Calgary Openings, Closings, and Developments

[PepsiFree]

Montanas has to be one of the worst restaurant chains in existence. Hard to tell if it seems extremely expensive because the food is bad or if the food seems terrible because it’s so overpriced for what you get.

It’s like… a worse Applebees…

[Flabbibulin]

Originally Posted by boogerz

Ritual Doughnuts is closing in two weeks. That is unfortunate. They were arguably the best doughnuts in Calgary, imo

I have heard this, but simply never got around to trying. Will try to pick up a dozen this week.

There are an endless number of fancy doughnut places in major US cities, but doesn’t seem to be the case here.

[Wormius]

Originally Posted by PepsiFree

Montanas has to be one of the worst restaurant chains in existence. Hard to tell if it seems extremely expensive because the food is bad or if the food seems terrible because it’s so overpriced for what you get.

It’s like… a worse Applebees…

I think people outgrow those spots. It’s fine if that is the only option in a city, but not sure what makes it a better family restaurant than anything else available. I mean, you could consider virtually anything a family restaurant, if you don’t need crayons to tide the kids over while you wait for food.

[Hemi-Cuda]

Originally Posted by PepsiFree

Montanas has to be one of the worst restaurant chains in existence. Hard to tell if it seems extremely expensive because the food is bad or if the food seems terrible because it’s so overpriced for what you get.

It’s like… a worse Applebees…

I do not understand how those super generic and bland restaurants stay in business. You can go to fast-casual places like Edo or Cibo and get better food, faster and cheaper. Or you can go to a small family restaurant and get way better food for the same price. Hell for most of the Boston Pizza menu you can find pre-made frozen options at Costco that are better

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by boogerz

Ritual Doughnuts is closing in two weeks. That is unfortunate. They were arguably the best doughnuts in Calgary, imo

What's their actual close date? I checked google for their address to go try tomorrow and it said they open 7am Thursday?

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by Hemi-Cuda

I do not understand how those super generic and bland restaurants stay in business. You can go to fast-casual places like Edo or Cibo and get better food, faster and cheaper. Or you can go to a small family restaurant and get way better food for the same price. Hell for most of the Boston Pizza menu you can find pre-made frozen options at Costco that are better

Yeah I don’t understand it. Comfort? Familiarity? And it doesn’t even matter whether you’re at Montana’s, Boston Pizza, or Earls because you can absolutely get the same quality of food for 1/2 the price at fast-casual or a significantly better meal for the same price if you go somewhere local/that isn’t a chain.

I don’t understand the appeal at all. Just awful food for the price.

[boogerz]

Originally Posted by jayswin

What's their actual close date? I checked google for their address to go try tomorrow and it said they open 7am Thursday?

Instagram says March 18. You have to order in advance though, there's no physical storefront.

[flamesrule_kipper34]

Shameless plug here but if you haven't had a chance yet, my wife and I opened up an Odd Burger here in Calgary back in December had a thread here about it: https://forum.calgarypuck.com/showthread.php?t=190629

Would love to see you all check it out!

In short, we want to make plant based meals more accessible for all Calgarians and allowing everyone to indulge on truly healthier alternatives to fast food. We're super passionate about the cause, the mission and most importantly the product! For more details please visit: Odd Burger

Follow us on Instagram as well: https://www.instagram.com/plantgetenough.yyc

We launched a few in-store specials as well, Breakfast BacUn Mondays, Taco Tuesdays, Classic Burger Wednesdays, Famous Burger Thursdays...and we're launching a BOGO on UberEats for our Famous Burger this Thursday for a month and just launched a new limited time burger today, Crispy Famous.

[Bill Bumface]

^ Tried your place out and it was awesome. Will definitely be back!

[Flabbibulin]

Originally Posted by Hemi-Cuda

I do not understand how those super generic and bland restaurants stay in business. You can go to fast-casual places like Edo or Cibo and get better food, faster and cheaper. Or you can go to a small family restaurant and get way better food for the same price. Hell for most of the Boston Pizza menu you can find pre-made frozen options at Costco that are better

One reason for me anyway- kids! Even though we will rarely go to any restaurant these days with our children, if we are going to, we will typically be somewhere close that is likely to have plenty of other families there most importantly will not potentially mess the evening up for adults looking to have a night out. This typically means a chain.

[you&me]

Originally Posted by Flabbibulin

One reason for me anyway- kids! Even though we will rarely go to any restaurant these days with our children, if we are going to, we will typically be somewhere close that is likely to have plenty of other families there most importantly will not potentially mess the evening up for adults looking to have a night out. This typically means a chain.

This is a real thing.

To put it bluntly, I'm not concerned if my kids act up at, say, Boston Pizza... It's not like they're going to ruin the already miserable experience anyone else dining there is already having

[Wormius]

The key is to slip out of the restaurant momentarily in the event that the kids act up. I preferred just stepping out of the restaurant for a bit, rather than spending money on eating some subpar food. It also teaches the kids to behave when dining in public. If you want the kids to run wild with other kids, there are places like Flying Squirrel or Flip Factory.

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by Wormius

The key is to slip out of the restaurant momentarily in the event that the kids act up. I preferred just stepping out of the restaurant for a bit, rather than spending money on eating some subpar food. It also teaches the kids to behave when dining in public. If you want the kids to run wild with other kids, there are places like Flying Squirrel or Flip Factory.

Yeah, I don't find kids misbehaving acceptable in any restaurant, Boston Pizza included.

