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Yet more awful fast food!!

Yet more awful fast food!!
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  • Post #31 - September 27th, 2006, 11:19 am
    Post #31 - September 27th, 2006, 11:19 am Post #31 - September 27th, 2006, 11:19 am
    Panther in the Den wrote:... and nobody has mentioned Maid-Rite yet? :)


    I was just in Davenport, IA this past weekend and I had the worst dining experience of my life at one of the Maid-Rites. It took over an hour to get our food. When I checked what was going on after people were getting restless, it seemed as though the cook was literally cooking one item at a time. To top it off the loose meats were not that good, ive made better in my kitchen.
  • Post #32 - September 27th, 2006, 12:34 pm
    Post #32 - September 27th, 2006, 12:34 pm Post #32 - September 27th, 2006, 12:34 pm
    whiskeybent wrote:As long as we're all hoping for random fast-food outlets to open up around here, how about a Carl's Jr.? (No, not Hardees. But I'd take one of those, too.)


    I was just in Colorado and saw a TV ad for Carl's Jr. They were pushing a Pastrami sandwich served on a hamburger bun. in the commercial, the Pastrami looked awesome. I'm sure the real thing shows little resemblance. But I still wish I'd had the opportunity to try it.
  • Post #33 - September 27th, 2006, 1:45 pm
    Post #33 - September 27th, 2006, 1:45 pm Post #33 - September 27th, 2006, 1:45 pm
    midas wrote:
    whiskeybent wrote:As long as we're all hoping for random fast-food outlets to open up around here, how about a Carl's Jr.? (No, not Hardees. But I'd take one of those, too.)


    I was just in Colorado and saw a TV ad for Carl's Jr.... They were pushing a Pastrami sandwich served on a hamburger bun. in the commercial, the Pastrami looked awesome. I'm sure the real thing shows little resemblance. But I still wish I'd had the opportunity to try it.

    I believe I saw commercials for Carl's Jr. and Sonic when I was over in San Francisco last month, but the schedule was so tight that I only got to quickly stop by an In-N-Out Burger -- among popular West Coast chains -- for all my trouble. (It was definitely worth it, however.) I would love to see a Hardees open up in these parts, though, as my sole day-trip to St. Louis resulted in no Monster Thickburgers as I'd originally planned. :cry: Still, beware of driving back to Chicago too late at night: even a Steak n Shake or two off the highway was closed after midnight.

    --Dan
  • Post #34 - September 27th, 2006, 2:03 pm
    Post #34 - September 27th, 2006, 2:03 pm Post #34 - September 27th, 2006, 2:03 pm
    Da Beef wrote:
    Panther in the Den wrote:... and nobody has mentioned Maid-Rite yet? :)


    I was just in Davenport, IA this past weekend and I had the worst dining experience of my life at one of the Maid-Rites. It took over an hour to get our food. When I checked what was going on after people were getting restless, it seemed as though the cook was literally cooking one item at a time. To top it off the loose meats were not that good, ive made better in my kitchen.


    I can't understand why it would take so long? It is just ground beef sitting in a steam table tray.

    You are right as they are not all that good. I would stop for one from time to time when I was in Iowa but now that they have gone to a stylish 'Diner' interior and raised the prices to over $2.50 (!!!) a sandwich.

    Even if it is an acquired taste like White Castle's...
  • Post #35 - September 27th, 2006, 2:30 pm
    Post #35 - September 27th, 2006, 2:30 pm Post #35 - September 27th, 2006, 2:30 pm
    Panther in the Den wrote:I can't understand why it would take so long? It is just ground beef sitting in a steam table tray.

    You are right as they are not all that good. I would stop for one from time to time when I was in Iowa but now that they have gone to a stylish 'Diner' interior and raised the prices to over $2.50 (!!!) a sandwich.

    Even if it is an acquired taste like White Castle's...

    Here's what tesg had to say on the subject of changes afoot at Maid-Rite:

    "...Part of the charm of Maid-Rite has always been the lack of a standard format. For the first seven decades, no two Maid-Rites looked alike, and almost all of them had a very local feel. But Maid-Rite's current ownership has been working to standardize, and has aspirations to franchise nationally.

    The new restaurants are decorated in a red and silver diner theme that is so cliché, it's almost sad. The modern standardized Maid-Rite menu also includes fries, onion rings, hot dogs, shakes, etc. They're also serving fried chicken now. Pretty much everything on the menu past the Maid-Rite sandwich and its variants is under inspired and overpriced.

    If you really want to experience Maid-Rite, find a location that's been open thirty years or more. Skip the new places completely."

