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[#] Tue Feb 22 2022 18:24:23 EST from Nurb432

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With luck they use isolation, then guards take turns in the beatings.



[#] Thu Feb 24 2022 02:35:20 EST from ParanoidDelusions

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More likely the prisoner who is supposed to be isolated from general population gets left in the showers while another inmate who has angered the guards also ends up in that shower at the same time. 


That is how prisons work. A lot of times, you've put the wolves in charge of guarding the chicken coop. 

Again, the time Manson got left in the yard when the general population was let out there, and a couple of gangbangers proceeded to beat the shit out of him for the rep they earned by beating Manson's ass... 

You think that was an accident? 

The same guards who would let this convict take a beating, would let this convict get a bit of alone time with another inmate they didn't like. That kind of prison justice goes *both* ways. 

It's just a bad scenario, all around - and it is a totally CALIFORNIAN PENAL SYSTEM kind of fubar situation to happen. 




Tue Feb 22 2022 18:24:23 EST from Nurb432

With luck they use isolation, then guards take turns in the beatings.



 



[#] Wed Mar 02 2022 12:26:40 EST from ParanoidDelusions

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So, "Mexican Cokes" are the perfect example of how economies and market demand work - and why government interference in free market economies causes damages.  

We've been told that Corn Syrup is simply a necessary ingredient in order to deliver products at a price US Citizens are willing to pay. This has resulted in nearly all food manufacturers switching from real sugar to corn syrup in their sweetened products. There is also evidence that corn syrup, gram for gram - has far worse health impacts than genuine sugar. Neither may be good for you - but sugar is absolutely the lesser of two evils in this case. 


The obesity crisis strongly correlates with the adoption of corn syrup, and subjectively, I think that the decline in popular fast-food places, along with a sentiment that, "their food used to taste better," reflects the adoption of corn syrup as a sugar alternative and the removal of trans-fats. I had a Whopper in Tokyo - and it was the best Whopper I've had in 20 years. It tasted like a Whopper tasted in the 80s. I came back and thought I'd give the UK BK another shot - and nope - the US Whopper tastes like shit. I'm going to have to give BK in Mexico a try next time I get down there. My guess is, the Mexican Whopper still tastes great, too. 

US Corn subsidies are obviously at the root of all of this. But, the US public obediently rolled over and accepted it all. They tell us something is unhealthy for us, that they've got a better alternative - and that bottom line, if we want these things to be affordable, it is the only choice, and we accept it. 

But... the Mexican Coke laughs in the face of this rhetoric. Mexico could GAF about US Corn Subsidies. There is no corporate incentive to use the US cash crop in overseas markets. Sugar is no more or less expensive as a raw commodity in Mexico than it is anywhere else in the world. But a Mexican coke, in Mexico, like all other products - is typically far less expensive (outside of tourist areas) than a US coke - bottle for bottle. Sure there are labor and regulation and real estate sunk costs in Mexico that are cheaper - but overall - the coke bottled in Mexico using cane sugar isn't more expensive than the one in the US made with corn syrup - and in fact, reaches the Mexican consumer with a far lower pricetag than the US consumer pays for his bottle of coke. 

If corn syrup was actually *cheaper* - Coca-Cola would attempt to force that recipe on its global audience. But in South America in particular, Latino consumers reject that shit outright. Coca-Cola, or any other food industry, that tried to push off corn-syrup as a sugar alternative would see their market share plummet to nearly nil overnight. Latinos want their treats *super* sweet - and their refined sweetbuds can pick out corn syrup alternatives like a shark sensing a drop of blood in the water 10 miles away. 

So, Coca-Cola manufacturers Coke with real cane sugar in Latin America, and sells it cheaper. But they ALSO import it back into the US. Initially, this was because Latin American immigrants in the US wouldn't drink US formula coke. But eventually American native Coke drinkers discovered that Mexican cokes taste more like "original coke" than "original" coke. They jack up the price by a significant margin over domestic coke - even though everything about making it costs them LESS, other than exporting it back to the US - and savvy US buyers pay the premium because side by side, US coke tastes like *shit* compared to Mexican coke, and it is probably *better* for you overall, and despite less health and safety regulation in Mexico - Coke from Mexico has a compelling global interest in making sure typical Mexican food product issues, like lead contamination - do not become a news item - so the health safety is self-regulating. 


