Things not going well for Applebees

[Guest Lobo]

5 minutes ago, Snake Diggity said:

Fuck Applebees.  National restaurant chains serve a purpose as somewhere travelers know they can go for cold beer and consistent (if mediocre) inexpensive food, and where locals can go late at night.  Chilis does a decent job of filling that role; Applebees does not.

Fair point.  But the food is not inexpensive.  I don't know where that rumor came from, but it's bullshit.  I hit up Chili's at myriad airports all the time.  There was a time when I'd walk over to the Applebee's or Chili's by a hotel because I took a cab to the property and it was late.  But once Uber was invented and I could be at a much better, and likely less expensive restaurant in 5 minutes for a $6 uber ride...I'd do that instead.  Applebee's and Chili's pad sites are hurting now because it's so easy to get to a restaurant district/CBD, even late, nowadays.  

[Nolacycling 893]

I eat at Applebee's about once/week because of the other nearby choices. So I was shamed into going to Texas Roadhouse instead. No lemons, just limes for my UNSWEETENED tea. 

Is this the right thread for the lemon/lime debate? I forget. Getting old sucks. Wait...

 

[Parliament 14225]

Even Yankees don't put limes in tea.

[huge 3793]

On 4/12/2022 at 8:31 AM, Lobo said:

No, I didn't go to Oxford.  I am aware that college towns serve cheap draft beer.  I more than drank my fair share.  My point was I was not aware of that particular product being put into kegs.  I would have known since I worked there for a few years (summers of 1991-1997).  Keystone kegs musta come out right after I left.  My cheap draft beer of choice was Busch Light.  I can still feel it in my veins.  

From 93 to 97 I bought countless Keystone kegs from various west campus beersellers.  You dont know what the shit you are talking about.  Which is fine.

[huge 3793]

On 4/12/2022 at 8:31 AM, Lobo said:

No, I didn't go to Oxford.  I am aware that college towns serve cheap draft beer.  I more than drank my fair share.  My point was I was not aware of that particular product being put into kegs.  I would have known since I worked there for a few years (summers of 1991-1997).  Keystone kegs musta come out right after I left.  My cheap draft beer of choice was Busch Light.  I can still feel it in my veins.  

From 93 to 97 I bought countless Keystone kegs from various west campus beersellers.  You dont know what the shit you are talking about.  Which is fine.

[Brothahorn 10087]

Got no issue with Applebee's whilst traveling.  I'm more of a "try the local flavor" guy, but yeah---on more than a dozen occasions, the only thing within walking distance from your hotel is an Applebee's and at least the beer is cold.  What I've never understood is how they get such a loyal following from locals.  It's marketed as this affordable, family-friendly eatery and it is neither.  Just like Golden Corral and Chili's, it's this ruse put over on working American families that should know better.  I don't know how they get away with it, but then...I guess that's the point. 

Keep GC name out yo mouth!!

[Fudge Nuggets 19184]

i’ll cut any mother fucker that shits on Chili’s southwest egg rolls.

[Deej 76750]

6 minutes ago, Fudge Nuggets said:

i’ll shit on any mother fucker that shits on Chili’s southwest egg rolls, after I've eaten Chili's southwest eggrolls.

fify

[Fudge Nuggets 19184]

You made the list.

[shakahorn 1645]

On 4/11/2022 at 10:29 AM, Hpara759 said:

I had one at BWW in Cedar Park few years ago

speaking of lousy restaurants.  You'd think someplace with "wings" in their name would have good wings.

[luke duke 6412]

Had taken a vacation day on New Years a few years back

Who has a job that offers vacation and doesn’t consider New Years Day a paid holiday?

[CooterBrown 18001]

speaking of lousy restaurants.  You'd think someplace with "wings" in their name would have good wings.

You’d think a place called Chili’s would serve chili.

And don’t get me started on Applebee’s which has neither.

[956 Worldwide 34693]

On 4/13/2022 at 5:31 AM, Parliament said:

Even Yankees don't put limes in tea.

Limes are superior in tea. In the RGV limes are the default. 

[Post Oak 20204]

6 hours ago, 956 Worldwide said:

Limes are superior in tea. In the RGV limes are the default. 

This.

[Kennythetiger 9374]

Guess I’ll have to try a lime in my tea. 

[Underdog 28544]

11 hours ago, luke duke said:

 

Who has a job that offers vacation and doesn’t consider New Years Day a paid holiday?

 

Don’t be a dumbass. 

[Parliament 14225]

8 hours ago, 956 Worldwide said:

Limes are superior in tea. In the RGV limes are the default. 

Huh.  Did not know that.

[Post Oak 20204]

When I was in college in San Marcos I worked at Mamacitas.  They put limes in their tea.  That's where I got hooked.  

