Millennials are killing casual dining chain restaurants

[Bama Reb]

Another reason is the rapid decline in both food and service quality at many restaurants. I recently took Mrs. Reb (and her sister) out to dinner at one of our favorite restaurants for her birthday. The experience made us all wish we had stayed home and grilled out instead. The $savings aside, I know I could have done better in my own kitchen. Next time I will.

 

[seebell]

Another reason is the rapid decline in both food and service quality at many restaurants. I recently took Mrs. Reb (and her sister) out to dinner at one of our favorite restaurants for her birthday. The experience made us all wish we had stayed home and grilled out instead. The $savings aside, I know I could have done better in my own kitchen. Next time I will.

Right on Reb. Every time we go out to eat I feel like I could have done better at home. Ditto on the loud music too.

 

[Jon]

just based on my experience, a big chunk of the casual dining chains serve (imho) horrible food fairly consistently.

this. can't recall the last time I ate one of these places, probably was the Fridays in the Delta terminal at DFW 5-6 months ago as it was the only option to grab food before travel. Casual dining chains are a last resort and the other impact no one is mentioning in this thread is the internet. Google, Yelp, Urban Spoon, etc lets me know the great local places when I travel. Used to be the chains were "safe bets" you know that your Applebees in Tucson is likely to be nearly identical to the one in Tuscaloosa. If you read Ray Kroc's story this is exactly what he idea was for McD's same thing everywhere so you know exactly what to expect. Now I pull up my phone, or even more likely scout a location I am going to well in advance of my trip and make a point to get to the best local places. Lots of people are like me and that is affecting the chains

 

[JBama_in_PCOLA]

Even places like Panera Bread are introducing "free delivery" for the millennials.

Yeah, I was surprised to see that down here.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro[emoji208]

 

[2003TIDE]

this. can't recall the last time I ate one of these places, probably was the Fridays in the Delta terminal at DFW 5-6 months ago as it was the only option to grab food before travel. Casual dining chains are a last resort and the other impact no one is mentioning in this thread is the internet. Google, Yelp, Urban Spoon, etc lets me know the great local places when I travel. Used to be the chains were "safe bets" you know that your Applebees in Tucson is likely to be nearly identical to the one in Tuscaloosa. If you read Ray Kroc's story this is exactly what he idea was for McD's same thing everywhere so you know exactly what to expect. Now I pull up my phone, or even more likely scout a location I am going to well in advance of my trip and make a point to get to the best local places. Lots of people are like me and that is affecting the chains

If I'm sitting down for dinner, I usually just skip the national chains all together.

 

[Jon]

If I'm sitting down for dinner, I usually just skip the national chains all together.

absolutely. When I have a lunch meeting and someone recommends one I will usually chime in with something local or several options of local. Especially in the great food city that Atlanta has become. What boggles my mind is that there is an Olive Garden smack dab in the middle of Times Square just a few blocks north of Little Italy and the Olive Garden is never empty when I'm in the City. Reminds me of Michael Scott going to Sbaro for "authentic NY Pizza" on an episode of the office.

 

[Tide1986]

Right on Reb. Every time we go out to eat I feel like I could have done better at home. Ditto on the loud music too.

I do like Revolve Kitchen & Brew. They make excellent Oyster Wings that I doubt I could even remotely duplicate at home.

 

[DzynKingRTR]

IMO they suffer from the same problem as malls and box stores. Market oversaturation. Everyone likes blaming millennials, but there are too many restaurants out there. 60% of restaurants fail in the first 3 years anyway

there is a building near me that has changed types of restaurants 3 times in 8 years

 

[2003TIDE]

there is a building near me that has changed types of restaurants 3 times in 8 years

Like i said, before this "millennial problem" 60% of restaurants didn't survive past 3 years. Different time, different excuse. IMO you serve good food and people will show up. I'm really not sure how much of the food at national casual chains is even cooked fresh anymore. I guarantee at least half of the food is frozen and "cooked" in the microwave.

 

[2003TIDE]

Every time we go out to eat I feel like I could have done better at home.

I only order what I won't/don't cook at home. I'll never order a steak (unless it is on a sales guy's dime and we are at a high end steakhouse) because I can go pick up a prime or dry aged prime steak and make one just as good as any restaurant you've been to.

 

[uafan4life]

And, of course, it can't be because their food is crap and people are starting to care more and more about the quality of the food they're eating.

