Fast Food: Do You Want Fries With That?

[wovenloaf]

Cook Out! Sooooooo good! Sooooo much food for not much $$! The "side dishes" are like a whole 'nother meal! Fabulous for sharing! Milkshakes also delicious! Omg!

 

Nearest one is like 300 miles from where I live now though =( 

[Jac]

I'm an Australian so we have different fast food minus the global chains. Of the global chains I prefer Hungry Jacks (Burger King, renamed for copyright reasons). I love their Chicken Crunch sandwiches and their fries. They have frozen raspberry Fanta too, which is yummy. I can do McDonalds and KFC but I don't like them as much. Subway is good too.

 

As for local chains I love Mad Mex and Zambrero for Mexican and Red Rooster for chicken and really great fries.

[Actionmage]

I "found" two places that were new to me: Pie Five Pizza Company and Pollo Tropical.

 

Just had my first visit to Pollo Tropical yesterday and I really enjoyed the food. The meats to choose are grilled citrus chicken, Mojo roast pork, Calypso beef. there are three types of rice (white/brown/yellow) and three types of beans ( red/black/green). There are basalmic tomatoes and a Caribbean corn soufflé, but also mac'n'cheese. Fried plantains and yucca are also available.  Just a lot of choices and not all fried. There was a nice dessert of guava filling between two very soft, moist layers of cake, like a Twinkie, sort of.

 

There were coupons available, so my husband and I tried the 2/$9.99 coupon. We got two fountain drinks, either plantains or yucca ( we chose yucca) and we chose two small-sized TropiChops. The TropiChop is where you choose a meat or vegetarian base, then choose rice or other vegetables ( I chose rice for mine), "Top It " with red/black beans, Kernel corn, tomatoes, peppers & onions, or sautéed onions. Lastly, you choose a sauce, but you could get it yourself at the Sauce Bar.

 

The small TropiChop is $4.99 ( I take the free menus!), but it was very filling! I had the Mojo Roast Pork and it was delicious. My husband had covered his meal with curry mustard, so I did not try the Calypso Beef.  The place was bright and sunny and the place was pretty clean. My husband enjoyed his meal and agreed that we needed to add this to our rotation of places to get take-out or just eat at. ( They also have Family meals that are supposed to feed 3-4 folks and include a whole chicken. And there is a Lite menu as well! here is their website: http://pollotropical.com/)

 

Pie Five Pizza Company won me over with simple choices. Like Genghis Grill, you can get a pizza that can be assembled for you or you can choose to make whatever kind of pizza you can dream up. The pizza size (yes, one size) is 8 or 10 " ( I forget), but it's got 6 or 8 slices to it. You can have thin or thick crust. You can have gluten-free crust or "artisan thin".  There are 7 sauces to pick from. The toppings are grouped as Cheeses, Meats and Veggies.  There are 4 salads to choose, five dressings and a couple of dessert choices ( turtle pizza!  That they warmed up. mmm!) 

 

A plain  cheese pizza is $5.49. The others are (signature and individually chosen) are $6.99. Kids' size (6") is $3.49. There is a combo you can get: pie/salad or dessert/drink for $9.99. 

 

The husband and I decided that we had passed it enough, why not try it. We enjoyed our meals very much, but agreed that, as tasty and enjoyable as the meal was, the price makes it more a splurge-y stop instead of a regular one. Still, I think it's a nice, fun place. The place was clean and we caught it at a post-lunch, pre-heading home  period.  (Link: http://www.piefivepizza.com/)

 

Since I live in the DFW Metroplex, there is a chain of Tex-Mex places I finally visited : Fuzzy's! (http://www.fuzzystacoshop.com/) They use feta and cilantro, at least in the tacos I ordered, and it is great!  Another  taco place I enjoyed, but haven't been to in a while is Taco Ocho! (http://www.tacoocho.com/)

 

I apologize if I went too link-happy. I just want to share these places with folks who might get a chance to eat there, or are passing through the area and find themselves close to one.

[DeLurker]

 

Does anyone have a Schlotzsky's anymore?

There's one off I 45 in Conroe TX - it is in the county north of Houston's (Harris).  Never ate there, but I seem to recall seeing another store or two in the general area.

 

 

I miss when McDonald's used to deep fry their hot apple pies to a dangerous degree

Check out your local Walmarts that have McD's inside.  I've been to a few that still made the apple pies in the deep fryer - the only store I can remember specifically is the one just off the 210 in Duarte,CA.  That's in the San Gabriel Valley.  I'm not a supporter of Walmart, but I went to the Duarte store to go to the McD's inside just for the apple pie.

