Favorite restaurant chains

[BigMattFromTexas]

They pretty much also are mediocre.

Man, I don't get how people don't like Whataburger.. I think they're great! Except the fries could be crispier..
BigMatt

[realjd]

They pretty much also are mediocre.

Man, I don't get how people don't like Whataburger.. I think they're great! Except the fries could be crispier..
BigMatt

He didn't say he didn't like them, only that they're mediocre, much like all other fast food burgers. Even In-N-Out burger, probably the best fast food burger out there, is not that much better than Whataburger, Carl's Jr., White Castle, or any other regional burger joint that people go crazy for IMO. Whataburger is definitely better than McDonalds, but I've never been completely wowed by them. The one here in Melbourne even went out of business due to lack of customers.

[Roadgeek Adam]

One of these days Golden Corral and CiCis will bring their advertising to restaurants within Jersey. Like Sonic, we've been getting advertisements like crazy for both. Sonic finally came into Jersey in dominant force, CiCi's has a place on 17, but would prefer more.

Golden Corral was good when we went to the one in Bensalem PA. Get into Jersey soon is all I ask.

[BigMattFromTexas]

Oh, well I've seen people on here saying they don't like it.. But all three in Angelo are always busy.

As for Sonic, we them advertised A LOT too. But all 4 here are busy.
BigMatt

[Scott5114]

Thing about Whataburger is that they are one of the few fast food restaurants that don't have mandatory breakfast. I don't care what time it is, if I am going to a fast food restaurant, I want a burger (or chicken) and fries. I can make bacon and eggs at home pretty easily, and fast food breakfast is generally kinda gross. Plus, working night shift, I have discovered that most places start breakfast at somewhat ludicrous times–4am seems to be the standard, and that's about when I am ready for lunch, not sausage egg and cheese sandwiches.

Sonic and Jack in the Box are the only other chains I know of with optional breakfast. As a result, Whataburger, Sonic, and JitB get quite a bit of my fast food money.

[realjd]

Thing about Whataburger is that they are one of the few fast food restaurants that don't have mandatory breakfast. I don't care what time it is, if I am going to a fast food restaurant, I want a burger (or chicken) and fries. I can make bacon and eggs at home pretty easily, and fast food breakfast is generally kinda gross. Plus, working night shift, I have discovered that most places start breakfast at somewhat ludicrous times–4am seems to be the standard, and that's about when I am ready for lunch, not sausage egg and cheese sandwiches.

Sonic and Jack in the Box are the only other chains I know of with optional breakfast. As a result, Whataburger, Sonic, and JitB get quite a bit of my fast food money.

I'm not often up and looking for fast food breakfast outside of airport environments, but my usual Panda Express in the ATL E concourse doesn't have a breakfast menu in the morning, and the various airport QDobas I've been to can usually make you a non-breakfast burrito in the mornings as well.

I've never understood the mandatory breakfast nonsense. I understand that they may not want to have both menus cooked and out under the heat lamp for fast service, but why can't they cook up a lunch item on request?

[Scott5114]

The reasoning we used to have at Burger King, when I worked there, was because the broiler wasn't turned on until lunch, and we had to let it warm up for something like 15 minutes. But why we didn't just turn it on at opening, I don't know (or if there was a reason, I don't remember). We had to have the fryers on for breakfast anyway, so we could have had a chicken sandwich ready to go in six minutes if we had allowed someone to order one.

But we didn't see any benefit to making the franchise owner $8 more or whatever, since we'd never see any of that increased revenue. Nobody ever really got raises, and it was more work for us, so why the fuck should we care if he made more?

Obviously it is doable if Whataburger et al can do it.

[kphoger]

They pretty much also are mediocre.

Man, I don't get how people don't like Whataburger.. I think they're great! Except the fries could be crispier..
BigMatt

It's not that I don't like them at all.  It's just that we (and especially my wife) like most other chains better.  The exception is McDonald's:  you can keep 'em!  Our go-to burger chains on the road are Wendy's and Burger King; we used to Sonic more, but eating in the car is more difficult with an energetic one-year-old.

I've only had Jack in the Box for breakfast, which wasn't stellar, but the less-than-stellar breakfast has made us unlikely to go there for lunch.

[realjd]

The reasoning we used to have at Burger King, when I worked there, was because the broiler wasn't turned on until lunch, and we had to let it warm up for something like 15 minutes. But why we didn't just turn it on at opening, I don't know (or if there was a reason, I don't remember). We had to have the fryers on for breakfast anyway, so we could have had a chicken sandwich ready to go in six minutes if we had allowed someone to order one.

But we didn't see any benefit to making the franchise owner $8 more or whatever, since we'd never see any of that increased revenue. Nobody ever really got raises, and it was more work for us, so why the fuck should we care if he made more?