    ----------
    Service at the company training store was also reported to be deplorable. Sounds like this remodeling and price-raising could be a direct result of the recent move by the chain to standardize (and thereby franchise itself into bland irrelevance). Inconsistency may have never sounded so good....

    --Dan
  • Post #36 - July 5th, 2007, 2:17 pm
    Post #36 - July 5th, 2007, 2:17 pm Post #36 - July 5th, 2007, 2:17 pm
    Panther in the Den wrote:When is Steak and Shake or Sonic going to make it's way into the city?


    According to today's Tribune, Sonic plans to be in Chicago within 2 years. Chick-Fil-A will be here earlier with a store by Christmas 2008.

    Link here.
    When I grow up, I'm going to Bovine University!
  • Post #37 - July 5th, 2007, 2:35 pm
    Post #37 - July 5th, 2007, 2:35 pm Post #37 - July 5th, 2007, 2:35 pm
    fastfoodsnob wrote:I would love to see a Hardees open up in these parts


    There's one as close as Racine and I've seen one somewhere along I-55 between here and Joliet.
    Steve Z.

    “Only the pure in heart can make a good soup.”
    ― Ludwig van Beethoven
  • Post #38 - July 5th, 2007, 3:33 pm
    Post #38 - July 5th, 2007, 3:33 pm Post #38 - July 5th, 2007, 3:33 pm
    stevez wrote:
    fastfoodsnob wrote:I would love to see a Hardees open up in these parts


    There's one as close as Racine and I've seen one somewhere along I-55 between here and Joliet.


    There is a Hardees in Ottawa, IL on route 23 just south of 80. There used to be one in Crestwood, IL but I believe it is closed.
  • Post #39 - July 5th, 2007, 4:18 pm
    Post #39 - July 5th, 2007, 4:18 pm Post #39 - July 5th, 2007, 4:18 pm
    fastfoodsnob wrote:I would love to see a Hardees open up in these parts

    I doubt you'd say that if you'd ever eaten at the ones that populate, or should I say infest, the Indiana Toll Road. Nothing's as grim as facing a long-sitting, grease-congealed Hardee's burger on a winter night in a sanitationally-challenged Indiana service plaza.
  • Post #40 - July 5th, 2007, 4:20 pm
    Post #40 - July 5th, 2007, 4:20 pm Post #40 - July 5th, 2007, 4:20 pm
    whiskeybent wrote:As long as we're all hoping for random fast-food outlets to open up around here, how about a Carl's Jr.? (No, not Hardees. But I'd take one of those, too.)


    As a child, I lived for the Sunday visits to my grandparent's house, which occasionally yielded my favorite fast food treat: a Western Bacon Cheeseburger. Topped with onion rings and the sweet BBQ sauce that to this day reminds me pleasantly of childhood, it was always a fine day when I got my hands on one.

    But an awful lot of the time it was Whoppers instead :x

    I made my husband drive through a Hardee's somewhere between here and Memphis, but dang if they didn't have the cheeseburgers I missed so much, and in fact, it seems the whole menu is different. I wonder if that's just a Hardee's thing, or if Carl's Jr has undergone a similar menu revamp?

    I made my first visit to a Waffle House last year over the disgusted groans of my companions, born and bred Southerners. I informed them that I didn't care that they had eaten way too much of the stuff on way too many "mornings after" and we were getting a damn waffle.

    Top stuff, that. I'm going to force them again next month when we embark on our annual Memphis Madness: Dead Elvis Week Edition. :twisted:
    As a mattra-fact, Pie Face, you are beginning to look almost human. - Barbara Bennett
  • Post #41 - July 5th, 2007, 4:54 pm
    Post #41 - July 5th, 2007, 4:54 pm Post #41 - July 5th, 2007, 4:54 pm
    Paul SL wrote:
    fastfoodsnob wrote:I would love to see a Hardees open up in these parts

    I doubt you'd say that if you'd ever eaten at the ones that populate, or should I say infest, the Indiana Toll Road. Nothing's as grim as facing a long-sitting, grease-congealed Hardee's burger on a winter night in a sanitationally-challenged Indiana service plaza.


