Best Chain Businesses That Don't Have A Cult Following

[Molandfreak]

Leeann Chin
Pei Wei
Crumbl Cookies
Insomnia Cookies
Nautical Bowls
Tropical Smoothie Cafe
Lund's & Byerly's
Family Fare

[1995hoo]

Panera is the fast food version of hospital food. 

A law school classmate of mine referred to Fuddrucker's as "uppity fast food." Panera seems to fit within that overall classification. (With that said, I like some of their food on an occasional basis.)

[Molandfreak]

I feel like the answers will be places that aren't worth spending your money at anyway. Some things are too big to be culty, like McDonald's other than the occasional weirdos who eat Big Macs 3 meals a day.

Not necessarily. I would say that both Qdoba and Leeann Chin are victims of another brand beating them to the punch of becoming well-known among their target audiences, but they don't really struggle because they operate in areas that don't have a Chipotle or Panda Express nearby and have slightly better selection/better deals to set themselves apart.

[kphoger]

Panera is the fast food version of hospital food. 

Their breakfast fare is quite good.  I also like their soups.

[formulanone]

Panera is the fast food version of hospital food. 

When I want a Frontega Chicken sandwich, nothing else will do. I can't believe they temporarily took it off the menu.

I might go there 4-5 times a year, it's one of those family faves as a tie-breaker for a lunch or dinner.

[freebrickproductions]

Does Newk's Eatery have a cult following?

[Rothman]

Leeann Chin
Pei Wei
Crumbl Cookies
Insomnia Cookies
Nautical Bowls
Tropical Smoothie Cafe
Lund's & Byerly's
Family Fare

Pei Wei?  Really?

Crumbl's flash in the pan seems to have subsided, thankfully.  Same with Insomnia.

[hotdogPi]

Olive Garden 

[Rothman]

Panera is the fast food version of hospital food. 

Their breakfast fare is quite good.  I also like their soups.

If Panera well-lit their dining rooms, more people would realize their food is crap.

I do have to say I find their packaging, from the decor, lighting down to the plateware, to be most impressive in its ability to draw attention away from how crappy the food really is.

[Rothman]

Olive Garden 

You're right, it's not a cult.  It's millions of brain-dead zombies that have lost their taste buds.

[kphoger]

... Panera ... crap ...

My God, man!  Your food snobbery knows no bounds!

[bing101]

Does Wegman's have a cult following or not? Seems to me that they did once upon a time, but I haven't seen a mention of them here or on Facebook in years.

I've never set foot in a Wegman's.

I remember at one of my past jobs the company I worked for had to make egg bites for Wegmans. One of their suppliers is on the other side of the country called Valley Fine Foods which I did assignments for. We had to remove the Valley Fine Foods label for the Wegmans label whenever we were assigned to make products that sent to supermarkets outside of California. Yes I had to learn that Wegmans is like Safeway, Ralph's, Vons, Save Mart and Raleys in certain parts of the country.

https://shop.wegmans.com/shop/collections/2272
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/valley-fine-foods-launches-all-new-three-bridges-egg-bites-across-national-retailers-300910898.html

[JayhawkCO]

... Panera ... crap ...

My God, man!  Your food snobbery knows no bounds!

Given the restaurants I've worked in, I should be the resident food snob, and maybe I am. But Rothman is much more vocal.

[Rothman]

... Panera ... crap ...

My God, man!  Your food snobbery knows no bounds!

Because I call out Olive Garden and Panera for what they are and yet extol the merits of Five Guys?

[Scott5114]

the virtue of five guys is the ability to pay $10,623.87 for one burger

[Molandfreak]

the virtue of five guys is the ability to pay $10,623.87 for one burger

But only $5,623.87 for a grilled cheese sandwich!

[Rothman]

the virtue of five guys is the ability to pay $10,623.87 for one burger

But the burger is notches better than what you get at In-N-Out.

[1995hoo]

the virtue of five guys is the ability to pay $10,623.87 for one burger

Plus, if you go to a location in the District of Columbia, a 10% meals tax on top of that.

[kphoger]

... Panera ... crap ...

My God, man!  Your food snobbery knows no bounds!

Because I call out Olive Garden and Panera for what they are and yet extol the merits of Five Guys?

the virtue of five guys is the ability to pay $10,623.87 for one burger

But the burger is notches better than what you get at In-N-Out.

I like Five Guys too.  But I've suspected, for some time now, that their secret is just that their food is really greasy—and greasy burgers are generally good.  I've had burgers just as good as Five Guys served through a bullet-proof window in the 'hood, and I'm reasonably sure the reason is the same.

[Rothman]

... Panera ... crap ...

My God, man!  Your food snobbery knows no bounds!

Because I call out Olive Garden and Panera for what they are and yet extol the merits of Five Guys?

the virtue of five guys is the ability to pay $10,623.87 for one burger

But the burger is notches better than what you get at In-N-Out.

I like Five Guys too.  But I've suspected, for some time now, that their secret is just that their food is really greasy—and greasy burgers are generally good.  I've had burgers just as good as Five Guys served through a bullet-proof window in the 'hood, and I'm reasonably sure the reason is the same.

Let me know the best burger joint in the 'hood.

[jeffandnicole]

... Panera ... crap ...

My God, man!  Your food snobbery knows no bounds!

Because I call out Olive Garden and Panera for what they are and yet extol the merits of Five Guys?

the virtue of five guys is the ability to pay $10,623.87 for one burger

But the burger is notches better than what you get at In-N-Out.

I like Five Guys too.  But I've suspected, for some time now, that their secret is just that their food is really greasy—and greasy burgers are generally good.  I've had burgers just as good as Five Guys served through a bullet-proof window in the 'hood, and I'm reasonably sure the reason is the same.

Let me know the best burger joint in the 'hood.

McDowells. Gotta get the Big Mick.

[kphoger]

McDowells. Gotta get the Big Mick.

Nice!

Let me know the best burger joint in the 'hood.

It's not there anymore.  They tore it down years ago and "revitalized" that corner.  (Central & Corcoran Pl, Chicago)

[Rothman]

McDowells. Gotta get the Big Mick.

Nice!

Let me know the best burger joint in the 'hood.

It's not there anymore.  They tore it down years ago and "revitalized" that corner.  (Central & Corcoran Pl, Chicago)

So, Five Guys, it is.

[formulanone]

... Panera ... crap ...

My God, man!  Your food snobbery knows no bounds!

Because I call out Olive Garden and Panera for what they are and yet extol the merits of Five Guys?

the virtue of five guys is the ability to pay $10,623.87 for one burger

But the burger is notches better than what you get at In-N-Out.

I like Five Guys too.  But I've suspected, for some time now, that their secret is just that their food is really greasy—and greasy burgers are generally good.  I've had burgers just as good as Five Guys served through a bullet-proof window in the 'hood, and I'm reasonably sure the reason is the same.

I've found that no two Five Guys stores seem to use the same amount of grease. I feel like it varies just a little with a certain consistency (and a little less than average is preferable).

[kphoger]

So, Five Guys, it is.

Nah.  Any greasy burger it is.  If you're gonna be on the toilet 18 minutes after dinner, you might as well not spend $10,623.87 for the burger.