[Macanudo 12974]

Ok, I'll say it.   Iced tea sucks.   With or without lemons or limes.

[Underdog 28544]

No. 

[Blotto 23484]

At a restaurant, I'll take lemons or limes with iced tea. but if I'm buying for home, its limes 100% of the time. 

[Post Oak 20204]

54 minutes ago, Macanudo said:

Ok, I'll say it.   Iced tea sucks.   With or without lemons or limes.

 

[NeverMarryAStripper 21865]

18 hours ago, 956 Worldwide said:

Limes are superior in tea. In the RGV limes are the default. 

I only put the lime in the coconut 

[Pam Cummings 9639]

2 hours ago, Macanudo said:

Ok, I'll say it.   Iced tea sucks.   With or without lemons or limes.

[bmbmd 1027]

29 minutes ago, NeverMarryAStripper said:

I only put the lime in the coconut 

 You're such a silly woman. 

[rage-a-holic 4369]

Wait till you live somewhere where lemons are about as popular as durian. Limes in iced tea gets real old.

[markstanco 12570]

I wouldn’t want to go to an applys on purpose. But at a hotel in Santa Clarita I used to go to all the time there was one in front of it. Decent grilled chicken salad and cold beer. Again, I would never choose it for a stopping point. But I was with a sales rep and didn’t have a car.

[burntorangebongos 10710]

5 hours ago, Macanudo said:

Ok, I'll say it.   Iced tea sucks.   With or without lemons or limes.

unpopular opinions thread is that way, whiner. ==>

[Jimbaround 975]

From 93 to 97 I bought countless Keystone kegs from various west campus beersellers.  You dont know what the shit you are talking about.  Which is fine.

I think Huge is high on Keystone right now.

[Jimbaround 975]

Ok, I'll say it.   Iced tea sucks.   With or without lemons or limes.

With all due respect, you can go to hell. Iced tea makes the world spin.

[Victorious1 140]

I don't go out of my way to eat at Applebee's and they are so far down the list of choices that I would probably think of going home to eat before thinking "oh, wait...how about Applebee's?"

I'm sure their restaurants are mostly franchised owned and only as good as the ownership/management makes them.  They should even put ownership's names on the sign like "Stan's Applebee's" or "Larry's Applebee's" so we all know whether it is a "sucks really bad" location or is just a "sucks mediocre" location.

What really hurt was Bennigan's shutting down locations; their Reuben sandwich and Monte Cristo sandwich were awesome.  They had a happy hour and I would meet my brother in law for dinner...we ordered our Reuben, drank beer and tried to play that online trivia game until they cut us off.

[General Specific 3250]

I don't go out of my way to eat at Applebee's and they are so far down the list of choices that I would probably think of going home to eat before thinking "oh, wait...how about Applebee's?"
I'm sure their restaurants are mostly franchised owned and only as good as the ownership/management makes them.  They should even put ownership's names on the sign like "Stan's Applebee's" or "Larry's Applebee's" so we all know whether it is a "sucks really bad" location or is just a "sucks mediocre" location.
What really hurt was Bennigan's shutting down locations; their Reuben sandwich and Monte Cristo sandwich were awesome.  They had a happy hour and I would meet my brother in law for dinner...we ordered our Reuben, drank beer and tried to play that online trivia game until they cut us off.

NTTIATWWT

[General Specific 3250]

dp

[956 Worldwide 34693]

I’ll say this about Applebees, Chilis, Olive Garden, and the like— when they turned up in my medium sized South Texas town in the 1990s it was a big damn deal.  “Take your homecoming date” big deal. Before that, your choices were Mexican (awesome), BBQ (OK), one pretty good steak and home cooking place, good but one-note fried seafood places, several shitty “American” food places, shitty Chinese, and fast food/chain pizza. 

I do think a lot of people went there, tried some things there like actual vegetables or their “Asian inspired” menu stuff, and then wanted to try other new things and better food.  Other places had to up their game and be better than Applebees or Olive Garden, and they did.  The chains are still there but now there’s also actual decent and diverse food besides the always awesome Mexican that was on offer and now people even laugh at the chains.

 

Edited April 19, 2022 by 956 Worldwide

[Helobious 9459]

18 minutes ago, 956 Worldwide said:

I’ll say this about Applebees, Chilis, Olive Garden, and the like— when they turned up in my medium sized South Texas town in the 1990s it was a big damn deal.  “Take your homecoming date” big deal. Before that, your choices were Mexican (awesome), BBQ (OK), one pretty good steak and home cooking place, good but one-note fried seafood places, several shitty “American” food places, shitty Chinese, and fast food/chain pizza. 

