How Is That Chain Still Open?

[NeverMarryAStripper 21996]

All of you that think Chili's is an acceptable place to eat need to visit the one across the freeway from my house.  It is absolutely the most disgusting, poorly run restaurant in the country, and I've eaten at a lot of disgusting, poorly run restaurants.

[Guest Lobo]

Dude, cold beer and salsa.  You can't just "get" that kinda flavor and refreshment anywhere in Texas.  I mean other than the 37,000 eatries/watering holes in Texas offering just that.  ONe thing I know about Surly already, you can't just bash chain restaurants on a chain about bashing chain restaurants.  You see, we build to that...

[threesheets 1677]

I can't remember the last time I went into a Chili's and everything didn't suck.  And that's coming from someone that used to love the shit outta that place.  There was a cliff-like drop-off that happened right around ten years ago.  It sucks. Mom still likes it though, so whenever I take her to lunch, that's where we're going.

[Js1 85648]

15 minutes ago, threesheets said:

I can't remember the last time I went into a Chili's and everything didn't suck.  And that's coming from someone that used to love the shit outta that place.  There was a cliff-like drop-off that happened right around ten years ago.  It sucks. Mom still likes it though, so whenever I take her to lunch, that's where we're going.

Ditto on the "only reason I go is because of mom/11 year old nephew"

[utee94 15876]

21 minutes ago, Lobo said:

Dude, cold beer and salsa.  You can't just "get" that kinda flavor and refreshment anywhere in Texas.  I mean other than the 37,000 eatries/watering holes in Texas offering just that.  ONe thing I know about Surly already, you can't just bash chain restaurants on a chain about bashing chain restaurants.  You see, we build to that...

This is like a Cruiser and Subway discussion.  Except much much worse. 

 

[Guest Lobo]

TO be fair, in Texas...I sorta get patronizing chains because there's so many odd-sized Texas towns that don't really have any mom n' pop local joints or anything further up the scale where you can get a proper meal.  But there's these towns of like 500 or 3,000 that have nothing else but for some reason have a Popeye's or a Subway.  You don't really see much of that outside the South, where these small (but not tiny) towns have 2 or 3 chains and maybe even a Wal-mart, and then nothing else.  It's weird.  And then you also see places like a Pizza hut or a Chili's in a town of just 5,000 whereas you wouldn't see anything like that until a town of at least 20,000 up north.  I dunno.  Probably some marketing/logistics rationale for it.  Probably helps explain the obesity and diabetes in Texas, but then such a critique of food and drink excellence may offend utee94.

Edited August 10, 2018 by Lobo

[Lobwedgephil 1139]

3 hours ago, BurntEyes said:

You, you got to hell. Taco Casa ain't got shit on the Beuno mother fucker.

He's in college station, he's already there. 

[utee94 15876]

15 hours ago, Lobo said:

TO be fair, in Texas...I sorta get patronizing chains because there's so many odd-sized Texas towns that don't really have any mom n' pop local joints or anything further up the scale where you can get a proper meal.  But there's these towns of like 500 or 3,000 that have nothing else but for some reason have a Popeye's or a Subway.  You don't really see much of that outside the South, where these small (but not tiny) towns have 2 or 3 chains and maybe even a Wal-mart, and then nothing else.  It's weird.  And then you also see places like a Pizza hut or a Chili's in a town of just 5,000 whereas you wouldn't see anything like that until a town of at least 20,000 up north.  I dunno.  Probably some marketing/logistics rationale for it.  Probably helps explain the obesity and diabetes in Texas, but then such a critique of food and drink excellence may offend utee94.

Whatever you say, Cruiser.

[utee94 15876]

14 hours ago, BurntEyes said:

Because he is known to be easily offended.

 

I bet you ate at both Chili's and Subway yesterday, didn't you?

[Steamboat1874 4105]

What is the scoop on Lupe’s Tortilla?

They are building one near me.

[DanRydell 799]

What is the scoop on Lupe’s Tortilla?
They are building one near me.

Good fajitas but they’re expensive as fuck. The rest of food is meh.

[Okie State 3848]

I always liked the poblano stuffed with chicken and cheese. I haven't eaten there in over five years even though there's one right around the corner from me. Too many other good Mexican places around that are cheaper and not always packed.

