What restaurant groups or chains represent quality to you?

[foodguy]

Originally Posted by iammatt

My wife and I eat our own, and we eat chips and guacamole.

eh, you're young. wait till you pass 50 and the pounds don't come off as easily as they once did.

 

[CouttsClient]

Originally Posted by gomestar

I enjoy a Chipotle burrito every now and then (though it has been at least a year, mostly due to work habits), but I can't stand it when they do one spoon of beef and 7 spoons of rice - and then your first 10 bites are all rice and flour tortilla. I think there's a Chipotle near my office, if I have a free 30 minutes to deal with the line, I'll give it a go.
You can order and pay online and walk straight to the register and pick it up...the online system tells you when it'll be ready.

 

[ChicagoRon]

Originally Posted by foodguy

eh, you're young. wait till you pass 50 and the pounds don't come off as easily as they once did.
I hit that wall once at 27 - was wondering when the next major metabolic shift comes.

 

[Piobaire]

Originally Posted by ChicagoRon

I hit that wall once at 27 - was wondering when the next major metabolic shift comes.

About 40.

 

[ChicagoRon]

Incidentally, I can't believe nobody has mentioned J Alexander's. It's the only mid-tier steak place I'll even consider. And they make a great tortilla soup on tuesday nights.

 

[mordecai]

Forgot to mention I like Roy's okay too.

 

[Alter]

I have only been to the restaurants in Japan but I am a fan of Lawry's Prime Rib.

 

[SField]

Went to Five Guys... found it to not live up to the hype. Too greasy, not that delicious... fries not that great. Not a terrible value, though.

But for a cheeseburger and half a large fries (friend and I split it), I can think of a better way to consume 1500 calories.

Speaking of metabolic shifts, I can eat whatever and it doesn't affect me but I don't want to become one of those people who eats anything then suddenly starts getting fat, so even in my state I really ration my chain restaurant fat binges.

Chipotle is really not bad for $6, but again, if I want something cheap and fast I'd rather eat schwarma or bahn mi.

 

[ChicagoRon]

I think Baja Fresh > qDoba > Chipotle, but I'll eat them all.

For groups, Myriad and Momofoku both good in NY (may have already been mentioned). And LUEY in Chicago/national (I know that's been mentioned). But this was a serious necro-post, so I thought I'd bring those to the top for anybody new that didn't do their homework.

 

[Huntsman]

Quality, for me, requires humanity invested and made manifest in my food. Therefore, there is no quality in chains.

Doesn't mean I don't eat in them from time to time, but I would be remiss in calling it a quality experience.

~ H

 

[mordecai]

Originally Posted by SField

if I want something cheap and fast I'd rather eat schwarma or bahn mi.
+1. zankou is also a workday standard for me.

 

[kwilkinson]

Originally Posted by iammatt

My wife and I eat our own, and we eat chips and guacamole.

Really? That's weird. I bet you + your wife barely outweigh me.

 

[foodguy]

Originally Posted by ChicagoRon

I think Baja Fresh > qDoba > Chipotle, but I'll eat them all.

For groups, Myriad and Momofoku both good in NY (may have already been mentioned). And LUEY in Chicago/national (I know that's been mentioned). But this was a serious necro-post, so I thought I'd bring those to the top for anybody new that didn't do their homework.

wow, there must be a lot of variety in chipotles, or at least in qDobas. i like baja fresh fine, but qDoba hasn't worked for me.

 

[foodguy]

Originally Posted by SField

Chipotle is really not bad for $6, but again, if I want something cheap and fast I'd rather eat schwarma or bahn mi.

of course. in my neighborhood, that would be bahn mi, pho, tacos (just had lunch at my favorite place, cabeza, tripas and buche). but none of those are chains and that's what OP was asking about.

 

[ChicagoRon]

Originally Posted by foodguy

wow, there must be a lot of variety in chipotles, or at least in qDobas. i like baja fresh fine, but qDoba hasn't worked for me.
Well - part of what I like at qDoba is that they have Soups. Also - I enjoy Tobasco, but I really like having Cholula available to slather on my food...