Chain Restaurants (Split from the "Ought to Know" Thread)

[ZDogg]

Originally Posted by Buff

While I think that BP's meals are ok. The two locations in Lethbridge offer the worst service of any restaurant I've ever seen.

Not to mention the 1st Ave Location was recently closed due to Health Code Violations... I won't get into the details as it was third hand information.

Last visit to the Lethbridge East Side Mario's I waited over 10min for a drink, haven't been back since.

[Ford Prefect]

Originally Posted by Bring_Back_Shantz

I highly doubt that they use frozen pizzas.

What happens when someone orders, a pizza with Pineapple, olives, and pepperoni?

Do they say, sorry, we don't have one of those frozen up.

Think about it man.

Maybe they make those up fresh, but have the stock pizzas that are listed on the menu frozen. I'm just repeating what the waitress told me ... "the Cajun is in the slot above the Californian in the freezer." Since she didn't laugh or wink when she said it, I assumed she was serious. Everyone else at the table took it the same way. Whatever, defend BP and eat there all you want. If you enjoy the food and figure you're getting bang for your buck that's all that matters. Personally, I'll go to Pizza Hut instead.

[blankall]

Originally Posted by Ford Prefect

She didn't sound like she was joking, and she had to go back to the kitchen to pick up her orders so I'd assume she knew how things ran there. She seemed pretty clear and serious about what she said. That was my final straw with BP at any rate. I haven't been back since ... overpaying for bad service and a frozen pizza fails to impress me. Their sports bar is not too bad, as MQ-S points out, but I'm done with their food side.

She probably meant the ingredients were in the slot above. At most restaurants they put the ingredients that go onto the pizza in a preportioned bags to save the cooks time and make sure they get the portions right. At least this is what they did at all the restaurants I've ever worked it, which is quite a few.

[Bring_Back_Shantz]

Originally Posted by Ford Prefect

Maybe they make those up fresh, but have the stock pizzas that are listed on the menu frozen. I'm just repeating what the waitress told me ... "the Cajun is in the slot above the Californian in the freezer." Since she didn't laugh or wink when she said it, I assumed she was serious. Everyone else at the table took it the same way. Whatever, defend BP and eat their all you want. If you enjoy the food and figure you're getting bang for your buck that's all that matters. Personally, I'll go to Pizza Hut instead.

Give what you're saying a little dose of critical thought.

The quality of the pizzas seems to be pretty constant across the board, so if the fresh ones and the frozen ones taste the same, what difference does it make.

Also, what advantage do they get by freezing them? It'd take longer to make cook a pizza that is frozen than a fresh one, and it takes almost no time to make a pizza (I used to work at a pizza joint), so what advantage do they gain?

[Ford Prefect]

Originally Posted by blankall

She probably meant the ingredients were in the slot above. At most restaurants they put the ingredients that go onto the pizza in a preportioned bags to save the cooks time and make sure they get the portions right. At least this is what they did at all the restaurants I've ever worked it, which is quite a few.

That's certainly possible ... I could have misinterpreted her as meaning the whole pizza and she only meant prepared toppings. I'm still not a BP fan though ... too pricey. At least the one here in Drum is. And the service is really bad.

[Ford Prefect]

Originally Posted by Bring_Back_Shantz

Give what you're saying a little dose of critical thought.

The quality of the pizzas seems to be pretty constant across the board, so if the fresh ones and the frozen ones taste the same, what difference does it make.

Also, what advantage do they get by freezing them? It'd take longer to make cook a pizza that is frozen than a fresh one, and it takes almost no time to make a pizza (I used to work at a pizza joint), so what advantage do they gain?

Actually, I don't find the quality the same acrosss the board ... and I've also found that it takes them a lot less time to serve up a stock pizza than a specialty pizza.

I heard the waitress say what I heard her say. You seem to be implying that I'm making the whole thing up. However, Blankall's suggestion about only the toppings being in the freezer makes sense ... she could have easily meant that and I could have easily misnterpreted her.

[nfotiu]

I don't think much of their pizza, but BPs pizza bread and meat sauce dip is one of the things I miss most about Calgary!

[Patrick]

Originally Posted by Azure

If you're ever in Lethbridge...head to East Side Marios for some GREAT food...I promise, you'll walk away stuffed for around 25 bucks a person. After their amazing garlic bread...salads and soft drinks...all unlimited...they'll bring you a plate of Italian food that will make even a grown man cry.

Okay, maybe not that extreme, but I'm sure you get the point.

No offense but I come from Italian heritage and ESM italian food is blah. You want good Italian food for the same price or on most occasions less (at places like Sandros in Calgary). I myself would never eat at ESM if I wanted Italian food.