 

 

I love Culver's. Definitely not diet food, but so, so, tasty.

Love Culver's - not a fan of the cheese curds, but I love the crinkle cut fries.  And I have to check monthly for the frozen custard flavor of the day because some of them should not be missed!

[mansonlamps]

New fast food concept in the Chicago suburbs. Two different chains hoping to go national I believe. Mediterranean food with the Chipotle model. I love them both.

Bottom line is we're talking beef and chicken shawarma at Naf Naf Grill with the added choices of Chicken kabobs and salmon at Roti. Both have Falafel and vegetarian choices. There are some fries and soup choices available but that is not for me. Sides and sauces are comparable.

Either one is a great choice and much healthier than your typical FF offerings. This is the only type of FF I have been able to eat semi regularly and not blow my weight loss.

Edited October 7, 2014 by mansonlamps

[jenh526]

Dunkin Donuts. Sometimes I get their Egg McMuffiny thing for lunch. Whataburger's chicken strips are good. Other than that, I very rarely eat fast food (or even eat out). The last time I was pressed for time and decided to stop at Wendy's to try their Pacific cod sandwich, I was sick for two days afterwards (even though it tasted good at the time).

[PRgal]

I have not stepped inside a McDonald's in about two years and have not had a burger there in almost five (the last time I ate at McDonald's was for breakfast).  I have to admit that their coffee is good now that they're doing espresso.  The last time I ate at Burger King was in 2006.  I tend to get my burgers at places like Big Smoke (quick service, but not fast food) these days.  In terms of actual fast food, I like Subway and a bunch of smaller pita/wrap places but prefer salad/healthier choices outlets like Freshii for lunch. 

[Mountainair]

Saw the mention of Schlotzkeys a few pages back and I love that place! We don't have any near us it when I travel back home to visit my parents I always route the trip in accordance with the nearest one. Ironically, every.single.one has turned into a Zaxbys, which my husband loves. I do not. Word around town though is that we might be getting a Schlotzkeys 30 minutes away but hey!

Otherwise I don't really do burger and fries. I'll go fast food for the kiddos and order a salad or grilled chicken something but mostly I stick to subs. Jersey Mikes, Jimmy Johns or Firehouse, in that order.

[potatoradio]

 

Shit, I used to eat Denny's while drunk

 

Oh, memories of sitting slumped over a table, laughing hysterically as we all ordered "moons over my hammy" to soak up all the blue colored drinks we'd downed at the bar.

 

Anyone else work at a fast food place that permanently ruined it for you? I loved McDonald's as a kid, but after working there in high school, I have a hard time stepping foot into one without developing an angry twitch. Their training videos (ah, the thunk of a cassette loading into the VCR) explained that the reason you had to be careful around the fryers was not because you could burn yourself, but because McNuggets and fries were very fragile and they had to be handled with utmost care. Good to know - McMassProduced food is like the good china.

 

I have a hard time justifying why I won't patronize some places because I have a feeling I wouldn't like any big chain's board of directors' politics or policies, so, on principle, I should be growing my own sprouts and drinking rainwater, but nonetheless, like others, I won't go to Chik Fil A (tried it once and wasn't that impressed anyway), Domino's, Cracker Barrel, Denny's (no matter how many blue drinks I've had now), or JImmy John's. 

 

My favorites are Einstein Bros Bagels and Burger King. 

 

Popeye's just bought a bunch of KFC chains up here, so I may try that. I loved KFC*, but could only eat it maybe once a year. I swear that stuff sat in my stomach for a week, no matter how much salad I ate afterwards.

 

*Never failed to crack me up when they tried to change their name to "Kitchen Fresh Chicken" to try to sound healthy. Um, it's OK. I'm here for FRIED chicken and all the calories and fat that entails, thank you.

Edited November 20, 2014 by potatoradio

[KnoxForPres]

Potatoradio, what do you like to order at Einstein Bros? We got one here several months ago and I went and was very meh on it. I think I ordered a bagel and cream cheese (Asiago and reg cream cheese). I haven't been back, but would like to know if you have a favorite and I will try it.

I hadn't had KFC in likely over a decade. Marketing got my friend at work and she had to have a 5 dollar box. Well, being a good friend, I went for moral support. I don't know if we went on best ever KFC day, but there was a bit of high calorie ectasy going on at my desk. I got 3 chicken tenders (hot, delish), Mac and cheese (enjoyable in the low budget way a Totinos pizza is) a medium Coke, a biscuit (yum) and a damn chocolate chip cookie (believe it or not, it too was good) for five dollars! Suffice to say that's all I ate that day but it was worth it. We are both scared to go back because we're convinced that was a one time lotto win :)

Edited November 20, 2014 by KnoxForPres

[HalcyonDays]

Popeye's Chicken. It's been here in the Greater Toronto area for a while, but never really did well. Sometime last yearish, they seemed to have retooled their recipes, because now it's AMAZING! So much better than KFC. There is one a few blocks from where I live and there are lineups at lunch for it. And biscuits...mmm....So bad for you....but sooooo goood....

