I loved in Wyoming for a couple years and often went to Nebraska- the Sidney Runza and I were best friends

[Ian]

Fast food: Arby's and Chick-Fil-A. Also if it counts, Dunkin Donut's is a favorite of mine.
Sit down and eat: Olive Garden, Cheesecake Factory, Uno's Pizza, and Steak 'n Shake (really wish we had those closer to Philadelphia!)

[formulanone]

Five Guys, Firehouse Subs, Zaxby's, Popeye's, Boston Market, and Chick-fil-A are my favorite fast-food joints.

Applebee's, Ruby Tuesday's, T.G.I.Friday's, Cracker Barrel, and Rafferty's are some of my favorite sit-down casual eateries. Usually, I try the mom-and-pops for that type of food. Rafferty's are hard to find, but I've never been disappointed.

On my 17th birthday, my birthday dinner was at Olive Garden in Gainesville, Florida during a thunderstorm.

Ugh...90-minute waits on Friday and weekends were not uncommon for one of the only "Italian" restaurants in the entire area. Not as if any of the other places along Archer Road were any faster.

[corco]

Oooo...I forgot Bob Evans. I love me some Bob Evans.

[Duke87]

If we're talking specifically fast food, McDonald's. Or, on occasion, Burger King.

For breakfast, IHOP, Denny's, or Bob Evans all work just as well, although it's very unusual for me to go out to breakfast unless I'm on the road or otherwise away from home.

[Brandon]

Fast
Arby's, Wendy's, Culver's, Popeye's, Sonic, Boston Market, Subway

Sit-Down
Outback, Olive Garden, Texas Corral, Buffalo Wild Wings, Cheesecake Factory, Samuel Mancino's

Not a big fan of KFC, and I never could understand the fandom for Chick-Fil-A.  I tried them once.  They're nowhere near as good as Popeye's.

[nexus73]

Franchises are so vanilla and sometimes pretty lousy.  Use Yelp to discover the real good foodie joints at home as well as on da' road.  If you were in Curry County OR, you would have to stop at Langlois Market to discover a quality hot dog and burger made from local organic meats down there.  In Amite LA, it was a gas station's serving of a crossing of Chinese restaurant-style breaded shrimp and peppery spice that delivered the knockout taste.  You need to be more adventurous when traveling to find the tasty treats that are out there just waiting to be discovered!

Rick

[US71]

If I'm on the road, it's often Chili's, Red Lobster or Olive Garden. I get gift cards via MyPoints.com.

Occasionally, I'll do Outback or Applebees.

[US71]

Franchises are so vanilla and sometimes pretty lousy.  Use Yelp to discover the real good foodie joints at home as well as on da' road.  If you were in Curry County OR, you would have to stop at Langlois Market to discover a quality hot dog and burger down there.  In Amite LA, it was a gas station's serving of a crossing of Chinese restaurant-style breaded shrimp and peppery spice that delivered the knockout taste.  You need to be more adventurous when traveling to find the tasty treats that are out there just waiting to be discovered!

Rick

Depending where I'm going, I occasionally consult TieDieTravels, but her reviews aren't quite as extensive as Yelp.

[jgb191]

Quiznos, Chick-Fil-A, Wendys, Uno's Grill

[huskeroadgeek]

Franchises are so vanilla and sometimes pretty lousy.  Use Yelp to discover the real good foodie joints at home as well as on da' road.  If you were in Curry County OR, you would have to stop at Langlois Market to discover a quality hot dog and burger made from local organic meats down there.  In Amite LA, it was a gas station's serving of a crossing of Chinese restaurant-style breaded shrimp and peppery spice that delivered the knockout taste.  You need to be more adventurous when traveling to find the tasty treats that are out there just waiting to be discovered!

Rick

I tend to stick to chains because it's what I'm familiar with and I know what to expect. Usually the only time I will eat at a non-chain is by personal recommendation or well-known reputation. But I am considering becoming a little more adventurous-I've heard a lot of stories of little hole-in-the-wall cafes and restaurants even in small towns that serve really good food. I've also kept a lists of places from watching shows like Diners, Drive-ins and Dives on the Food Network and Man vs. Food on the Travel Channel that interest me.

[InterstateNG]

Big fan of Culver's and Whataburger.

[1995hoo]

Fleming's Prime Steakhouse is a chain, but it's a "nice restaurant" type of chain, up there in the class of places like the Capital Grille or Morton's (which are themselves chains, and both Fleming's and the Capital Grille absolutely kick Morton's arse). We went to the Fleming's in Tysons Corner for our anniversary a few weeks ago, as it's one of our favorite restaurants. The Palm also ranks up there because their 837 Club program gets you some outstanding free stuff (the Birthday Lobster promo is outstanding).

In terms of fast food: Roy Rogers, Arby's, Five Guys, and Potbelly's.

Sit-down places that are more "everyday"-priced compared to places like Fleming's: Austin Grill and King Street Blues (both DC-area chains); Gordon Biersch (my wife does not like that I love the garlic fries at Gordon Biersch)

Waffle House would make the list if there were one around here, but the nearest one is over 20 miles south down I-95.

[BigMattFromTexas]

Fast food:
Whataburger , Subway, Sonic, Dairy Queen, Fazoli's, Chick-fil-a.

Sit down:
Olive Garden (not the one here in Angelo), Underwoods in Brownwood, TX, Cracker Barrel, T.G.I. Fridays, Chili's, Henry's (a local Mexican restaurant), and Joe's Italian!
I wann know how many people know what Whataburger is..
BigMatt

[Truvelo]

If you asked me up to five years ago I would have said CrapDonalds, Burger King, etc but that stuff does you no good. Now for a quick bite I go to Subway. For longer meals I will find a pub or a proper restaurant such as Cracker Barrel or Shari's where I had the most superb salmon with salad - a pity they don't operate further east.

[PAHighways]

Primanti's, King's, Eat 'n Park, Sheetz, Five Guys, Steak 'n Shake, Sonic, and Chick-fil-A

[Michael in Philly]

I find it difficult to take Eat'n Park seriously, because of the name.  (And not just because "Park 'n' Eat" would be more logical.)  But I've never actually eaten at one.

Sheetz, on the other hand, is fabulous, and it's annoying that they've not reached east of Morgantown.  But Wawa's fabulous too.  Places that don't have Sheetz and Wawa's don't know what they're missing (didn't find convenience stores at that level on my Columbus-and-Cincinnati road trip three weeks ago, or on my Boston-and-Albany one in June).

Arby's hits a spot on occasion.

I go to McDonald's once in a while - my current favorite is the mushroom-and-swiss angus - and on the way home from said Columbus-and-Cincinnati road trip, I got a nice hot one at the one off I-70 in Buckeye Lake, Ohio.  I'm only mentioning that because too often they come out cold.

[nexus73]

Primanti's, now if they were a nationwide chain, that would be a place I'd try if they kept the same quality as what is seen in PA. 

Primanti's, King's, Eat 'n Park, Sheetz, Five Guys, Steak 'n Shake, Sonic, and Chick-fil-A

Rick