Is there a chain restaurant your area does not have, but yearns to get?

[OmahaBlueDog]

For example, here in Omaha, we don't have Dunkin' Donuts, and we don't have Chick-Fil-A*. Both of these are high on the local wish list. On The Border is another restaurant that gets mentioned. I'd personally love to have a Roy Rogers, but they are too far east for that to happen anytime soon. What is your area missing that it wants in the restaurant world?





*There is a Chick-Fil-A inside the employee cafeteria of the Mutual of Omaha building. If you're a MOO employee, you may go visit the Eat Mor Chiken Cows daily. Otherwise, you have to travel to Sioux City to get your fix.

[Aristus]

1. Long John Silver's.

I grew up with Long John Silver's living in Kentucky as a kid. We don't have it in the Northwest. (We get the TV commercials, though...)

As much as I advocate eating healthy, I just LOVE LJS chicken planks with hush puppies and "crumblies". :9

[OmahaBlueDog]

2. Did you ever have Arthur Treachers?

Same basic principle -- better hush puppies.

I was just at LJS the Friday before last.

[RebelOne]

98. Used to have an Arthur Treachers down the street

from my house when I lived in Miami. Loved that place. Are there any more left? I certainly haven't seen any here in the Atlanta area.

[OmahaBlueDog]

117. They were packaging them into Miami Subs

They were doing Miami Subs/Kenny Rogers Roasters/Arthur Treachers/Baskin Robbins combos.

[WildEyedLiberal]

7. LOVE THE CRUMBLIES!!!

Ahhh I miss LJS...

[ChoralScholar]

12. Our area is not fully appreciating it's LJS.

Every time I visit the one in Conway, I'm the only one there. And it has gotten a little more expensive in the last several years. That may be a contributing factor as well.

[El Supremo]

53. You'd be sorry. They aren't as good as they used to be.

They finally came back here to Denver. And it just doesn't taste the same. And too much oil. It's now a Yum brand.

Anybody remember H. Salt Esquire?

[trof]

56. Yeah, if you like toxic 'farm raised' Thai/Chinese/Vietnamese seafood.

Google it.
yuck

[OmahaBlueDog]

75. My philosophy: you really don't want to know what goes on in the kitchen or where they got the food

,,,otherwise, you'd never eat out.

[era veteran]

94. With just the 'right' amount of Agent Orange

Thanks to your good time buddies at Monsanto

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

3. Chik-Fil-A is operated by right-wing fundies

who are, among other things, virulently anti-gay. http://news.change.org/stories/yes-chick-fil-a-says-we-explicitly-do-not-like-same-sex-couples

[SirHarukaTheThird]

5. Ha! We just posted the same thing at the same time.

[SirHarukaTheThird]

4. I wouldn't support Chick-Fil-A just because of their homophobic history

http://news.change.org/stories/is-your-chicken-sandwich-homophobic

[OmahaBlueDog]

70. Just wondering - do you eat Dominos Pizza?

On edit: I ask because Tom Monoghan (I probably botched the spelling) is an ultra-conservative, ultra fundamentalist Catholic. Big contributor to EWTN, and built his own Catholic village (Ave Maria) in Florida.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ave_Maria,_Florida
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Monaghan

[hifiguy]

90. I thought Monaghan sold Domino's a few years back

to build his fundieland in Florida. :shrug: Not that I'd ever eat their horrid pizza anyway.

In MSP we have Punch, a little local chain of pizzerias certified by the Neapolitan Pizza Authority or some such Italian organization. They use 850-degree woodfired stone pizza ovens and the pie only goes in for about two minutes, which is enough. It isn't Lombardi's in Philly but it's the next best thing.

[OmahaBlueDog]

116. On reflection, I'm very sorry that I posted that.

:cry:

First, my intent was not to start a shouting match with the poster. Second, I think you are right -- I think he did sell Domino's. Third, if Monoghan is a conservative Catholic, and he chooses to support causes that are near and dear to him, that's as much his right as it is mine to support the Democratic Party. His politics and his pizza should be two different subjects.

Having said all of that, it reminds me of another chain I'd like here -- Lou Malnati's (the BEST Chicago deep-dish).

[alfredo]

6. Bar B Cutie

http://www.bar-b-cutie.com/

They have them in Tennessee, Georgia, Texas, Spain, and Ohio, but not in Kentucky. They have three in Spain, why not Kentucky?