[Blanton 170]

11 hours ago, Steamboat1874 said:

What is the scoop on Lupe’s Tortilla?

They are building one near me.

Been drunk many a time while eating their fajitas...fajita nachos are good as well.

[MaybeACoordinator 8350]

On 8/6/2018 at 7:58 PM, Brisketexan said:

Sadness is eating at the Cicis in Lake Jackson on a Friday night before a fishing trip....and seeing couples there...on a date.

 

On 8/7/2018 at 12:19 PM, RDCanecutter said:

Now realize they probably drove 30 miles just to get to that Cici's

That Cici's date qualifies as the 30 second intro to quality romantic couples porn in places like Angleton and Anahuac. Guy opens the car door and the Cici's door open for her, she eats and giggles, they make eye contact, and then they are back in the trailer, and he is plowing her like a soybean field. 

On 8/10/2018 at 3:59 PM, Lobo said:

TO be fair, in Texas...I sorta get patronizing chains because there's so many odd-sized Texas towns that don't really have any mom n' pop local joints or anything further up the scale where you can get a proper meal.  But there's these towns of like 500 or 3,000 that have nothing else but for some reason have a Popeye's or a Subway.  You don't really see much of that outside the South, where these small (but not tiny) towns have 2 or 3 chains and maybe even a Wal-mart, and then nothing else.  It's weird.  And then you also see places like a Pizza hut or a Chili's in a town of just 5,000 whereas you wouldn't see anything like that until a town of at least 20,000 up north.  I dunno.  Probably some marketing/logistics rationale for it.  Probably helps explain the obesity and diabetes in Texas, but then such a critique of food and drink excellence may offend utee94.

I've been traveling all over Texas for the last three or four years and this is just totally wrong. There are some real shit towns where all you can get is Hunt Bros Pizza and baskets of fried crap at some crossroads gas station, but pretty much every town I've been to of over 2000 or so has some diner, maybe also a Mexican joint.  Popeye's are pretty rare in really tiny towns -- they are a step up from Chester Fried and Church's. Towns of 5000 or more will have the family diner, a Mexican place, maybe a Chinese place or two, a Subway, and some cut-rate chicken and burger joints. Also a Donut Palace and maybe a place that offers kolaches and breakfast tacos. 5000 is also about the cutoff for Sonics and DQs. 

 

Sounds like you need to get off the feeder roads and actually into the towns. 

[Guest Lobo]

Okay, sounds like you know what you're talking about.

When I am traveling to these small towns, I do get off the feeder roads and into the towns themselves.  And if it has 4,000 people and no DQ, that means it has a mom n' pop place and that's where I'm eating.  My lack of granular knowledge about what size down gets a Popeye's or a Chili's doesn't change the fact that, like you said, every town has a local option off the feeder road.  There are always options, even if it means heading a few miles to the next town.  I'll press on to the family diner or the Mexican place you mentioned.  I prefer not to settle for the shitty chain in front of me just because I'm in a small town and they're offering it.  I agree with your premise you know.

[3adays 454]

I can’t think of a town in Texas with a population of 5000 that has a Chili’s. 

[NorthLoop 14254]

Yeah Chilis is more reserved for the 20k+ towns. I grew up in Paris, which is 25k, and it was a HUGE deal when we got a Chilis back in the 90's. 

[WhatTheBuck 28821]

I went to Chili's once in the 90's. I can't recall exactly where. Some friends and I were out on Phish tour. I had a burger and fries and don't remember it being noticeably great or noticeably bad.

What I remember is that one of my friends never got his order. The waiter brought out everyone's food except for his. They had just forgotten to make it. So they were going to correct that. Except they never did. As the rest of us were finishing our meals, the manager came by the table to ask how everything was. When he learned that one of us never got his order he asked if it had come out wrong and was sent back. No, we told him it never came out at all. 

He comped all our meals, which I thought was good customer service, but that didn't help Paul. He had to settle for McDonald's drive-thru. At the time I commented to my friends that, because the manager comped our meals to compensate for their mistake, I would pay another visit to Chili's. But I never got around to it. 

/csb

[LCHorn 2633]

Liberty has a Chili’s-population less than 10k.  

