James Lileks has a post this morning about eating at the Cheesecake Factory and really hating it: the service was poor and he doesn't like the food. So why eat there?

Okay, the obvious answer is because his wife wanted to go there, which I believe is why he was there.

But why do people go to these places anyway? James and I call them "Yuppie restaurants" and neither of us can understand the appeal. I've been to the Cheesecake Factory in Atlanta with a group from work. Everyone raved about it. I found very little I found appealing on the menu and the service sucked. It took the waitress a half hour just to take our order and another hour for the food to come out and then it wasn't even that good.

We have the same problem with these places like Chili's and O'Charley's and, god in heaven, Crackerbarrel. People wait hours to get in these places and I have no idea why. Their food is overpriced, it's okay, but not outstanding. People will wait hours on Sunday mornings to get into Crackerbarrel for breakfast and evenings for supper, once you get to the table it takes another hour or so to actually get your food, and their food is no better than anywhere else. We went to Chili's one night with some friends. We waited an hour to get in, almost 45 minutes before the waitress ever took our order, all we could afford were hamburgers or salad and even those were overpriced, and it took more than another half hour before we even got our food. Plus the "ambiance" music was blaring so loudly that we had to yell at each other to talk.

I repeat: I just don't get it.

----------------------------------------------------------------
. . . . . noted and logged by Linda at 9:40:00 AM

Comments:

I've never even heard of half these places, much less seen them. I've heard of Chili's - there's one at the Hamilton Mall - but most people say it isn't very good. I've eaten at Applebee's, Olive Garden (once), Red Lobster, and TGI Friday's...and all are 45 minutes away or more.

On my way home from the Wildwood Acme this summer, a woman stopped me and asked me where the nearest Red Lobster was. I recovered from my shock fast enough to explain that the closest Red Lobster was near Atlantic City and that there were plenty of seafood restaraunts in the area, then directed her to the Acme to pick up some local restauraunt guides.

# posted by  Emma : 8:53:00 PM

 

Post a Comment