News:

Thank you for your patience during the Forum downtime while we upgraded the software. Welcome back and see this thread for some new features and other changes to the forum.

Main Menu

Defunct restaurant chains and retailers

Started by Stephane Dumas, September 05, 2016, 03:33:50 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

cl94

Quote from: kphoger on January 17, 2018, 11:15:41 AM
Quote from: Rothman on January 17, 2018, 11:01:24 AM
I have never known anyone to get a grilled cheese at either Five Guys ...

Even kids???  That's what at least one of my sons gets every time we go there.

I mean, at least one of my siblings will ONLY eat that at Five Guys, and the one that I'm certain does is 18.

And a grilled cheese is on the McDonald's secret menu. If the cashier looks at you like you're crazy when you ask for it, order a "cheeseburger, plain, no meat".
Please note: All posts represent my personal opinions and do not represent those of my employer or any of its partner agencies.

Travel Mapping (updated weekly)


D-Dey65

Quote from: RobbieL2415 on January 16, 2018, 11:01:32 PM
What is the deal with Shake Shack?  I ate at one of their Manhattan locations and I didn't think it was that great.
Well I was only at a Shake Shack once, and it was the one at Grand Central Terminal. I ordered one, and I was so impressed I went in line to get a second one. One vanilla and one chocolate, though I forget which I ordered first.

This was the one that replaced Junior's, BTW. Junior's was good too.



abefroman329

I'd rather have Junior's than Shake Shack.

Rothman

I very much miss Junior's at the terminal.  At least they're still on 45th and 49th, insofar as I am aware.
Please note: All comments here represent my own personal opinion and do not reflect the official position(s) of NYSDOT.

abefroman329

The GCT location was a great alternative to the Times Square location because it wasn't clogged with tourists, but I suspect that's the reason why it's no longer around.

jeffandnicole

Quote from: Rothman on January 17, 2018, 11:01:24 AM
I have never known anyone to get a grilled cheese at either Five Guys or McDonald's.  Good to know, though.

No doubt it's not very high on the list of things people eat there.  But as a few others mentioned, it's there for those that don't eat meat.

I remember a story about Burger King and their Veggie Whopper.  One manager said he may sell several hundred regular Whoppers in a day, but may only sell 3 Veggie Whoppers a day (and that's probably a high number).  It's there to make the restaurant 'Veto-Proof'.  If a family wants to stop someplace to eat and one member doesn't eat meat or chicken, the Veggie Whopper allows them to still get something at the restaurant.  Also why these restaurants have salads - that one family member that doesn't want any greasy goodness can still eat.

briantroutman

Being a vegetarian, I have ordered many a grilled cheese or "cheeseburger, no meat"  at fast food joints. At least In-N-Out and Five Guys have it on the menu...for a lower price that reflects the fact that I'm not getting the most expensive part of the burger.

I'm rather tired of going into other fast food chains and being forced to order a more deluxe $5-6-7 burger (hold the beef) just so that I can walk out with more than a bun and one slice of American cheese. If you want to argue that the number of vegetarians doesn't warrant keeping a pack of frozen veggie burgers on hand, fine. But at least program a "cheese sandwich"  button in the register that will allow me to load up on toppings without having to pay for a 1/3-lb. slab of cow.

Personally, I'm in the opinion that nothing hyped is as good as its devotees claim–and nothing slammed is as bad as its detractors claim.

In-N-Out is overhyped, but it is good. I can't speak about the beef, but my grilled cheeses have always been perfectly assembled and of very fresh ingredients. Really, I think the big achievement of In-N-Out is not the food as much as it is cleanliness, consistency, and service. Every location I've visited has been absolutely clean and employees always have positive, friendly attitudes. Particularly in California, where the typical Jack in the Box employee can't be bothered to acknowledge your presence at the counter or enunciate two words in row clearly, this is a particularly remarkable achievement.

Whataburger, on the other hand, is just an OK middle-of-the-road fast food joint. To me, Whataburger almost looks like something an art director for a fast food commercial would come up with in a hurry to play the "other"  burger chain across the street. I will give Whataburger credit for this, though: I can order a kid's grilled cheese, swap the small white bread for a large Whataburger bun, and option it with every topping they have–at no extra charge.

kphoger

Quote from: jeffandnicole on January 18, 2018, 09:49:29 AM
I remember a story about Burger King and their Veggie Whopper.  One manager said he may sell several hundred regular Whoppers in a day, but may only sell 3 Veggie Whoppers a day (and that's probably a high number).  It's there to make the restaurant 'Veto-Proof'.  If a family wants to stop someplace to eat and one member doesn't eat meat or chicken, the Veggie Whopper allows them to still get something at the restaurant.  Also why these restaurants have salads - that one family member that doesn't want any greasy goodness can still eat.

