Quote:
Originally Posted by Keith P.
I’m not sure any chains will add much to our available experience. I remember when Applebee’s came some years ago and visiting a few times. It was shockingly bad food. I remember saying to those with me that it reminded me of airline food only worse, and that the majority of the kitchen equipment must have been microwaves used to heat what were surely frozen pre-made entrees sent from a central supplier. We had numerous burger chains cycle through over the years so we don’t need more of those. Olive Garden is not a place I’ve ever been to but I hear it is similar to the Applebee’s model. Red Lobster is struggling in the US. Outback seems past its prime. Most chains are either deep-fried disasters or some sort of variation of equally unhealthy fast food so they don’t appeal to me much. I would much rather find a local operation that makes tasty stuff, like a Tarek’s.
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To each his own. I like Tarek's and similar (like Mezza), but the flavour profile is the same among all other restaurants that use middle eastern spices, etc. Same with Thai, etc. I look at those as mostly being with the trend of the time (like Italian and Chinese used to be, for example), and they likely have a good business model due to the healthy immigration that we've experienced, plus all the locals who want to feel 'worldly' by eating food that isn't of 'Canadian origin' (whatever that may or may not be) - I recall a coworker of Taiwanese origin chuckling at all the "white guys" lining up at the Thai kiosk of the eating establishment where we were having lunch... Regardless, having the same choices all over the place is tiresome for me, but the business case of these establishments will dictate whether they continue to thrive/survive or not.
While I'm in agreement over the quality of food at some of these establishments, I think opinions can vary, and there can be a tendency to overstate how 'bad' something is that may be based on something beyond the actual food being consumed. Again, management of the establishment also plays a large part in the equation. Really, though, my beliefs regarding businesses is the free-market approach. Owners/franchisees have the freedom of evaluating the business/risk case, and invest as they see fit. Competition will determine whether they survive or not. I welcome any new chains as they will either serve the market, or they won't, but detest a market that is dominated by something like 5 major chains with little room for anything new or different.
and that's all I've got to devote to this.