[ken0042]

Ford, what is likely is that prior to a rush shift they pre make some of the common pizzas, and put them in the cooler. I've worked in a number of restaurants and had people refer the the cooler as "the freezer", and when I try to correct them I always get "what's the difference?" And if I try to explain the difference; I get a "whatever!"

But yeah, the bottom line is if you have a bad taste in your mind on any food, it will never be appealing no matter what anybody tries to tell you; nor what you convince yourself.

For me it's the Wendy's comercials that show bacon on their sandwiches. The "bacon" used in the comercials looks like Beggin' Strips, and no matter how much I tell myself that all food on TV is staged and often isn't real food; I just can't get past the dog food looking bacon.

[Ford Prefect]

Originally Posted by ken0042

Ford, what is likely is that prior to a rush shift they pre make some of the common pizzas, and put them in the cooler. I've worked in a number of restaurants and had people refer the the cooler as "the freezer", and when I try to correct them I always get "what's the difference?" And if I try to explain the difference; I get a "whatever!"

But yeah, the bottom line is if you have a bad taste in your mind on any food, it will never be appealing no matter what anybody tries to tell you; nor what you convince yourself.

For me it's the Wendy's comercials that show bacon on their sandwiches. The "bacon" used in the comercials looks like Beggin' Strips, and no matter how much I tell myself that all food on TV is staged and often isn't real food; I just can't get past the dog food looking bacon.

Yup, that's possible too. I can see where a young waitress would say freezer instead of cooler. You're also right about my prujudice against BP ... and it runs much deeper than just that one incident. That was merely the final straw. As such, I'm not likely to change my bottom line. Unless someone else is picking up the tab or course ... I find that always improves the taste of food.

[BlackArcher101]

Originally Posted by Ford Prefect

I heard the waitress say what I heard her say. You seem to be implying that I'm making the whole thing up.

How do you know she didn't say that to cover her own ass? She probably placed the wrong order into the kitchen and instead of taking the blame, she blamed the kitchen staff which is popular by waitresses.

[Thunderball]

Originally Posted by Patrick

No offense but I come from Italian heritage and ESM italian food is blah. You want good Italian food for the same price or on most occasions less (at places like Sandros in Calgary). I myself would never eat at ESM if I wanted Italian food.

I agree completely. My Italian ancestry is repulsed whenever I'm forced to go to fast food Italian places like Olive Garden, East Side Mario's and The Old Spaghetti Factory. Its edible, but its closer to Chef Boyardee than it is to authentic Italian. I've never really encountered an Italian food chain that is up to par.

[Bobblehead]

BPs has pretty good lunch food, but the pizza and main entrees always seemed very expensive for what you get.

And I'm always shocked at the "all you can drink" pop. For $2.00 you can get all you can drink, but at the grocery store you can get 2L for less than that, and you won't drink 2L of pop at a meal.

But I've found that in almost all these places it can be hit or miss, depending upon the location and the staff working on any given night. I've had some piss poor meals/service, and at another location it has been awesome (relatively speaking).

I used to love the Red Devil up in Crowfoot Crossing. There always used to be a wait to get a table. The one day we stopped in expecting a wait and the place was half empty. We wondered what happened until they brought out the "new menu". Great. It was shut down in 6 months. Less than a year from thriving, people willing to wait 30+ minutes for a seat to chained doors.

[ken0042]

Originally Posted by Bobblehead

And I'm always shocked at the "all you can drink" pop. For $2.00 you can get all you can drink, but at the grocery store you can get 2L for less than that, and you won't drink 2L of pop at a meal.

I'm not sure it's fair to compare grocery store prices to restaurant prices. But if you were to do so, at least that's a better comparison than most menu items. I quite like it when places offer free refills, because as you said it costs very little to pour a drink. I'd rather pay $3 for a drink that has unlimited refills, than $2 for a drink and $1 per refill. Plus BP's slogan is (supposedly) non-stop pop. That sometimes can be extremely subjective, but most of the time when I'm having pop they don't ask if you'd like another; they just bring you one.

[Thunderball]

Originally Posted by fotze

Oh man the spaghetti factory is the bottom of that barrel. Wholly jeezus is that crap bad. Pasta boiled for 17 days.

I still want to go to Capo. I've heard that Italian is supposed to be amazing.

Yep... I went there as a favor my girlfriend who actually liked that crap... I had a hard time choking it down... later that week we went to La Dolce Vita and had some real Italian... I highly doubt she'll be wanting that junk at the factory again...

I've never been to Capo... I've heard its quite good too. Steer clear of Mercato though, unless you like salt a lot.

[Burninator]

I've been to East Side Mario's a couple of times and it's mediocre at best. It's a stretch to call that food Italian. It's a take on New York's take on Italian food. I've gotten much better food at Chianti's for less than what East Side is selling their food for. Although Chianti's seems to be going down hill as well.