This isn't really about US Coke vs. Mexican Coke though - it is about Government... Government subsidies and incentives, excessive Government regulations of industries, Government manipulation of free markets - and illustrates that the LESS a Government fucks around with things of this nature, the *better* it tends to be for the consumer. It is also an observation about the will of the people as the market force, and how the Government and corporations collude to convince the people that what is best for the Corporations and Government - is the best for them. 


US consumers are price motivated. If Coca cola wants us to accept corn-syrup sweeteners because the US Federal Government wants to pay subsidies to corn farmers and incentivize using corn products in every kind of food manufacturing conceivable - all Coke has to do is raise the prices of traditionally sweetened Coke and claim, "sugar is expensive," and then offer the corn-syrup alternative at a far lower price... and most consumers pick up a six pack or case at their local Wal-Mart, take it back to their mobile home, and then sit around going, "this shit doesn't taste like it did when I was a kid..." as they roll around in their mobility scooter because they're 450 pounds as they swig it down. We're a quantity over quality consumer market. We want LOTS of it, so we want it cheap... and it doesn't really have to be cheap - we just need the illusion that it is cheaper than the alternative - and often that is enough to make up our minds for us. 

In Mexico, for much of the population, even a Mexican priced Coke is a special and occasional treat. Even at that, it has to be relatively cheap compared to other economies. But, Mexican consumers will simply go with something else if that rare, inexpensive luxury isn't to their tastes. Collectively - they would go, "there are better alternatives than this new crap they're trying to foist on us."  They're a quality over quantity culture in this regard. 

The doctrine of making the product "the problem" is also part of all of this. Coke, burgers, fries, ketchup, sugar - have always been part of the American diet since the 50s. QUANTITY and ingredients are what changed in correlation with the "obesity epidemic". We made it *super cheap* so you could have a lot of it, and we replaced a major ingredient that was organic and natural with a highly processed one that is subsidized and artificial. We turned it into shit and made it so you could eat it all the time. Then we blamed it for our own fat asses. 

And it all goes back to the US political obsession with making corn America's most important cash crop. All of this... which is the reason the Mexican Coke is a thing - is spawned by that - by the US Federal Government trying to artificially control the economy. 


It pisses me off every time I drink a Mexican coke that I paid an American import price for. If the US consumers were just smart enough - like the Mexican ones, to go, "Nope. We won't drink that shit, and we won't pay more for the alternative." That would put an end to it. But we're not that smart. We get exactly the Government we deserve. 



[#] Thu Mar 03 2022 15:38:23 EST from IGnatius T Foobar

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The government shouldn't really be subsidizing anything, anywhere, for any reason, while they're running a deficit (and arguably, even if they weren't, but we can make the argument stronger that way). Cane sugar cola is delicious compared to corn syrup cola. I stopped drinking Coke because they are blancophobic heterophobic woketards, but I rarely drink sweetened beverages except as an occasional treat. There were a couple of bottlers who, until just a few years ago, continued using sugar. One was near a family member's home in Pennsylvania and we always stocked up when we visited.

Honestly I'd rather buy "gourmet" sodas that are always made with sugar, instead of drinking the major brands. It's like drinking beer instead of Budweiser.

[#] Thu Mar 03 2022 17:17:13 EST from Nurb432

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I agree government subsides are bad regardless, as are tax abatement.  Governments should not be picking winners and losers. ( unless we at war, rules change )

And yes. The cola i make is like that, i try to compare it to 'craft beer' as a comparison when people ask.  Its sort of like drinking regular pee water and comparing it to craft Ale.  its the same basic idea but the taste is quite different. Even those that dont drink beer ( like myself ) can at least comprehend the concept.   Since coke and Pepsi taste so much alike, using that as a reference failed. A few have liked what i make, a few, it was far to heavy for them.  Ironically now that i'm so used to my own, drinking commodity cola is about like drinking pee beer after you are used to craft. 

Jones is good. but stores no longer sell "cola" flavor here. just weird flavors. 

I do like sodastream cola flavor too, as it is similar tasting to mine ( i use it when i'm too lazy to make a batch of my own ), but you do need a way to carbonate water, or buy carbonated water in bottles. 



[#] Thu Mar 10 2022 16:29:34 EST from ParanoidDelusions

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I think people get caught up in their heads on ideas like "craft beers" vs. "commercial consumer beers". Wine was really the *first* big product where this kind of "I wouldn't touch that shit," attitude grew... wine and the idea of "high fidelity audio systems". 

