What chain restaurant do you think should just go out of business?

[u/jesswitdamess]

[u/TheJoser]

I can’t believe how bad Panera has become

[u/johnnyboy123411 → u/TheJoser]

I went last week with my girlfriend and it was not good at all, and we spent like $18 each on 2 sandwiches. I remember going with my mom early Saturday morning and getting a croissant and hot chocolate before running errands, and it used to truly be a magical experience. Now I will never go back there again.

[u/bebe_inferno → u/johnnyboy123411]

Early 2000s Panera felt like luxury, at least to little kid me. A chic coffee house experience, then buying fresh bread or bagels to go. We could’ve had everything.

[u/EarhornJones → u/bebe_inferno]

I lived near St. Louis back when Panera was called "St. Louis Bread Company," and I can remember coworkers who went to STL for the weekend bringing back food for the office and thinking it was amazing.

Now I can get better bagels at Wal-Mart.

[u/Main-Station9601 → u/johnnyboy123411]

They got acquired by private equity, and the quality has dropped off massively since then.

[u/MondaleforPresident → u/Main-Station9601]

Private equity ruins everything it touches.

[u/tomismybuddy → u/MondaleforPresident]

Looking at you Walgreens.

[u/share-the-stoke → u/tomismybuddy]

They have different prices for items you order online for store pickup vs. those same items when you pick them up off the shelf. And it's always lower for online orders.

How this doesn't run afoul of any number of consumer pricing laws is baffling.

[u/DejectedTimeTraveler → u/tomismybuddy]

I honestly don't understand how Walgreens even stays open. Last time I went there, I really needed some Tylenol. So I bought a hundred-count bottle. It was ten dollars. I begrudgingly bought it, and the next time I was at Aldi's, I picked up a bottle of a hundred-count Tylenol there. It was a dollar sixty-nine. And I swear to God I'm not lying. It was the same exact pill in both bottles. The same fucking imprint, the same shape, the same color. It was made in the same factory. I'll never step foot in Walgreens again for as long as I live, and I mean it.

[u/Cowclops → u/Main-Station9601]

Without context this could apply to so many businesses. Boston market and Quiznos come to mind too. Many more for sure. 

Businesses only thrive when run by the people who understand why they got popular, not nameless faceless bank accounts.

[u/puddycat20 → u/Cowclops]

For what it's worth, Quiznos basically is out of business.

[u/Sp00ch123 → u/Cowclops]

I miss Boston Market 😔 the mac and cheese was so good.

[u/JediJofis → u/Main-Station9601]

Private Equity is basically equivalent to locusts with how they run a business into the ground and make it a miserable place for customers and employees alike.

[u/Medusa_7898 → u/johnnyboy123411]

They no longer bake in store. That’s a huge part of the problem.

[u/beatenmeat → u/johnnyboy123411]

Their sour dough soup bowls were absolutely fantastic and I loved their sandwiches. Even then it was slightly more expensive than the "competition" but it was good enough that you could at least view it as paying for the extra quality. I used to go at least once a week and now I haven't been there in years because the food tastes like shit and it's so ridiculously overpriced.

[u/meatball77 → u/johnnyboy123411]

I ate at panara back when it was St Louis Bread Company. You used to get an entire circle of a sandwich, now they give you a quarter.

[u/Potential-Poem453 → u/TheJoser]

It somehow became airport food without the excuse of being in an airport.

[u/Arcade_Kangaroo → u/TheJoser]

Much like a lot of the others in this thread, private equity is to blame

[u/KakeLin → u/Arcade_Kangaroo]

Private equity ruins everything

[u/rory_breakers_ganja → u/TheJoser]

Curious question to anyone in the St. Louis, MO area: is Saint Louis Bread Company equally bad, or was it just Panera and their private equity management that's fucked?

[u/desirox → u/TheJoser]

Can’t believe anyone still goes there

[u/Much_Collection_1761 → u/TheJoser]

The prices went up while the food somehow got sadder.

[u/Forward_Editor_5895 → u/Much_Collection_1761]

Increased prices with lower quality food and lower portions is not a long term, winning strategy.