    Or a Kansas service plaza.
  • Post #42 - July 5th, 2007, 8:06 pm
    Post #42 - July 5th, 2007, 8:06 pm Post #42 - July 5th, 2007, 8:06 pm
    there is a waffle house like around watervliet,michigan about 40 or so miles up the road from new buffalo if thats the part of a chain you were looking for.make the drive there for breakfast drive to redamaks for lunch go to the beach and do a stop 50 pizza for supper.sounds like a fun day to me
  • Post #43 - July 5th, 2007, 10:34 pm
    Post #43 - July 5th, 2007, 10:34 pm Post #43 - July 5th, 2007, 10:34 pm
    trudie,

    Sorry to disappoint, the Waffle House of America in Lawrence, Michigan is not affiliated with the Waffle House chain. According to the Waffle House store locator, there are none in Michigan.

    Regards
    Last edited by Cathy2 on July 7th, 2007, 7:46 am, edited 1 time in total.
    Cathy2

    "You'll be remembered long after you're dead if you make good gravy, mashed potatoes and biscuits." -- Nathalie Dupree
    Facebook, Twitter, Greater Midwest Foodways,
  • Post #44 - July 5th, 2007, 11:27 pm
    Post #44 - July 5th, 2007, 11:27 pm Post #44 - July 5th, 2007, 11:27 pm
    While in Peru, In (I Googled and only found locations in Wabash and Huntington) a few weeks ago we stopped at B-K Root Beer Drive-In. It was a hot day and a cold one sounded good.

    The MexiBurger seem to have the most promise and upon it's arrival I discovered it was what we might term a Sloppy Joe. At least it didn't cost much. :)

    This also happened to me at the Jo Davies County Fair when I ordered a BBQ Sandwich from the 4-H booth. At least the Walking Taco (a scoop of chili in a bag of Fritos) was pretty good.
  • Post #45 - July 6th, 2007, 6:23 am
    Post #45 - July 6th, 2007, 6:23 am Post #45 - July 6th, 2007, 6:23 am
    Paul SL wrote:
    fastfoodsnob wrote:I would love to see a Hardees open up in these parts

    I doubt you'd say that if you'd ever eaten at the ones that populate, or should I say infest, the Indiana Toll Road. Nothing's as grim as facing a long-sitting, grease-congealed Hardee's burger on a winter night in a sanitationally-challenged Indiana service plaza.


    Having grown up in the heart of Hardeesland, I would have to concur. The lunch/dinner menu sure wasn't anything I would have gone out of the way for though their breakfast biscuits were always worth a stop.
  • Post #46 - July 6th, 2007, 8:17 am
    Post #46 - July 6th, 2007, 8:17 am Post #46 - July 6th, 2007, 8:17 am
    The only Hardee's I know is on Ill Rte 29 in Chillicothe, Illinois just north of Peoria. We drive by it every visit to the inlaws but have never stopped. When there was one in Geneva, years ago, we did like their biscuits and gravy breakfast.
  • Post #47 - July 6th, 2007, 10:21 am
    Post #47 - July 6th, 2007, 10:21 am Post #47 - July 6th, 2007, 10:21 am
    Paul SL wrote:
    fastfoodsnob wrote:I would love to see a Hardees open up in these parts

    I doubt you'd say that if you'd ever eaten at the ones that populate, or should I say infest, the Indiana Toll Road. Nothing's as grim as facing a long-sitting, grease-congealed Hardee's burger on a winter night in a sanitationally-challenged Indiana service plaza.

    I don't know whether Hardee's traditional menu items would appeal to me or not, but I do know that I want to at least try a Monster Thickburger or two somewhere along the line. There's a long interstate story behind that, but I really have to go out of my way to see a Hardee's nowadays. Thanks for relating the good memories, though! ;)

    --Dan
  • Post #48 - July 6th, 2007, 11:08 am
    Post #48 - July 6th, 2007, 11:08 am Post #48 - July 6th, 2007, 11:08 am
    rdstoll wrote:
    Cathy2 wrote:Hi,

    What is good to order at Sonic? I went to a Sonic two years ago in Mississippi, where we ordered a corn dog. I'd like to know for the future what is worthwhile ordering there.

    I live for any opportunity to go to Waffle House!

    Thanks!

    Regards,


    A person from my own heart. I am a Sonic feind and go there every single time I'm in any area that has them. I always get a double bacon cheeseburger...the bacon is actually crispy which is a novel concept for fast food. And you have to get the tater tots! Read an article in the Trib a few weeks ago saying Sonic was exploring a northward expansion toward Chicago but still need to figure out how they'll make the drive-in concept work in cold weather.

    Waffle House: Hash Browns scattered, smothered and covered....mmmmm!!



