Rare Visit to a Chain Restaurant – Independents Will Survive!
I am not a food critic in the formal sense of the word. I don’t like chain restaurants and have made my biases clear in previous posts. You can take all the Chili’s, Fridays, Applebee’s and what is left of Bennigans, strip all the logos and color schemes away, and you have carbon copy eateries. At least my opinions are exposed before exploiting one of my rare visits to one of the casual restaurants above.
My venture into a well known chain was preceded by my grandson’s soccer game that ended with lunch for seven of us going different directions. For convenience we chose one of the closest restaurants that accommodated our travel directions and seemed like a good idea at the time.
Since they allow me to believe I am the head of the family, especially when the check arrives, I should have had the experience (translated to age) to know better. Here is just a brief synopsis of our visit:
- We were greeted into the restaurant with the faint, but distinctive smell of greasy sewage. The grease trap probably had been pumped that morning. No one bothered to try to cover up the lingering background odor.
- Service was relatively prompt. The young server placed a button in front of my eight year old grandson that was designed to call her to the table if we needed anything. Besides the fact that we obviously wanted a lot of things, that is why we went there, the predictable results of putting an electronic gadget in front of an inquisitive boy sitting beside his lenient grandpa is a lesson for that young server.
- Menus were passed among us. There were five adults and two children. Seven adult menus were passed out. We had to ask for children’s menus. At first, I thought this was just a miscue on the hostess. Then it occurred to me that maybe their way to get some people to order from the adult menu for children. Good economic sense, but bad marketing. I guess they assume people wouldn’t figure that out.
- The menu was several glossy pages poorly organized and clearly designed to sell high margin items. There was an insert that offered “2 for $20″. Supposedly you got an appetizer and two entrees for two people for $20. No one found that offer attractive either from the descriptions or the anticipated portion control due to the food industry’s economic difficulties.
- We ordered a couple of appetizers to satisfy my grandson’s hunger and taste for shrimp, plus a “queso” dip. The dip was acceptable with a processed cheese loaded with a spicy salsa. The shrimp were embarrassing. About eight pieces slightly larger than a quarter. Each was a small shrimp (about a forty count) flattened and heavily covered in a crispy batter. Obviously pre-packaged and frozen, seven people left some on the plate of eight pieces. I cannot imagine an independent restaurateur sending the shrimp to any table.
- Entrees included three lunch salads and a couple quesadilla wraps for the adults. My ten year old granddaughter ordered the children’s steak and my grandson ordered chicken fingers. When served, the variety looked like the Clint Eastwood movie, “The Good, The Bad, The Ugly”. To be brief, the salads were a mixture of greens, with few of the more costly adornments such as tomatoes, cucumbers and other seasonal vegetables. I was told the dressings were good. The attempt at a Mexican quesadilla failed, but was an acceptable hamburger in a cheesy tortilla. My granddaughter’s steak was another embarrassment. I watched as she attempted to cut her 3 to 3 1/2 ounce piece of unidentifiable “steak” (probably some sirloin). Being the doting grandpa, I volunteered to cut up her steak. Let’s just say that you could only get away with serving that piece of meat to a child. I had to cut it in wafer thin slices to make it even chewable. The French fries were acceptable, but certainly not warranted on a Mexican dish that could have had some refried beans, salsa and beans as an alternative. The chicken fingers were eaten by a very hungry boy who just came from a soccer game. He noted though, they were not what he was used to. Again, pre-breaded, pre-packaged and more breading than meat.
- Plate presentation went from mediocre to horrible. Garnish was non-existent and French fries dominated the plates.
- As usual, I wanted to send my grandchildren home full of energy and a large sugar rush, so we ordered a trio of desserts. The two the kids were lured into by the description turned out to be ice cream sundaes in a paper cup. I also ordered them a “chocolate molten cake” for table sharing. It was little more than a round piece of cake with the center removed and chocolate syrup poured in. Not impressive. It to failed to be devoured by a table of seven with abundant extra spoons and the usual number of chocoholics in the mix.
While the meal by itself was only slightly disappointing, since I got what I expected, the experience was encouragement to believe the independent restaurant will continue to survive the bombardment of advertising from the chains. Most independents would not serve the food that came from the kitchen of the rubber stamp restaurant. While many people fall prey to the heavy discounts being offered to economically strapped consumers, people have long memories. They will remember sub-standard food, exorbitant beverage prices and short lived lower prices. As the economy improves, so will the consumer’s restaurant budget.
Independent restaurant owners have an opportunity in this market. You can set an example the guest will remember by:
- Offering lower priced entrees by being creative, but maintaining value. Don’t sacrifice your standards.
- The chains can’t respond as quickly as you can. Their rush to keep traffic will end up with poor execution, ramshackle food product selection based on price and little testing or training they have been noted for. While they attempt to draw the masses with low prices, you can continue to build your customer list one guest at a time with quality. If you serve a $6 meatloaf sandwich, make it the best they can find for the price. Make the plate look good and the service friendly and inviting.
- If you wouldn’t serve a product to a guest in your home, don’t serve it to a guest in your restaurant!
- Stay the course on local restaurant marketing that can attract long term guests. The economy will get better and the industry will rebound with a flurry for those who have chosen not to take advantage of the patrons they serve.
If you haven’t visited one of the casual chains lately, boost your confidence by trying any one of them. Pay attention to detail as if you intended to return, just as any visitor would.
I can assure you my family will look for an alternative after the next opportunity to get together for lunch. When my grandchildren walk out of a restaurant quiet as mice about being spoiled and sugared up for the day, you know something is wrong! Their usual smiles and banter about being full and some great dish consumed was not heard. Sometimes what isn’t said is as loud as what is shouted.
Larry Edger
Author, Restaurateur
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Larry, I was turned onto your website by a friend of mine in the business and since I have just opened a restaurant of my own, I find your writings to be insightful and incredibly informative. You’re right: my confidence in my own venture increases every time I dine at these “rubber stamp” concepts. It makes me work harder and fuels more passion every visit.