Adrianna TanI kind of want to do a short video series where I travel around the U.S. trying chain food I’ve never had before. (I’m an immigrant)
And review them like an earnest food reviewer (who likes this food)
What should I start reviewing?
Jon@skinnylatte Biscuitville in North Carolina!
M.S. Bellows, Jr.@skinnylatte @jkirkendall And Burgerville in Oregon.
Ken Butler@skinnylatte rank the chains that have the most outlets, and start at the chain with the most, and go down the list. (I could actually see you making a spreadsheet and doing this.)
Or, search for regional chains, and do them when you visit their region (which would probably be more interesting).
TreeVor@skinnylatte what do you think would be the criteria for a place to be included?
@TreeVor regional specialty.. or someone just really likes it. Doesn’t have to be gourmet (I’m actively searching for the opposite). Even if it’s ‘bad’ but if it’s like ‘so bad it’s sign of American capitalism, like Chuck E Cheese, or Cracker Barrel, I think I’d try it too’
@skinnylatte one that might be interesting is Western Washington's Taco Time (Taco Time Northwest), which is a different chain from the national Taco Time chain.
There's Pizza My Heart that started down in Capitola CA, before spreading out across the Greater Bay Area, but I feel like there's a good chance you've had them before.
@skinnylatte another one that comes to mind is Can Am Pizza. Which has 3 locations in Washington state and 2 in Texas. They're one of the places that does "Indian" pizzas, like Tandoori Chicken pizza.
liferstate@skinnylatte @TreeVor I think White Castle falls into the latter category. The one nearest me has a sign that says "Shrimp Nibblers Are Here."
Stephen Mather@skinnylatte it really isn't s coherent chain anymore, but spudnuts: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spudnut_Shops
Tea time.@skinnylatte Chain food is increasingly dodgy in the US, in part because it is increasingly dominated by Sysco, etc. - the same suppliers with the same generic, rebranded junk.
But for a chain, I do like The Original Pancake House, which started in Portland, but has expanded around the country, and even to South Korea and Japan. They develop a loyal following everywhere, it seems.
I really like how in Portland, they use locally grown berries... also, their Dutch Babies.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Original_Pancake_House
Andromeda Yelton@skinnylatte oh definitely Waffle House (ideally sometime overnight)
Get yourself a milkshake at Friendly's somewhere in the Northeast, and a smiley cookie at Eat 'n' Park somewhere in Pennsylvania
@skinnylatte oh obviously In 'n' Out, too. damn now I want a burger
@skinnylatte I was watching a video recently about the history and potential resurgence of Southern cafeterias. They had two examples, and I assume there are still a few cafeteria chains around. I would think that would be interesting to explore...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T9AQJj2Pquo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T9AQJj2Pquo
The Rise And Fall Of Southern Cafeterias
john.brown_typeface@skinnylatte
Bojangles, Whataburger, Tudor's Biscuit World, Pal's, Waffle House, Sonic, Cook Out, Popeyes, Gus's World Famous Fried Chicken...
Bojangles, Whataburger, Tudor's Biscuit World, Pal's, Waffle House, Sonic, Cook Out, Popeyes, Gus's World Famous Fried Chicken...
@skinnylatte Chains that started locally...
Original Joes seems to be kind of aging out as one of the Bay Area's classic Italian chains, but you wouldn't know it from the loyalty of customers.
The humble yet everywhere Lee's Sandwiches is a classic immigrant success story, started in and HQ'ed in San Jose. My college years were full of their spring rolls, sandwiches, and pate chaud.
Togo's Sandwiches kind of got its start at a little shop next tot SJSU, and is HQed in Campbell.
Solarbird 
@KraftTea @skinnylatte Oh I didn't even think about sandwhiches. Bahn Mi has been making a run at becoming Next Pho (a.k.a. Next Next Teriyaki) here in Seattle, and there are a couple of proto-chains out there. Not chains yet (like the delightful I Love Sushi, which stopped at two restaurants) but might develop into them.
@skinnylatte Setting apart local chains that went international (Starbucks, Red Robin, MOD Pizza):
Ivar's. The oldest, the canonical, founded 1938. Aside from Acres of Clams (the waterfront original), there are a couple of other full restaurants plus a lot of Seafood Bars.
Hamburgers of the 50s, 60s, and 70s: Dick's, Burgermaster, and Kidd Valley. All different, all good. Everyone wants a bag of Dick's. Seriously. Also, when Windows was a 16-bit "environment" for DOS, it had a Burgermaster segment in the code so named because that's where they went to debug it. At Kidd Valley, you want the garlic fries.
(1/2)
@skinnylatte
There should be a teriyaki chain in this list because that _was_ Seattle fast food for a while, but no chain emerged. Nasai came closest. I preferred Tokyo Garden, now gone. So it's all single hole-in-the-wall joints, but don't worry, your odds are good.
Pagliacci's: The good Seattle pizza that _didn't_ go international. I miss the original U. District location that was the right kind of kind-of-a-mess.
Pho Than Brothers: Saving grad students since 1996, ask me how I know. Introduced Seattle to Pho, puff pastries just show up when you sit down. Pho was kinda Next Teriyaki here, so there are many options and people have Opinions.
Finally: Ezell's Famous Chicken. I'm not a big fried chicken fan myself, but the word is good.
@skinnylatte Also, it's interesting how Doggie Diner has taken on a second, very S.F. life, after basically fading out as a national chain. Their historic preservation was pushed, oddly enough, by the local Zippy the Pinhead comic.
I'm not sure it's still that way, but S.F. Giants were doing something Doggie Diner themed as of 2021. And a website is out, saying they are coming back...!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doggie_Diner
https://www.doggiediner.info/
Goopadrew@skinnylatte probably a little stereotypical for this kind of endeavor, but regional pizza chains are neat (think new york, Chicago, Detroit style, etc.). In Michigan there's the Buddy's pizza chain, for example, which is pretty representative of the style
Tim Richards@skinnylatte I am sending thoughts and prayers in advance
T. J. Bombadil@skinnylatte Anything at the Minnesota State Fair.
shom@skinnylatte regional pizza recommendations (Midwest but not deep dish)
- Monical's pizza (thin crust, people love it dearly, I don't get the appeal, it's fine - afraid of getting yelled at for just typing that)
- Casey's breakfast pizza (gas station pizza that is actually quite good and I have gotten some foodies to reluctantly try it and like it)
Das@skinnylatte I like you too much and having sampled some US chain food (ok long ago), for your own sake - please don't do this
justmichelle
2xfo@skinnylatte
I've enjoyed these chain restaurants previously (and would suggest them still)
Washington state:
Taco Time NW, Veggie Grill
Arizona:
Del Taco, Filibertos
If you like chains with only a few locations i might have more fun suggestions, but i think you may want to see Filibertos
I've enjoyed these chain restaurants previously (and would suggest them still)
Washington state:
Taco Time NW, Veggie Grill
Arizona:
Del Taco, Filibertos
If you like chains with only a few locations i might have more fun suggestions, but i think you may want to see Filibertos