I actually like chain restaurants when they have their nutritional info posted online so I can make an informed decision.
True, true. I will be in 14 cities/ towns/ villages this summer on one trip. I have no idea where the mom/pop locations are. Sure I can Google and do travel searches but a day of driving who wants to hassle with some of that. Then their hours of operation varies. I remember this one such restaurant famed for its steaks being closed when we drove up. Had to have a plan B and my app with nutritional info of chain restaurants came through.
This is one reason I like McDonalds. I can plan on the CC in the Southwestern salad.
Also, keep in mind that you CAN make special orders. It took me awhile to get used to it, but now I'm perfectly comfortable making requests such as "please steam my vegetables - no oil, butter, or salt" and "can I have this grilled instead?" and "please leave out any added salt." Or you can sometimes swap sides for healthier options.
What really makes me upset, is how come some restaurants won't let an adult order off the kid's menu? The portions are smaller, and a lot of the time the kid's menu is cooked differently and have more natural ingredients. This is why america is obese! Greedy Jerks!
My mom always used to ask if she could have the senior portion and pay the regular price. Some restaurants would do it, some wouldn't
I'm like Glory. Maybe for a really special occasion I like a "real restaurant" but for the ordinary run of the mill "I dont feel like cooking" or "hey we got a sitter!" I much prefer PF Changs or someplace I can at least CHECK.
And I confess to Red Lobster being one of my favorite places because most of the non-chain seafood places around here dont have decent crab or lobster. It's all fish. Or dungeness, which is good, but either takes forever to crack and eat, or usually it's mixed with all kinds of stuff I dont want to eat. Give me steamed crab legs any day of the week.
When I went on vacation to Huntington Beach last April, I found myself having to go into iHop for dinner as my friends and I were starving and I was with a bunch of picky eaters.
And I swear there was 2-3 items on the entire menu that was under 1,000 calories. I mean I know it's iHop but I just couldn't believe it, the caesar salad I ordered (I ate half of it) had something like 950 calories in it. Indeed, no wonder we're obese!!
And I confess to Red Lobster being one of my favorite places because most of the non-chain seafood places around here dont have decent crab or lobster. Give me steamed crab legs any day of the week.
Is this what you like at RL, steamed crab legs? What sides? My Mom likes it too and if I could find something reasonable I would happily go.
Well, I don't know how many calories it had, but today I ordered a 'plain' whopper junior at BK. That was a bun, the beef patty, a slice of cheese.
Period. No lettuce, tomatoe, mayo or onion. It tasted good and a lot less calories.
That was the first time I ever asked for them to omit all those items.
It was my whole noon meal.
MissNibs.
Although it is high in fat, ordering one of these isn't too bad. With cheese, etc. it is 370 calories. This is usually what I choose if I HAVE to have BK.
Here is a link to The Daily Plate info on it. Burger King's is a little confusing.
On the seafood front, we went to Joe's Crab Shack the other night. I ordered the 12 peel-and-eat shrimp appetizer and a green salad. Though they didn't have any low fat or fat free dressing. I told the manager they needed to offer something low/no fat. I felt pretty good with this meal, though I didn't know the actual calorie count.
Last edited by AnnieDrews; 06-08-2010 at 09:43 PM.
Is this what you like at RL, steamed crab legs? What sides? My Mom likes it too and if I could find something reasonable I would happily go.
I get steamed crab legs or sometimes one of the steamed lobster tails. Not stuffed. There are hardly any calories in either if you omit the butter. Usually my dinner is low enough that I let myself use a little of the butter. I'll get peel and eat shrimp if they have it but they havent lately.
I get the vegetable side (which I rarely eat) and the house salad dressing on the side (but add the baby shrimp)
Stay away from the biscuits they bring.
On a special occasion I get the ultimate feast which is like 700 calories, but I can budget for that and get a taste of some other treats like scampi. And then I usually skip the sides, because the meal is huge. And my kids eat half my scampi anyway. (OK here is my growl, the only shrimp available on the kids menu is fried)
I'm guessing that I'm probably an anomaly because I live in NY & people don't go to chain restaurants as much here.
