Honestly, I don't know why anyone goes to Outback, Applebee's or CIP when we have so many excellent non-chain restaurants around here to choose from.
That's all - just wanted to lodge my complaint.
I used to have this knee-jerk aversion to EVER going to a chain restaurant. Something in me just felt like their food came out of a bag or something.
But I can see a few reasons why I've gone. They almost always depend on WHO GOES WITH ME.
One is, I usually know what they have on the menu, and how much it will cost - and if I don't, I can find it online.
I can frequently get a coupon, gift card or some kind of discount there.
They usually have enough variety at the chains to accommodate odd food needs - children, people with allergies, parents with extremely fussy preferences. For example, I like CD Cafe, but I know a number of people I'd never take there - my mom for example would never eat their food. My dad doesn't like too many exotic foods, anything spicy or ethnic.
Family food and portions - more restaurant chains are providing senior discounts, senior portions and several carry nutritional information and Weight Watcher's sections. I even like that some of them carry smaller versions of the same entrees.
And in a lot of cases, they might even beat the prices of local restaurants.
I like the places that have been named here, and if I was going by myself or with a friend with tastes like my own, I'd do that all the time. That is almost never the case.