I'm no Adonis - heck, I'm not even in good shape - but my wife and I both have started focusing the last few years on eating better food, as in actual, least processed, organic when possible, natural food. As a result, certain foods and certain restaurants that we used to love now taste disgusting to us both.

We often discuss - most often when some requests that we go with them to a certain restaurant - whether or not it is simply that our tastes have changed or if the quality of their food has gone downhill. I think it's pretty much the former with an outside chance of being a combination of the two.

I used to love eating at Applebee's but, now, the only thing on their menu I actually enjoy eating is the Maple Butter Blondie.

Maybe, just maybe, if some of these restaurant chains started focusing more on improving the quality of their food - even having to charge more for it - then they might start gaining customers instead of losing them.

 

[DzynKingRTR]

It seems to be the American way now to blame someone else for your failures.

 

[Displaced Bama Fan]

I only order what I won't/don't cook at home. I'll never order a steak (unless it is on a sales guy's dime and we are at a high end steakhouse) because I can go pick up a prime or dry aged prime steak and make one just as good as any restaurant you've been to.

We ate at Taste of Texas in Houston last night for my son's graduation dinner. It is a very high end steak house, but absolutely phenomenal. You can actually pick your own steak. If you make it to Houston, I highly recommend it.

 

[seebell]

I do like Revolve Kitchen & Brew. They make excellent Oyster Wings that I doubt I could even remotely duplicate at home.

Oysters don't have wings, you silly man!!

 

[Tide1986]

Oysters don't have wings, you silly man!!

Flash-fried oysters tossed in homemade buffalo sauce accompanied by homemade ranch dressing, house pickled celery, and blue cheese crumbles. Very awesome. We have to order at least three orders because my wife and I and 3 of my 4 kids "fight" over them. Yummy!

 

[selmaborntidefan]

There are many legitimate criticisms of 'millennials.'

This is not one of them.

 

[selmaborntidefan]

It seems to be the American way now to blame someone else for your failures.

It's how we're making America great (in excuses) again:

1) Trump blames Obama

http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/331120-trump-blames-obama-for-vetting-flynn

2) Hillary blames Comey

https://www.washingtonpost.com/poli...37ddb6e813e_story.html?utm_term=.01b2e20caa3f

3) Obama Blames Bush For Damned Near Everything

http://thepoliticalinsider.com/the-blame-game-at-its-finest-21-times-obama-has-passed-the-buck/

4) Bill Clinton Blames Millennials for just about everything

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/bill-clinton-blames-millennials_us_57191d13e4b0d0042da88c9f

5) Bill Clinton Blames Racial Turmoil on Pres GHW Bush (1992)

http://www.nytimes.com/1992/05/03/u...ames-bush-republicans-for-racial-turmoil.html

6) Dukakis Blames Bush and Reagan for the Pentagon Procurement Scandal

http://archives.chicagotribune.com/...als-rot-starts-at-top-dukakis-says/index.html

7) Reagan Blames Carter for the Recession

http://www.nytimes.com/1982/10/01/u...as-failed-to-accept-his-responsibilities.html

8) Carter Blames Ted Kennedy for setting back health care reform

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/09/16/AR2010091607487.html



Ain't nothing new about it. Hell, the Democrats of 1932-1968 ran every single election based on the notion that "if the Republicans win the White House, there's another Great Depression coming." I knew folks of my grandparents' age (all born 1904-1912) who believed that like it was the 11th Commandment. And Republicans have insinuated at least since 1960 that the election of a Democrat means weakness in foreign policy in the White House, too.

 

[GrayTide]

Meaning, they can't afford it?

Hadn't thought of that, but was referring to lots of overweight people eating the worst things on the menu. Lots of salads and Lean Cuisines at my house.

 

[MattinBama]

absolutely. When I have a lunch meeting and someone recommends one I will usually chime in with something local or several options of local. Especially in the great food city that Atlanta has become. What boggles my mind is that there is an Olive Garden smack dab in the middle of Times Square just a few blocks north of Little Italy and the Olive Garden is never empty when I'm in the City. Reminds me of Michael Scott going to Sbaro for "authentic NY Pizza" on an episode of the office.

It drives me crazy to see Red Lobster's parking lot jam packed when we're in Destin.

 

[Tide1986]

It drives me crazy to see Red Lobster's parking lot jam packed when we're in Destin.

...not to mention Joe's Crab Shack as well.

Where do you like to go when you're in the Destin area?