Also, Montana's is a terrible restaurant. That's wild somebody mentioned being upset about it closing. It's such garbage food. I went there once and was flabbergasted at how crappy the food was. I bought a steak for a couple bucks less than the Keg and it was pathetic. Like, Hungry Man dinner bad. Is Montana's a steakhouse? That's what I thought it was, but what a joke. Just ####ing awful.

[Johnny Makarov]

Originally Posted by Sliver

Yeah, I don't find kids misbehaving acceptable in any restaurant, Boston Pizza included.

Also, Montana's is a terrible restaurant. That's wild somebody mentioned being upset about it closing. It's such garbage food. I went there once and was flabbergasted at how crappy the food was. I bought a steak for a couple bucks less than the Keg and it was pathetic. Like, Hungry Man dinner bad. Is Montana's a steakhouse? That's what I thought it was, but what a joke. Just ####ing awful.

That's on you for ordering a steak at Montanas. lol.

Course i was at Denny's 2 weeks ago and ordered their Tbone and Eggs. I don't even know why they even ask you how you want your steak as it always comes out well done.

[Hack&Lube]

Originally Posted by Johnny Makarov

That's on you for ordering a steak at Montanas. lol.

Course i was at Denny's 2 weeks ago and ordered their Tbone and Eggs. I don't even know why they even ask you how you want your steak as it always comes out well done.

Somehow it still tastes good but that's always because I only have Denny's Steaks at 3:30 AM.

[Johnny Makarov]

Originally Posted by Hack&Lube

Somehow it still tastes good but that's always because I only have Denny's Steaks at 3:30 AM.

lol. It was in Edmonton at the hotel where we were staying at 1230am and the first meal I had all day.

My worker got served a burger with the wax paper still attached to the patty! LOL We were so tired and thought it was hilarious that I didn't even ask them to take it off the bill.

[Northendzone]

i have not been to montan's in a while - but, i have always enjoyed the food there.

once or twice we have had bad service in terms of not getting our food for over an hour when the place was what i would describe as moderately busy.

The location on 130th is close to me and the website shows it as open

[you&me]

Originally Posted by Sliver

Yeah, I don't find kids misbehaving acceptable in any restaurant, Boston Pizza included.

Also, Montana's is a terrible restaurant. That's wild somebody mentioned being upset about it closing. It's such garbage food. I went there once and was flabbergasted at how crappy the food was. I bought a steak for a couple bucks less than the Keg and it was pathetic. Like, Hungry Man dinner bad. Is Montana's a steakhouse? That's what I thought it was, but what a joke. Just ####ing awful.

Generally, I agree, but there is the context of the pandemic that should be considered. I'd actually had something to this effect in my previous post, but deleted it, since it blunted my bluntness

My two younger kids effectively had zero restaurant experience by the end of the restrictions... The youngest just plain didn't have any, and the older of the two would have forgotten any experiences anyways. That's compounded by the sheer novelty of even being around people at that point, and I was willing to give my (and other people's) kids a lot of latitude at the time.

That's where BP's and the likes came in handy - like training wheels for behaving, where the the steaks () aren't too high. By this point, good behaviour has been learned and we can confidently take them to more interesting options.

So yes, other than providing a IDGAF space for parents and young children, I don't quite get the appeal either.

And no. Never, ever, (ever) order a steak from any of these places (Earls, etc included) - the cost is close enough to a proper steak house and the chances of disappointment are exponentially higher.

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by you&me

Generally, I agree, but there is the context of the pandemic that should be considered. I'd actually had something to this effect in my previous post, but deleted it, since it blunted my bluntness

My two younger kids effectively had zero restaurant experience by the end of the restrictions... The youngest just plain didn't have any, and the older of the two would have forgotten any experiences anyways. That's compounded by the sheer novelty of even being around people at that point, and I was willing to give my (and other people's) kids a lot of latitude at the time.

That's where BP's and the likes came in handy - like training wheels for behaving, where the the steaks () aren't too high. By this point, good behaviour has been learned and we can confidently take them to more interesting options.

So yes, other than providing a IDGAF space for parents and young children, I don't quite get the appeal either.

And no. Never, ever, (ever) order a steak from any of these places (Earls, etc included) - the cost is close enough to a proper steak house and the chances of disappointment are exponentially higher.

Yeah, I didn't know this about Montana's. I thought I was at a steak place and the prices seemed high enough that I figured I was paying for something at least passable as okay. Was totally wrong hah.

Yeah, I was speaking in absolutes about restaurant etiquette as well, but I do remember when out with my friends and all our kids when they were smaller cringing at how loud and ridiculous we must have seemed. Should you behave with your kids in BP's? Yes. Have I been a party to a giant #### show of loud kids at BP's? Also yes.

[you&me]

Originally Posted by Sliver

Yeah, I didn't know this about Montana's. I thought I was at a steak place and the prices seemed high enough that I figured I was paying for something at least passable as okay. Was totally wrong hah.

And I'm sure that's by design... I think people are somewhat conditioned to prices being an indication of quality when it comes to restaurants, but then it seems the chains take advantage of this by charging near-steakhouse prices.

I just checked the menu for Earls and they want $58 for a ribeye; It's $65 at Caesars. I love the ribeye at Caesars; I was fooled by the steak at Earl's once. Once.

Yeah, I was speaking in absolutes about restaurant etiquette as well, but I do remember when out with my friends and all our kids when they were smaller cringing at how loud and ridiculous we must have seemed. Should you behave with your kids in BP's? Yes. Have I been a party to a giant #### show of loud kids at BP's? Also yes.

And that's the same contextual latitude I'd give a parent now if I find myself in a BP's... Maybe the kids don't get out much, maybe they're wound up with their friends, whatever... At least it's at BP's.