    Super Dawg does drive-in all year, I believe.
    The clown is down!
  • Post #49 - July 6th, 2007, 12:19 pm
    Post #49 - July 6th, 2007, 12:19 pm Post #49 - July 6th, 2007, 12:19 pm
    LikestoEatout wrote:The only Hardee's I know is on Ill Rte 29 in Chillicothe, Illinois just north of Peoria. We drive by it every visit to the inlaws but have never stopped. When there was one in Geneva, years ago, we did like their biscuits and gravy breakfast.


    There's a string of 'em off 88 once you get to Dixon. I went to the Dixon one evening a couple of weeks ago after working a wedding up in Oregon, IL. Frankly, I don't care if one ever opens up around here. I wouldn't say it was awful so much as thoroughly unsatisfying. Went to a Steak and Shake the next morning for comparison (I was going to get a decent fast food hamburger at some point in the weekend, dammit!) and it was a night and day difference (both literally and figuratively). I realized I should start going to Steak and Shakes more often.
  • Post #50 - July 6th, 2007, 3:54 pm
    Post #50 - July 6th, 2007, 3:54 pm Post #50 - July 6th, 2007, 3:54 pm
    Hardees has been in Chicago. There used to be a Hardees in the food court in the Pedway under Three First National Plaza (70 West Madison Street) when I worked there 15 years ago. That's about as "in Chicago" as you could get ... and apparently it didn't work out for them, although the lines were long when I visited them back then. I was a fan of the Frisco Melt, although generally not a fan of Hardees, after they bought out and destroyed my childhood favorite fast food chain, Burger Chef, in the early 1980s. Talk about night and day; Hardees was dreck from day one, at least by the standards of the Burger Chefs it usurped. But they did straighten up and fly right with the Frisco Melt and, as noted above by YourPalWill, the breakfast biscuit, which was/is about as good as a fast-food biscuit could be.
    JiLS
  • Post #51 - July 6th, 2007, 5:49 pm
    Post #51 - July 6th, 2007, 5:49 pm Post #51 - July 6th, 2007, 5:49 pm
    1. Besides Racine, there is a Chik Fil'A in Mishawaka, IN if any of you are ever in the South bend area and craving it.
    2. The Waffle House in Lawrence, MI has a malted milk waffle that will knock your socks off. Since I'm only there once every year or two I always get that and one of their dynamite omellettes. I make sure to finish the waffle and thus can't make it more than halfway through the omellette and hash browns.
    3. When I was in school in Columbia, MO, there was a Hardee's down the street from our place that always did the trick in an emergency after the bars closed. The most hilarious item had to be the original monster burger; I'll never forget the TV commercial touting the "8 strips of crispy bacon" they layered on that bad ass creation. I regret never having the stones to try one.
    4. Anybody ever been to a Rally's? I went once in college, and from what I remember they had a pretty solid burger and excellent curly fries.
  • Post #52 - July 6th, 2007, 6:01 pm
    Post #52 - July 6th, 2007, 6:01 pm Post #52 - July 6th, 2007, 6:01 pm
    HI,

    I like the Waffle House of America in Michigan, even though it is not associated with the Waffle House chain.

    Chik Fil'A was completely off my radar until the Trib article yesterday. Going to Racine is not an infrequent event for me, so what should I order there?

    Regards,
    Cathy2

    "You'll be remembered long after you're dead if you make good gravy, mashed potatoes and biscuits." -- Nathalie Dupree
    Facebook, Twitter, Greater Midwest Foodways,
  • Post #53 - July 6th, 2007, 6:30 pm
    Post #53 - July 6th, 2007, 6:30 pm Post #53 - July 6th, 2007, 6:30 pm
    TonySpilotro wrote: Anybody ever been to a Rally's? I went once in college, and from what I remember they had a pretty solid burger and excellent curly fries.


    Rally's is the same as Checker's, right? If so, there were a string of them here on the southwest side in the 90s, but the only one I could think of in current existence off the top of my head is just off Garfield (55th) and Wentworth. It's been about 15 years since I've been, but I do remember the curly fries and the burgers fondly. Maybe it's time for a return--I pass by the Checkers on Garfield a couple of times a week.
  • Post #54 - July 6th, 2007, 6:35 pm
    Post #54 - July 6th, 2007, 6:35 pm Post #54 - July 6th, 2007, 6:35 pm
    Cathy2 wrote:Chik Fil'A was completely off my radar until the Trib article yesterday. Going to Racine is not an infrequent event for me, so what should I order there?