[Skip Intro]

8. I'd like a Jillian's or Dave and Busters to open in Charleston.

Actually, I'd like to take their idea, improve upon it, and open my own here, but alas, it takes money to make money...

(actually, I'm still not convinced that is always true, that it takes money to make money...I'm still trying to find the cracks in that dynamic...)

[ChoralScholar]

15. D&B originated from a restaurant here in Little Rock,

but for some reason we don't have one here.

[Skip Intro]

16. That's crazy. Your sig cracks me up.

[TreasonousBastard]

9. We have the Colonel, but no Popeye's.

[ChoralScholar]

13. Popeye's finally expanded into this area in the last 5-7 years.

I like the red beans and rice.

[Lugnut]

10. Carraba's

We need one here.

[OmahaBlueDog]

74. Carrabas is really good

I like eating with the view of the kitchen

[Ex Lurker]

11. Local sentiment is for a Taco Bell. I'd love an Arby's nt

[ChoralScholar]

14. Where the heck do you live where there's no Taco Bell or Arby's?

I live in a town of 5000 people and we have both.

[Ex Lurker]

43. my town is the same size as yours. all we have are burger king and mcdonald's nt

[tigereye]

46. I obviously live in the city, since both are within a short

distance. I gave up on TB quite some time ago. Ugh. I live in an urban area and there are way too many chains. I know it was a big deal a few years back when we got that foodie-ish Mexican chain- can't think of the name of it at the moment. Frankly it didn't seem that different from other chains of that type.


I was just thinking that many of you are lucky that you don't have these chains near you, and can get more real food! :rofl:

[hifiguy]

91. Taco Bell is pretty nasty

and the worst fast food EVAH to eat on a hangover. Taco John's has far better food if that style is what one craves.

[fishwax]

103. I sometimes miss Taco Johns

had those in the town where I grew up, but haven't lived near one for years ... definitely preferable to taco bell ...

[Steerpike]

17. hmmmm

Jack in the box
sizzler
more seafood places...

[JANdad]

18. Olive Garden

:hide:

[Steerpike]

20. How come?

I hear a lot of controversy over the "Olive Garden". I have never seen one or been to one. Is the food bad? Is it owned by conservatives? What's the deal?

[NewJeffCT]

26. If you didn't know

some DUer was in NYC and went to an Olive Garden there, and was roundly panned by many for going to a chain restaurant when they were in a city famous for its huge variety of excellent ethnic restaurants. I don't remember who the DUer was or who did the panning, but the story has since taken on a life of its own and has grown to mean anybody who goes to the Olive Garden in general, and not just the Olive Garden in NYC.

[tigereye]

47. well, that DUer, now long gone, was infamous for their

some would say trollish lack of cultural sensitivity. :D

[Pool Hall Ace]

60. Just out of curiosity, was that DUer banned, or did he/she leave embarassed?

I am far from being the most sophisticated person on Earth, but even I know not to go to NYC, then eat at an Olive Garden and rave about it! :rofl:

[tigereye]

93. I believe they were banned- if I recall, embarrassment

was not one of the characteristics of said person. :D

[fishwax]

104. very diplomatically put, tigereye

:)

[tigereye]

114. thanks my friend!

:rofl: those were the days, eh?

[fishwax]

115. lol -- yeah, lotta laughs back then

:rofl:

[cbdo2007]

41. It's more psychological than anything else. I personally think Olive Garden is

really good food. I'm kind of an Italian Sausage expert and theirs is just as good or better than any other local places around here, and my wife's Italian so we've been to all the places and tend to go to the smaller local places.

Also good salad and breadsticks.

[tigereye]

48. it's fine for what it is, but if you want "real" Italian food,

go to a mom and pop trattoria or somethin.

[OmahaBlueDog]

73. Olive Garden is great for family outings

Something for everyone, and the food is decent to good.

[Patiod]

130. Maybe it's just the ones around here, but I've had bad experiences

We have a lot of mom-and-pop Italian places around here that are pretty good. I've eaten at two different Olive Gardens in the past year, and they were both Not Good. Just not up to the quality of the basic mom-and-pops.

I was expecting the same low quality when I got dragged out to a Magianno's, and was pleasantly surprised. I'd always prefer to support local family business, but Magianno's was a good as the local restaurants.

[Patiod]

131. (Posted in wrong place)

[EOTE]

45. I enjoy Olive Garden.

Granted, you'll get better food at most authentic Italian places, but for the price it's not bad at all. My favorite Italian chain restaurant has to be Maggiano's, though.