 

 

We ate at that Applebees in the middle of town weekly growing up. It’s still going strong, as well as that Chinese place by the bridge on the arroyo I think. Can’t recall any other Chinese places in town actually. 
 

Do you remember the Hygiea plant on F street? We used to go there every Sunday to get sundaes. Good times. I think it’s a different ice cream place now but I haven’t been. 

Edited April 19, 2022 by Helobious

[956 Worldwide 34693]

12 minutes ago, Helobious said:

We ate at that Applebees in the middle of town weekly growing up. It’s still going strong, as well as that Chinese place by the bridge on the arroyo I think. Can’t recall any other Chinese places in town actually. 
 

Do you remember the Hygiea plant on F street? We used to go there every Sunday to get sundaes. Good times. I think it’s a different ice cream place now but I haven’t been. 

The Chinese place by the Arroyo was actually not terrible, it’s changed hands a few times.  I knew the owner (well, more her daughter actually) when it was at its peak. Daughter was cute as a button, went to SciTech, I tried really hard and managed a few covert dates that she didn’t tell mom about. But mom was all about her girl’s academics and a boyfriend just wasn’t gonna happen. 
 

Yeah, Hygiea’s ice cream shop was the tits. Loved that place and the ice cream sundaes in the plastic banana shaped boats. 
 

My real point here is that aside from a few gems that we remember, the small and medium sized town “mom and pop” food scene actually sucked ass in a lot of places, and if anything these chains made places up their game and new startups had to be actually good. 

[Brisketexan 105041]

1 hour ago, 956 Worldwide said:

I’ll say this about Applebees, Chilis, Olive Garden, and the like— when they turned up in my medium sized South Texas town in the 1990s it was a big damn deal.  “Take your homecoming date” big deal. Before that, your choices were Mexican (awesome), BBQ (OK), one pretty good steak and home cooking place, good but one-note fried seafood places, several shitty “American” food places, shitty Chinese, and fast food/chain pizza. 

I do think a lot of people went there, tried some things there like actual vegetables or their “Asian inspired” menu stuff, and then wanted to try other new things and better food.  Other places had to up their game and be better than Applebees or Olive Garden, and they did.  The chains are still there but now there’s also actual decent and diverse food besides the always awesome Mexican that was on offer and now people even laugh at the chains.

 

I gotta say......when I go deer hunting, I pass by this place in Brady, coming and going:

 

The boy and I have been tempted over the years to stop there and give it a whirl.  Because chinese grub in Brady.  But we haven't yet.

[ButtFumble 5164]

On 3/23/2022 at 4:15 PM, VirginiaLonghorn said:

Damn … I miss late night feeds at Bennigan’s. 

well now you finally have a legit reason to go to Borger or Monahans (fuck the oil business out there is crazy I thought Monahans was basically a gas station)

 

https://bennigans.com/locations/

[ButtFumble 5164]

On 4/17/2022 at 9:58 PM, markstanco said:

I wouldn’t want to go to an applys on purpose. But at a hotel in Santa Clarita I used to go to all the time there was one in front of it. Decent grilled chicken salad and cold beer. Again, I would never choose it for a stopping point. But I was with a sales rep and didn’t have a car.

what kind of a fucking sales rep does not have a car?

what were you selling coke in the bathroom?

[VirginiaLonghorn 4767]

38 minutes ago, ButtFumble said:

well now you finally have a legit reason to go to Borger or Monahans (fuck the oil business out there is crazy I thought Monahans was basically a gas station)

 

https://bennigans.com/locations/

I appreciate your research.  But, I don’t miss ‘em that much.  Might as well go to Steubenville .. closer and probably similar in atmosphere. 😏

[4doorsMoreWhores 107]

On 4/10/2022 at 11:12 AM, Pam Cummings said:

As long as theres a bunch of fatasses too lazy to cook their own dinner, places like Applebee's and Chili's will continue their existance.

 

I do like the burgers at Chili's though. Also the molten chocolate cake dessert is always good despite the instant beetus it gives you. So they have that.

Fat ass

[markstanco 12570]

On 4/30/2022 at 7:57 AM, ButtFumble said:

what kind of a fucking sales rep does not have a car?

what were you selling coke in the bathroom?

I was working with our manufacturer rep.  They would pick me up each morning and go make calls. 

[Horn Draoi 254]

On 4/19/2022 at 4:23 PM, Brisketexan said:

I gotta say......when I go deer hunting, I pass by this place in Brady, coming and going:

 

The boy and I have been tempted over the years to stop there and give it a whirl.  Because chinese grub in Brady.  But we haven't yet.

It’s actually pretty good “American” Chinese, been there several times.  I don’t want to see the kitchen, of course.  The Chinese place on the courthouse square in Hamilton is quite good, too.