 

McDonalds coffee I really like now. Used to love Tim Horton's coffee (a Canadian staple) but the McDonalds is much richer tasting I think. Starbucks I find way too bitter. I don't know if Timmie's is watering down their coffee now, or McDonalds is simply better. Even their iced coffees are to die for. Who'd have thought?

 

There is a Timmie's again a few blocks from where I live. The drive through lineups are always long in the mornings - about ten-twentycars waiting. They sell coffee, doughnuts, and sandwiches and rumour is, is that particular single store has over a million dollars in sales a year. We so like our coffee and doughnuts.

[sunshinelover]

I work at Taco Bell and surprisingly it didn't ruin it for me.  Sure I never want to eat there on my days off, but just because I've had it too much.  Our sanitation and food standards are really high and I've never once experienced any of the gross stuff you see like spitting in a drink or tampering with food.

[KnoxForPres]

I work at Taco Bell and surprisingly it didn't ruin it for me. Sure I never want to eat there on my days off, but just because I've had it too much. Our sanitation and food standards are really high and I've never once experienced any of the gross stuff you see like spitting in a drink or tampering with food.

The meximelt fanatic in me is giving you a virtual high five. And that new Doritos cheesy crunchy Gordita (or whatever, lol). Oh my lands. I've never been big on burgers or fries. This has made Taco Bell my go to when I get fast food. So much love for so many items.

[EllieH]

 

Anyone else work at a fast food place that permanently ruined it for you?

 

I worked at an Einstein Bros Bagels for two summers in college, and that did not ruin it for me, I still eat there from time to time.  It probably helped that we were really fastidious about cleaning, and the mess there was always crumbs, which could be swept up easily, not grease.

[mlp]

Popeye's Chicken. ................ So much better than KFC.

 

 

The Popeye's here has great chicken.  I also like the sides and the shrimp po'boy.  And I like the spokeswoman in the commercials.  I actually watch the Popeye's ads because I like her voice.  LOL 

 

I haven't gone to the local KFC in years.  It was always dirty inside with slow-witted employees standing around instead of clearing tables or sweeping the floor.  The last straw was once when I brought home a bucket and there were pieces in there I didn't even recognize.  Whatever they were, they had no bones and were like big, squashed nuggets.  I never went back after that.

[AltLivia]

Hardee's/Carl's Jr. (a chain I don't typically like) made the best fast food burger I've ever had. It was the something-something Bourbon Burger. The ad campaign featured Heidi Klum playing a Mrs. Robinson-y character. They've stopped serving it.

 

I don't eat fast food very much, but love Wendy's fries and their salads. Burger King has always been horrible, but I love their breakfast croissant sandwiches on occasion. The service though! I ordered one of the aforementioned sandwiches (sausage, egg and cheese) and they gave me egg. On a croissant. Just the egg. The last time I tried their burger I ordered it with just cheese, and they drenched it in Thousand Island sauce.

[backformore]

New fast food concept in the Chicago suburbs. Two different chains hoping to go national I believe. Mediterranean food with the Chipotle model. I love them both.

 

Yes ROTI - My new favorite!   Their chicken salad is wonderful.   The chicken is spiced and charcoal grilled, so it's got a ton of flavor -  The olives add a lot, as does the feta cheese.  

Oh god, I'm hungry for ROTI right now.  The only one I've seen is in Schaumburg.  

[mansonlamps]

Yes ROTI - My new favorite! Their chicken salad is wonderful. The chicken is spiced and charcoal grilled, so it's got a ton of flavor - The olives add a lot, as does the feta cheese.

Oh god, I'm hungry for ROTI right now. The only one I've seen is in Schaumburg.

For the Chicago locals there are ROTI restaurants in Lincolnshire and Northbrook as well as a few in the city. Maybe others I'm not aware of. YUM.

[Unraveled]

Anyone else work at a fast food place that permanently ruined it for you?

Only one experience, many many years ago. I worked at a Taco Bell/KFC when I was in high school. A majority of the staff were older ladies. Our location was very clean and sanitary. I didn't cook/assemble the food that often. I was the cashier. I still eat at Taco Bell once a month or so. I like the Nachos.