I remember when it was a huge deal getting a McDonalds.  

[6th Street 6509]

I think we've all been there - flight delays and the only bar/restaurant with empty seats is the Chili's/Chili's To Go. At that point it's perfectly acceptable to have a tall Bood Light and some chips and guacamole 

[WhatTheBuck 28821]

As long as they've got a liquor license, any place will do in a pinch. 

[DallasHorn26 586]

I can’t think of a town in Texas with a population of 5000 that has a Chili’s. 

Lindale had a population of just over 5,800 in 2016 and had a chilis since around 2011ish. Although, not sure it counts since its basically the Tyler exit of I-20.

[Vic Mackey 47189]

You, you got to hell. Taco Casa ain't got shit on the Beuno mother fucker.

Agreed. Bueno shits all over Casa.

[NotActuallyALonghorn 4979]

9 hours ago, DallasHorn26 said:

22 hours ago, 3adays said:

I can’t think of a town in Texas with a population of 5000 that has a Chili’s. 

Lindale had a population of just over 5,800 in 2016 and had a chilis since around 2011ish. Although, not sure it counts since its basically the Tyler exit of I-20.

Lindale also has only like two local restaurants. The mexican place was pretty good, though.

[Al_4_ISU 12513]

On 8/10/2018 at 3:59 PM, Lobo said:

TO be fair, in Texas...I sorta get patronizing chains because there's so many odd-sized Texas towns that don't really have any mom n' pop local joints or anything further up the scale where you can get a proper meal.  But there's these towns of like 500 or 3,000 that have nothing else but for some reason have a Popeye's or a Subway.  You don't really see much of that outside the South, where these small (but not tiny) towns have 2 or 3 chains and maybe even a Wal-mart, and then nothing else.  It's weird.  And then you also see places like a Pizza hut or a Chili's in a town of just 5,000 whereas you wouldn't see anything like that until a town of at least 20,000 up north.  I dunno.  Probably some marketing/logistics rationale for it.  Probably helps explain the obesity and diabetes in Texas, but then such a critique of food and drink excellence may offend utee94.

I think every town over 1500 people in the Midwest has at least one Subway.  I'm not sure why, but it seems to be the case.

Pizza Huts are (or were until recently) very common in towns of around 3,000-8,000 people up here. 

[RDCanecutter 26510]

49 minutes ago, Al_4_ISU said:

I think every town over 1500 people in the Midwest has at least one Subway.  I'm not sure why, but it seems to be the case.

Subways have to be cheap to run. I mean, you dice up one batch of all the vegetables, and keep putting them back out on the line for a year.

[BNB 100]

On 8/9/2018 at 2:19 PM, ShaggyBevo RIP said:

Not scrolling thru the whole thread but I made it halfway without seeing a Spaghetti Warehouse mention.

No, not Spag...

I guess I am biased.  I worked there in the 90's while in school and met the best people I am still friends with.

$1 Spaghetti, bread, salad, soup is what I ate almost every day. (waiters special)

Half Beer Chili/Cheese Sauce or Half Beer Chili/Chicken Tetrazini was great on a 21 year old metabolism, working out every day, then going to Lavaca Bar and they had a pitcher of Shiner ready for me after I walked in the door.

I still crave the Minestrone soup.

 

Good times.

 

Edited August 14, 2018 by BNB

[Steamboat1874 4105]

 

[utee94 15876]

As a kid, I liked eating in the trolley car.

 

 

[MNLonghornFUKM 8834]

1 hour ago, Steamboat1874 said:

 

my dad is freaking obsessed with these...or the spaghetti factory or YE old spaghetti factory. He was in Kansas City last month and he drove by a building that was off of the interstate that had Spaghetti factory painted on the side. I had to tell him a few times that its not open according to teh googlez and teh websitez. 

 

he finally got the hint when he asked a local hotel lobby worker if it was open and she didn't believe it no longer was. 