[Common Sense Party]

59. Their food is great; don't listen to the whiners

Is it "authentic" Italian? No, it's not. But the Mexican restaurants most people go to don't serve authentic Mexican food, either. Doesn't mean it's not tasty.

[Kali]

102. it was one of those DU lounge "eruptions"

somebody asked for recommendations for places to eat during a short trip to NYC. One reply was OG. Hilarity/outrage/tears/deletions/bannings/insults/jokes ensued. It has become a meme.

[WilmywoodNCparalegal]

19. In N Out needs to expand to the East Coast and Wilmington, NC

in particular

[KamaAina]

36. Not gonna happen

they refuse to expand beyond a certain distance from their ranches in CA's central valley, so they can deliver the beef fresh.

[cbdo2007]

39. Agree - would love to see an In n Out in the midwest

Kansas city specifically.

We just got 5 Guys but they don't have drive-thru and it takes forever to wait for the burgers even if I'm the only person in line. Seriously like 15 minutes!!

[bullwinkle428]

62. Another vote for In-N-Out.

[laconicsax]

72. +1

In-N-Out just can't expand very far. :(

[MorningGlow]

21. Probably Chik-fil-A

We've got boatloads of chain restaurants, however, so we shouldn't be in any rush to get another one. After all, when they brought in Chipotle we got all excited, and it is the WORLD'S WORST. I know they're good elsewhere in the country, but for some reason our local franchise has mastered the art of suckage. Worst burrito I have EVER had, and I'm in the northeast, where we don't exactly excel at Mexican food.

[KamaAina]

37. See #3 and 4 above

you're better off not giving your money to right-wing homophobes.

[MorningGlow]

40. Oh well--no big loss

I try to avoid fast food anyway.

[Richardo]

22. We just started getting Carl's Jr in Texas

Literally lines around the block. :wtf:

I grew up in So California, so they're no big novelty for me - plus I don't remember the food being all that exceptional (In'n'Out, on the other hand, I really miss :9 )

But geez, these Texans are going nuts for Carl's Jr :shrug:

[fishwax]

105. the chain is actually relocating to Texas, I believe

there was a thread in DU the other day with the CEO complaining about how California makes him pay his employees overtime when they work over 40 hours, and other such outrages. :)

Are they just converting the Hardees over to Carl's Jr., or actually building new stores?

[KamaAina]

109. Carl's Jr. has been far right since the git-go

Fast Food Nation opens with a history of Carl Kirchner and his right-wing ties; when he moved to Orange County (decades ago), Anaheim in particular was Klan country.

[last_texas_dem]

121. Interesting; I was wondering if this was a trend.

They opened one in Port Arthur a few months ago, and the one in Orange is set to open in a few days. I tried Carl's, Jr. for the first time a couple of months ago, and it seemed like decent, greasy fast food on about the Wienerschnitzel level. The one I'd like to have in town is Krystal Burger, but I may well be alone in this sentiment. haha

[GoCubsGo]

23. Portillo's Hot Dogs

Believe it or not, I can actually get a decent Chicago hot dog around here, and with a bit of a drive, I can get a decent Italian beef sandwich. However, they don't sell those hot tamales you can get at any Chicago hot dog stand. Or, the thick, greasy French fries.

We have Dunkin' Donuts, and we can buy Krispy Kreme in any grocery store or quickie mart. We have Chick-Fil-A AND a Zaxby's, Long Dong Silvers AND Capt. D's. Same shit, different names. We have Arby's, Toxic Bell, Ruby Tuesday, Outback, you name it. This in a town of 28,000. Just got a Five Guys, and we're getting a Crackhead Barrel later this year. We have nearly every other crap chain restaurant, as well. If it's not immediately in my town, we can drive 20 miles down the road to Augusta, where they even have an Olive Garden. I don't eat at any of them. I prefer independent restaurants. Ate at Olive Garden once. That was enough. It's the chain everyone seems to want here in town, but not me.

I'm tempted to say that it would be nice to have an Einstein's Bagels or a Sticky Fingers BBQ. However, there are two independent shops here that sell REAL bagels, rather than the round hunks of bread the chains and grocery stores sell. And, the local barbecue joint can't be beat for pulled pork barbecue. I suppose that if I wanted ribs or brisket, I'd enjoy Sticky Fingers.

There are still Roy Rogers restaurants?