Obviously it is doable if Whataburger et al can do it.

That's what gets me. I can see the fryers running. I know it's 8AM, but why on earth can't they throw some damn chicken nuggets in there! I don't mind waiting.

I have had success once or twice asking the manager nicely. If you're looking for something from the fryer, and they're not otherwise busy or swamped, a nice manager will sometimes hook you up.

Chick-fil-A is the one that always really bugs me. I can see them cooking the chicken nuggets for their chicken minis. Can't they put a handful in a box for me before they wrap biscuit around them?

[signalman]

White Castle is the only chain that I've ever known to have burgers, fries, etc. available 24 hours.  A big reason why they're so popular with late night partiers, I'd suspect.  Who wants a sausage, egg, and cheese biscuit when you're drunk and have the beer munchies?  I never quite understood the whole mandatory breakfast either.  Although for me personally, it's never been much of an issue.  I generally just want something small...danish or something similar and coffee in the morning.  If I do actually want a real breakfast and I'm on the road I'll find something sit down.

[US71]

White Castle is the only chain that I've ever known to have burgers, fries, etc. available 24 hours.  A big reason why they're so popular with late night partiers, I'd suspect.  Who wants a sausage, egg, and cheese biscuit when you're drunk and have the beer munchies?  I never quite understood the whole mandatory breakfast either.  Although for me personally, it's never been much of an issue.  I generally just want something small...danish or something similar and coffee in the morning.  If I do actually want a real breakfast and I'm on the road I'll find something sit down.

Fast Food Breakfast is primarily a marketing thing to attract more business than the usual lunch crowd. Even Subway is doing it now.

[BigMattFromTexas]

I hate fast food breakfast.. I, being a swell cook, can make something a lot easier, and usually better than them. Although sometimes I'll go for a McGriddle from McDonald's. Not often.
But now when it comes to fast food, I'm not really eating it a lot no more. I gotta get in shape for football!
BigMatt

[Ian]

I hate fast food breakfast.. I, being a swell cook, can make something a lot easier, and usually better than them. Although sometimes I'll go for a McGriddle from McDonald's. Not often.

The McGriddle is the only thing from MicDonald's that is only somewhat decent.

[hbelkins]

I like McDonalds' Sausage McMuffins -- no egg, thankyouverymuch. They're on the Dollar Menu so two of them and two hash browns and it's breakfast on the go. I will usually hit a McDonald's every morning for breakfast when I'm traveling, if the drive-thru isn't too backed up. Sometimes it's worse during breakfast hours than it is at high noon.

[Takumi]

I've never cared for restaurant breakfast. If I go out to eat at breakfast time, I prefer a place where I can get anything anytime.

[formulanone]

The McGriddle is the only thing from MicDonald's that is only somewhat decent.

Agreed...Kind of wish they made it all day, to be honest.

[blawp]

I like the Artisan sandwiches from Starbucks for breakfast sometimes. The only thing I miss about living in Houston are the bacon and egg taquitos from whataburger...and their salsa.

[realjd]

I'm adding a new chain to my favorites list: Texas de Brazil. While not your typical road trip restaurant, it was well worth the money. I highly recommend it to all of the carnivores out there.

[Takumi]

^ This. It is an absolutely amazing experience. It gets very expensive very quickly, though.

[agentsteel53]

I'm adding a new chain to my favorites list: Texas de Brazil. While not your typical road trip restaurant, it was well worth the money. I highly recommend it to all of the carnivores out there.

I don't think I've ever seen such a place. 

I'm assuming the name comes from the fact that the food style is Brazilian, but the cows are grown in Texas?

[Takumi]

It started in Texas. There are about a dozen locations; a few in Texas, two in Florida, one in Richmond, one in NoVA (Fairfax?), one in Aruba, and a few more I can't remember.

[BigMattFromTexas]

^ Looking at the pictures on the website, I'm not sure if it looks like a place I'd enjoy.. Haha.
BigMatt

[blawp]

Went to the Benihana on La Cienega last night. Delicious for a chain.

[Road Hog]

I have to give a shout out to Del Taco.....one of my favorites, but sadly none here in Texas.  I have to go all the way to Mesa, AZ to have some Del Taco.

No longer true, I'm glad to report!

Del Taco is moving into North Texas and has stores all over now. Blows Taco Bell out of the water. In fact, a lot of regional chains are getting a foothold in DFW, especially In-N-Out. I even heard Fatburger was coming.

Surprised there hasn't been a lot of talk about DQ. They are hugely popular in Texas.

[agentsteel53]

Del Taco is probably the best-tasting Mexican fast food chain in my opinion.  I frequent them frequently here in SoCal.