The big chain restaurants that you all mention in your posts are pretty much clustered around the tourist districts, in the Times Square area in particular & around midtown near the shopping & the train stations. So, it's not uncommon for people I know not to go there.
Here, if you're thinking really informal & easy, you tend to go to whatever little bistro/cafe/trattoria/whatever is in your neighborhood. Or maybe order in Chinese. Or fill up a container at one of the little Korean-owned markets which have big salad bars on steam stables & bring it home.
For me to get to a chain restaurant, it's a planned excursion & a pain in the butt. Easier to go to a neighborhood place. The default setting is Italian. Everywhere.
Here, if you're thinking really informal & easy, you tend to go to whatever little bistro/cafe/trattoria/whatever is in your neighborhood. Or maybe order in Chinese. Or fill up a container at one of the little Korean-owned markets which have big salad bars on steam stables & bring it home.
Hey, New Yorker! Other places don't have these things! Remember? You live in the cultural center of the USA.
I live in the Midwest.
I would give my left arm for a bistro or a Korean market!
I'm actually annoyed at the restaurants who have no nutritional info AT ALL.
I've been eating out a lot lately... not on purpose... but because my family has been traveling. I've asked at multiple places "would I be able to see the nutritional info on your food", and been told by the MANAGERS "I'm sorry... we don't have that". And then I go and find it online later and it's like... 900 calories for a small burger. >.<
It annoys me mainly because I'm the kind of person who likes bland food. I have no idea why I'm like that... but bland food is the food that tastes good to me. I'll eat the rest... but that's when I wolf it down really fast because I'm trying to avoid the taste in my mouth. And when vegetables that would normally taste bland and wonderful to me are covered in grease and butter, salt, and all of these flavors... it's... well... nasty.
I also find it crazy how much so many people EAT. My family... despite the fact that they've always loved food and would eat what we consider "a lot", we get asked by both family and friends whether or not we eat enough. We eat one helping... MAYBE two depending on what it is... while they reach for their fifth or sixth. O_o
Umm... yeah.
Maybe it's the fact that we lived in Europe... and portion sizes there (at least in Eastern Europe) are smaller. A "large" drink is the size of the SMALLS here in the USA. It's CRAZY. OH... and no refills in Eastern Europe. At most places... so we'll get a drink... and for the first three months.. we'd finish it... and be satisfied... and then someone would ask if we want more... and I have to admit... they scared me quite a few times when they asked... I was not expecting that.
I'm not saying I don't eat a lot... I do. But... I still don't eat anywhere near the amount that most Americans do. *shakes head*
My simple rule: No chain restaurants. If I absolutely had to, Red Lobster. Maybe. But why bother, when I could go to someone else's privately owned seafood restaurant?
No restaurants with big balloony-looking lettering on their names or "family-style" written below that.
Eating the pile of lettuce with the grilled chicken breast on top is not fun. It's just not. So what good is a meal out if that's all I can order? I could get that at a big grocery store prepared foods section.
I CAN'T WAIT until that law kicks in where all restaurants with over 19 locations MUST post their nutritional data BY LAW. How exciting! It will make my life SO much easier, not having to search the internet for nutritional data before we go out to eat.
I completely agree with the rest of you -- restaurant portions and calorie/fat counts are waaay out of control. It truly is like they're trying to make us fat!
However, I must disagree with the negative comments about chain restaurants and Applebee's, in particular. I LOVE the grilled chicken portabella dish on the "under 550" menu. It's filled and absolutely delicious! The shrimp skewers are also awesome!
We go out to eat about once a week and I always do my research to figure out the best, lowest calorie option. We frequent all those dreadful chains (and love it)! Chili's, Applebee's, Chipotle, Ruby Tuesday, Panera, etc., and I'm always able to find a meal under 500 calories, and I've never once been unhappy with the taste or amount of food. I'm always full and happy! No doubt, there are a billion other calorie laden, sodium soaked options just floating in fat, but luckily, I've been able to resist those options. :-)
I told the manager they needed to offer something low/no fat. I felt pretty good with this meal, though I didn't know the actual calorie count.
Remember? You live in the cultural center of the USA.
I was not expecting that.