I suppose German cars have a lot of this too. Swiss watches... there are a lot of things where people get caught up in *asserting* how much *superior* to the alternatives *their* choice is. 

And... they may be right. I've had a lot of craft beers, fine wines, German cars and even a couple of precision timepieces. At this point in society - it has even gotten to the level of burger stands. It is happening with whiskey, too. 

The fact is - there are places where a Budweiser or a Miller is going to hit the spot *just* right in a way that no Craft beer will. Taking a boat across a lake to a cove with a sandy beach to cook hotdogs on a hibachi - Tecate or Corona is about as fancy and exotic as I want the beer. I want something *light* that I can drink away at all day while maintaining a very light, pleasant buzz. I want an alcoholic soda pop. If it is wine, I want something in a box that tastes best over ice. I don't want exotic brats - I don't even want all beef hot dogs - I want Ballpark or Oscar Myer hotdogs with Heinz Ketchup and Mustard in a Wonderbread bun. We've gotten to this point in society where you go to a picnic and all they have is organic, Whole Foods, World Market curry flavored ketchup and wagu beef hotdogs and whole grain craft buns and a bottle of expensive wine and stainless steel cooler full of craft beers that all taste like grapefruit. It isn't about the tastes at that point - not most times - it is about showing how *cultured* you are. 


Gaffagin (And, I recently had the shower thought if that is not his actual last name, say it backwards and he is trolling the whole world right now...) does a skit on McDonald's where he talks about - this was a few years back during the height of the Pink Slime thing - people who are evangelistic about "McDonald's... I'd *never* eat at McDonald's" and his response was, "That is OK, because McDonald's doesn't want you, cuz you're a dick." 

Now, don't get me wrong. Shake Shack burgers are a level above. They're *better* in quality and taste than In-n-Out. It is ridiculous to even compare the two. One is cuisine - the other is fast food. But... I don't WANT to eat Shake Shack for just typical fast food meals - certainly not exclusively - and sometimes I *prefer* a Big Mac to both of 'em, because I want that special sauce and the shredded lettuce. Sometimes... sometimes I crave the simple McCheeseBurger, with ketchup, mustard and diced "onions".  Nothing in the world tastes like that - and if you're on the road, driving, two of those and an order of fries with a coke is *perfect*. They're easy to eat with one hand on the wheel. They're *superior* to these other choices in that particular scenario. 


And - it doesn't diminish that In-N-Out is such a giant because they're DAMN GOOD within the boundaries of what they do. They really manage to ride the sweet spot of getting things "just right" for the widest mean of consumer tastes. That is what commercial success is about. You can be a niche product that appeals to very refined tastes and charges a premium - but to be HUGE - you've got to please the widest margin while offending the smallest. McDonald's has this down to *science*. You don't even really need to please them... just satisfy them. Once a company gets that big, that unstoppable, that omnipresent - once any endeavor gets that huge - those who ARE offended tend to become more vocally offended. With great success comes great hate. It is like people see someone putting out mediocre products that appease the masses and their favorite wallowing in obscurity and it outrages them. Others jump onto the hate bandwagon. This happens with bands, too. One name. Nickelback. Nobody will admit they like them - but they were one of the biggest hit bands of the last 20 years. SOMEONE was buying their records. So it goes with Budweiser and Miller and Taco Bell and McDonald's. Everyone talks constant shit - but they keep slinging Mexican Pizzas and McRibs and laughing all the way to the bank. 

Pepsi and Coke taste significantly different. I still need to get some real sugar Pepsi and do a side by side with real sugar Coke to see if I've actually switched teams - or if it is just corn syrup. I have an interesting perspective here, as I did not drink caffeine between about 1987 and 2020. I tried zero caffeine colas - and they're like zero nicotine cigarettes or zero alcohol beer. There is something vital missing and it almost triggers my gag reflex, in each case. 