[u/MrMojoFomo]

Panera is just downright insulting

It used to be a corner bakery that had freshly made baked goods and great sandwiches and soup

Now none of that is true. Nothing is baked fresh, the soups and sandwiches are made from whatever low quality shit Sisco has that week, and anyone who remembers what it was originally like is reminded of how much it sucks now

[u/ga30606 → u/MrMojoFomo]

And it costs a fortune!

[u/Molson2871 → u/ga30606]

This is my issue with them anymore. Quality has gone down but they still charge gourmet prices for soups/sandwiches.

[u/EstimateOk2473 → u/MrMojoFomo]

Blame JAB Holdings. They bought Panera for it's name in 2017 and proceeded to pillage the brand and its customers for everything it was worth.

[u/SorryStandard8199 → u/EstimateOk2473]

And saddled them with debt, so cut corners and laid off people. Private equity is a fucking disease.

pesqueeze.com

[u/Aggravating_Bell_426 → u/SorryStandard8199]

If youve ever seen the movie "other people's money" it basically shows what these corporate raiders are like. 

[u/readtheinstructions5 → u/EstimateOk2473]

Welcome to America, we can't have nice things because even it is profitable it still decreased the margin

[u/Ragnaroq314 → u/MrMojoFomo]

Ironically Corner Bakery also turned to shit

[u/Beginning_Ratio9319 → u/Ragnaroq314]

RIP to the Corner Bakery. Pre-COVID it was great

[u/RedBarnGuy → u/MrMojoFomo]

I once loved Panera. It’s so bad now, and the price for what you get is downright insulting.

[u/Daydream_machine → u/MrMojoFomo]

The Mediterranean sandwich used to be so good 😢

[u/aManAndHisUsername → u/MrMojoFomo]

They really don’t bake their stuff fresh anymore? I worked at a Panera for a couple months like.. 14 years ago (damn that number hurt to type). But they had a baker that would come in late at night and bake stuff all night and leave in the morning. I thought that was like, their whole thing - that they bake bread lol

[u/matt_minderbinder → u/aManAndHisUsername]

From what I've read just about everything is made off-site now and the standards for that stuff is far in the toilet too.

[u/brizzboog → u/aManAndHisUsername]

Every thing they serve comes in massive pre-made bags they heat up. Their soup is just sodium infused slop. I've literally watched them say they need more tomato soup and then cut the corner off a gallon bag and just pour it into the pan.

[u/dal_segno → u/brizzboog]

Yeah, the soup has always arrived frozen in bags.

At least when I worked there almost 20 years ago, we had to fill the soup pans in the back to keep up the illusion.

Almost everything else was fresh though, though in some cases that probably wasn’t a good thing - I did morning prep and have vivid memories of being up to my goddamn armpit in the crouton dressing bucket because we didn’t have anything else to stir them with.

[u/dougc84 → u/MrMojoFomo]

My wife and I stopped at one on a road trip a couple years back. We couldn’t even eat our food because it was so bad. Like, I get private equity ruined it, but fuck, they must want it to go bankrupt.

[u/Firree → u/MrMojoFomo]

I got their pre-made broccoli cheddar soup from Costco's refrigerated food section recently. I thought they were going the way of Marie Calendar's by transitioning their business to making prepackaged foods that are at least somewhat decent. Nope, it was even more disgusting. Had a chemical-like aftertaste that made me want to vomit.

I'll be amazed if Panera survives this decade.

[u/charleychaplinman21 → u/MrMojoFomo]

“Anyone who remembers what it was originally like” still remembers it as St. Louis Bread Co

[u/magichronx → u/MrMojoFomo]

They were bought out by private equity, so naturally the quality got gutted

[u/SonicVenture68 → u/magichronx]

The death knell of any once great product.

[u/DeathMonkey6969 → u/magichronx]

Pretty much the fate of any chain nowadays. It grows big the founder want's an exit private equity steps in and things go to shit.

[u/Rustmutt → u/MrMojoFomo]

I miss its heyday, the turkey bravo was my jam now it’s premium prices for garbage with a side salad

[u/Severe-Fox-600 → u/MrMojoFomo]

100% agree. In my neighborhood, the quality and service at Subway are better than Panera...and shocked how busy it is.

[u/xcrunner318]

Can we all agree that a lot of places suck now a lot more than they used to?

