By Gary Bennett
Why do we seem to hate chain restaurants? Well, hate may be too strong a word, but you must admit that when making dinner plans, you’re usually not angling for Chili’s, Olive Garden or Golden Corral.
I believe it has something to do with them being the same old, same old. Sure, they’ll do in a pinch, and some are even guilty pleasures (KFC for me), but around Frederick, there is a whole host of delicious, standalone, homegrown eateries we’d rather try.
But really, chain restaurants aren’t so bad, are they? I don’t think so. There is a good reason they became a chain in the first place. They usually provide a consistently good (if not exciting) meal at an affordable price.
Chains have economies of scale going for them, too. That means they are large enough to keep prices relatively low, have staff committed to quality control, and can survive occasional downturns because of corporate support.
According to Restaurant Business Magazine, a chain restaurant is a group of restaurants that operate under the same brand name, offering a standardized menu and customer experience. They are typically either owned by a parent company or operated by franchisees.
Ever since A&W became the first restaurant chain in 1925, these stalwarts have trained us to look for their distinctive architecture, colors and decor. We expect consistency, familiarity and comfort in their food. Other early comers like McDonald’s and Howard Johnson’s focused on speed and affordability.
Many of us feel a certain connection to chain restaurants because it was our first restaurant experience. This was especially true for a rural kid like me. I still fondly recall our family’s first forays to a new place called McDonald’s or the now defunct Burger Chef and then seeing the same restaurants when visiting relatives a state or so away.
It seemed like magic. But more than that, it seemed like we all had something in common, some shared experiences. My parents could count on the same unsurprising food and the same relatively modest prices, and that was important with a fussy, growing family.
Also, many of us grew up working in one of these chains during our teen years and sometimes beyond. One of my best memories from my formative years was being a dishwasher at Howard Johnson’s and getting a free lunch every day, usually a grilled hot dog.
Over the years, chains have had an outsized influence on American culture. When folks speak of the “golden arches,” we know exactly what they mean. Chain restaurants made foods like pizza and Chinese cuisine accessible to everyday Americans, and that wasn’t always the case.
Popular food items at many chains became well-known by their brand names. Good or bad, everyone can conjure up images of the Big Mac, Whopper, Quarter Pounder, Bloomin’ Onion, the Frosty, the Blizzard and so on.
And who can forget the lexicon and jingles? Chances are, you can match these catchphases easily with the chain restaurant it belongs to: “Where’s the beef?” (Wendy’s), “We have the meats!” (Arby’s), “Eating Good in the Neighborhood” (Applebee’s), “Pizza, pizza!” (Little Caesars), “When you’re here, you’re family” (Olive Garden), and “In here, it’s always Friday” (TGI Fridays).
Frederick has its fair share of chain restaurants. Let’s take a look by category.
Casual dining: Applebee’s, BJ’s Restaurant, Bob Evans, Bojangles, Bonefish Grill, Buffalo Wild Wings, Cava, Café Rio, Chili’s, Chipotle, Cracker Barrel, Denny’s, Dunkin’, TGI Fridays, Golden Corral, IHOP, KFC, Krispy Kreme, Longhorn Steakhouse, Noodles & Company, Olive Garden, Outback Steakhouse, Panda Express, Panera Bread, Red Lobster, Red Robin, Rosati’s Pizza, Ruby Tuesday, Texas Roadhouse and Waffle House.
Fast Food and Sandwiches: Arby’s, Auntie Anne’s, Burger King, Checkers, Chick-fil-A, Firehouse Subs, Five Guys, Jersey Mike’s Subs, Jimmy John’s, McDonald’s, Popeyes, Potbelly, Roy Rogers, Starbucks, Subway, Sonic Drive-In, Taco Bell and Wendy’s.
Frozen Desserts and Sweets: Baskin-Robbins, Bruster’s Ice Cream, Cold Stone Creamery, Crumbl Cookies, Dairy Queen, Rita’s Italian Ice and Sweet Frog.
Pizza: CiCis Pizza, Domino’s, Ledo Pizza, Little Caesars, Marco’s Pizza, MOD Pizza, Papa John’s Pizza and Pizza Hut.
The top 10 chains that originated in the U.S. by worldwide sales are McDonald’s, Starbucks, Subway, KFC, Burger King, Wendy’s, Dunkin’, Chick-fil-A, Domino’s and Taco Bell.
As far as my guilty pleasures, I try to not eat too much food that is bad for me, but, doggone it, some of these chain staples are go good, I can’t help myself. Consider these all-stars: the cheesecake case at Cheesecake Factory (like Cookie Monster in the supermarket bakery, all I can say is “What is this wonderful place?”); Cheddar Bay Biscuits at Red Lobster (top bread item in the world for me); Bloomin’ Onion at Outback Steakhouse (“What do you mean they’re shareable?”); unlimited salad and breadsticks at Olive Garden (you can make a meal out of these); free peanuts at Texas Roadhouse (peanut shells everywhere brings a smile to my face); guacamole and chips at Chili’s (I used to love it when they made the guac at your table); and, of course, KFC’s original recipe (God help me).
While we’re at it, let’s pay our respects to the dearly departed. These restaurants are no longer with us: Beefsteak Charlie’s, Bikinis Sports Bar & Grill, Bugaboo Creek Steakhouse, Burger Chef, Cheeseburger in Paradise, Chi-Chi’s, ESPN Zone, Furr’s, Good Earth, Hamburger Hamlet, Henry’s Hamburgers, Lone Star Steakhouse & Saloon, Morrison’s Cafeteria, Royal Castle, Red Barn, Sambo’s, Showbiz Pizza Place and York Steak House.
The following chain restaurants are gone specifically from Frederick but not forgotten (I ate at all these at least once during my 40 years here): Baja Fresh, Beef O’Brady’s, Boston Market, Carrabba’s Italian Grill, Chicago Pizza, Famous Dave’s, Ground Round, Hardee’s, Hard Times Cafe, Long John Silver’s, Mimi’s Cafe, Moe’s Southwest Grill, Perkins Restaurant & Bakery, Romano’s Macaroni Grill, Shoney’s, Smashburger and TCBY.
I got my wish recently when Potbelly came to town. But I want more! Not because I’m hung up on any of these chains, but (like most Americans) I want unlimited options.
And just to prove that we’re not all snobs in Frederick (or maybe we’re not as sophisticated as we think), I present to you some humble chain restaurants that are Best of the Best winners in Frederick. (I’ll bet you didn’t know some of these are chains!)
Best Barbecue Restaurant: Black Hog BBQ and Mission BBQ
Best Diner: Silver Diner
Best Hibachi Restaurant: Miyako
Best Mexican Restaurant: Plaza Mexico
Best Place to Eat with Kids: Cugino Forno
Best Chicken Wings: Anchor Bar
Best Cookies: Crumbl Cookies
Best Donuts: Fractured Prune
Best French Fries: McDonald’s
Best Fried Chicken: Giant Eagle
Best Pizza: Cugino Forno
Best Bagels: Zipani and Panera
Gary Bennett is a longtime Frederick resident who spends his time hiking, biking, volunteering and providing childcare for grandchildren. He is married and retired from his career as a nonprofit marketing executive.