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Subscribe to RSSWant to eat dinner out but don't know where to go? Tod Marks of Consumer Reports reveals America's favorite chain restaurants, as chosen by nearly 48,000 diners across the country.
Some of America's best-known family restaurants, including Friendly's and Johnny Rockets, received among the lowest ratings in a new Consumer Reports survey of full-service chain restaurants.
The reader survey, which Consumer Reports released Thursday, faulted Friendly's for poor service and ambience. Johnny Rockets received just average scores for everything from value to taste, as did peers including Denny's and IHOP.
Biaggi’s Ristorante Italiano, a smaller Italian chain with 23 outlets in a dozen mostly Midwestern states, was the highest-ranked restaurant overall, outscoring bigger competitors in a crowded category.
“(It costs) more than the Olive Garden, but it’s a heck of a lot better than Olive Garden,” said Tod Marks, senior project editor with Consumer Reports.
Biaggi’s had a median tab of $23 per diner excluding tip, according to the survey, while Olive Garden had a median price of $18.
Biaggi's
A Biaggi's outlet in Ridgeland, Miss. The chain of 23 restaurants was started in 1999.
Other top scorers included J. Alexander, in the contemporary or traditional American category, Bonefish Grill for seafood and Abuelo's Mexican Food Embassy. In the steakhouse category, The Capital Grille, Ruth's Chris Steak House and Morton's ranked at the top and were also the most expensive chain restaurants in the survey, with a median tab of $42 per person. (Possibly a conservative estimate, especially for the expense- account set that frequents these chains.)
Still, some lower-priced chains also were very popular with readers. The breakfast and lunch chain First Watch, with a median price of $10 per diner, got especially high marks for taste and service and ranked first among family-style restaurants. The Original Pancake House and Le Peep also got high marks among family restaurants. (See top-10 list below.)
Some pricier chains, including Chart House and The Melting Pot, got relatively low marks compared to their peers, partly because readers didn’t think they offered good value.
In general, “just because a restaurant has a high price point doesn’t mean it’s doing a good job,” Marks said.
The survey asked more than 47,000 readers to rank sit-down chains on taste, value, service and mood. The results were broken down in categories including steakhouses, family restaurants, Italian and pub-style restaurants.
Marks noted that it’s hard to compare restaurants across categories because people have different expectations when they go to a steakhouse than when they go to a family-style diner.
Still, they’ll be equally annoyed if they have a bad experience at any price point.
“People can spend $27 on a steak dinner and not think they get very good value for that money, yet people can also … go to a restaurant like Friendly’s and spend less than $10 and think they got even worse value,” he said.
Noise and poor service topped the list of reader gripes. About a quarter of readers complained about the noise at chain restaurants, and 1 in 10 were annoyed with bad service.
Readers were especially disappointed by the noise level at Buffalo Wild Wings Grill & Bar, which ranked lowest overall in the pub and grill category. Hard Rock Café also was among the lower-rated restaurants in that category.
Other less popular restaurants included Joe’s Crab Shack, which received the lowest ranking in the seafood category.
Although some restaurants were rated as weaker than others, Marks noted that most of them are pleasing most of their customers most of the time. If they weren’t, they would be out of business.
Here's a list of the top 10 family restaurants. The full results for all categories are available on Consumer Reports' website.
- First Watch
- The Original Pancake House
- Le Peep
- Bob Evans
- The Egg & I
- Elmer's
- Bakers Square
- Cracker Barrel
- Village Inn
- Black Bear Diner
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Leave a Comment:
Cleanliness, bad food, bad service, ambiance, noise.
Basically, if you have bad service then all the above usually also falls into place. Bad service, then makes for cold or bad food. Noise doesn't bother me as long as its not children crying or rough housing around. If the place serves alcohol, you better expect at least some noise. And I love music, so play it all night long!
I'm worried about the food. If it is not up to my expectations then the best service and atmosphere can't help a thing.
People who are known to tip well always receive good service, where they are known. I agree with the person who said, find a local place that has good food and get to know the people that work there.
I worked for over 10 years in the restaurant business and though it has been a while, some things never change.
If you are a regular and are known not to tip properly, you will never get decent service but will get random DNA samples. Likewise, if you are known to take proper care of your server, they will fight to impress you and earn themselves a good paying regular.
In most states servers are paid the federal minimum wage for tipped workers, $2.15/hr. If you don't tip them, they don't get paid, period. You can rationalize away being a cheapskate all you want and bitch about how you went to college to make a decent living and nobody ever tipped you when you worked at McDonalds but, it does not change the fact that these people are handling your food, that you are putting in your mouth.
Keep these things in mind when you go out to eat.