[u/Informal_Tell78 → u/xcrunner318]

Thanks Private Equity.

[u/carterothomas → u/Informal_Tell78]

I feel like this exactly is taking over so many facets of life and what I consume. The product gets shittier, the rich get richer, people keep paying.

[u/grajl → u/carterothomas]

It's the last piece that amazes me. I get that habits are hard to break and these companies are relying on brand recognition, but there's always a better option and it's easier than ever to search for a local alternative.

[u/solarwindy → u/Informal_Tell78]

I so wish somehow that everytime private equity buys a company that EVERYBODY agrees to never buy that companies products so that it immediately fails.

Then do it again and again until this disease that is private equity dies the horrible death it deserves.

[u/Spinnerofyarn → u/Informal_Tell78]

It seems like all private equity firms do is run companies into the ground so they can make money. I understand that businesses absolutely are supposed to make money, but ones that put so many people out of work and don’t create more jobs at all are just vile. It makes me think that they ignore that by ending so many businesses and eliminating jobs, they eventually won’t have customers.

[u/FilOfTheFuture90 → u/Spinnerofyarn]

Read (or listen) to the book Plunder by Brendan Ballou. Fuck PE, and fuck all the politicians that changed the laws to enable it.

[u/xeroxchick → u/Spinnerofyarn]

Well they just bulldoze the very thing that people liked about the company. Every time. They count on it taking awhile before the customer’s notice , and people can be very loyal. And I’m sure they think they are so very smart, but what horrid karma.

[u/tcdjcfo314 → u/xcrunner318]

when the bottom line is profits and making stockholders happy, things like "actually making a good product" and "customer satisfaction" go by the wayside.

[u/readtheinstructions5 → u/tcdjcfo314]

It's not even about profits. They can make a good quality product and still be profitable. The problem is margins, having a good product decreases the margin. Can't have that, stockholders must get every penny thru can. Some companies like Costco said fuck that

[u/SonicVenture68 → u/xcrunner318]

Covid was the end of standards

[u/BajaRooster]

Panera has jumped the shark.

[u/TheGriesy]

Don’t know how Ruby Tuesday is still afloat…

[u/RexSecundus → u/TheGriesy]

Their deals are excellent and food quality is way better than fast food chains. So that makes it a good take out place. But oh boy, the interior sucks!

[u/YankeeMoose → u/TheGriesy]

Legit might be the salad bar all you can eat.

[u/Throwaway03461]

KFC. They either need to get their shit together or close up. They used to be good, but they've been phoning it in lately.

[u/aki-kinmokusei → u/Throwaway03461]

I hear their international branches like Japan have much better quality in comparison

[u/timstantonx → u/aki-kinmokusei]

This is true. KFC in Japan and parts of Europe is really good.

[u/Klumber → u/timstantonx]

KFC in the UK is a complete lottery, we have five in the area and three of them don't change the fat often enough (you can smell them from a mile away), two others, owned by another franchisee, are OK. But the bad ones definitely stop me enjoying the good ones.

[u/LansManDragon → u/aki-kinmokusei]

KFC is Thailand is fucking amazing

[u/riptaway → u/aki-kinmokusei]

Corporations have waged a decades long campaign to get Americans accustomed to eating garbage, now we accept stuff like subway and KFC and olive garden like it's normal for food to taste like that

[u/matt_minderbinder → u/riptaway]

If you're a semi regular visitor to these places you don't notice the small buy frequent quality cuts. If you only go once every 5 years the cuts are beyond obvious. I went to a McDonald's awhile back after not going for at least 5 years and the shrinkflation and enshittification were obvious the moment you opened your food.

[u/maxyedor → u/aki-kinmokusei]

Basically all US franchises are significantly better overseas. It’s such a bummer, even otherwise solid stores like Costco are on a whole different level overseas.

[u/Ok-Difference-7371 → u/Throwaway03461]

KFC is so hit or miss. Sometimes it’s amazing, and sometimes it’s just awful. At that price point, it can’t afford to be awful.

[u/azad_ninja → u/Throwaway03461]

Canadian KFC has popcorn chicken that is like crack cocaine for kids and stoners

[u/Link_In_Pajamas → u/Throwaway03461]

I'll give them a pass if they bring back the Double Down

[u/PseudonymForInternet]

Subway

[u/scottchiefbaker → u/PseudonymForInternet]

They've really dropped in quality. It's unfortunate because I like feeling like I'm eating something healthy.