I'm not judging you if you prefer a craft beer, really - but there are places where a craft beer tastes *wrong* to me. It is part of the *atmosphere* to have a beer that tastes almost like a Sprite. Some consumer grade shit literally tastes like shit, too, once you develop your palate. I really can't abide Rolling Rock as an adult. A lot of budget brands do truly taste CHEAPER, are made of inferior ingredients... in clothes, cars, watches, everything... Some of these things transcend this. Every now and then, I crave, specifically - a Little Ceaser's Hot And Ready pizza. It is almost like school cafeteria food. So bad it is good, in very rare doses. But for the most part - a lot of budget off-brand shit is cheap for a reason. But on the other hand, I've tried a lot of exclusive, exotic, expensive stuff that was horseshit, too... The middle is almost always a safe bet. Wattaburger isn't everything Texas makes it out to be - but their shit is about average on tasting good. They're right where they belong and I'm not so caught up in myself that I'd ever say, "I'd NEVER eat at that place..." 

Sure I would.  



Thu Mar 03 2022 17:17:13 EST from Nurb432

I agree government subsides are bad regardless, as are tax abatement.  Governments should not be picking winners and losers. ( unless we at war, rules change )

And yes. The cola i make is like that, i try to compare it to 'craft beer' as a comparison when people ask.  Its sort of like drinking regular pee water and comparing it to craft Ale.  its the same basic idea but the taste is quite different. Even those that dont drink beer ( like myself ) can at least comprehend the concept.   Since coke and Pepsi taste so much alike, using that as a reference failed. A few have liked what i make, a few, it was far to heavy for them.  Ironically now that i'm so used to my own, drinking commodity cola is about like drinking pee beer after you are used to craft. 

Jones is good. but stores no longer sell "cola" flavor here. just weird flavors. 

I do like sodastream cola flavor too, as it is similar tasting to mine ( i use it when i'm too lazy to make a batch of my own ), but you do need a way to carbonate water, or buy carbonated water in bottles. 



 



[#] Thu Mar 10 2022 16:42:16 EST from ParanoidDelusions

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Thought of another example... maybe the defacto one... 

Corn chips. There are high quality consumer grade cornchips, there are culinary, home made, small batch corn chips you might get at a Mexican restaurant or tienda - and then... 


There are Doritos. 

All 3 are the same concept and idea... and I'm sure there are people out there who would NEVER touch a Doritos chip. In fact, there are places where the Dorito is out of place. They're not particularly good for making *nachos* - and if I went to a Mexican restaurant and their nachos were using Doritos as a base - unless it is Taco Bell - I'm pretty sure I'd be disappointed. 

But that doesn't mean that Taco Bell could come up with something with Doritos Cool Ranch as the base - they have... They make Doritos shell tacos. They're fucking *tasty*. 


You can say they're not a real taco - but that doesn't mean that sometimes a "fake" taco isn't exactly what hits the spot. 

And Doritos are kinda like Pepsi and the Big Mac... and American culture in general. They're EXTRA extra... they're a "Summer Blockbuster Movie Event" of food. No real plot, lots of action, super overproduced... Everything exaggerated to the Nth degree possible. Right now Tositos makes a Chili Verde chip that is on the same level as Doritos, but round instead of a triangle - and THEY'RE delicious, too. The kind of thing where you can go through a whole bag on a drive... where you go, "OK... that is enough..." and 10 minutes later you go, "Nope... I need more of that..." 


The Mexican place nearby us gives you free chips when you sit down. They're typical Mexican Panaria chips. Corn, fried, salted... high quality mexican corn chips. But if you order their chips and queso - it comes with chips they've hand batched in the kitchen with your order. They're light, airy, flaky - and taste incredible. I wouldn't want them ALL the time, and arguably, yes, Doritos are *shit* side by side compared to them. There cheese isn't a "sauce" that comes from a 5 gallon can, either, but realy queso. It is all higher quality, better tasting, than some mass produced corn chips drizzled with cheese sauce from a can - but if I'm at the movies or the skating rink, I don't want the fancy shit... I want the stuff you *expect* from a snack shack at your pool or little league field. 


 These things have their places. 

 



[#] Thu Mar 10 2022 17:01:34 EST from Nurb432

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I wasn't really passing judgement on "craft -vs- commodity" items, just have been using it as a comparison for 'the same but different' concept that most people could easily identify with. 

People are more than welcome to enjoy their pee water, its just not for me :) 



[#] Thu Mar 10 2022 17:30:47 EST from Nurb432

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Not in my car .. no food allowed. Only drinks with sealing lids. 

Thu Mar 10 2022 04:42:16 PM EST from ParanoidDelusions

 The kind of thing where you can go through a whole bag on a drive...  