This should never happen. Poor tipping behavior does not justify felony assault from the server, ever.
In my state (OR) servers are paid a minimum of $8.80/hour, just like everyone else. Finally, anyone who works as a server longer than than necessary is a fool, because only a fool would try to make a career out of a minimum wage job + tips. JMO.
What about the fish restaurants?
It is hard to pick just one catagorey, gone are the days of friendly staff, good value and good food. They server SYSCO pre cooked fare, very little actual cooking going on, they expect huge tips for topping aff your soda. The main piece of equipment used in the kitchens is the microwave. As consumers we are looked down at for complaining and asking for comething to be corrected, "just eat it, what is the big deal". Next time you get your hair cut and he shaves you bald by mistake, just deal with it, it will grow back. Why does the fact that when you are paying for food people are more likely to accept less than when they are buying a pair of shoes. If the shoes do not fit or are the wrong color do you return them or just accept it and take what you get? I miss the mom and pop diners where they cared what the served and were proud of their product and made sure the customer was happy and they provided a great meal at a fair price.
Indeed, but some customers are indeed ridiculously whiney. I waited tables at Le Peep many years ago, and let me tell you - some of those people made you want to pull your hair out.
Here is dialogue of one instance (just one of many) that I remember quite vividly.
Egg whites only please...
ok....
no, these aren't right... I want the cook to crack and seperate the egg whites himself...
ok done.....
no, these aren't right...
Why not?
they taste fake...
I watched him do it myself...
Well my pancakes are wrong too, I ordered whole wheat
I'm sorry about that, I will fix it (she didn't order whole wheat btw)
Here you go...
Ugh, I want some raisin english muffins too... crispy...
Crispy? Ok, how crispy?
Black.
Ok.... (a million years later sitting by the toaster while I have other tables waiting) Here you go.
Thanks! (some time passes) Oh waiter...
Yes?
I don't like these, they taste like charcoal... I won't pay for them.
Was there something wrong with how crispy I made them?
Yes, obviously, because I don't like them.
But you asked for black...
Do you make customers pay for food that isn't good?
FFS (punch in the face) you sonofa d... - well that didn't happen - instead I said "let me get my manager"
At least in internet forums you can ignore trolls, as a waiter you must serve them with a smile.
bald is beautiful and i resent the fact that you think it's not. i've been naturally bald since 18 and find it horrible that you refer to being bald in such a derogatory manner. it's offensive and shameful that you could be so insensitive in this day and age. i am bald and i am proud. and yes i've personally known several women (of both persuasions) who were bald and were more attractive than with hair. so stop the hate. the barber accidently shaves you it's just simply providence telling you something...just go with it. don't be angry. :)
Wow, DLock! I don't know where you've been eating, and I'm happy to keep it that way. You get what you pay for. Personally, I nearly-always have a wonderful time when I go to a restaurant.
Although your complaint about tipping suggests you may be part of the problem.
The results of this survey make me even more glad that I do my own cooking and very rarely eat out! My area is heavily populated with chain restaurants, but only 2 of them are in your top 10 list.
I don't eat out much either, but I must agree with putting First Watch at the top of the list. If breakfast is what you want, there are few better places. When I worked in the hotel business if people asked where a good place to get food was, I'd almost always send them there.
I have stopped going to one of favorite restaurants food-wise because of the awful service we got more than once there. Plus when I complained to the owner, she didn't do one thing to compensate for our unhappiness. Usually, when a customer is unhappy, the owner will try to make up for bad service or bad food by offering a discount or free dessert...something! This restaurant did NOTHING & we went there a LOT...but no more, plus I'm telling everyone I know! This restaurant is FRANKS in Wyandotte.
teenatoe, why did you keep going back if you were unhappy?
I suppose this could be included with noise, but rude diners letting their brats scream and run around the restaurant
Something I do if a place has poor service, it is reflected in the tip, or lack of one. I believe most places pool the tips, so if you have a lousey waiter/waitress they still get their tips. I don't like that as they are still paid for poor service so have no reason to improve. But something I will do is if the service is very good, tell the manager. They don't hear to often good news from a customer.
As usual, a partial article from MSNBC. Why couldn't we see the results, instead of having to buy a subscription to Consumer Reports to see it?
Hey, don't blame MSNBC. The survey was done by Consumer Reports and they own the rights to it. Most likely they didn't want MSNBC to print the results, but only allowed them to report that the survey had been completed.
My wife and I do not go to chain restaurants. We seldom go out to eat but when we do it is to a locally owned higher end place where 85% of the menu is fresh seafood. My two major complaints are noisy uncontrolled kids and people yakking it up on their cell phones. When I'm spending $150 for a dinner for two I don;t want to hear babies crying or 6 year olds running around. Our favorite place has recently created a no cell phones, no texting area. Heaven!!