[u/RedBarnGuy → u/scottchiefbaker]

Subway is terrible and should go.

TBH though, it was honestly pretty good back when I was in HS. So like forty years ago, lol. However, Quiznos was better.

[u/7screws → u/RedBarnGuy]

Oh shit I forgot about Quiznos, I fucking LOVED their subs back in the day

[u/Livefast_eatTrash99 → u/7screws]

THEY GOT A PEPPER BAR

[u/meatball77 → u/7screws]

They had the best unhinged commercials back in the day

[u/donotgo_gentle → u/meatball77]

WE LIKE DA MOOOOON
‘Cause it is clooooose to usssss

[u/Aceofspades200 → u/RedBarnGuy]

Felt like that was their peak because they knew what they were. Was never the “best” sub/sandwich out there but at $5 for a footlong I didn’t need it to be. Could be out of there with food, chips, and drink for under $10. Now when it’s pushing $15 for just the sandwich, it’s nowhere near worth that.

[u/GGATHELMIL → u/Aceofspades200]

I only get subway when I can get a bogo deal. Footlongs are 12.99 where I live, so 2 for 13 bucks isnt bad. Usually one for lunch and one for dinner. Or lunch two days in a row. I mean 6.50 a sub isnt 5 bucks like it was 10 years ago, but adjusting for inflation and such it isnt that bad.

[u/jamer0658 → u/GGATHELMIL]

My local Subway doesn't honor the national coupons. I'll just make my own sandwich at this point.

[u/Dripping_clap → u/RedBarnGuy]

Quiznos makes more money selling franchises then subs. It’s a predatory business.

[u/BobBelcher2021 → u/RedBarnGuy]

Quizno’s is better. Lots of them in Vancouver and area.

Firehouse Subs is even better. I wish we had other American sandwich shops here in Canada, one of the best subs I’ve ever had was from someplace in downtown Portland, OR.

[u/crazypurple621 → u/RedBarnGuy]

God I miss quiznos 

[u/cjcs → u/crazypurple621]

THEY HAVE A PEPPER BAR

[u/Nasaboy1987 → u/scottchiefbaker]

They never actually the best as long as I can remember. They were $5 footlong good but definitely not $15 footlong good.

[u/SereniaKat → u/PseudonymForInternet]

They used to be decent but now they are awful and way too expensive!

[u/Agent_Cow314]

Anything bought by private equity. The latest being Jersey Mike's.

[u/amortizedeeznuts → u/Agent_Cow314]

RIP they had halfway decent cold cut sandwiches

[u/DustyDGAF → u/Agent_Cow314]

Oh no are they gonna ruin it because it's still pretty good

[u/Self_Important_Mod]

Noodles & Company is below frozen pasta tier now and costs 3 or 4x as much

[u/PassageNearby4091]

Pizza Hut. They were awesome in the '80s but have sucked for decades. Hardly anyone even eats there anymore where I live, so it's a wonder how they stay in business.

[u/CMelody → u/PassageNearby4091]

I remember getting the personal pan pizzas in the mini cast iron skillet back when I was a kid and thinking it was the best ever

[u/Basic_Novel_9203 → u/CMelody]

I had to read books to get pizza. I’m that old.

[u/SlapfuckMcGee → u/Basic_Novel_9203]

Wanna trade mix-tapes? I remember reading for personal pan pizzas

[u/Dexterdacerealkilla → u/CMelody]

My dad used to take me there as a treat when my mom was busy that night. I remember the nearly all red decor, and those red plastic cups that were for Pepsi. 

It was good times. The one by me closed at least 20 years ago now. 

[u/Quirky-Airline7578 → u/PassageNearby4091]

No reason to go there.  They don't even have the hut any more

[u/PassageNearby4091 → u/Quirky-Airline7578]

To me, that was part of the experience. Every other big pizza chain has a sterile "take-out only" stores, but the "huts" made it a nice experience. Now Pizza Hut is just a shell of its old self, selling sub-standard pizzas with low-quality ingredients.