Despite me working at BP's for several months, I rarely ate their when I worked there and rarely eat there now. A lot of their food is frozen and tastes bland. Their prices are way too high, and their pasta has a gross taste. The only good thing there is the tropical chicken pizza. Otherwise that place is a complete write off.

I find that most chain restaurants cheap out with their food and make far too much use of their freezers. They are going the way of fast food chains, where every restaurant everything is the exact same. It's a good way to get cheap food, but a terrible way to serve good food. The only exceptions I think are Earls and Joey's. I can't say I have had a bad meal there, some have been average, but most are better than what you would get at the other chains (read: East Side, Tony Romas, White Spot, etc. and to some extent Moxies). Moxies is getting better, but they are charging in the same ball park as Earls and Joey's and their food isn't in that same ball park. Having a nice looking restaurant inside and out doesn't mean you can charge more for your mediocre food. Take notice Moxies and Milestones.

A good rule of thumb for eating out is if the menu's have pictures of their food on them, expect a mediocre meal.

[Thunderball]

Originally Posted by Burninator

I've been to East Side Mario's a couple of times and it's mediocre at best. It's a stretch to call that food Italian. It's a take on New York's take on Italian food. I've gotten much better food at Chianti's for less than what East Side is selling their food for. Although Chianti's seems to be going down hill as well.

Chianti's really is variable depending on the location.. the one on 17th seems to be the worst, while the Crowfoot and Willow Park ones have been decent... but yeah, its generally a little below par... despite being better than ESM, Olive Garden and "the Factory"

I find that most chain restaurants cheap out with their food and make far too much use of their freezers. They are going the way of fast food chains, where every restaurant everything is the exact same. It's a good way to get cheap food, but a terrible way to serve good food. The only exceptions I think are Earls and Joey's. I can't say I have had a bad meal there, some have been average, but most are better than what you would get at the other chains (read: East Side, Tony Romas, White Spot, etc. and to some extent Moxies). Moxies is getting better, but they are charging in the same ball park as Earls and Joey's and their food isn't in that same ball park. Having a nice looking restaurant inside and out doesn't mean you can charge more for your mediocre food. Take notice Moxies and Milestones.

Milestones is the worst for that. Moxies, Joey's and Earls to me are essentially the same, which isn't a bad thing. They are definitely the best of the chains.

A good rule of thumb for eating out is if the menu's have pictures of their food on them, expect a mediocre meal.

Am I the only one who thought Denny's when you said that?

..

[peter12]

Originally Posted by fotze

Oh man the spaghetti factory is the bottom of that barrel. Wholly jeezus is that crap bad. Pasta boiled for 17 days.

I still want to go to Capo. I've heard that Italian is supposed to be amazing.

Capo's is a great place. I think it's supposed to be more Tuscany-like Italian food. I believe it's really pricey too, although I didn't pay, my work picked it up.

[REDVAN]

I enjoy Moxies, and Joey's has interesting stuff, they're some of the few chains I can still go to. I also enjoy Cactus Club, but I haven't been there in a while. Earls is usually decent. And you can't beat Olive Garden salad and breadsticks. Although the breadsticks aren't as good as they used to be. :-(

I am not a fan of Chile's, BP, East Side Marios, Tony Roma's. I am on the fence about Milestones.

"To be quite honest" (TBQH count: 1), I prefer smaller or family run restraunts. Usually you get better food. WAY better in most cases.

[Cowboy89]

Originally Posted by Thunderball

Yep... I went there as a favor my girlfriend who actually liked that crap... I had a hard time choking it down... later that week we went to La Dolce Vita and had some real Italian... I highly doubt she'll be wanting that junk at the factory again...

I've never been to Capo... I've heard its quite good too. Steer clear of Mercato though, unless you like salt a lot.

I think it's more about why you go there as opposed to quality of food. Consistancy, timely, and a level of quality you can count on (even if it's low quality it could be the best quality available for the purpose).There's a reason why it's called the factory as opposed to restaurant. It mass produces low quality food for low amounts of money. When I consider and choose that restaurant it's more a choice between going there or eating fast food.

I put Chianti's in that category too as I used to go to the Crowfoot location for my dinner break on Sunday nights back when I worked for Safeway in University. $6.95 Pasta in 30 minutes. That beats out every possible alternative on quality in that situation and at a price you can't complain about.

That's why I frequent these places often and actually enjoy them. I wouldn't try to impress a date, or go for a culinary adventure at one of those places, but if you need to grab a bite before a movie you can either spend over $10 on absolute crap at the theatre or get something a little nicer for the same or less money.