[StatisticalOutlier]

I work at Taco Bell and surprisingly it didn't ruin it for me. 

 

An insider!  Please beg the appropriate person to bring back the Bellbeefer. 

 

 

I have a hard time justifying why I won't patronize some places because I have a feeling I wouldn't like any big chain's board of directors' politics or policies, so, on principle, I should be growing my own sprouts and drinking rainwater, but nonetheless, like others, I won't go to Chik Fil A (tried it once and wasn't that impressed anyway), Domino's, Cracker Barrel, Denny's (no matter how many blue drinks I've had now), or JImmy John's. 

 

Hadn't heard about Jimmy John's, so I checked into it.  Dang.  Every once in a while their roast beef would actually be kind of medium rare, which made me overlook my pre-existing ire at JJ's.  Mr. Outlier and I have had a beef, so to speak, with Jimmy John's for years.  Every time we think about the place, we chant, "Jimmy don't care."

 

Their menu said on the Italian Club, you could get hot peppers, "you just hafta ask."  Groaning aside, yes, all you had to do was ask, and on the receipt you'd notice a separate charge for them.  Not only that, the charge varied depending on the location.  Sometimes 35 cents, sometimes 50.  Not a big deal, but you can get pretty much anything on any sandwich, you just hafta ask.  But the way this one was singled out, you'd never think there would be a charge.

 

Also, the menu said you could get chips and a drink for "about 2 bucks."  I can't remember now, but it was something like $2.60, which is more "about 3 bucks" if you adhere to arithmetic principles.  And it was a whopping 10 cents less than getting chips and a drink separately.

 

I sent emails discussing their misleading menu, but of course never heard anything back.  (On the other hand, I've gotten actual replies from both Chipotle and Rubio's (fish taco place out west) that indicated the person had actually read what I said.)  But I noticed recently that we haven't been charged for hot peppers on the Italian Club, and I'm pretty sure there wasn't a mention of a chips-and-drink add-on on the menu.  But I still think Jimmy don't care.

 

Oh, which reminds me--many years ago I noticed that at a Schlotzsky's in Austin, the "combo" was actually more expensive than getting the items separately.  That's pretty foul.

[nicepebbles]

There's a Schlotsky's in Oklahoma City. I've passed by it a few times. I've always wondered what kind of food they serve.

I went to Quiznos alot when I lived in Hawaii. It was one of the few places close to my job. The cost of living in HI is high already so Quiznos was pricey.

I ate at White Castle as a kid once or twice in NY when visiting family. I can't eat there now. The burgers are disgusting.

I lived right next door to Roy Rogers in NJ in the early 90s. I forgot who took them over. It's a Dunkin Donuts now. Miss RR. They have one off of Exit 3 of the turnpike.

We have a Qdoba by us now. Pricey but worth it to me.

I kinda hate McDonalds b/c it's my husband's go to place so I'm tired of eating there when I don't cook or we're on the road. It seems to be the only place that is on the road. I love there fries still, southern chicken sandwich (why only 2 Itty bitty pieces of pickle?), coffee drinks, and McGriddles (crack). I about died when they started serving sweet tea. At the time I loved in the NE and love sugar! When I thought they stopped selling it, I went online to check things out. I would've made some calls about it if necessary. I like their nuggets, too. The burgers are okay.

Wendy's and BK have better ones. I mostly get the salads at Wendy's. The salads at McDonald's and BK are terrible, at least they were years ago. I refuse to waste my money to find out if they have improved. The fries ate okay. BK needs to keep the satisfries.

Living in OK we have a lot of taco and tex-mex places. I haven't tried any of them though. Scared I guess. Lol. I had a bad experience at Taco Bell once so I'm leary. Not far to judge theses places on that I know. I gotta get over it.

I stopped eating at Children's Fil-A until the company apologized for the past comments. Papa Johns is on my shit list now so no pizza from them. Besides there's a Marco's Pizza like 5 minutes away that serves better pizza than all the other places.

[WendyCR72]

So, Sonic will finally be in my area (Albany, NY region) come June! We've been getting commercials for this place for years, so I do know it's not at all healthy, but still...I'm curious enough to want to try some of their stuff.  :-)

 

(Getting commercials for places we don't even have isn't new, though. In the late '80s/early '90s, there were ads for Walmart, and we were like, "What's that?" and then came the huge expansion of it into these parts around '94.)

[StatisticalOutlier]

Sonic used to have a steak sandwich thing--a chicken fried steak on buttered Texas toast with mayonnaise and lettuce.  Talk about not healthy but really tasty.  But I haven't seen it on the menu for a while.