[bullwinkle428]

63. HELL to the yes! I always make a stop at a Portillo's when I'm

in the Chicago area for any reason!

[xmas74]

83. I miss Capt D's.

We no longer have a seafood place in town. Lent is tough on us.

OTOH, we have an Einstein's on the university campus.

[LynneSin]

24. I wish there was a Trader Joe closer to my house

There is one about 30-40 minutes away which I shop at twice a week. I wish they would put one closer to the actual city of Wilmington. I think they would make a ton of money. That one on Naaman's road is overpacked all the time - so a 2nd one in the area would be a goldmine!

[GoCubsGo]

28. Yes!

The nearest one to me is a four hour drive to either Atlanta or Charlotte.

[fizzgig]

29. i wish we'd get a trader joe's here

the closest one is six or so hours away

[OmahaBlueDog]

69. We just got Trader Joe's here in Omaha

We also have Aldi (grocery owned by the same company)

[WilmywoodNCparalegal]

92. Oh yeah... add that to the list of things I'd like to see around here

in the Wilmington area. I think this area is perfect for Trader Joe's. But they don't think so :(

[u4ic]

112. We need them in Canada

Badly.

[hifiguy]

25. We had Arthur Treacher's 35 years ago

but they all disappeared from the Twin Cities sometime around 1980 and I am still grumpy about it. Hands down the best fish at any fast place and the fish sandwich was incredible.

And the holy grail, which we will never see in the Midwest, In 'n' Out Burger. Every time I get to Vegas or LA, a trip there is at the top of the itinerary.

[OmahaBlueDog]

78. Arthur Treacher's was showing up in Miami Subs locations in Florida

The fish and the hush puppies were the same, but they screwed up the chips (substituting ordinary fries) big time.

[NewJeffCT]

27. I'm not sure which chain restaurants we don't have here in CT

We have On the Border, Dunkin Donuts' galore and (I think) Roy Rogers. No desire for me for Chik-Fil-A.

TGIF, Bertucci's, Ruby Tuesday, Chili's, Applebee's, McDonald's, Burger King, and many others, I'm sure.

[fizzgig]

30. popeye's and dunkin donuts

we had a dunkin here growing up, but it shut down (back taxes, i think) back in the early or mid 90s. popeye's is getting closer, but the closest one is still close to a half hour away.

[NMDemDist2]

31. Souper Salad

dang, I miss those!

[MiddleFingerMom]

32. I think I remember Souper Salad from when I worked in D.C.

.
.
.
It was a good all-you-can-eat salad buffet and, for a little extra... all the soup you could eat.
.
.
.
The soups and the all-you-can-eat bread available with any order were FANTASTIC!!!!
.
.
.

[CrownPrinceBandar]

33. I'd like a Red Robin......

The closest one is over an hour away from me.

[Bombero1956]

34. we have a long list here

Sonic
5 Guys Burgers
Cheesecake Factory
Red Lobster
TGI Friday's
P. F. Chang's
California Pizza Kitchen
Cici's Pizza
Bob Evans
Romano's Macaroni Grill
Legal Seafood

By comparison you can't swing a stick around here without hitting a Dunkin Donuts. As for Chick-Fil-A I don't think they'd do very well around here with their promotion of Christian values business model, but there is a location 100 miles from here.

[OmahaBlueDog]

80. We don't have Legal Seafood in Omaha

We had a Macaroni Grill, but it closed. There is one in Lincoln

TGI Fridays is down to one location in the area, snd it is struggling.

I don't think there are any Bob Evans nearby.

Everything else we have.

It's bizarre that we don't havd DD.

[KamaAina]

107. Legal is (or used to be) strictly a New England thing

"If it isn't fresh, it isn't Legal." :-)

It was also supposedly the inspiration for Boston Market.

[Marrah_G]

120. I knew you had to be from here!

North Shore?

[Kablooie]

35. I'd love to have a McDonalds nearby .... oh wait ....

[cbdo2007]

38. Don't you have any local donut places?? Why would anyone want a Dunkin Donuts??

Unless you don't have any donut places. I'm a donut expert and Dunkin is at the very, very bottom of my donut list.

[seaglass]

55. Have to agree and their coffee is barely flavored hot water. blech n/t

[OmahaBlueDog]

82. I gotta disagree here

Actually we do have a very good regional chain called LaMar's Donuts.

I think Dunkin Donuts makes a donut of a good, consistent quality, and has really good coffee. In Omaha, we have Winchell's (not as good as they once were), and we have a KrispyKreme (good when hot; otherwise overrated).