 



[#] Fri Mar 11 2022 14:01:38 EST from IGnatius T Foobar

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Gaffagin (And, I recently had the shower thought if that is not his
actual last name, say it backwards and he is trolling the whole world

That's an awesome concept, but unfortunately it's spelled "Gaffigan". I've seen him live on stage. He's awesome.

As for McDonald's ... why would I eat there when the burgers are an order of magnitude better at Wendy's and still in the "fast food" tier?

[#] Fri Mar 11 2022 15:25:06 EST from Nurb432

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I used to agree, but around here, Wendy's quality has gone down the tubes too. And prices have skyrockted.

  • Arbys is marginally better but i have seen a decline in quality there too.
  • Subway, well they went down years ago and are about inedible. im sick for 2 days after eating there. rather go without.
  • PennStation, seems OK still, but prices are stupid now.
  • Steak-n-shake ( i think is regional? ) is still edible but not like it was 20 years ago
  • Quiznos, is about non-existent. We have one left in the state.  and they now not much better than subway at this point, but still charge premium.  I used to like them. At least until i broke a tooth on a bone..
  • KFC.. bleh now.  Tastes like breaded bleached tires.  
  • Tacobell. well, its taco bell, not been worth a damn since the 60s. 
  • A&W,  about the same as Wendy's now.
  • Long John Silvers..  gross now
  • 5 guys. edible but over priced and you better LOVE fries :) 
  • Jimmy johns ( regional? ) is an ok replacement for subway if you want lunch meat subs.
  • Boston market, not been in a while but were ok to eat at, just stupid priced for what you got.
  • White castle.. ( regional? ) well its white castle. not changed much since the 50s..  
  • Rallys/checkers ..  meh
  • can you see a pattern here? 

Many of our local non-chain shops and bars are still ok. But was trying to think of major chains. To me, most of them are dismal at best, they worry more about profit than quality.

 

Fri Mar 11 2022 02:01:38 PM EST from IGnatius T Foobar
Gaffagin (And, I recently had the shower thought if that is not his
actual last name, say it backwards and he is trolling the whole world

That's an awesome concept, but unfortunately it's spelled "Gaffigan". I've seen him live on stage. He's awesome.

As for McDonald's ... why would I eat there when the burgers are an order of magnitude better at Wendy's and still in the "fast food" tier?

 



[#] Fri Mar 11 2022 19:18:02 EST from ParanoidDelusions

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Damnit. You're right. 

Wouldn't it be epic if he had done that though? A comedian sliding something that subtle right past the social justice cancel police and them having NO IDEA that is what he did... would have been awesome. So much plausible deniability even if someone figured it out. 


Still... maybe he is talking about the bitchy kind... You know, the kind that are always naggy. 






Fri Mar 11 2022 14:01:38 EST from IGnatius T Foobar
Gaffagin (And, I recently had the shower thought if that is not his
actual last name, say it backwards and he is trolling the whole world

That's an awesome concept, but unfortunately it's spelled "Gaffigan". I've seen him live on stage. He's awesome.

As for McDonald's ... why would I eat there when the burgers are an order of magnitude better at Wendy's and still in the "fast food" tier?

 



[#] Fri Mar 11 2022 19:44:25 EST from ParanoidDelusions

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Fast food on the East Coast generally sucks. Ohio was terrible. There is one Jack in the Box in the whole state, no Weinerschnitzle, the nearest Hardee's is on I-80 in Akron and is a run down dive... 

Arizona, it is almost ALL a cut above anything I ever had when I was on the East Coast. With some strange exceptions. Steak-n-Shake was not GREAT, but it was the closest thing to In-N-Out around out there. Here in Arizona, they opened one, and it sucks. Not just, compared to the competition here - but - compared to their stores on the East Coast. 

Arby's has a weird strategy. Bottom of the barrel "shaved meat and fake cheese on buns" and nearly deli quality actual sandwiches on bread. And prices to match. They're like a slum-level (Weinerschnitzle/Jack/WhiteCastle/Whattaburger) level fast food place on one level, and upscale on the other end. Their stores reflect that. The ones in the ghetto that are trying to sell two dozen roast-beef sandwiches for $22 to people on welfare are usually old, run down, greasy, dirty. The ones in affluent suburbs trying to sell chicken salad sandwiches on whole wheat with almonds and raisins are usually spotless, recently remodeled and new. There is no in between.

Subway *always* sucked. I never understood the allure. Their meatball sandwich is all I'll ever get from there - and I haven't had one for at least a decade. There are DOZENS of better choices. 