 

I think their cherry limeades and similar drinks are just Slice with flavorings added, which I don't think is all that special.  They have a drink called Ocean Water, which is fluorescent blue and tastes like coconut and is pretty good, if you like unnaturally sweet coconut.  I have no idea what it's made of.  And the slushes are always good but be careful about freezing your throat--the straw points the icy concoction right at the top of your throat.  I once tried to counteract it by throwing tater tots down after it and it didn't work.

 

But I don't go often because they earned my ire when I noticed a 10-cent "misc" charge on the receipt.  WTF?

[GaT]

So, Sonic will finally be in my area (Albany, NY region) come June! We've been getting commercials for this place for years, so I do know it's not at all healthy, but still...I'm curious enough to want to try some of their stuff.  :-)

 

 

We get multiple Sonic commercials every day, & there is only one around here & it's not close enough for me to bother. It's annoying.

[ramble]

I love unhealthy Sonic in an unhealthy way. I don't eat there often because we're gluten free & that pretty much leaves fries & tots. However I have a deep love for their drinks. Their ice is awesome. I've been anemic for the past couple of years (didn't know that until recently) & I should have clued in because I craved that ice by the bucketful. I try not to drink soda too often but if I'm near a Sonic during happy hour, which at least locally is before 10 a.m. & then 2-4 p.m., I'm tempted & often cave. I usually buy an additional cup of ice to take home. Maybe we're in a well-managed area because any time I've ordered a cherry limeade or a diet coke with lime I actually get fruit in the drink & I've never had a "misc" charge. I have been given coupons or gift food if my order takes longer than they deem appropriate & one time because my car hop could see I was having a massively awful day. And now I sound like a Sonic cheerleader...

[Lovecat]

There's a Sonic in the parking lot of my gym. Mean!

[WendyCR72]

There's a Sonic in the parking lot of my gym. Mean!

 

Not just mean, a sort of twisted irony: Put all that sweat into burning calories, only to have temptation oh, so close!

[mlp]

 

So, Sonic will finally be in my area..........................

 

Sonic came to my city in Central Illinois a couple years ago.  It's located right across from the Wal-Mart parking lot on the corner of an already hazardous intersection and the police had to monitor traffic because everyone in town wanted to try it the first day or so.  I waited a couple weeks and went and wasn't impressed.  I hate eating in the car anyway so I never went back.

[BW Manilowe]

Chick-Fil-A is supposed to finally open in NYC this year. It's supposed to be in Herald Square, across from Macy's. But Google claims there's already 1 at (I think) 5 University Place. (shrugs)

I like most of the national chains you guys have mentioned, & still eat at those whose heads' opinions on things differ from mine. I may not agree with their positions (i.e. the Chick-Fil-A brouhaha), but I respect & recognize their right to their opinion, as I assume they'd respect & recognize my right to have a dissenting opinion on the matter involved. And I'm not gonna deprive myself of their food, if I love it enough, because of their opinion on something conflicting with mine.

We had Schlotzky's Deli here, but they (we had at least 2) closed after the expansion-related chain implosion.

We also had, like, 3 Sonics but they opened & closed *twice*, each time because the local franchise owner wanted to move on to other things (& apparently couldn't get someone else to take them over, or something). I used to love their Bacon, Egg & Cheese Toaster Sandwiches (which I'd eat any time of day--gotta love all-day breakfast availability) & Strawberry Slushes. And now having to watch their ads when we don't have any, & they're advertising something I wanna try, drives me absolutely crazy.

And we also had a number of Quizno's here too (we still have Subway; also Jimmy John's, Jersey Mike's & Firehouse Subs). They're all gone, but I can't remember why now. As far as I know, if you're flying to/from/through McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas, they have a Quizno's in the D Concourse Gates there. They did the last time I was there 5 years ago, anyway.

We also had, but no longer have, Dominos (formerly Dominos Pizza--which I liked until they decided to get rid of "boring" plain crusts for garlic butter, or other flavored, crusts).

And if we still have any, we're down to, like, 1 Long John Silver's restaurant. I used to love most of their fish, shrimp, & chicken dishes, but was really pissed when they got rid of the chicken peg legs (mini drumsticks) years ago, in favor of the chicken "planks" (tenders). And when they changed their hush puppies recipe.

Popeye's Chicken, for whatever reason, died a pretty fast death here too. We had at least 3; if we have any left we're down to 1. I liked their Mild Chicken.

And I'd pretty much *kill* for a Five Guys Little Cheeseburger with Ketchup only & some regular fries, calorie counts be damned! But I agree, they send way too many fries in an order, although I love their fries. When we go to Five Guys, we usually get our individual burgers & 1 large fries, which we split among the 3 of us in the family still living at home. That usually works well.