It might also be there to provide shareholders proof of corporate responsibility.  Shareholders want healthier food, offer salads.  Shareholders want vegetarian options, put a veggie burger on the menu.
Keep right except to pass.  Yes.  You.
Visit scenic Orleans County, NY!
Male pronouns, please.

Quote from: Philip K. DickIf you can control the meaning of words, you can control the people who must use them.

roadman65

Quote from: abefroman329 on January 18, 2018, 09:11:49 AM
I'd rather have Junior's than Shake Shack.
We used to have two juniors in NJ back in the 70's.  One in Hillside and the other in Scotch Plains.  Both became Roy Rogers later on.

Wonder if this is the same that once was in NJ.  Just like Jack In The Box was all over the Mid Atlantic but closed and then several years later i discovered them in California.  So wondering if that chain just cut back and not go under completely.
Every day is a winding road, you just got to get used to it.

Sheryl Crowe

abefroman329

Quote from: briantroutman on January 18, 2018, 10:55:17 AM
I'm rather tired of going into other fast food chains and being forced to order a more deluxe $5-6-7 burger (hold the beef) just so that I can walk out with more than a bun and one slice of American cheese. If you want to argue that the number of vegetarians doesn't warrant keeping a pack of frozen veggie burgers on hand, fine. But at least program a "cheese sandwich"  button in the register that will allow me to load up on toppings without having to pay for a 1/3-lb. slab of cow.

That's the unfortunate downside to everything being computerized these days.  I went to a McDonalds last weekend in search of a cup of soft serve, but that wasn't an option on the kiosk.  So I went to the counter to order it, and even the human in front of the register had to ring me up for a cone, hit the "special instructions" button on the register, and tell the girl preparing the order what I wanted.

D-Dey65

Quote from: roadman65 on January 18, 2018, 01:22:26 PM
Just like Jack In The Box was all over the Mid Atlantic but closed and then several years later i discovered them in California.  So wondering if that chain just cut back and not go under completely.
I think I've seen some Jack in the Boxes returning to the east coast, but not that many Just like a lot of Hardee's restaurants, and Arthur Treacher's Fish & Chips restaurants, although the Hardee's restaurants are a lot more common.

I still remember that Pizza Hut came and went in the 1970's, and then returned in the 1980's.



dvferyance

I had a lot of great memories at Old Country Buffett. I just learned they closed a lot of locations these last couple years and there aren't many left. There is one left in my area I am planning on going there in the coming weeks while I have the chance. Will probably be my last ever visit to one as they are not likely going to be around much longer.

jwolfer

Quote from: roadman65 on January 14, 2018, 08:09:55 PM
Five Guys does have them pour out of the cup, I must admit.  Plus all the peanuts you can eat while waiting for your made to order food.  On the subject of Whataburger, I believe they cook to order as I remember waiting ten minutes or more for the food.

Too bad the idiots who run Whataburger pulled the plug on the stores they opened in Orlando as it was great having them here.  Them and Bojangles, for some reason opened up for a short time in Central Florida and both yanked their stores, but kept the ones in other Florida cities.  The closest Whataburger for me is in Jacksonville over 150 miles away.

Braums, located in Oklahoma, Western AR, Northern TX, and Kansas has decent french fries.
The Jacksonville Whataburgers have cut back on locations.. the North Florida franchise was owned by former Jacksonville Jaguars QB Mark Brunell and partners...they had some financial trouble.  I think they may have owned Central Florida as well

Z981


jwolfer

Quote from: AlexandriaVA on January 16, 2018, 11:04:03 PM
Quote from: RobbieL2415 on January 16, 2018, 11:01:32 PM
What is the deal with Shake Shack?  I ate at one of their Manhattan locations and I didn't think it was that great.

Of all the "thin" burgers (i.e. McDonald's style), I like Shake Shack's by comparison.

However, nothing for me beats Five Guys, as they cook it from raw and make it nice and thick for you.
I like Five Guys.. I couldn't eat there for years.. I got food poisoning from I think the mushrooms, I ordered a mushroom Swiss burger and spent the next day puking

Z981


Flint1979

Quote from: dvferyance on January 24, 2018, 06:18:33 PM
I had a lot of great memories at Old Country Buffett. I just learned they closed a lot of locations these last couple years and there aren't many left. There is one left in my area I am planning on going there in the coming weeks while I have the chance. Will probably be my last ever visit to one as they are not likely going to be around much longer.
Only two left in Michigan. Saginaw and Burton.

cl94

Another day, another set of store closures for a major chain. This time, it's Bon-Ton. 42 stores closing (in addition to 5 announced previously), including the one in my hometown of Queensbury. Before that location opened around 2000, it was a Caldor.
Please note: All posts represent my personal opinions and do not represent those of my employer or any of its partner agencies.