Quiznos was the bomb around 2000-2004, then fell off the map. Too bad. 

I just got a craving for KFC. We had to drive a while to find one. Extra crispy - it was *excellent*. I don't like their mashed potatoes since they stopped putting them in styrofoam at McDonald's scald-an-old-lady temperatures. They're smaller portions now on the sides too... but... it was good. All the Fried Chicken places are hit and miss. Popeyes... where you might get an awesome meal, or you might get mugged by the clerk... 

Taco Bell is like Weinerschnitzle - they're crap tier - but - they've also got their own taste. I write Taco Bell off all the time - but the trick with Taco Bell is you've got to rotate through their huge menu. They introduce something, and they put everything into making that item successful - and their old items get neglected. You end up with stale chalupas with barely a smear of that fake meat along the bottom of it. Out here we have Del Taco - and their strategy seems to be to give you HUGE portions that are LOADED with meat... so if you just want a crunchy taco, you go there. If you want a BIG burrito that isn't all lettuce, cheese and beans, you go there. Their tostada is way more filling, and costs less, than the Taco Bell Mexican pizza. But it is all "stoner" food, both places. Taco Bell just has some unique flavors that no one else delivers. 

A&W and Dairy Queen are both really dessert places, kind of like Sonic. Most of the menu is an afterthought. We have a GENUINE A&W in Boulder City south of Las Vegas - and you can still get a Mama, Pappa or Baby Burger in a basket there - and the root beer in taps at the counter in mugs or the glasses. Sacramento had one like this that burned down around 2010. The chain A&Ws, especially the ones with a Long John Silver's attached - generally suck. They're just the brand attached to something that has nothing to do with the original place. But... both A&W and Dairy Queen will generally do you a chili burger if you ask - adding Chili to *any* one of the burgers - and that is a "secret item" that gets me to go to both of them. 

 

5 Guys - I think you've got to figure out the menu. You can't go ALL THE WAY... you need to pick your toppings. I get a little burger, grill cheese style, with grilled onions and cheese. It is basically a patty melt. It is AWESOME. The cajun fries are delicious - too. They're not Fast Food tier. They're Chipotles/Rubios/Shake Shack/Smash Burger boutique places that exist between fast food and a genuine restaurant. All of these places, their prices reflect that they're a cut above a fast-food franchise. People always want to compare these places to In-N-Out. My point is that you WANT to compare these places to In-N-Out speaks to just how far In-N-Out knocks it out of the park. 

Jimmy Johns is good for a Subway class place. Better than most of the rest. We have Cheba Hut - nothing can compete. 

Boston Market sucks now. They're terrible. Small portions, higher prices, and the food is terrible now. We went recently, and had heard bad things - but we went for nostalgia. We should have kept our memories. 

White Castle is here on the West Coast now. It has never caught on - it is like Weinerschnitzle. A place you go at the end of a night partying to grease your stomach before you pass out, or the next morning to try and fight off a hangover. Shit tier - and a taste you acquire in your late teens/early 20s or you'll never get it - that is my guess. I don't get them. I do get Weinerschnitzle. 

Rallys/Checkers/Sonic... all the same. We have Johnny Rockets out here - and they're awesome. Same idea, but upscaled, like Chipotles et. al. 

Arizona has almost ALL of it all. We've got Culvers, we've got Chicago places, we've got Ohio places - we've got California places... whatever you want... Then there are all levels of finer eating. Driving through the valley during summer when you're hungry is torture. We smell *delicious*. 






 




Fri Mar 11 2022 15:25:06 EST from Nurb432

I used to agree, but around here, Wendy's quality has gone down the tubes too. And prices have skyrockted.

  • Arbys is marginally better but i have seen a decline in quality there too.
  • Subway, well they went down years ago and are about inedible. im sick for 2 days after eating there. rather go without.
  • PennStation, seems OK still, but prices are stupid now.
  • Steak-n-shake ( i think is regional? ) is still edible but not like it was 20 years ago
  • Quiznos, is about non-existent. We have one left in the state.  and they now not much better than subway at this point, but still charge premium.  I used to like them. At least until i broke a tooth on a bone..
  • KFC.. bleh now.  Tastes like breaded bleached tires.  
  • Tacobell. well, its taco bell, not been worth a damn since the 60s. 
  • A&W,  about the same as Wendy's now.
  • Long John Silvers..  gross now
  • 5 guys. edible but over priced and you better LOVE fries :) 
  • Jimmy johns ( regional? ) is an ok replacement for subway if you want lunch meat subs.
  • Boston market, not been in a while but were ok to eat at, just stupid priced for what you got.
  • White castle.. ( regional? ) well its white castle. not changed much since the 50s..  
  • Rallys/checkers ..  meh
  • can you see a pattern here? 