I'd also *kill* for a "naked" chicken burrito (tortilla-free burrito, in a bowl) & some roasted corn chile salsa & chips from Qdoba. Especially if I could finally get my store to give me enough damn salsa so it didn't run out halfway through the damn bag of chips! What's the point of chips & salsa if you run out of the salsa before you run out of the chips? I can never make the people at my store understand that.

They do give me extra, but the "extra" (& the original allotment) is in 1 of those see-through Solo condiment cups with a cap, like salad dressing, ketchup, & mustard would come in, in our school lunches, if they weren't in those squeeze packets. So it's only another couple of spoonfuls, at best. I don't even "double dip" my chips & I need a big paper or plastic bowl of salsa with my chips. At least bigger than those stupid teeny-ass Solo cups with lids. My store simply won't put salsa in a regular sized bowl. You get way more salsa with your chips in a "regular" Mexican restaurant (& maybe in other Qdobas) than at my Qdoba.

And I badly wanna try the new Smothered Burrito at Qdoba, with the Savory Queso "smother".

I like Chipotle too, but I prefer Qdoba. I think Chipotle puts jalapeños, or something else spicy, in their "naked" burritos & corn salsa, that Qdoba doesn't. I prefer my Mexican food on the "mild" side (I know, I'm no fun--but I really can't "do" jalapeño spicy; I've tried).

I also love Wendy's current fries way more than the old ones. Except sometimes I think they put way too much sea salt on 'em. And yes, they still have chili, yummy especially with the shredded cheese & some crackers in it --& I agree it is a great lunch/dinner in winter (or even late fall)--for whomever asked about it upthread.

I also love Cinnabon, but our mall & airport don't have 1 (our airport is teeny & just got a Seattle's Best Coffee & a Sam Adams Brewhouse restaurant, our 1st national food places/retailers there, within the last few years). So I get my "fix" on at Burger King & Taco Bell. I get a Minibon Cinnabon roll when we eat at Burger King & an order of Cinnabon Delights (if you've somehow missed them they're like donut holes, or like an inside-out Cinnabon roll, covered with the Makara cinnamon Cinnabon uses & filled with their cream cheese/whatever frosting) when I eat at Taco Bell. Those puppies can be addictive, & you can get 'em in, like, 2, 4, or 12-piece sizes, all day & not just during breakfast hours.

We're also beginning to get some Tim Horton's here, which I haven't gotten to try yet. And we're supposed to get a ton more, literally, in our metro area (under 50, anyway). We have a Tim's kiosk at our local minor league hockey/basketball/all purpose arena & a separate Tim's store in the same area, by 1 of our local college campuses.

Edited March 16, 2015 by BW Manilowe

[DeLurker]

There's a Sonic in the parking lot of my gym. Mean!

 

I used to go to a gym where the treadmills/elliptical/stair stepper machines were situated facing a big window. Across the street was a Baskin Robbins.

I love unhealthy Sonic in an unhealthy way. I don't eat there often because we're gluten free & that pretty much leaves fries & tots. However I have a deep love for their drinks. Their ice is awesome.

I've heard that from several people (about the ice). I never think to go there to try it though.

[DeLurker]

Just saw a commercial for a promotion Jersey Mike's Subs is doing on March 25th where 100% of the profits from the day's sale goes to local charities (I believe to fight hunger).

 

I've never eaten there but I'm going to try to find one local to go to specifically on the 25th.

[Quof]

We're also beginning to get some Tim Horton's here, which I haven't gotten to try yet. And we're supposed to get a ton more, literally, in our metro area (under 50, anyway). We have a Tim's kiosk at our local minor league hockey/basketball/all purpose arena & a separate Tim's store in the same area, by 1 of our local college campuses.

 

 

Tim Horton's is evil.  Really. Their coffee is nasty.  Their food is pre-made, flash frozen and shipped all over the country.   And their cups alone are responsible for a ridiculous proportion of all landfill in Canada, but only after they have sat littering the landscape for a time.  Not to mention the emissions from all the vehicles lined up in the drive-thrus that are on almost every street corner. 

[mansonlamps]

I had the same "Sonic envy" that I'm seeing over and over on these boards. Ads for a place that wasn't available to me. Then one opened about 4 years ago maybe two miles from me. Guess what? Have been there maybe a total of six times. Not bad at all, but not that special that I crave it over other places. If you like slushy type beverages you may have a different opinion.

