Within a two mile radius of my house, there’s a Chili’s, Texas Roadhouse, Applebee’s, Outback Steakhouse, and Friday’s. And these are literally the first places that come to mind when I think of chains. This does not include a plethora of others devoted to breakfast/lunch/convenience. No matter what night I pass by, parking lots are always packed. Meanwhile, in this same radius, more “mom and pop” restaurants that I can count have came and went. I like to joke that the people of this area just lack culture. But am I really joking?
Nothing against people who eat at chains (except Olive Garden-- then I will judge). Everyone has their reasons. As someone who inspired the “Restaurant Horror Stories” thread, most chains do have strict safety and food handling protocols, which is good. For most, it is probably familiarity or the large menu selection. They are good for families because there’s always a guaranteed kids menu. And while you may find me at one of these places for drinks and an appetizer at the bar, I would likely never eat a meal at any of them. I cannot remember the last time it occurred, probably when traveling and unable to find something.
I simply find chains to be boring. It is as simple as that.
Actually Vacaville. I think it’s because that is all you see from the freeway, while most of the city is less visible. I guess they scout for visible, easily accessible places.
Historically, this is a place folks pass through on their way to some place else.
My most recent meal at Olive Garden was lunch at the Rohnert Park location, 14 or 15 years ago . We had dinner at a mom & pop Italian restaurant in Stockton the night before, and homemade Italian American food in San Jose the night before that, so I put my foot down and insisted on Thai for dinner- when my cousin who lives in Sonoma County wanted to go for (upscale) Italian. She was so annoyed that her mom/my aunt had requested Olive Garden for lunch.
We went for Thai, and my cousin’s kids - teenagers- refused to eat anything. Good times. LOL.
The next 3 times I visited Sonoma County, I let my cousin choose the restaurant. Not worth the aggravation to suggest something I would prefer.
People who flock to chains, like you have seen, have blinders on. In some case they are not even aware of the choices. They literally do not see the other possibilities. There is a reason those places usually have the best locations and the biggest signs. Those signs cost a lot of money! And the advertising… Every one already knows exactly what it’s like to eat at McDonald’s, but they still flood the airwaves with commercials as if it’s something nobody has ever experienced before.
Secondly, there is anxiety about going into a place you don’t know about or eating food you don’t know about. I am not talking about exotic food, I am saying that even selecting the same thing (like a cheeseburger), can bring anxiety if it’s a place you don’t know about.
People don’t like eating in a place that doesn’t look crowded. Oh sure, they don’t want to wait for a table, but they are willing to get one of those buzzers and wait instead of eating at a place in the same shopping center that doesn’t attract a crowd. It is very common, even on food internet boards, to equate lack of customers with bad food.
And then, there is always the idea that their tastebuds will be challenged. They might somehow have to eat yucky food or order something they haven’t had before. This is why in some Indian restaurant, for example, you will find only cubes of boneless, skinless white meat chicken on the menu. Non threatening.
And finally, you can get conditioned to like anything. Yes, there are folks who will wax eloquent about a Wendy’s burger. And once a chain like you mentioned has their customers hooked, they can easily reduce quality and costs and barely see a drop in their base. In fact, they would be stupid not to. Just introduce a new menu item every once in a while to perk up interest. Blackened chicken over pasta in a cream sauce, anyone? Melted jack cheese on top is only a dollar more.
I dunno. Sometimes you go to chains because someone in your family is a fussy eater.
Sometimes that’s the best option in some cities.
I can’t tell you how many chain meals I’ve had in Colorado Springs. Probably half my meals there have been chains- because my aunt and cousin, in a family of 5, were fussy eaters.
I don’t think it’s blinders so much as a common denominator of some sort.
I have also had plenty of disappointments at indie restaurants. I still try to prioritize local, but sometimes chains work for a reason, because of their formula.
(Shout out to First Watch for brunch)
By the way, I choose restaurants that are empty, smaller, and have less other people’s little kids running around, as a rule.
Seeing a full restaurant has become a turn-off for me.
That may have been the last OG I ate at as well, and probably about that long ago, too. My ex was not an adventurous eater, my daughter was still outgrowing the ‘fussy eater’ kid thing, they both liked the tiramisu for dessert, and it was near the Rohnert Park movie theater, which made it an easy (as in, no extra effort required) choice. Sometimes, we’d splurge and hit the Red Lobster right next to it.
I occasionally think “hm. I could get some breadsticks and some alfredo sauce…” and then I remember that grocery store dinner rolls and jarred ‘alfredo’ exist and I have butter and garlic salt on hand. Unsurprisingly, brushing generic pull-apart dinner rolls with butter and garlic salt and dipping them into prego alfredo sauce is nearly the identical experience to OG’s breadsticks.
Since Red Lobster put it’s cheddar biscuit mix on the grocery shelf, I can no longer fathom any reason to actually go to Red Lobster.
Plus my customer base is mostly located in strip mall hell, so I end up staying in strip mall hell for convenience …so most of what is convenient is…strip mall hell.
And not only do I know people who have almost full anxiety attacks at rhe prospect of eating anywhere new, they occasionally palate shame me for not wanting to eat at OG.
Weirdly, I know of two Vacaville restaurants that I really like and neither is a chain, even though both are in the Nut Tree plaza. One is Chicken Hawker, tucked in the corner between Fenton’s and the Jelly Belly store. They specialize in Hainan chicken-rice, where the rice is poached with the chicken fat, and it’s cheap and absolutely delicious.
The other WAS Spice Thai food, in the same plaza, right next to Amici’s. One of the few places I’ve seen outside L.A. that went past the pad thai/pad see ew/satay of every other Thai place. Their crab fried rice was a fun treat, and they didn’t skimp on the crab. Alas, it seems COVID did them in…
“Unsurprisingly, brushing generic pull-apart dinner rolls with butter and garlic salt and dipping them into prego alfredo sauce is nearly the identical experience to OG’s breadsticks.”
To make it authentic OG, you should have used Ragu.
We really liked Spice and the crab fried rice, and I will be checking out Chicken Hawker shortly! I’d read about it, but avoid the “New” Nut Tree, and will happily make an exception.
This is a bit of a topic drift, but if you have other Vacaville recs, I’d be happy to hear 'em. We have friends out that way (we’re in Sacramento proper) and are always looking for fun new places.
And am I the only one disappointed that Vacaville did not, in fact, get its name by being called “Cow Town.” Turns out there was a Juan Vaca for whom it’s named.
I don’t understand the hate heaped on chains and Sysco. All chains are not created equal. If you consider high to low chains vary dramatically. I love Slapfish. Better fish there than I have had at many independent restaurants. Cafe Rio is a great alternative for American style Mexican food.
Filet o fish reaches a different level when you have an extra filet put on. This weekend we headed to the second house. Got there too late to go to anywhere else but the late night fast food chain drive thrus. Went to McD and that double filet o fish hit the spot. The menu hacks they do now allow for some interesting combos.
When you get dropped into some random town late at night, more often than not there’s not a single independent restaurant open. At that hour often the only choices you have are a chain or room service.
. We had dinner at a mom & pop Italian restaurant in Stockton the night before, and homemade Italian American food in San Jose the night before that, so I put my foot down and insisted on Thai for dinner- when my cousin who lives in Sonoma County wanted to go for (upscale) Italian. She was so annoyed that her mom/my aunt had requested Olive Garden for lunch.
The legend is more charming.