Many of our local non-chain shops and bars are still ok. But was trying to think of major chains. To me, most of them are dismal at best, they worry more about profit than quality.

 

Fri Mar 11 2022 02:01:38 PM EST from IGnatius T Foobar
Gaffagin (And, I recently had the shower thought if that is not his
actual last name, say it backwards and he is trolling the whole world

That's an awesome concept, but unfortunately it's spelled "Gaffigan". I've seen him live on stage. He's awesome.

As for McDonald's ... why would I eat there when the burgers are an order of magnitude better at Wendy's and still in the "fast food" tier?

 



 



[#] Fri Mar 11 2022 20:16:00 EST from Nurb432

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I forgot about DQ.  Most of them are gone around here. Never really got 'food' there anyway and it was always their cheap ice-milk.  ( ya, im one of those people, not fond of iceMILK so much. i want iceCREAM )

Popeye's, I think i went to one ONCE.   They are mostly inner city ( as you were suggesting :)  ) and i mostly have lived out in the burbs or country.

Subway had a couple of sandwiches that were edible, including the meatball, but that was years and years ago. ( warm chicken. and a Philly steak like thing. not the lunch meat stuff )

And that is too bad about Boston market, i liked them other than the price. None around here on my side of town, so i haven't been in a while.

So many local joints i could fill pages.. but no one but people in my area would have a clue who they are :)  But honesty, i dont go out all that much so i'm not an *expert* on it, i just know "enough" about it to be able to avoid the worst. Never really have been big on dining out, so there is a lot around here locally i have only heard about, not had myself. I tend to prefer to make my own stuff. I was cooking back as far as middle school and brown bagged it back then. 

 

Oh, they are gone now so does not really fit in this discussion and i guess were not truly 'fast food', but the waffle house family restaurants were nice.  Sort of like a subdued cracker barrel complete with wooden floors, but i think only existed in Indiana.   I was dating a woman from northern Ohio who was a regional manager at the 'traditional' WH's you see on the side of the interstate, and she had never heard of them until we started seeing each other some 25 years ago  ( we would trade off which place we would spend weekends at ).



[#] Sat Mar 12 2022 11:36:06 EST from Nurb432

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Drove past a Noble Romans today .. "craft pizza" sign on the window. Umm, no, its not.   Unsure if that is a national chain or not so might be unknown to the rest of you. They have been around here forever, but never a fan.   There is a local small chain 'Chicagos' that does decent pizza and sandwiches.  Its not true Chicago deep dish, but its not thin crap either.   We do have a Giordano's up the street in the next town however, if you need real Chicago deep dish .. 



[#] Sat Mar 12 2022 17:03:20 EST from IGnatius T Foobar

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* can you see a pattern here? 

Yup. The pattern is that you didn't mention Chick-Fil-A.

Consistently good food, consistently good service, consistently clean, reasonable prices. You simply cannot go wrong with Chick-Fil-A. (And I am not partisan in the Chick-Fil-A vs. Popeye's chicken sandwich debate -- I like them both.)

[#] Sat Mar 12 2022 17:26:39 EST from Nurb432

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Like DQ, was just another i had forgot about as i rarely go there. Not that i dont or do like them..

  1. None near where i live.
  2. The one near work, its always too busy so i dont even think about eating there, considering the limited time allocated to eat.. 

However, the last time i DID go, perhaps 6 months ago, i noticed their shakes have shrunk, drastically.  Their large is not much bigger than a small was a year ago. Got lucky, they were not busy.

 

Isn't Popeye's chicken more spicy by nature? So its more of a preference thing not reality quality?  ( or the risk of getting beat up.. due to location )

Sat Mar 12 2022 05:03:20 PM EST from IGnatius T Foobar
* can you see a pattern here? 

Yup. The pattern is that you didn't mention Chick-Fil-A.