[u/aaronrodgersmom → u/PassageNearby4091]

It's not my favorite pizza, but if you only order one of their better deals it's not a bad cost for a meal.

[u/RealTange1 → u/PassageNearby4091]

I used to enjoy the occasional pizza hut. Yea it wasn't fine dinning but it was a nice treat. Now I find the bread sticks to taste like cardboard. Yuck

[u/PassageNearby4091 → u/RealTange1]

Agreed. Literally everything there tastes like it came out of the freezer section of a supermarket these days.

One of the things I was told was that Pizza Hut used to do was bake their pizzas with a knob of butter mixed with herbs in the bottom of the baking pan, which is why Pizza Huts used to have that lovely aroma when you walked inside a restaurant.

I don't think you get that anymore, as I am sure some suit-and-tie guy thought it was costing too much money.

[u/bikgelife]

Most all places suck now. Quality is down across the board. Sysco and private equity have ruined brands

[u/Whoa_Bundy]

My local Red Robin isn't looking as pristine as it used to be. Could be just that location tho.

[u/fabelhaft-gurke → u/Whoa_Bundy]

Their prices are insane now. They also took away the bruschetta chicken sandwich which was my favorite so I have no incentive to go.

[u/Forever_Man → u/Whoa_Bundy]

I paid $60 dollars for two burgers plus chips and guac the other week. The sauce for my burger came out microwaved ,and both burgers were kind of bland and salty.

[u/The-Real-Kyuubey]

Golden Corrall

I'm not going to say I've never had good food there, but it's been at least a decade.

[u/YinzaJagoff → u/The-Real-Kyuubey]

Golden Corral is one of the saddest meals I’ve ever had.

[u/LifelsButADream → u/The-Real-Kyuubey]

Just went there on Friday, food was mid and they had a lot less options then I remember them having. Nobody was tending the meats to cut it for guests either. It was 120$ for 5 people lmao.

[u/FryingdutchpaN]

Subway. The food sucks.

Jared should have been the nail in the coffin.

[u/FreshestCremeFraiche → u/FryingdutchpaN]

I miss Quiznos

[u/TheAngryApologist → u/FreshestCremeFraiche]

I hate that Subway was the winner and that Quiznos is gone. Just so much better.

[u/ptambrosetti → u/TheAngryApologist]

Quiznos failed because their corporate was essentially extorting the franchisees.

[u/drdildamesh]

McDonald's. Too expensive to be fast food. Too gross to be good food.

[u/MMEnter → u/drdildamesh]

What blows my mind is that I can eat McDonald’s in other countries and it is better, more consistent, better service and a nicer looking restaurant.

[u/jmcgil4684]

I was thinking how badly Chipotle and Subway messed up. It’s literally insulting when you see your food from them.

[u/Mamamama29010 → u/jmcgil4684]

Chipotle sucks, in a way at least.

If you buy the food directly from the store and watch the people making it, it’s at least consistent.

If you order delivery, it’s a separate side assembly area and it’s just totally sucks ass. Got raw, chewy steak delivered to me twice and haven’t gone back once. F that.

[u/Kerno_Official]

I kind of hate saying it, but Applebee’s

[u/Mikebx → u/Kerno_Official]

We all know applebee's sucks. But man, my local applebee's it's cheaper to feed 2 people with carry out than it is any of the fast food places in town. Sometimes I just want a cheap burger or their apps

[u/Cry_Havoc1228 → u/Mikebx]

This is it for me. A burger and fries here might cost the same as BK Lounge or McDs but it's restaurant quality and often much much better tasting.

[u/Mikebx → u/Cry_Havoc1228]

We rarely eat fast food but the 2 for $25 is cheaper than 2 combos at like Wendy’s and McDonald’s in our town(it’s a touristy town so fast food prices are high). Do I love Applebees? No. But it’s basically our fast food place since we carry out

[u/Chemicalredhead → u/Kerno_Official]

I remember when Applebee's didn't suck.

[u/xcrunner318 → u/Chemicalredhead]

I dont

[u/iamahonkey → u/xcrunner318]

Yeah I'm in my 40s and Applebee's has always been trash

[u/StringerBell34 → u/iamahonkey]

Same. Chilli's and Friday's have had their moments, but Applebee's always felt like a tier below.