Edited March 17, 2015 by mansonlamps

[harrie]

For a slushy/slurpee, I like Dairy Queen's Mr. Misty or a cola slurpee from 7-11.  We got a Sonic in the town where I work, so I may swing by and try one of theirs.  But just judging by driving by, it seemed like the Sonic was hopping right after the grand opening, and not so much once the hubbub died down.

[Mittengirl]

Damn, now I want a slurpee! We used to have tons of the plastic "collectible" cups from 7-11 when I was a kid in the '70's. We used to go every Saturday night after church and once a month after I got my braces tightened. I think there aren't any left in the area any more. Frozen Cokes from other places just aren't the same.

It is probably good that the nearest DQ's are about 30 minutes from me, because I love the Blizzards. Other places' blizzard-like concoctions pale by comparison. Especially McDonalds ice cream drinks. Steak n Shake has very good shakes, though.

We got the first Sonic in the area a few years ago. I have found them to be a disappointment after all the hype. And the one closest to me never seems all that busy compared to the Steak n Shake in the same Target parking lot. They seem especially dead in the winter. Who wants to sit in their car to eat when it is 6 degrees out? The only time they seem marginally busy is on Saturday afternoons, when the Menards in the next lot is busy.

I miss Fudruckers. I loved their burgers and daquiries.

It seems like most of the new, hyped establishments that come our way have a disappointment. Five Guys and Smashbugers are o.k., but certainly not the OMG!!! that they were made out to be. I have found, in general, the more hype, the more mediocre the food.

I went to an In & Out in CA while on a business trip and found them to be nowhere near the greatest thing ever that they are proclaimed as. Maybe it is just me. I found them to be on par with Steak n Shake and Culvers.

It seems if I find a find a restaurant, local or chain, that I really like, they will close before I can go more than a few times.

I think about the only place I have ever been that lived up to all its praise is Sweetwaters Donuts in Kalamazoo.

[harrie]

I wish we had a Steak N Shake or a Smashburger around here. The closest Smashburger is in White Plains - about an hour drive with hellish traffic; and Steak N Shake won't even tell me where the closest one is.    We do have a Five Guys, and compared to the competition - Burger Thing, McDs - it's quite good, but pricey.  We have a local chain, Duchess, that makes a decent burger plus lots of other stuff -- hot dogs, salads, great bacon, egg & cheese sandwiches -- so when the fast food jones hits, that's usually the destination of choice.

[GaT]

I went to an In & Out in CA while on a business trip and found them to be nowhere near the greatest thing ever that they are proclaimed as. Maybe it is just me. I found them to be on par with Steak n Shake and Culvers.

 

 

I do not understand the love for In & Out at all, to me they are mediocre at best, & their fries plain old suck. It's 5 Guys for me.

[mansonlamps]

Although not wowed by Sonic, I think they definitely have a decent hamburger and I also enjoy their breakfast burritos. Plus, they serve tater tots! It's not a horrendous chain, it's just that my particular neighborhood is saturated with them. Fast food chains I mean, not Sonics. It's hard to get excited.

[auntlada]

Living in OK we have a lot of taco and tex-mex places. I haven't tried any of them though. Scared I guess. Lol. I had a bad experience at Taco Bell once so I'm leary. Not far to judge theses places on that I know. I gotta get over it.

 

There's probably some hole-in-the-wall Mexican places with much better food for about the same prices, anyway. They may look scary, but they'll be good. (I'm also in Oklahoma, although not OKC.) If you're ever out near Clinton, my husband really likes Taqueria Fresnillo there. I liked it when he stopped there when he was traveling for work because he'd always bring me back some apple sode, which you couldn't get here at the time.

 

One of the best things at Sonic isn't listed on the menu anymore: Pickle O's. They are pickle slices that have been battered and deep fried. Supposedly, you can still order them, although it's possible that in some places you may have to explain what they are. I used to like to eat them with mustard.

 

The other best thing at Sonic is a strawberry limeade.

[StatisticalOutlier]

Maybe we're in a well-managed area because any time I've ordered a cherry limeade or a diet coke with lime I actually get fruit in the drink & I've never had a "misc" charge.

 

Right.  There's fruit in the drink.  But the base is Slice, with the fruit added.  To me, a special cherry limeade is one made with lime juice and cherries.

 

 

And if we still have any, we're down to, like, 1 Long John Silver's restaurant. I used to love most of their fish, shrimp, & chicken dishes, but was really pissed when they got rid of the chicken peg legs (mini drumsticks) years ago, in favor of the chicken "planks" (tenders). And when they changed their hush puppies recipe.

And I'd pretty much *kill* for a Five Guys Little Cheeseburger with Ketchup only & some regular fries, calorie counts be damned! But I agree, they send way too many fries in an order, although I love their fries.

