http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8391797/

Hey, it almost worked once...

No, seriously...

Pastorio

On 2005-06-29, Bob (this one) > wrote:
> http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8391797/
>
> Hey, it almost worked once...

For Applebee's, a severed finger would be a step up from the crap
they're dishing up these days.

A friend took me out to Applebee's for lunch (his choice). I wanted
to go to Mimi's, but the line was a half hour long. Applebee's was
damn near deserted. I didn't mind because I recalled that A/bee's
used to have a killer plater of fish and chips. Nice 2-3" square
chunks of a firm white fish with a crunchy crisp batter, good fries,
etc. No more!

The dish I got last weekend had some limp, soggy, flat filets that
wouldn't even hold together when picked up. The fries were soggy, the
tartar sauce was tasteless, and what passed for coleslaw was basically
raw shredded cabbage...... that's it. No dressing I could discern. I
had to put some malt vinegar on the slaw. I was embarrassed my friend
had to pay for it. I wouldn't have. Now I know why the place was
empty. Never again.

nb

notbob wrote:
> On 2005-06-29, Bob (this one) > wrote:
>> http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8391797/
>>
>> Hey, it almost worked once...
>
> For Applebee's, a severed finger would be a step up from the crap
> they're dishing up these days.
>
> A friend took me out to Applebee's for lunch (his choice). I wanted
> to go to Mimi's, but the line was a half hour long. Applebee's was
> damn near deserted. I didn't mind because I recalled that A/bee's
> used to have a killer plater of fish and chips. Nice 2-3" square
> chunks of a firm white fish with a crunchy crisp batter, good fries,
> etc. No more!
>
> The dish I got last weekend had some limp, soggy, flat filets that
> wouldn't even hold together when picked up. The fries were soggy, the
> tartar sauce was tasteless, and what passed for coleslaw was basically
> raw shredded cabbage...... that's it. No dressing I could discern. I
> had to put some malt vinegar on the slaw. I was embarrassed my friend
> had to pay for it. I wouldn't have. Now I know why the place was
> empty. Never again.
>
> nb

Applebees kills me. I can't say I've ever really had a BAD meal there but I
can't say I've had a great or good one, either. And if you find something
on their menu you like you can pretty much count on it not being on the menu
the next time you go there.

Jill

On Thu, 30 Jun 2005 03:12:46 -0500, "jmcquown" >
wrote:

>Applebees kills me. I can't say I've ever really had a BAD meal there but I
>can't say I've had a great or good one, either. And if you find something
>on their menu you like you can pretty much count on it not being on the menu
>the next time you go there.

Well, they do have specials that change monthly. I was cheesed off when
they took away the 20 ounce porterhouse steak. I loved having leftovers the
next day.

The good thing about chain restaurants is you can rely on getting edible
food wherever you run into them. They're reliable. Mediocre for the most
part, but reliable. If you haven't had time to research restaurants before
you go somewhere, or you've not a huge budget for nice meals, they're a
little comforting in their ubiquity.

--
Siobhan Perricone
"You know, I used to think it was awful that life was so unfair; then I
thought, 'Wouldn't it be much worse if life *were* fair, and all the
terrible things that happened to us come because we actually deserved
them?' So now I take great comfort in the general hostility and
unfairness of the universe."
- Marcus, Babylon 5, "A Late Delivery from Avalon"

On Thu, 30 Jun 2005 03:12:46 -0500, jmcquown wrote:

> Applebees kills me. I can't say I've ever really had a BAD meal there but I
> can't say I've had a great or good one, either. And if you find something
> on their menu you like you can pretty much count on it not being on the menu
> the next time you go there.

We used to have one a few miles away... it's long gone now. The food
was mediocre at best and there were other places in the area offering
better food.

Siobhan Perricone wrote:
> On Thu, 30 Jun 2005 03:12:46 -0500, "jmcquown" >
> wrote:
>
>
>>Applebees kills me. I can't say I've ever really had a BAD meal there but I
>>can't say I've had a great or good one, either. And if you find something
>>on their menu you like you can pretty much count on it not being on the menu
>>the next time you go there.
>
>
> Well, they do have specials that change monthly. I was cheesed off when
> they took away the 20 ounce porterhouse steak. I loved having leftovers the
> next day.
>
> The good thing about chain restaurants is you can rely on getting edible
> food wherever you run into them. They're reliable. Mediocre for the most
> part, but reliable. If you haven't had time to research restaurants before
> you go somewhere, or you've not a huge budget for nice meals, they're a
> little comforting in their ubiquity.

I've been to an Applebee's twice with a total of 9 people. All nine
orders were screwed up. I can't imagine how they could possibly do that?

One time was four of us and we all ordered meat things - burgers and
steaks. All ordered med-rare. All came out well-done. We called the
manager over and his comment was, "These things happen." We got up and
walked out with him following us out to the parking lot saying we'd have
to pay since we ate part of the food. Somebody else in the group
suggested he call the police and we'd wait for them to show up.

He went back inside. No police.

Never again.

Pastorio

Bob (this one) > wrote:

>
> I've been to an Applebee's twice with a total of 9 people. All nine
> orders were screwed up. I can't imagine how they could possibly do that?

I've been to Applebee's twice (in two different states) and both times,
if we hadn't been starved, we would've left. Both places were bordering
on filthy.

serene

(serene) said:

> Bob (this one) > wrote:
>
> > I've been to an Applebee's twice with a total of 9 people. All nine
> > orders were screwed up. I can't imagine how they could possibly do that?
>
> I've been to Applebee's twice (in two different states) and both times,
> if we hadn't been starved, we would've left. Both places were bordering
> on filthy.

We've been fortunate. Never a bad experience at an Applebees. Well, Crash
did get an icky steak once, but they offered to replace it (and he refused
- didn't want to waste food - Minnesota Nice rears its ugly head once
again). It was cooked and seasoned perfectly. It was just a crappy piece
of meat. He loves their sirloins. with the exception of that one meal.

Carol

--
Coming at you live, from beautiful Lake Woebegon

notbob wrote:
> On 2005-06-29, Bob (this one) > wrote:
> > http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8391797/
> >
> > Hey, it almost worked once...
>
> For Applebee's, a severed finger would be a step up from the crap
> they're dishing up these days.

Ament to that. The few times I ate there (at the insistence of my
niece), it was another episode of immediate pants pooping. They must
use MSG too.

-L.

On Fri, 01 Jul 2005 01:43:02 -0500, Damsel > wrote:

(serene) said:
>
>> Bob (this one) > wrote:
>>
>> > I've been to an Applebee's twice with a total of 9 people. All nine
>> > orders were screwed up. I can't imagine how they could possibly do that?
>>
>> I've been to Applebee's twice (in two different states) and both times,
>> if we hadn't been starved, we would've left. Both places were bordering
>> on filthy.
>
>We've been fortunate. Never a bad experience at an Applebees. Well, Crash
>did get an icky steak once, but they offered to replace it (and he refused
>- didn't want to waste food - Minnesota Nice rears its ugly head once
>again). It was cooked and seasoned perfectly. It was just a crappy piece
>of meat. He loves their sirloins. with the exception of that one meal.

I've also had similar luck with them. I just won't ever get their "riblets"
again. It's all the gristly part of the ribs and not very good sauce.

--
Siobhan Perricone
"You know, I used to think it was awful that life was so unfair; then I
thought, 'Wouldn't it be much worse if life *were* fair, and all the
terrible things that happened to us come because we actually deserved
them?' So now I take great comfort in the general hostility and
unfairness of the universe."
- Marcus, Babylon 5, "A Late Delivery from Avalon"