What's your favorite out of town food chain?

[dashman]

I was sitting here eating my lunch which was left over white castle cheeseburgers (aka sliders) and I was remembering how whenever friends and family from out of town come back they eat at white castle the first chance they get. Almost like they desperately needed to get thier slider fix.

It seems every part of the country has different fast food chains. Of course there are the big ones like McDonalds that are everywhere. But some only exist in certain parts of the country.

So what places do you "Just have to" eat at when you go out of town? Or what local places do you have that makes the out of towners swoon?

 

[swords]

I've almost never been out of MN... I've been to Millwaukee WI, Chicago IL, Rapid City/Soiux Falls/Brandon SD and that's about it! All these places have pretty much the same restaurants other than the independent greasy spoons.

But my mags UK reviewer/interviewer always wants to eat at a place here called the 5/8 Club which is an old 1920s/1930s gangster speakeasy house that now serves hamburgers. He says that they have no idea how to make "real" hamburgers in London, and you can't get root beer at all. Seems weird to me, no burgers or root beer but whenever he's flown over we always eat there the minute we get out of the airport. He used to bring two two liters of root beer home with him but nowadays with the liquid ban on planes he probably can't do that next time he comes by. Although one of my co-workers brought home a fancy jug of whiskey with a dead snake in it from when he went to Vietnam and got married. So maybe you just have to declare/register your liquids?

 

[SirKristoff]

a place in Jacksonville florida called The Pigs BBQ is pretty much my ultimate, out of town craving....too bad its like 3000 miles from me....they say they cater. i should give them a call ;D

 

[kgrudz]

by far the BIGGEST food chain and most famous in the chicago land area is Portillo's, the famous Super Dawgs and Gene and Jude's. each bring in enourmous mounts of people. at every portillio's around lunch hour they each have police conducting traffic from cars coming in and out of the parking lot.

 

[Drew]

5 guys bugers and fries !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[dashman]

Swords,
I used to work at a drive in restraunt (minus the roller skates) that made thier own root beer. To some it is a big deal. I never got it though. It was good root beer don't get me wrong but I got tired of it because that was all that we were allowed to drink because it was cheaper to make than the coca-cola stuff we also had. Don't you love cheap bosses. This is also why I despise breaded tenderloins and onion rings.

Portillo's... I'll have to remember that. It's got to be good if you need police officers directing traffic. I have been to Chicago before, but I never made it out of the hotel so I'm not sure if that counts.

SK,
I am sure they will cater to you. Just be prepared for a very large bill. LOL

Drew,
They just opened a 5 Guys here in Indy by my work. Man! Those are good burgers. Bring 3 people with you though to share the small fries. When they say small, they mean that they made you fries from a small 5 lbs sack of potatoes. I wonder what the large consists of? A 50lbs sack. I go with my wife sometimes and we can never finish the small fries together.


The place I go to most often is Houston TX. Here are my favs in Houston...
Lunch : Treebeards (Cajun) I usually get the shrimp etouffee and jalapeno cornbread. Mmmmmm.
Dinner: Pappadeux (Cajun/Seafood) I usually get the Mahi Mahi with a red crawfish sauce. Double Mmmmm. Thier gumbo is good too.

 

[kgrudz]

ah there is a pappadeux really close to me. its really good.

 

[mass]

~ACK~ White Castle is disgusting!! Just the smell of their food makes me nauseous..

But my favorite OUT OF STATE food chain would have to be Joe's Crab Shack. It sucks too, because we have nonstop commercials on TV for it, but not a single one in the state. I lived in Las Vegas for 6 years and became addicted to their food.

 

[dashman]

Yeah, I think I heard there is one in Cincinatti OHIO too. That's almost close enough for me to drive there to eat. I wouldn't put it past me either. There are like zero Cajun places here in Indy.

 

[mass]

I lived in Lebenon for a year.. Are you right in Indy?

 

[dashman]

~ACK~ White Castle is disgusting!! Just the smell of their food makes me nauseous..

But my favorite OUT OF STATE food chain would have to be Joe's Crab Shack. It sucks too, because we have nonstop commercials on TV for it, but not a single one in the state. I lived in Las Vegas for 6 years and became addicted to their food.

Ha Ha, It does have a distinct smell. If you can picture onions and paper thin patties. They smell even worse the next day. They don't call them sliders for nothing. I am just now having second thoughts about the lunch I had earlier....

We used to have a Joes here in Indy, but it closed down. I liked thier food. I was bummed when they got rid of thier seafood enchilada so I stopped going there. It closed about 6 months later.

---------- Post added at 04:38 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:35 PM ----------

I lived in Lebenon for a year.. Are you right in Indy?

Yep. In one of the numerous suburbs.

 

[I am Bob]

Skyline Chili based out of Cinccinnati, OH.

 

[dashman]

Skyline Chili based out of Cinccinnati, OH.

I have heard they are good. I have never had Skyline myself. They sell it in cans at the supermarkets here but I am sure it is not the same as eating it at the restraunt.

 

[I am Bob]

Its pretty good. we can get it here in frozen packages. its still pretty good, but still not the same

 

[dashman]

Maybe that's what I was thinking of. I know I have seen skyline products at the supermarket. My wife doesn't like chilli so that pretty much means that I don't like chilli either. Funny how that works.

 

[Av8tor1]

I'm in a small town so as far as "chains go" anytime I get to a Joe's crab shack, Red lobster or any good Japanese steak house/hibatchi grill I'm there
Sandwhich wise its a good authentic Gyro or Döner Kebab

at home its a good T-bone on the grill with a salad and some good french bread

omg I'm hungry now LOL

 

[jimscott]

Spaghetti Warehouse & Coldstone Creamery.

 

[Hermopolis]

Skyline Chili based out of Cinccinnati, OH.

These guys came out to a chili cook-off here in Chicago. It was some of the worst chili I've ever had. I'm not fond of Red Lobster and Joes Crab Shack either--there's little that's more repulsive than being served raw lobster. My wife likes Red Lobster which is the only reason I go back. I guess I dislike them so much because I love good Chili and seafood.

I prefer little tacorias and hole-in-the-wall restaurants. Although if there is a chain I do like, it would have to be Carl's Jr. I sure do miss their Double Western Bacon Cheese-Burger with criss-cut fries and ranch dressing.

"Dr. Zoidberg, a red lobster who won't ruin your dinner."--Richard Nixon's head.

 

[Jeremiah Harris]

I don't like very many chains but chipotle and in-n-out burger are great.

 

[dashman]

I have never had in-n-out burger. Chipotle is my absolute favorite lunch spot that I go to at least once a week!!!

My usual: Burrito bowl, rice, black beans, chicken, tomato salsa (mild), green salsa (medium), lettuce. Occasionally I will get lime wedges to squeeze over the bowl. You have to ask for them though. It adds an extra zing to the burrito bowl.

You are lucky, you have had Chipotle around for longer than me. Wasn't Chipotle founded out of Denver? I have eaten at one of the Chipotle's in Denver before, but not the "original" one. The one I ate at looked like it was an old Pizza Hut converted into a Chipotle.