    Their regular chicken sandwich with extra pickles, waffle fries, and sweet tea or lemonade is my usual order.
    When I grow up, I'm going to Bovine University!
  • Post #55 - July 6th, 2007, 6:51 pm
    Post #55 - July 6th, 2007, 6:51 pm Post #55 - July 6th, 2007, 6:51 pm
    Cathy2 wrote:Chik Fil'A was completely off my radar until the Trib article yesterday. Going to Racine is not an infrequent event for me, so what should I order there?

    The chicken sandwiches are supposedly their signature (and relatively healthiest) items, but I was saddened to see no spicy chicken options upon my visit to a location on the East Coast. Take a gander at the official pics 'n' descriptions here:

    http://www.chickfila.com/MenuItems.asp? ... y=classics

    Cheers,
    Dan
  • Post #56 - July 6th, 2007, 7:18 pm
    Post #56 - July 6th, 2007, 7:18 pm Post #56 - July 6th, 2007, 7:18 pm
    Binko wrote:
    TonySpilotro wrote: Anybody ever been to a Rally's? I went once in college, and from what I remember they had a pretty solid burger and excellent curly fries.


    Rally's is the same as Checker's, right? If so, there were a string of them here on the southwest side in the 90s, but the only one I could think of in current existence off the top of my head is just off Garfield (55th) and Wentworth. It's been about 15 years since I've been, but I do remember the curly fries and the burgers fondly. Maybe it's time for a return--I pass by the Checkers on Garfield a couple of times a week.

    I visited the Checker's on Wentworth about four or five years ago, but the Champ Burger just didn't match up to my old memories of it (when it used to be offered a lot further north in the city). The fries were passable, but try to keep your expectations low if you do make your way out there again. They might possibly not taste much better than the seasoned fries on offer at your local Popeyes, but getting a better-than-average batch isn't entirely out of the question, either. Just trying to temper any high expectations you might have, as I was a big fan of Checkers in the early- to mid-90s. :(

    A few more locations (kinda) nearby...

    Respectfully,
    Dan
  • Post #57 - July 6th, 2007, 7:36 pm
    Post #57 - July 6th, 2007, 7:36 pm Post #57 - July 6th, 2007, 7:36 pm
    they bought out and destroyed my childhood favorite fast food chain, Burger Chef, in the early 1980s
    .

    I loved Burger Chef there was one on Roosevelt Road In Westchester. Hardees also bought and destroyed Sandy's home of my favorite double cheeseburger The "High Low" located in Hillside and in Elmhurst
  • Post #58 - July 6th, 2007, 8:39 pm
    Post #58 - July 6th, 2007, 8:39 pm Post #58 - July 6th, 2007, 8:39 pm
    Binko wrote:Rally's is the same as Checker's, right? If so, there were a string of them here on the southwest side in the 90s, but the only one I could think of in current existence off the top of my head is just off Garfield (55th) and Wentworth. It's been about 15 years since I've been, but I do remember the curly fries and the burgers fondly. Maybe it's time for a return--I pass by the Checkers on Garfield a couple of times a week.


    I never knew they were the same as Checkers. There's one in South Holland and several in NW Indiana although for some reason they all don't come up on their website.
  • Post #59 - July 6th, 2007, 9:23 pm
    Post #59 - July 6th, 2007, 9:23 pm Post #59 - July 6th, 2007, 9:23 pm
    Hi,

    My experience with Checkers was their Addison and Western Avenue location. In the late 80's early 90's, if I ate my burger immediately, then I liked it a lot. If I bought, then waited until I got to my Grandfather's at Addison and Kedzie approximately, then it was plain awful. There was something about a Checker's burger not traveling very well.

    I did find their buildings pretty slick looking. I like them much better than the burgers.

    Regards,
    Cathy2

    "You'll be remembered long after you're dead if you make good gravy, mashed potatoes and biscuits." -- Nathalie Dupree
    Facebook, Twitter, Greater Midwest Foodways,
  • Post #60 - July 6th, 2007, 10:35 pm
    Post #60 - July 6th, 2007, 10:35 pm Post #60 - July 6th, 2007, 10:35 pm
    Artie wrote:I never knew they were the same as Checkers. There's one in South Holland and several in NW Indiana although for some reason they all don't come up on their website.

    Which web site are you checking? The one I linked to earlier gives me the Rally's restaurants in South Holland, Hammond, and Gary in a 50-mile radius from the 60618 zip code (AKA the Addison 'n' Western intersection in Chicago). The only thing is that Rally's doesn't seem to have a dedicated online domain of its own and has to share corporate space with Checkers on Checkers.com. The restaurant finder does distinguish between Checkers and Rally's locations, where Rally's locations appear to be more abundant than Checkers ones, at least locally.

    Hope that helps,
    Dan

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