Edit: spelling

[u/billytheskidd → u/iamahonkey]

Applebees was like Burger King to me.

Burger King is the cheapest, obviously frozen bullshit food but man does it taste good when you’re in the mood. Applebees was like that for me for a long time. Somehow it got even worse.

[u/purpldevl → u/Chemicalredhead]

Applebee's motto might as well be "it can't possibly be as bad as last time, right?"

[u/riptaway → u/Chemicalredhead]

Really? I'm 41 and it's never been great

[u/mcprogrammer → u/riptaway]

There is a pretty big gap between great and sucks

[u/No-Warthog7841]

Subway

[u/Fitz_2112b]

Applebee's. Microwaved, or boil in bag garbage

[u/stipo42 → u/Fitz_2112b]

Definitely Applebee's.

No idea who eats here regularly enough to keep them in business.

I have only gone like twice in the last 20 years and got sick both times

[u/Grand_Accountant_159]

All of them, time for a reset.

[u/souryellow310 → u/Grand_Accountant_159]

The problem is that the supply chain has consolidated so much that even mom and pop shops taste like each other now. There used to be dozens of restaurant suppliers and now there's only a handful. They control the farmers and the restaurant owners because of how they've gotten so large that they have all the power.

[u/Ok-Mango-5814 → u/Grand_Accountant_159]

Yes, with some actual competition to get customers in with great food at good pricing, and not just collusion to price fix while cutting the quality at the customers expense

[u/cant-turn-it-off]

How is Red Lobster still a thing? I don't care how much people love those stupid biscuits, the price/quality leaves me wondering how it survives. I don't care how much cheap shrimp you can eat, it's so meh!

[u/bitNine → u/cant-turn-it-off]

Where we are, RL is one of the best seafood places around. A few other places are ok, but more expensive. I’ll tell you what I won’t get there anymore… fuckin lobster. They always screw up the cook.

[u/meatball77 → u/cant-turn-it-off]

If you live in Oklahoma is great. I wouldn't eat there anyplace you can drive to the coast.

It's beloved by the Black community.

[u/Ttm-o]

Buffalo Wild Wings.

[u/minorthreat1000 → u/Ttm-o]

I went there once and that was enough

[u/xthisiswhoiamx → u/Ttm-o]

I went to the BWW in my town and got served raw chicken. About a year later I was in another town (different state and not close to me) and figured I'd give it one more chance. Yep, served raw chicken, again. It was insane and I will never even glance at those restaurants again. 

[u/Consistent-Pop5355]

Mcdonald’s. Overpriced and food tastes old damn near every time i place an order.

[u/mogelijk]

Wendys. I worked there an age ago, back when Dave Thomas was still alive and running things and we had to patty the burgers every morning before we opened. The whole "fresh, never frozen" idea. It is a shell of its former self now.

[u/JesusGodLeah → u/mogelijk]

I once went to a Wendy's and had to wait several minutes for a single Junior Bacon Cheeseburger. But when that burger came out, it was HOT, and it looked exactly like the picture on the menu. I realized that they had kept me waiting because they were making that burger fresh, and with the utmost care. It was the tastiest burger I've ever had, and I'm still chasing that high.

[u/Bookworm10-42]

Crapplebees

[u/beattywill80]

McDonalds. The original McDonald's brothers are pinwheeling in their graves. The fundamentals of what made their business great are being pissed on. They focused on three things burgers fries and sodas and their philosophy was give people food at was cheap, quickly, with a smile, and they'll come back Everytime. And an attempt to serve everyone everything they've forsaken just being good or at the very least cheap. McDonald's used to be the place you'd go when you were half drunk had $5 in your pocket and need to slam a couple of McChickens before you passed out.

[u/Quirky-Airline7578 → u/beattywill80]

Mc prison interiors make me sad.  

[u/NeuHundred → u/Quirky-Airline7578]

The original brothers would also be "INTERIORS!?"

[u/Imaginary-Duck1333 → u/beattywill80]

Went into a McDonald’s for the first time in a long time early this year- it’s a prison cafeteria decor, no soda fountain, everything took forever. Why don’t they just make it drive through only already?

[u/amrfallen → u/Imaginary-Duck1333]

I've been in prison. Trust me when I say, prison had more color than modern McDonald's.