Edited August 14, 2018 by MNLonghornFUKM

[WBT 20703]

As a kid I liked Chili's but the thing I remember most is the chocolate milk shakes.  There's a Chili's 3 minutes from my house that I probably haven't been to in 8 or 10 years.  In 2015 I had a 3 month work assignment to Al Jubail, Saudi Arabia and I probably hit the Chili's there close to once a week for chips and salsa and then fajitas or quesadillas (obviously no beer).  With that as the only tex-mex option it wasn't bad.  I even thought about giving Chili's another chance back home but I never did.

[MNLonghornFUKM 8834]

As a kid I liked Chili's but the thing I remember most is the chocolate milk shakes.  There's a Chili's 3 minutes from my house that I probably haven't been to in 8 or 10 years.  In 2015 I had a 3 month work assignment to Al Jubail, Saudi Arabia and I probably hit the Chili's there close to once a week for chips and salsa and then fajitas or quesadillas (obviously no beer).  With that as the only tex-mex option it wasn't bad.  I even thought about giving Chili's another chance back home but I never did.

Well if theres one 3 min away...the opportunity is still there

[Trey3216 15380]

36 minutes ago, MNLonghornFUKM said:

1 hour ago, WBT said:

As a kid I liked Chili's but the thing I remember most is the chocolate milk shakes.  There's a Chili's 3 minutes from my house that I probably haven't been to in 8 or 10 years.  In 2015 I had a 3 month work assignment to Al Jubail, Saudi Arabia and I probably hit the Chili's there close to once a week for chips and salsa and then fajitas or quesadillas (obviously no beer).  With that as the only tex-mex option it wasn't bad.  I even thought about giving Chili's another chance back home but I never did.

Read more  

Well if theres one 3 min away...the opportunity is still there

Yep.  The opportunities are as endless as their menu 

[Native Horn 3516]

2 hours ago, utee94 said:

As a kid, I liked eating in the trolley car.

 

 

Man, that brings back lots of great memories.  Usually went there for family birthdays back in the day.  Dat sourdough bread with garlic butter doe.  Dayum!

[irockalltherocks 55]

Chipotle. Never thought the food was all that, and they continually have health scare issues.

[MNLonghornFUKM 8834]

Chipotle. Never thought the food was all that, and they continually have health scare issues.

Their barbacoa burritos are money

[Js1 85648]

3 hours ago, irockalltherocks said:

Chipotle. Never thought the food was all that, and they continually have health scare issues.

It's cheap, it's easy, it's usually consistent.  It's kind of my go-to when I'm on the way home, hungry and hoping to lose 10 pounds and 3 days from work from a good e-coli outbreak.

[Rimbo 26172]

On 7/26/2018 at 3:27 AM, slorch said:

Chilis

Olive Garden

 

Both are like raiding the frozen aisles at your local grocery store.  Meh, at best with zero personality in the food.  Total dogshit for the price.

but some days I want someone else to microwave the frozen dinner for me

[Rimbo 26172]

Also, apropos to the thread: ANY and EVERY fast-food Chinese chain. Panda Express, etc.

Do you have any clue how easy home-cooked Chinese food is? 

• Put rinsed white rice in rice cooker with water, wait 30 minutes
• when rice cooker beeps (it done), throw chopped veggies in oiled-up wok on super-high heat with oil, chopped garlic and salt, cook until wilted
• Dump veggies into bowl #1, put chopped meat with salt and sugar into same wok until done and dump into bowl #2
• get bowls/plates, and then either spoon out the rice/food onto each one or go family style

total cook time once the rice is done: 10 minutes maybe. Chop time takes a bit sometimes if you're using a shitty knife.

Tastes better than any fast-food restaurant, takes less time than the drive there and back, and is fuuuuucking cheap. Like the whole meal will cost ya maybe $5, and that's the meat.

Only downside is that the meat/veggies have to be eaten right away. They make crap leftovers, although they can taste decent for lunch the next day with a little hot sauce or paprika. Leftover rice can either be turned into porridge for breakfast the next day or frozen for microwaving later.

[Underdog 28823]

Egg roll and soup come with that?  No?  Fuck you.  I'll stick with Chinese from Sum Yung Wang, thank you very much. 

[Vic Mackey 47189]

Chipotle. Never thought the food was all that, and they continually have health scare issues.

Dry ass meat and overpriced as fuck. Bueno shits all over Chipotle.