I remember walking into an ihop one sunday morning, my gf really wanted to go there (I definitely did not)
Soon as I walked in, I was hit by a wall of wailing babies, diaper stink, and old people farts.... it was seriously like nothing but gray haired old folks and babies in there, I was honestly kind of concerned about what happened to the parents.
We turned right back around
Ha! Don't young people fart too? No worries, if you're lucky you'll hit the stinky diaper phase and then the gray hairs...
How did Cracker Barrel get into the top 10?!
“(It costs) more than the Olive Garden, but it’s a heck of a lot better than Olive Garden,” said Tod Marks..."
An old shoe with ketchup on it would taste better than anything at Olive Garden.
I agree, The Olive Garden doesn't have good Italian food...bland..like canned food...I was never impressed....I would only go for the lunch special..soup and salad....if I ever go, again...not ever pay for the bland main dishes.
Cell phone fanatics. They never talk. They always scream so everyone can hear them and they can become the center of attention.
Keep your screaming out of control kids at home.
That's my number one complaint: Other people's kids!
never heard of most of those places
Same here. The only one that has a restaurant within 100 miles is Elmers and locally they are an abomination.
Restaurants are a choice pepole make based on tastes, and take noise, cleanliness, and service into account. For the most part I find that I seek out local restaurants that wouldn't even make the survey. The owners take a personal interest in the success of the restaurant and the food is usually much better, although there are exceptions.
When travelling, look for where the locals go to eat (especially police and fire fighters). They often know the best comfort food restaurants on the area.
People voice complaints about customer service more than anything else because it makes them angry. When people are angry they take the time to complain. Bad food is disappointing but the reaction is to not return to that restaurant. So the survey results are somewhat skewed.
The most annoying thing I encounter when dining out is out of control or loud children. While I'll occasionally see a parent swiftly take their screaming kid out of the restaurant this is rare. I usually have to ask the restaurant manager to speak to the parents and only about half of the managers actually will. I understand children will occasionally misbehave and infants will cry, but restaurant managers shouldn't wait for complaints to address the issue. If I wanted to be pelted with crackers and hear screaming kids I'd go to Chuck E. Cheese.
If the restrooms are not well maintained, not much chance I'll go back. Employees use those restrooms also, and than handle food.
In order for me..
1.) cleanliness
2.) bad service
3.) bad food
If the service is bad, I don't know if it's personally towards me, therefore, I don't trust the server with my food.
As a teenager before my Military years, I worked as a busboy/waiter, I know how people abuse them, so I try to be gracious, never have a problem telling a server, thank you for my water, bringing my Wine, and of course when they bring my food, I thank them. I am also a good tipper, so I do have morales and practice them well when out.
Ruths Chris Steak House does not impress me, I've eaten there a couple of times and believe they are way over-rated, and over priced, but, of course when I went, it was on someones "expense account." I believe most of Ruths business comes from "expense account," type people and of course politicians, with "taxpayer credit cards."
I've waited tables in several restaurants (in my youth), and we NEVER used the public restroom. We had our own, in the back.
A man who owned a restaurant dishwasher supply company had to go into most restaurants in a West coast location..said, he would only eat at 1 restaurant out of the many he serviced...the back kitchens were filthy...yes, even the glitzy, high priced one, too..with all the fun things...they were just a dirty...filthy, I think is the term he used...I went to a popular steak house and found instead of black pepper on my salad...I put my glasses on in the dim light and found black flies...I threw up and quietly left the restaurant...never to return. I was polite and nice..so, I don't know why the waitress did that...I should have screamed out loud-at least others would have been warned..but, being too polite..I just left. No. they did not offer me another salad....they are now, I see, out of business.
I have never heard of many of these restaurants. It seems like they can't be considered true chains unless they are in a majority of states. The survey group seemed small as well.
I choose to also go to places that are unique to my local area. I know they are more willing to provide good food and service. Plus they get to know me which makes the dining experience even better.
My little city has restaurants all over the place and I haven't heard of most of these either. We have a Denny's, IHOP and Olive Garden. We actually do have an Egg and I, though. There's a Cracker Barrel about 20 miles outside of town, so I haven't been there in years. Hard Rock Cafe and Buffalo Wild Wings are at least a hundred miles away, so we'd only see that if we went on a trip.
To qualify as a "chain" doesn't mean you have to have outlets in every state and be nationally known. You can have three or four outlets in only one or two states and still be a chain. Many chains are regional and not national.
I worked at Le Peep in Houston many moons ago - I always thought it was local to just that area.... it's definitely the only place I've ever heard/seen that restaurant.