[cbdo2007]

101. LaMar's is very good...for a chain.

We have them here in Kansas City too, but don't have a Dunkin Donuts in the area. I went to one finally in Chicago one year on a visit and was thoroughly disappointed.

We're spoiled here in Kansas City though as we have at least 6-7 good local places all over the city.

[Kat45]

86. Friends who moved away years ago really, really miss Dunkin Donuts!

I couldn't believe it. I'm so used to the place; there are four in my little town of four square miles. Living in other parts of the country, they really miss it. A friend was in town briefly last year, and she was thrilled when I brought her to Dunkin Donuts. Who knew? :shrug:

[ohiosmith]

42. White Castle, Tim Horton's, Skyline Diner.

[Rabrrrrrr]

44. Christ, I hope not. Who would actually WANT a chain restaurant to come to town? Fuck that.

I'd rather see local people start a real restaurant than raze good farmland to put up another cookie cutter shithole.

[tigereye]

49. ah ha

:rofl: We have all chains and more here, but we have some really good locally owned places too.

[trof]

57. YES!

[era veteran]

97. Right On

They exploit their help as well.

[Fire Walk With Me]

50. Grizzlebee's.

[El Supremo]

51. Whataburger!

[tinymontgomery]

64. Just tried Whataburger in January

on our way to Pensacola. Our son who went to school down their kept telling the wife and me about it. Had never heard of it till then and never tried till we were blowing past and had to turn around. The wife had to call my son we were eating there because she was so excited that she was going to try something her son recommended.

[kedrys]

52. We have exactly ONE Taco Hell

And it's way on the other side of town, which sucks, because sometimes you just HAVE to have crappy pseudo Tex-Mex food.

[El Supremo]

54. Big Boy

They were all over the country once.

[Auggie]

111. That would be my pick. In Cleveland it was called "Manners,"

or "Manners Big Boy."

[El Supremo]

123. In Dallas they were called Kip's Big Boy.

I loved their hamburger steak with relish.

[femmocrat]

58. None of them. But I sure would like a chain drug-store, since you are asking.

All we have here is a teeny-tiny, over-priced, mom-and-pop pharmacy.

[OmahaBlueDog]

81. I gather you don't have WalMart. They have many downsides, but they have a decent pharmacy prices

If you have to pay retail, I've found Walgreens and CVS are pricey for prescriptions, but they have dirt cheap generics. What I like about Walgreens is this: say someone once lived in Florida (we'll call this person OmahaPerroAzul) flew to Chicago, but theoretically did something really idiotic, like leaving his rescue inhaler on his nightstand. In theory, this person could go to a Walgreens, and have his prescription looked up, and get his meds...if such a person were really that stupid.

[Inspired]

61. Tim Hortons

[OmahaBlueDog]

65. They had Tim Hortons for a while when I lived in Florida

There was one in Pompano and one (I think) in Hollywood. They all became Dandee Donut Factory.

[grasswire]

66. is Black Eyed Pea still operating anywhere?

I used to enjoy that chain in Virginia.

[El Supremo]

71. They really cut back.

Classic tale of over-expanding.

I used to eat at the original Black-Eyed-Pea in Dallas on Greenville Ave. before they franchised.

[bigwillq]

67. Not really.

We pretty much have all the major ones, I guess, in CT.
Maybe Jack-In-The-Box.
We got a Sonic about 2 years ago, but I still haven't ate there.

[Sabriel]

68. I wish we had a Rubio's

But I'm in Wisconsin, so that's wishful thinking.

I'm just happy Trader Joe's is in Madison.

[Amerigo Vespucci]

76. Jimboy's Tacos...the ONLY chain tacos eaten and endorsed by GOD.

Had an ex-girlfriend who had grandparents in the Sacramento area. Made two trips there and experienced the WONDER that is JIMBOY'S TACOS.

Why there is not a JIMBOY'S on every corner of every street in this great land of the free and home of the brave I do not know.

http://www.jimboys.com/

[Oceansaway]

77. Churchs Chicken....nt

[shanti]

79. panda express and trader joe's!

the closest ones are 10 miles away, not close enough for a quick nosh.

[Blue-Jay]

84. Mooby's

[Sugarcoated]

85. I've been wanting a Backyard Burger

here in the Philly area ever since I tried the place out in State College, PA a couple years ago. I seem to remember some pretty good sides, too.