 

 

I used to work in an office where a couple of the guys would go to Long John Silver's for lunch every once in a while.  You could always tell because they tracked the smell in with them, and it lingered all day.

 

Five Guys now has a "little fries" in addition to regular and large.  I'm extremely pleased because when I'd go there by myself, I just couldn't order fries knowing how many would go to waste.

 

 

I went to an In & Out in CA while on a business trip and found them to be nowhere near the greatest thing ever that they are proclaimed as. Maybe it is just me. I found them to be on par with Steak n Shake and Culvers.

 

One thing about In-N-Out is that it's cheap.  I like it vastly more than either McDonald's or Burger King.

 

 

I do not understand the love for In & Out at all, to me they are mediocre at best, & their fries plain old suck. It's 5 Guys for me.

 

A lot of people complain about the fries at In-N-Out but I like them.  They're just potatoes that somebody standing there puts through a slicer and throws them into the fryer.  I like that they taste like potatoes.  I can't stand curly fries because they don't taste like potatoes.

 

I also eat a lot of Five Guys fries, but with fry sauce that I make up myself.  At In-N-Out, I'm happy eating the fries without anything on them, but I think most people want seasoning or something.

[DeLurker]

In-n-Out was ok - not bad, but not great. My problem with them was every time after I ate there I would get the worst stomach ache within 30 minutes. Not worth the hassle.

But folks who love In-n-Out are usually fanatical in their love.

[mlp]

 

I wish we had a Steak N Shake or a Smashburger around here.

 

There's one Smashburger here, opened two or three years ago.  It seems to be busy every time I drive by.  I like the food but they're a lot more expensive that other places and, my big complaint, it's so noisy because of the "industrial" decor that you can't hear yourself think.

 

Steak 'n' Shake originated here and there are 5 or 6 of them in town.  I like their burgers and chili dishes and I especially like that they play 50s music and at a reasonable volume too.

[EllieH]

I've eaten at In-N-Out twice since they built several in my area, 4 years ago.  The first time was decidedly 'meh', but I decided a few months after that to give them another go, since people are so fanatical about them.  And that day, I'm not sure if it was the grease or the sauce or something else in the burger, but that burger hit me like a freight train.  I'm not sure I've ever been in that much pain after eating!  I haven't been back since then, and there's other burger places, even fast food places, near me I like, so realistically I won't be back anytime soon.

[smittykins]

I prefer BK's burgers to McD's, both taste-wise and the fact that Mickey D's has a rather unpleasant effect on my lower digestive system. McD's fries win by a nose although they're hella salty. No Sonics, 5 Guys, or Chick-Fil-As in central NY, although Dairy Queen apparently existed in Syracuse in the '70s.

[WendyCR72]

No Sonics, 5 Guys, or Chick-Fil-As in central NY, although Dairy Queen apparently existed in Syracuse in the '70s.

 

No more Dairy Queens around me either (Albany, NY area) but, like Central NY, it was here in the '70s. Also here in the '70s (and before) and now long gone are Jack In The Box and White Castle. And we had and lost Hardees in the '80s/'90s.

 

We also had - and no longer do - Ponderosa Steakhouse and KFC, the latter caught on fire around 5 years ago and despite the promise of it being rebuilt, it never was. There are one or two others semi locally, but the drive isn't really worth it.

[auntlada]

What you guys are missing is Braum's. It's not always fast (although it should be), and the burgers aren't necessarily the best in the world, but the breakfast biscuits are wonderful, and the ice cream is the best. You will probably never get one, though, because Braum's won't put in restaurant/stores (they also have very good milk) outside of about a 300-mile radius of its processing plant and distribution center because it delivers products every other day in its own fleet of refrigerated trucks and the company doesn't want to lose freshness by going outside that radius.

[DeLurker]

I am a bit of an ice cream fiend and have to say way to taunt us who live outside the radius!

I've heard them mentioned on a couple different boards so now I am super envious.

[GaT]

We also had - and no longer do - Ponderosa Steakhouse and KFC, the latter caught on fire around 5 years ago and despite the promise of it being rebuilt, it never was. There are one or two others semi locally, but the drive isn't really worth it.

Ponderosa! I haven't heard of them since I was a child, in other words, a realllllly long time ago. Do they still exist?

[WendyCR72]

On 3/22/2015 at 6:59 PM, GaT said:

Ponderosa! I haven't heard of them since I was a child, in other words, a realllllly long time ago. Do they still exist?

 

Apparently they still do! But they must be few and far between these days! They were all over my area in the '70s/'80s when I was a kid/teen.

[GaT]

I remember we used to go there all the time.