Consistently good food, consistently good service, consistently clean, reasonable prices. You simply cannot go wrong with Chick-Fil-A. (And I am not partisan in the Chick-Fil-A vs. Popeye's chicken sandwich debate -- I like them both.)

 



[#] Sat Mar 12 2022 17:50:55 EST from Nurb432

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In the actual town i live in: ( tho we were surrounded by farms, it isn't true country, but "semi-rural", but that is quickly changing.. as i have ranted about before and i really need out of this area. .bad )

We have limited choices:

  • Subway ( ick )
  • Hardees ( i think this is a Midwest chain. so didnt mention it before ). Gone down hill last few years. Stopped going. They do at least have a variety, even burritos.. Tho they dropped the fried chicken.
  • A Burger king ( forgot about them too as not a fan .  something changed perhaps 15 years ago, their meat does not taste like meat now and stopped going )
  • Non chain pizza joint, mostly thin cheapy stuff. not a fan.
  • Bar/restaurant. Has some of the best breaded tenderloin in the state ( you would have to be a Hoosier to understand )
  • Some new Indian place. 
  • Ice cream shop ( that now sells CBD too..  lol )
  • Couple of gas stations with gas station food.
  • We lost our grocery ( small mom/pop ) about 15 years ago.
  • One liquor store
  • 2. count them.  2.. dentists
  • a CVS. ( in the Midwest, who doesn't have one? :) )
  • One gun shop ( ok, not food, just that we only have one )
  • One bank ( same thing.. just one )
  • 2 used junk car lots.. LIke CVS its the Midwest. .gotta have them.
  • Oh, and a 'farmers market' sort of thing but they dont cook food there. 

Anything else, it means going to the next town.  Not that its THAT far.. just not walking distance and its a different town.

 

Town i grew up in ( middle school thru college ) had a general store. Nearest gas station was ~15 miles away, and was not a chain back then. They had a 'real' DQ and a KFC there with the station. The DQ had its own menu, mostly ignored the chain rules. Both are long gone. Torn down to widen the state road to make it an 'interstate' . "Progress". So sick of it.  General store is closed too. Been perhaps 20 years.   Building is still there so you can drive past and feel sad about what has happened to the area.



[#] Sun Mar 13 2022 13:50:56 EDT from ParanoidDelusions

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Yeah, my experience in NE Ohio was a lot like yours. 

Um... so many posts here... can't remember all the points I wanted to hit. 


Popeye's is "Louisiana Style" - their Red Beans and Rice with hotsauce is *bomb*. It is absolutely a very unapologetically "ethnic" brand... and they do offer some real heat for a fast food place. 

Chick-Fil-A is ALWAYS right next to an In-N-Out out here. Both Christian ran organizations - and both the same basic philosophy on freshness and consistency, just one with chicken and the other with cows. 

The similarities are remarkable when you really look at them side by side. 

Also, they have some menu items with real heat - and - what a lot of people don't get about Chick-Fil-A is it is LARGELY about the sauces. Customizing your chicken with one of their sauces, or multiples of their sauces - is the key - and they'll give you as many as you want, generally. They're very laid back - often the sauces are just in bins out in the ordering area and you can freely grab as many as you want to sample. You should, to find your favorite taste. 

The "Foodie" places - the independents - were way bigger in Ohio and tended to be incredible. Melt Bar and Grilled in Cleveland is an example. Gastropub type places. There was a small place in Akron called Metroburger that we went to a lot that had incredible burgers. They got shut down for tax evasion. We went to the place in Philly that puts fries on all their sandwiches... that kind of "food culture" is much bigger out there than it is back here - where chains and franchises dominate - and then on the other end you've got 4 star Michelin rated places that are extravagant and expensive. There is a lot of those other kind of places too - but they tend to either be ethnic (Indian, Thai, Med/Arabian, Chinese, Mexican). We don't get as much of the English/Irish/Scottish pub, or American diner, or sub/hoagie, or dog stand, or Italian Deli... I mean, we are State 48... so... the population makeup is really a lot different. 







[#] Sun Mar 13 2022 18:15:48 EDT from Nurb432

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I dont think we have any in-outs in the area.  I do know of ONE jack in the box, next town north, fairly new. ( never been )

i guess the Indian place here is now Chinese, and they split the place 1/2 and the other 1/2 is Dominos.  Doubt either last long.  ( drove past today as i took the dogs to the town up north for a walk.  Nice day, low 50s, so thought we would go someplace different )



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