Had to laugh - my 27 year old daughter who lives in a city with great food options (and they take advantage of them) said that she and two of her friends are revisiting their childhood favorites this summer - each weekend they are going to visit a restaurant they frequented as a child (when we probably did chains more than local). Their first stop? Red Robin.
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I decided to be the CC lab rat and try out one of the new $5 meal deals in the news.
For $5.35 including tax I got a BK Whopper Jr (more like a Whopper Toddler), a 4-pc nugget, a very small pouch of fries and a little Diet Coke.
Itās exactly what youād think it would be. It was small, bland-ish, but satisfying enough to justify buying it at $5 + tax. For the person/family struggling with inflation, I could see these deals catching on.
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Is there a patty under that bun ?
Heck some places get $5 for a drink today so that is good value.
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Not the best angle for a burger shot! LOL!
The patty was there, but it sure wasnāt big.
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Perfect meal for me. I can never decide what I want and love when I can get little bits of lots of things.
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I live less than 5 miles from their headquarters and whatās reputed to be the first location not to mention the many I have to pass to get anywhere. But I hardly ever go. I used to own a sandwich and sub shop and am very particular about these things.
Totally agree with this. You can walk into a Jersey Mikeās anywhere and it will be exactly the same.
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Unfortunately, value for your wallet does not necessarily equal value for your health. Sadly, due to price and availability, these āmealsā are staples for some who donāt have the luxury of healthier options.
Today, DH and I are traveling from ME to MI through Canada and stopped at one of the ubiquitous A&Ws along the highway. Neither of us have been to one since HS, so we stopped for that ice cold glass mug of root beer and a burger for lunch. The drink passed muster, the burger was OK, and our French was good enough to get the meals we hoped we were ordering. 
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No Tim Hortons? 
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My son thinks the ones in Canada are ābetterā than the ones in Ohioā¦like theyāre more authentic or something. Refuses to go here in the US.
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Never been to one. No appeal.
Iām not big fan of Chipotle. If I am at home and eating Mexican fast food, I will eat my local chain-- District Taco (DT). DT has had some quality issues as theyāve expanded but it still really good.
My Chipotle story is that in February 2020, as part of another award I got a free Chipotle for a year, what it meant in practice was a big stack of gift cards that (as best I remember) covered the cost of a meal for 1 person. I ultimately used the cards to bribe players on the HS girls soccer that I coach to play goalie.
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I have no interest in the food. But a hot coffee or frozen iced Capp, 
This thread has made me wonder why it is that Iāll never stop at a Subway anymore, even though it was my regular lunch place when I had an office above one.
I figured it out. Itās the carbs. Too much bread for my current tastes. But now I remember you can make any sandwich a salad.
Maybe Iāll start going back.
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I donāt eat at many/most of these except while traveling. Jersey Mikeās seems way over-priced to be, but I have had it when they have a really good coupon like buy one get one free or simply free.
Agree that Five Guys is way over-priced for a casual restaurant. Their shakes ARE tasty and burger is good (we get the small, single patty ones). We split a small fries there and end up discarding some as itās too much for just the two of us.
Mcdonaldās has also gotten expensive, but can be handy for a meal or snackāthe food is pretty consistent.
I like Mangianioās huge portions but really havenāt dined there in ages so no idea how it is these days. Legal Seafood was OK the times Iāve been there (likely before the sale).
I like iHopāthey have decent prices and filling and healthy lunch & dinner options for folks who go there later on the day.
Iām also a fan of Pandas, sometimes. You can choose steamed veggies instead of rice or noodles or 1/2 veggie & 1/2 starch. H and I can generally share a plate of 3 entrees and veggies (when I bring it home, we always have leftover rice we can heat and eat with it.
for me, itās Jersey Mikeās > JJās > Subway
When I get the Italian at Jersey Mikeās, I get it with oil, vinegarā¦ and a smear of mayo. I love the creaminess that the mayo adds to the equation. But Iām a mayohead anyway ā it goes on virtually every cold meat sandwich I eat.
We have another (smallish?) chain sub shop in town called Capriottiās. I think they make decent subs. Have any of you tried Capriottiās? I think they hail from the east coast.
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Is it the same as Capriottiās sandwich shop in Vegas. Terrible !! Imho of course.
Iām ok with jersey mikes. I probably donāt know what a great sub is. Great for me - Iām fine with a sandwich from the Publix deli.
But donāt know whatās great for the masses.
I do like the pepper relish at jersey mikes and other places that have it - or gardiniera.
Yeah, thatās it. I tried the Bobby and didnāt like it ā thatās the one with cold turkey, stuffing, and cranberry sauce on it.
I did enjoy the Capastrami ā pastrami, swiss, cole slaw, 1000 island. Then again, I tend to enjoy Reubens and related sandwiches.
We had a Raising Caneās open in the next town. The first week they needed to have police details to manage the traffic and it backed up for about 1/2 a mile. The first month there was always a line. Now it just seems empty.
(We didnāt buy into the craziness. Husband and son had tried it while on college tours and there isnāt anything I can eat there).
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I donāt rate the chicken itself terribly highly ā seems to be almost no seasoning in the batter ā but that sauce, to me, is good enough to cover a multitude of culinary sins.
Iāve never been to a Jersey Mikeās, but Iāll give it a try. I wasnāt impressed with JJ when I tried it. I used to go to Subway 2-3 times a month years ago, but havenāt been in almost a year. It was the CT rest area food of choice for years on the club soccer circuit.
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