[MNLonghornFUKM 8834]

19 minutes ago, Vic Mackey said:

10 hours ago, irockalltherocks said:

Chipotle. Never thought the food was all that, and they continually have health scare issues.

Dry ass meat and overpriced as fuck. Bueno shits all over Chipotle.

barbacoa, game changer. 

[Patricio Swayze 17058]

Chipotle. Never thought the food was all that, and they continually have health scare issues.

Chipotle is gross.

[gsoda3 3284]

Also, apropos to the thread: ANY and EVERY fast-food Chinese chain. Panda Express, etc.
Do you have any clue how easy home-cooked Chinese food is? 

• Put rinsed white rice in rice cooker with water, wait 30 minutes
• when rice cooker beeps (it done), throw chopped veggies in oiled-up wok on super-high heat with oil, chopped garlic and salt, cook until wilted
• Dump veggies into bowl #1, put chopped meat with salt and sugar into same wok until done and dump into bowl #2
• get bowls/plates, and then either spoon out the rice/food onto each one or go family style

total cook time once the rice is done: 10 minutes maybe. Chop time takes a bit sometimes if you're using a shitty knife.
Tastes better than any fast-food restaurant, takes less time than the drive there and back, and is fuuuuucking cheap. Like the whole meal will cost ya maybe $5, and that's the meat.
Only downside is that the meat/veggies have to be eaten right away. They make crap leftovers, although they can taste decent for lunch the next day with a little hot sauce or paprika. Leftover rice can either be turned into porridge for breakfast the next day or frozen for microwaving later.

Thanks Grendel.

[Longboard Horn 40601]

Taco Diner. Horrible

[kopp0e 1135]

I would like for White Castle to have a few locations in the Dallas/ Fort Worth area, instead of having to make a trip near St. Louis to grab a few sliders... (rant over)

 

[Guest]

On 8/11/2018 at 12:20 PM, Steamboat1874 said:

What is the scoop on Lupe’s Tortilla?

They are building one near me.

Chicken soft tacos( more like enchiladas) are the best deal on the menu.

Not big on their salsa.

[RollLeft 5045]

On 8/12/2018 at 1:49 AM, MaybeACoordinator said:

...

I've been traveling all over Texas for the last three or four years and this is just totally wrong. There are some real shit towns where all you can get is Hunt Bros Pizza and baskets of fried crap at some crossroads gas station, but pretty much every town I've been to of over 2000 or so has some diner, maybe also a Mexican joint.  Popeye's are pretty rare in really tiny towns -- they are a step up from Chester Fried and Church's. Towns of 5000 or more will have the family diner, a Mexican place, maybe a Chinese place or two, a Subway, and some cut-rate chicken and burger joints. Also a Donut Palace and maybe a place that offers kolaches and breakfast tacos. 5000 is also about the cutoff for Sonics and DQs. 

 

Sounds like you need to get off the feeder roads and actually into the towns. 

This dude fucks, i mean speaks the truth.

[RollLeft 5045]

Also, team Pollo Loco.  

[VolenteHawk 495]

17 hours ago, Rimbo said:

Also, apropos to the thread: ANY and EVERY fast-food Chinese chain. Panda Express, etc.

Do you have any clue how easy home-cooked Chinese food is? 

• Put rinsed white rice in rice cooker with water, wait 30 minutes
• when rice cooker beeps (it done), throw chopped veggies in oiled-up wok on super-high heat with oil, chopped garlic and salt, cook until wilted
• Dump veggies into bowl #1, put chopped meat with salt and sugar into same wok until done and dump into bowl #2
• get bowls/plates, and then either spoon out the rice/food onto each one or go family style

total cook time once the rice is done: 10 minutes maybe. Chop time takes a bit sometimes if you're using a shitty knife.

Tastes better than any fast-food restaurant, takes less time than the drive there and back, and is fuuuuucking cheap. Like the whole meal will cost ya maybe $5, and that's the meat.

Only downside is that the meat/veggies have to be eaten right away. They make crap leftovers, although they can taste decent for lunch the next day with a little hot sauce or paprika. Leftover rice can either be turned into porridge for breakfast the next day or frozen for microwaving later.

So, you saved me $3 but cost me the better part of an hour of my life. I choose the shitty takeout.