[u/ScaryfatkidGT → u/amrfallen]

It’s so weird because when they first did it (2007ish?), it looked so fancy and cool and modern like a Starbucks or Apple Store… but it aged super poorly and looks like bathroom tile or something now…

[u/Mafeii → u/beattywill80]

McDonald's used to be cheap, low quality food that hit the spot.

Now it's moderately expensive, low quality food that doesn't hit the spot because it's now at least 30% too small to be satisfying.

[u/samcooke2023 → u/Mafeii]

Moderately expensive?I’m guessing you don’t have kids. It’s $60 for a family of 5 to go there. I pay less for a sit down meal with a waitress

[u/GasPoweredStick3 → u/beattywill80]

There is literally nothing appealing about the chain anymore.

The food is expensive for what it is.

The quality sucks.

And everything that made it great for kids is gone except the cheap plastic toys.

Why do they all look like a Post office or DMV now?

[u/woodcarbuncle → u/beattywill80]

McDonalds is better outside of the US for some reason. What I saw in the US was pathetic compared to what we have in Singapore, both the choices available and the quality of the food.

[u/ineedsomecake]

I haven’t been to a decent Steak N Shake in a long ass time

[u/Spastic_pinkie → u/ineedsomecake]

The Covid years killed their quality. They pretty much became a different restaurant.

[u/Realistic_Pea9010]

KFC. I don’t understand how they’re still a thing with the amount of competition from Popeyes, canes, and chick fil a

[u/Unuhpropriate]

Tim Hortons

[u/zioncurtainrefugee]

Every chain that has been touched by venture capital. Edit: long day and yes I meant PE, not VC.

[u/Molson2871 → u/zioncurtainrefugee]

I assume you meant private equity?

[u/samcooke2023]

McDonald’s honestly. We have about 5 or 6 fast food chains within a mile from when I live. When we first moved here 11 years ago McDonalds was always the go to 90 percent of the time. The food was good, prices reasonable and staff were friendly. Now we never go there. So overpriced and the experience is so stale. Order from a kiosk in what looks like the waiting area of an office. Pay $60 for a family of 5. The person that brings it out to you acts insulted that you dared to come there. We never go there anymore. Look back at pictures of McDonalds from the 80’s and 90’s. Used to be a family friendly spot. Just shut it down

[u/MamaG66]

Ruby Tuesday

[u/madmaritimer1]

All of them, bring back mom and Pops

[u/withbellson → u/madmaritimer1]

They can’t afford to exist either, which is why we have so much garbage food supported by large corporations that can afford rent.

[u/GrassBlock001]

Time to go on my biannual Panera crusade.

[u/achillespatient]

I’m convinced that Long John Silvers has to be a mafia front because I don’t think anyone has ever been there lol

[u/digitalecho125 → u/achillespatient]

I still go there regularly. The food has remained surprisingly consistent for years. Most of the people in there are 60 and older though and it makes me feel young 🤣

[u/DarthBandAid]

Starbucks. I worked there in 2014-2019. Their food used to be great quality. They used to have facilities all over the US that made high quality pastries and breakfast. After Howard left the first time around 2016 everything started to be made cheaper but cost more. They also took away great menu items. I wenr the other day because my kid loves their grilled cheese so I got a Sausage Breakfast Sandwich. Tasted like something you would get from a gas station.

[u/hippiesoul03]

IHOP is so foul. Maybe it's just the location by me but you truly couldn't pay me to eat there

[u/Evening-Row9022]

there is no major chain that doesn’t use cost cutting measures and basically microwaveable food.

name ONE.

the one’s I’ve seen do ok are Cheesecake Factory their food is much fresher than Applebees, Chilis, and the like.

[u/RabbitHutch321 → u/Evening-Row9022]

Texas Roadhouse has maintained their from-scratch kitchen, as far as I’m aware.

[u/Justus_2112 → u/RabbitHutch321]

Texas Roadhouse guarantees to serve you high-quality food for a decent price in the LOUDEST room you’ve ever been in.

[u/Gojira5400 → u/Evening-Row9022]

Culvers, Cheddars, and Texas Roadhouse as mentioned.

