Best Chain Restaurants in America
Mar 17th 2005, 4:50 am
#136
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 6,848
Re: Best Chain Restaurants in America
Originally Posted by TRPardoe
Every few months the Plaza would be shut down for having unusual carcases hanging up in the fridge. It then reopened with the same name but a different "owner" who was usually one of the waiters.
Chicken Biriani was damned good though and damned cheap too.
Chicken Biriani was damned good though and damned cheap too.
My husband was a student at UMIST, I'll have to ask him about the Plaza.
Hey - there was a story in the British press a couple of days ago about some guy who murdered someone, fried his brains in butter and ate it....I didn't read the details, it seemed too revolting.... :scared:
Mar 17th 2005, 7:04 am
#137
.
Joined: Nov 2002
Location: Where bad things rarely happen in movies
Posts: 8,933
Re: Best Chain Restaurants in America
Originally Posted by TRPardoe
One time, a friend of mine picked a "meat dish" and found a rib bone about 10" long in it.
Was that place still going in the mid 80's - rings a bell from weekend visits to a mate at UMIST..
Mar 17th 2005, 7:15 am
#138
Gone but not forgotten. RIP
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 1,570
Re: Best Chain Restaurants in America
Originally Posted by Yorkieabroad
Big cats in Manchester!!
Was that place still going in the mid 80's - rings a bell from weekend visits to a mate at UMIST..
Was that place still going in the mid 80's - rings a bell from weekend visits to a mate at UMIST..
I seem to remember it was still functioning in the late 70s but I am sure the building has been bulldozed by now.
My feelings are that it was on Upper Brook Street, or maybe Plymouth Grove. I know it wasn't on Oxford Road.
Mar 17th 2005, 7:48 am
#139
Vegas Baby
Joined: Sep 2003
Location: Liverpool>Fl>Tx>Ca>Nv
Posts: 567
Re: Best Chain Restaurants in America
Beef-o-Brady's for the best wings try their Nuclear ones you'll have a ring of fire for days
Mar 17th 2005, 7:55 am
#140
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Nov 2004
Location: the land of make believe
Posts: 10,528
Re: Best Chain Restaurants in America
i love cracker barrel.......their turkey dinner is exeptional
Mar 18th 2005, 4:17 am
#141
Back Again
Joined: Aug 2004
Location: Virtual Reality
Posts: 10,831
Re: Best Chain Restaurants in America
Originally Posted by AlisonPA
Trouble is all the chains that are franchised are only as good as the manager or chef and cooking staff!
sometimes you can go to the same restaurant and one time the food's delicious another it's not so good, definitly depends on who's cooking
Mar 18th 2005, 10:12 pm
#142
Joined: Dec 2001
Location: Dixie, ex UK
Posts: 52,585
Re: Best Chain Restaurants in America
Originally Posted by TRPardoe
Carabba's is outstanding for a chain if you don't mind queueing for food, ..... Macaroni Grill is appalling and my wife would leave me if I took her to Olive Garden.
You can't beat a family owned place. Maybe that is why Carabba's is so good.
You can't beat a family owned place. Maybe that is why Carabba's is so good.
Maybe things vary from city to city, or state to state, but all three of those restaurants are broadly similar, with similar prices, 'cept Carrabas has a very limited menu, as does Macaroni Grill. Round here at least, Olive Garden is tolerable, but Macaroni Grill and Carrabas are disappointing.
Mar 18th 2005, 10:21 pm
#143
Joined: Dec 2001
Location: Dixie, ex UK
Posts: 52,585
Re: Best Chain Restaurants in America
Originally Posted by NC Penguin
You live in the South too! .....
NC Penguin
NC Penguin
Mar 18th 2005, 11:32 pm
#144
Sursum corda
Joined: Sep 2002
Location: Richmond Hill, GA USA
Posts: 38,860
Re: Best Chain Restaurants in America
Originally Posted by Celtic_Angel
Ain't that the truth!!! you've totally summed it up ....my hubby and i will never forget the time ,when we were on a road trip, we stopped off at a Burger King so the kids could stretch their legs, hesitantly we grabbed a bite to eat...it was GOOD!!!
sometimes you can go to the same restaurant and one time the food's delicious another it's not so good, definitly depends on who's cooking
sometimes you can go to the same restaurant and one time the food's delicious another it's not so good, definitly depends on who's cooking
Best Burger King I have ever had was in Amsterdam-go figure
Mar 19th 2005, 12:14 am
#145
BE Site Lead
Joined: Aug 2004
Location: MA, USA
Posts: 92,174
Re: Best Chain Restaurants in America
Originally Posted by cindyabs
Best Burger King I have ever had was in Amsterdam-go figure
Mar 19th 2005, 12:15 am
#146
BE Site Lead
Joined: Aug 2004
Location: MA, USA
Posts: 92,174
Re: Best Chain Restaurants in America
Originally Posted by Pulaski
Uh? Maybe things vary from city to city, or state to state, but all three of those restaurants are broadly similar, with similar prices, 'cept Carrabas has a very limited menu, as does Macaroni Grill.
