Applebee's is the new Olive Garden!

[Oeditpus Rex]

I swear, there ain't a damned thing GDers won't fight about. :rofl:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x2530500

[In_The_Wind]

1. Applebee's is pretty bad.

[Oeditpus Rex]

2. Compared to what?

Top of the Mark? The Four Seasons? Ti Couz? Sure.

The fast-waste that thrives on every single corner of suburban America? Relatively speaking, Applebee's is haute cuisine.

:hi:





I'm not just saying this because I got an Applebee's card in my stocking yesterday. :blush:

[In_The_Wind]

4. hmmm

I'm sure you'll find something interesting on the menu.


Sorry :blush: it's a personal thing. I hate the pick-up scene going on at the Applebee's in Kingston. I don't feel comfortable eating alone when I'm there but I have enjoyed take-outs from Applebee's when I'm traveling.

[Oeditpus Rex]

5. I doubt I'll use it

Since I live in Slobovia's lower east side, the nearest Applebee's is about 18 miles. I may not hate it, but y'gotta be a native Slobovian to think it's worth the trip, and I'm an import.

[tigereye]

12. the food used to be ok, and now it's pretty bad, at least at the one here

my son likes it, so I have to go sometimes.... :(


they used to have a decent brunch for a chain....

[Gormy Cuss]

8. I agree in terms of food, but what's funny about the GD thread is

how many chose to comment on the craptacularness of the food rather than the ethics of leaving without paying.

I've been to Applebee's three times and twice had adverse reactions to the food (I suspect one or more additives in the spice mixture caused the headache) and the third time I had a salad that wasn't so bad on its own but I avoided the dressings because of my earlier reactions and the oil and vinegar on the side option was just boring because of the bland oil.

[Tektonik]

3. Applebee's is bad

Although TGIF's, Chili's, and Denny's are much much worse. ESPECIALLY TGIF's; worst fucking food ever :puke:.

[jakefrep]

6. Now you tell me....

I got a $25 Applebee's gift card in the office gift exchange.

:banghead:

[Akoto]

7. I love going to Applebee's.

I've never had a bad meal there, they offer healthier options, and they've even switched out trans fatty oils entirely. Sure, the bulk of their menu is by no means diet cuisine, but I don't go out to count calories. I go to enjoy myself. For those who do worry about that, they're very open regarding the nutritional content of their foods. More effort than I can credit many chains for.

As for that particular thread, well, I'd be offended too -- more by the people who left after finishing their meals. Not only did the restaurant essentially get stolen from, but the waiters were also shorted their tips. As someone whose family has been sustained by tips in the past, that does royally suck.

[Oeditpus Rex]

13. I didn't think of the 'tip' aspect

That's a double-stuf suck. x(

[crispini]

9. That thread is awesome.

I love how it turned into an inter-generational thing too. :rofl:

[Critters2]

18. And the subthread about whether stiffing the restaurant is the same

as stealing. "Yes, it is." "No, it isn't." "Yes, it is". Fascinating!

[yellowdogintexas]

25. if you dropped in to the middle of that thread you wouldhave no idea it started over Applebee's

who by the way serves a decent steak at a reasonable price and puts WW points values on their heart healthy menu items.

[flvegan]

10. I brought the topic of guns into the thread.

:popcorn:

[crispini]

11. Bwahahahha!

Talk about throwing gasoline on the fire! :popcorn:

[Omphaloskepsis]

16. Well played....

Someone needs to throw the gun powder into the deep fat fryer.

[Dr. Strange]

21. That's disgusting!

That's no different than eating popcorn with a loaded gun.

[terrya]

14. Why would Wanda Sykes steer us wrong?

She's the spokesperson in their commercials...SURELY Wanda Sykes wouldn't mislead us. :-(

[Joe Fields]

15. Applebees is a nice chain.

Never had a bad meal or poor service there, and I would wager I have eaten at restaurants a lot more than most everyone here.

[skygazer]

17. And the baby boomers condone stealing

And elected Reagan. That thread sure gets around. :eyes:

[GirlinContempt]

19. Thanks, that's one of the funniest things I've read in a long time

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

20. What fight? Nobody has mentioned Hitler. Yet.

:rofl:

[skygazer]

22. Now they have

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=2530500&mesg_id=2533680

:rofl:

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

29. HaHa, I made you say "Hitler"

:rofl:

Ok, now it's officially a GD fight.

[SacredCow]

23. I won't eat there anymore.....

I'm very forgiving of restaurants, and typically give 2nd and 3rd chances because having worked in the industry, I know that things can go horribly wrong sometimes for no reason. But Applebee's.....

Went there once and my waitress (after the food came out) sat down with a table of guys that she knew and completely ignored her tables- wouldn't even bring us the check. The manager couldn't care less, so I grabbed a menu, added up what we ordered and left the exact amount of cash (covered in ketchup).

Then, it was the situation where you've been "passed up" in line- people who came in WAY after you get their food and leave but you still haven't even received your appetizer. Again, the manager doesn't care so I get up and leave and send an email to corporate who tells me there have been a lot of complaints and he's been fired. Here's a gift certificate- please give us another chance, blah blah blah.

So back I go, and I am served a salad that includes brown iceberg lettuce. I don't mean a little brown, nor do I mean a few of the leaves were brown. Some of it was even to the brown AND slimy stage. When I sent it back, they said there was nothing wrong with it and I would have to pay for the salad whether I ate it or not. So, I slapped the money down and I haven't been back.

Olive Garden is 4 Seasons compared to that place (or at least the one around here- I'm sure there are some properly-operated franchises of it).

[bicentennial_baby]

24. Just don't eat the chicken or the shrimp!!

They like to defrost the chicken in a microwave :scared:

and, they microwave the shrimp in styrofoam, which melts onto the shrimp sometimes... :puke:

My brother used to be a cook there. :D

[Dr. Strange]

26. And Olive Garden is the new breast-feeding.

The new year in GD should be awesome!

[Starbucks Anarchist]

27. Does that make Outback the new Applebee's?

:D

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

30. Do they have Cornflake-encrusted bloomin' onion?

Count me in.

I'm there, mate.

:rofl:

[pipoman]

28. I commented in that thread early about

being sure my server was tipped whether I paid for the meal or not. It appears nobody there really cares about the servers.

The problems with Applebees as with most of those big chains is that they get so big they begin cooking all of their food in factories of the cheapest ingredients with lots of preservatives then vac pac it and expect it to taste good. The other problem I have with these restaurants, especially steaks, is that I like my steak rare or medium rare and they want to serve my 3/8" thick rare steak on a 2000 degree cast iron skillet, never had a rare steak there.