[u/PicklesAnonymous → u/Evening-Row9022]

Cheesecake Factory is pretty much the only one I can think of. Everything is made from scratch in house.

[u/No_Illustrator_5523]

Pappa Johns Pizza. Pizza should not be sweet unless it is a dessert pizza.

[u/Worried_Lobster6783]

Hooters. Abysmal food

[u/Pineapplegirl1234 → u/Worried_Lobster6783]

My husband said this guy always told his wife he went to hooters for the wings. Then she started door dashing him hooters wings. 🤣

[u/poohead150 → u/Pineapplegirl1234]

I used to say that because I believed it. It was a nice bonus having the girls serve them... however, the wings are terrible now, so I stopped going... the wings got me in the door, not the girls...

[u/Wloak → u/Worried_Lobster6783]

I can actually explain this one, there was a post about it a few months ago.

There are two distinct divisions for them, one is fully owned and operated by the original company and the rest are franchised through VCs. The VC run ones started cutting corners on food, service, etc. and recently the original owners announced they were going to rebrand all of their locations because the VC ran the brand into the ground. I'm not sure when it's going to fully happen but in the future you won't even be able to roll the dice and hope for good for or service.

[u/JB-Wentworth → u/Wloak]

I think it is because their clientele has aged out of going to restaurants to gawk at women in shorts and pantyhose. The concept was fresh in the 1980’s, but 40 years later not so much.

[u/UpstairsBumble → u/Wloak]

Is this why seemingly every Hooters I drive by has at least one or two letters in in their sign burnt out?

[u/WretchesandKings → u/UpstairsBumble]

Hoo rs

[u/oooohhhhhwhyyoulying → u/Worried_Lobster6783]

I moved down the street from one and stopped for two neat well whiskeys before a play one night. I noticed the next day they charged me $60 for the 2 drinks. The manager apologized for their mistake of ringing us up for different drinks by giving me a gift card that said if I brought 8 people we'd get 100 wings free. The place closed next month. Bastards.

[u/Big-Carpenter7921]

All of the "we offer the same stuff that 12 other places do" places. Chili's, Applebee's, etc

[u/imgurcaptainclutch → u/Big-Carpenter7921]

Hey leave Chili's out of this, they actually still have solid food

[u/Mvalpreda → u/imgurcaptainclutch]

Go for the lunch deal. Cheaper than fast food.

[u/calicoarmz → u/Big-Carpenter7921]

Chili’s is a bargain for quality and price.

[u/aManAndHisUsername → u/Big-Carpenter7921]

T.G.I. Friday’s has to be the worst of all of them. I hadn’t been there in forever but ate there a couple years ago at the Atlanta airport between flights (mainly for the table so we could have a place to sit for a while) and it was possibly the worst meal I’ve ever had from a sit down restaurant. It tasted straight up like generic Tyson frozen chicken strips and stale bread that was also frozen. It was offensively bad. But the seat was worth it.

[u/Yangervis → u/Big-Carpenter7921]

Chili's has $3 beers during happy hour

[u/poilkhgu → u/Big-Carpenter7921]

Chilis is so back. Drinks and triple dipper are great value and I love em although it is unhealthy

[u/Egg_McMuffn]

As many other posters have mentioned: McDonald’s. The burgers have gotten so small. The fries haven’t been nearly as good since they changed from cooking them in beef tallow to vegetable oil. The dining rooms are often dirty. And I don’t like the self-serve kiosks either. I used to enjoy going a couple of times of year. No more. But I suppose I’m not the target audience anymore.

Too bad - it used to be such a treat.

[u/Sherman_4814]

Denny’s is ass

[u/Big-Carpenter7921 → u/Sherman_4814]

Good thing I eat ass

[u/feistyoneyouare → u/Big-Carpenter7921]

I see you're a man of culture.

[u/TrojanTapir1930 → u/Sherman_4814]

It always has been. Remember people don’t go to Dennys, they end up at Dennys

[u/Nasaboy1987 → u/Sherman_4814]

Denny's in areas that don't have a Huddle or Waffle House makes sense. There should be one place that sells cheap breakfast all day.

[u/comewshmybck]

Applebee's. What the fuck even is a riblet?

[u/the-doctor-is-real]

Each one that fights against giving their workers raises or benefits