Ok I narrowed it down to Houston/Austin/Dallas/San Antonio franchise places. Not the mom & pop places, but the big guys. My take on each one Chili's - Cream of the crop. Best quality/service. Friday's - Good food - sometimes. Service can be shoddy at times. Cheddar's - havent been there a lot, but it seems decent. Bennigan's - I'll go if others want to, but not my first choice. Always lousy service. Only 1 or 2 good items on the menu. Applebee's - The armpit of all 5 choices. Terrible food (excluding the ribletts) - really bad service.
No BW-3? In terms of profitability, I would think BW-3 would be tough to beat. The one in the Rice village is packed every weeknight and all day Saturday and Sunday with beer drinkers and wing eaters.
All none of them. I avoid chain restaurants wherever and whenever possible. None of them are any good to me.
B-dubs is cool but there is only 1 in town here in Austin and its terrible. All of the TV's are mounted up highso you have to crane your neck up left and right just to see the game. That and the crowd there is terrible.
I voted for Bennigans because they are packed with chicks on most nights. I pass one on I-10 and Wurzbach in San Antonio and there are always a buttload of cars there. Large selection of beers, good food and a good crowd.
Of the choices, TGI Friday's. But personally, I prefer Ruby Tuesday (dunno if you all have them out that way, though). Their Sonora Chicken Pasta is the best.
I went with Cheddar's because I had some really good ribs last time I was there. I used to really like Chili's as a chain restaurant, but about two years ago they took my favorite item (Bar-B-Q Pulled Pork Sandwich) off the menu and then the service started to take a nosedive. But really, unless I'm with a big group of people that I have no chance of persuading otherwise, I avoid all these places like the plague.
I used to like Chili's back when I was in high school at Kempner. Now, I try to avoid the "off the freeway" places for dinner. For lunch those guys are fine. BTW, I can vouch for Outback. I used to bus tables there back in high school. They are very diligent about quality and food standards.
I'd go to Outback or Black-eyed Pea before any of your listed choices. Outback for Onions, rack-o-lamb or great burgers. The Pea for the veggies and bread (hmmmm, bread!..... not on Atkins diet , must avoid.....Hmmmm bread!)
I'd have to say Bennigans. The service is terrible, most of the food is bad, the seats hurt my ass, but it gets my vote simply because of two words: Monte Cristo.
Chilli's is the best. Applebee's isn't so bad, I like a lot of their stuff. TGI Fridays is good. Never been to Cheddars Bennigans sucks. I remember the last time I went there I order that big burger, I forget the name, and I didn't want pickles on it and the waiter said I could just take them off.
I didnt include Outback, because they are more of a "steakhouse" type place. Not a place where you can buy stuff like chicken teriyaki whatever.... B-dubs blows RM95. If they werent on 6th street where the properties are long and narrow, it probably would be a better place to watch football. The seats are uncomfortable as hell too - Why they are shaped like saddles I will never know.... The one in Rice Village is money.
No doubt. Those who mentioned Outback were insulting them. I love the place too, its good steak for the price, but they certainly would categorize themself as a steakhouse.
I like Chili's selection the best. However, it was a much cooler place when I was in high school. Lately, the service at every one I have been to has gotten really bad. And I hate those damn commercials where the people are singing! I like Friday's a lot. Been going there a lot recently. They've changed their menu and atmosphere a bit and I like it. It got my vote. Appleby's I haven't been to in years, so I don't know. I spend some time at Bennigan's as well. The one by my office is awful. Food isn't as good, place is a little trashy and the service is terrible. Chedder's is good but I've only been like twice in the last few years. A lot of what I've noticed is that the quality of the establishment varies depending on the neighborhood it's in.
What? You ask this question and you only include these choices? I can't really think of any other bar and grills at the moment but I know there's way better. Fuddruckers count? That'd be my pick.