Round here at least, Olive Garden is tolerable, but Macaroni Grill and Carrabas are disappointing.
Maybe things vary from city to city, or state to state, but all three of those restaurants are broadly similar, with similar prices, 'cept Carrabas has a very limited menu, as does Macaroni Grill. Round here at least, Olive Garden is tolerable, but Macaroni Grill and Carrabas are disappointing.
Mar 19th 2005, 12:30 am
#147
Gone but not forgotten. RIP
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 1,570
Re: Best Chain Restaurants in America
Originally Posted by Pulaski
Sorry NCP, Florida is not the South. If you don't realize this you don't ubderstnad what "The South" means. Florida is NYC South/ Cuba North!
Over here in SWFL there is very little evidence of either Cuba or New York. There are a surprisingly large number of local born "Crackers" still around and they own most of the undeveloped land. There is an awful lot of "South" around here.
The snowbirds we do get are predominantly from what my wife calls "the vowel states", Ohio, Indiana etc. plus a surprising number of Quebecois.
Regarding expats, the Germans are the largest block with Brits running second. A lot of German POWs were sent here to work the fields during WWII. They apparently liked it so much they kept coming back.
Mar 19th 2005, 12:31 am
#148
Gone but not forgotten. RIP
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 1,570
Re: Best Chain Restaurants in America
Originally Posted by cindyabs
Best Burger King I have ever had was in Amsterdam-go figure
Mar 19th 2005, 2:48 am
#149
Mr. Grumpy
Joined: Jun 2003
Location: Nashville, TN
Posts: 3,100
Re: Best Chain Restaurants in America
Originally Posted by TRPardoe
Only if you live on the East Coast.
Over here in SWFL there is very little evidence of either Cuba or New York. There are a surprisingly large number of local born "Crackers" still around and they own most of the undeveloped land. There is an awful lot of "South" around here.
The snowbirds we do get are predominantly from what my wife calls "the vowel states", Ohio, Indiana etc. plus a surprising number of Quebecois.
Regarding expats, the Germans are the largest block with Brits running second. A lot of German POWs were sent here to work the fields during WWII. They apparently liked it so much they kept coming back.
Over here in SWFL there is very little evidence of either Cuba or New York. There are a surprisingly large number of local born "Crackers" still around and they own most of the undeveloped land. There is an awful lot of "South" around here.
The snowbirds we do get are predominantly from what my wife calls "the vowel states", Ohio, Indiana etc. plus a surprising number of Quebecois.
Regarding expats, the Germans are the largest block with Brits running second. A lot of German POWs were sent here to work the fields during WWII. They apparently liked it so much they kept coming back.
seriously - florida is not 'the south', in the same way that Texas is not the south, any native of TN, MS, GA, AL etc would have a good laugh!
i've been to florida many times, to see relatives and holiday - its worlds apart
maybe in the norht-east of florida there is some 'southern' influence, elsewhere defintely not
to be honest i'm not sure you really should be wanting to lump florida in with the 'south'
Mar 19th 2005, 3:30 am
#150
Gone but not forgotten. RIP
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 1,570
Re: Best Chain Restaurants in America
Originally Posted by Pulaski
Uh? Maybe things vary from city to city, or state to state, but all three of those restaurants are broadly similar, with similar prices, 'cept Carrabas has a very limited menu, as does Macaroni Grill.
Round here at least, Olive Garden is tolerable, but Macaroni Grill and Carrabas are disappointing.
Maybe things vary from city to city, or state to state, but all three of those restaurants are broadly similar, with similar prices, 'cept Carrabas has a very limited menu, as does Macaroni Grill. Round here at least, Olive Garden is tolerable, but Macaroni Grill and Carrabas are disappointing.
There is no way that it could be compared, from any aspect, with the Macaroni Grill across the street.
I love the food at Carabba's but I just refuse, point blank, to line up for it. Even Outback has a reservation system nowadays.
If you are ever in FM, go to Mona Lisa. A genuine family owned Italian Restaurant. They have restaurant licence #2 for the county. Must be good if they have lasted that long with a single premises.