Oh, oh, and a place my husband and I tried in DC, Sweet Green, amazing salads!

[Biker13]

87. Not A Chain...

But! I want John's Pizza, and Katz's Deli, both from NYC, to follow me to Idaho!

I can't get a good thin crust pizza out here, and don't even think about good pastrami!

While you're at it, could I get a White Castle too?

Biker's Old Lady

[Initech]

88. My area's literally all chains.

There's maybe less than a handful of truly unique restaurants in my area. I hate it.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

89. Now That is sad!

[Initech]

106. Tell me about it. I've been looking to move for quite a while now.

[era veteran]

95. With 35 tears in restaurant/hospitality industry//NOT ANY

You should NEVER eat at corporate/chain 'stores' (they don't even call them restaurants). The food sucks and they ALL exploit their workers.

[era veteran]

96. dupe

oops

[Lyric]

99. Popeye's Chicken and White Castle

We don't have either. :(

[Inchworm]

100. I'd love a Farm Store

Drive through basics.

:hi:

[OmahaBlueDog]

113. I had the exact same thought about three nights ago

Milk, bread, eggs -- and the best egg nog ever during the holidays!

[Pithlet]

108. People here seem to want a Cheesecake Factory really badly.

Every time there's a news article about something new opening up, there's always a few people wishing it were a CF instead. I don't think it's going to happen, though. We're finally getting a Chipotle and a Five Guys, which I'm happy about.

[KamaAina]

110. Reflection: Until the 1950s, there were no chain restaurants.

At least not national ones.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

118. I wish the Steak and Ale had not gone out of business. We have some

a couple of neat local steak houses here but, I liked that old Steak and Ale. The Peddler was fun, too.

[El Supremo]

122. I used to work at Steak 'N Ale. They were great.

I could use a Kensington Club right now. Damn Bennigans over built and took Stak 'N Ale down with them.

[Throd]

128. Dad would indulge us at Steak and Ale for really special occasions

They had a salad bar! With bacon bits! OK, I wasn't too hard to impress as a seven year old. But still, the place holds very fond memories.

[lutefisk]

119. Rubio's

fish tacos!

[alarimer]

124. I hate chain restaurants.

The area I live in loves them though. Hours-long waits at PF Changs when it opened last year. I still haven't been nor do I plan to. There are no real restaurants in this town though, with the exception of a shitload of Mexican places. Not bad, just fattening and all the same as every other one. Nothing unique or special. This place is so very, very average and boring.

[Bake]

125. Try Krispy Kreme and you'll forget all about Dunkin' Dognuts!

Mmmmm .... Krispy Kreme!!!!

Bake

[zen_bohemian]

126. 1. The Sonic 2. Furr's family dining (cafeteria) 3. Baskin Robbins

oh please, please, I beg of you, bring this wonderful food to my area!

[Throd]

127. El Pollo Loco

The nearest one is in Citrus Freakin' Heights!

[backwoodsbob]

129. for the midwesterners and Detroiters in particular

I want a Mountain Jacks

[bif]

132. Jim Baker's "Somethin' On The Side"

Okay, I made that one up.

[Patiod]

133. I avoid chains on principle, but.....In-N-Out

Just yesterday, we tried a local burger joint that offers local beef and claimed to have an "In-N-Out" burger.

Uh.....no. The fries were similar (floppy and undercooked) but they didn't even come close to the amazing In-n-Out burger experience.

I was staying at a fancy Westwood hotel for work, and brought the rental car in for the night. The valet opens the door, breathes in, and asks "In-N-Out"?
I reached into my tote and pulled out the paper bag "Yup"
"That would make a great tip" he said
"I only get out here twice a year, so it's my only chance, or I'd share!"

My SO was absolutely certain I was hopping on some sort of cultish bandwagon. When we went to Tucson on vacation, we sat in a 20-minute line to get an In-N-Out, and he whined and complained for all 20 minutes. Was PRIMED to hate it. WANTED to hate it. Yesterday, after downing the above-mentioned local substitute, he sighed and said "it's OK, but it's not an In-N-Out"

[hifiguy]

134. In-n-Out is a singularity of fast food excellence

Every time I get to LA or Vegas, it's the first place I go. I think it's the incredible freshness of all of their ingredients that is the secret. There's a world of difference between freshly ground and prepared beef and potatoes that arrive in the restaurant as actual potatoes and the stuff that has been premade and on ice for who knows how long.