Travel Mapping (updated weekly)

KEVIN_224

I always got that place confused with Boscov's. Until recently, the only one in all of New England was in the Westfield Shoppingtown (mall) of Meriden, CT. It took over the space which was JC Penney.

Revive 755

Quote from: dvferyance on January 24, 2018, 06:18:33 PM
I had a lot of great memories at Old Country Buffett. I just learned they closed a lot of locations these last couple years and there aren't many left. There is one left in my area I am planning on going there in the coming weeks while I have the chance. Will probably be my last ever visit to one as they are not likely going to be around much longer.

Judging from the number of locations that have closed, Ponderosa may disappear as well.

ftballfan

Quote from: Revive 755 on February 03, 2018, 09:44:13 PM
Quote from: dvferyance on January 24, 2018, 06:18:33 PM
I had a lot of great memories at Old Country Buffett. I just learned they closed a lot of locations these last couple years and there aren't many left. There is one left in my area I am planning on going there in the coming weeks while I have the chance. Will probably be my last ever visit to one as they are not likely going to be around much longer.

Judging from the number of locations that have closed, Ponderosa may disappear as well.
There are still Ponderosas in Ludington and Coldwater in Michigan as far as I know. Then again, they are the only non-Chinese buffets (full time; both also still have Big Boy which has breakfast and Friday/Saturday night buffets) in either community

Flint1979

Quote from: ftballfan on February 03, 2018, 11:14:57 PM
Quote from: Revive 755 on February 03, 2018, 09:44:13 PM
Quote from: dvferyance on January 24, 2018, 06:18:33 PM
I had a lot of great memories at Old Country Buffett. I just learned they closed a lot of locations these last couple years and there aren't many left. There is one left in my area I am planning on going there in the coming weeks while I have the chance. Will probably be my last ever visit to one as they are not likely going to be around much longer.

Judging from the number of locations that have closed, Ponderosa may disappear as well.
There are still Ponderosas in Ludington and Coldwater in Michigan as far as I know. Then again, they are the only non-Chinese buffets (full time; both also still have Big Boy which has breakfast and Friday/Saturday night buffets) in either community
Bay City still has a Ponderosa, but the Ponderosa's in Midland and Saginaw are closed.

Bay City, MI
Gaylord, MI
Cadillac, MI
Coldwater, MI
West Branch, MI
Owosso, MI
Dearborn Heights, MI
Mount Pleasant, MI
Clare, MI
Ludington, MI

Those are the listed Michigan locations.

Flint1979

Speaking of buffet restaurants I tried out the new Golden Corral in Saginaw yesterday and it was just as I expected, the food selection was pretty good but the food was average at best and that was the review of another Golden Corral I ate at several years ago in Sterling Heights.

abefroman329

Quote from: Flint1979 on February 05, 2018, 02:27:32 PM
Speaking of buffet restaurants I tried out the new Golden Corral in Saginaw yesterday and it was just as I expected, the food selection was pretty good but the food was average at best and that was the review of another Golden Corral I ate at several years ago in Sterling Heights.

There was a relatively new one in Holland that has already closed.

roadman

Quote from: cl94 on January 17, 2018, 12:29:37 PM
And a grilled cheese is on the McDonald's secret menu. If the cashier looks at you like you're crazy when you ask for it, order a "cheeseburger, plain, no meat".

Cheeseburger, plain, no meat, is just cheese plopped on a bun.  Which is NOT the same as a true grilled cheese.
"And ninety-five is the route you were on.  It was not the speed limit sign."  - Jim Croce (from Speedball Tucker)

"My life has been a tapestry
Of years of roads and highway signs" (with apologies to Carole King and Tom Rush)

ftballfan

Quote from: abefroman329 on February 06, 2018, 09:32:15 AM
Quote from: Flint1979 on February 05, 2018, 02:27:32 PM
Speaking of buffet restaurants I tried out the new Golden Corral in Saginaw yesterday and it was just as I expected, the food selection was pretty good but the food was average at best and that was the review of another Golden Corral I ate at several years ago in Sterling Heights.

There was a relatively new one in Holland that has already closed.
Looks like it closed very recently as it's still on Google. It only lasted about a year and the reviews were mostly awful

CapeCodder

There was a buffet restaurant in Springfield, IL called Maverick. Last time I ate there was in '99. I think it has since closed down. Was on Dirksen Pkwy.



Opinions expressed here on belong solely to the poster and do not represent or reflect the opinions or beliefs of AARoads, its creators and/or associates.