Applebees and Chili's replacing waiters with Tablet PCs

[Eddie Teach]

We only lose when we declare war on intangible things like Drugs, Terror, Poverty and Vietnam.

[grumbler]

We only lose when we declare war on intangible things like Drugs, Terror, Poverty and Vietnam.

[PDH]

You had better believe we could beat the shit out of Grenada again.

Clint Eastwood is too old now

[CountDeMoney]

Just do the Caliga thing:  Gas station food.

There's a gas station chain called Sheetz throughout VA/NC/WV/OH/PA that actually makes food I'd eat on a road trip (think ordinary fast food quality--not hot dogs rotating for the past 35 days on a hot roller quality.)

Actually I agree with you here-- Sheetz isn't that bad.

Wa Wa is *this* much better, though.

[derspiess]

Wa Wa is *this* much better, though.

Yeah, well they have a full-blown deli with excellent sandwiches.  And they're also far, far away from where I live

[CountDeMoney]

My bad.  I didn't think Sheetz's had migrated that far away.

Since you've been off the eastern seaboard, you'd be surprised by the new Turkey Hills in Pennsylvania;  they've gone from their old hole-in-the-wall-we're-kinda-like-a-shitty-High's motif to building fullblown Sheetz-Wa-Wa type mega centers.

[OttoVonBismarck]

I always wondered why Turkey Hill took the Kroger reward cards and accepted Kroger gas rewards, I assumed they had some sort of partnership. I felt a little dumb when I found out Turkey Hill is just a wholly owned subsidiary of Kroger and is just the branding they decided to put on all their stand alone gas stations.

[Berkut]

I like the Outback just fine.

At that price point, I don't know of anywhere that provides a better steak.

It isn't Ruth Chris, but on the other hand, I can actually afford to take the family to the Outback once in a while.

[OttoVonBismarck]

I like the Outback just fine.

At that price point, I don't know of anywhere that provides a better steak.

It isn't Ruth Chris, but on the other hand, I can actually afford to take the family to the Outback once in a while.

I have no problem with Outback either, I even like the 3,000 calore blooming onion that gets made fun of by many  . I will say though, I think Longhorn has a better steak than Outback and IIRC is similarly priced, but Longhorn is a smaller chain.

[Berkut]

I like the Outback just fine.

At that price point, I don't know of anywhere that provides a better steak.

It isn't Ruth Chris, but on the other hand, I can actually afford to take the family to the Outback once in a while.

I have no problem with Outback either, I even like the 3,000 calore blooming onion that gets made fun of by many  . I will say though, I think Longhorn has a better steak than Outback and IIRC is similarly priced, but Longhorn is a smaller chain.

A couple Longhorns opened up around here, one quite a bit closer than the local Outback, so we tried it. Wife did not like their filet, so that was that for Longhorn.

[OttoVonBismarck]

A couple Longhorns opened up around here, one quite a bit closer than the local Outback, so we tried it. Wife did not like their filet, so that was that for Longhorn.

I wouldn't know about that as I've never had their filet, but then I pretty much never get filet at a steakhouse. Because it is the most expensive cut people gravitate towards filet, but in my opinion (and the opinion of many serious beef eaters), ribeye is actually the best tasting steak cut and that's almost exclusively what I get in a steakhouse. The only time I eat filet is at random restaurants where they have some appealing dish that involves filet. For example there's a decent fine dining place we go to that has a filet stuffed with crabmeat and topped with hollandaise that I really enjoy.

That may even be precisely why I rank Longhorn > Outback, I can only remember seeing sirloin and filet on the menu at Outback and any place that doesn't regularly offer ribeye is usually a mark down for me. I don't even think I get steak at Outback that often, I usually get something like chicken or ribs there.

[Korea]

I hate having to crane my neck at restaurants looking around for someone, *anyone*, to get me another beer.  So yeah, this approach will have some advantages.

In Korea every table in a restaurant has a red button you can push to summon a waitress.

They have these in some Korean restaurants in Atlanta, GA. I felt a little rude when I first had to push the button but I guess it does make sense so the server doesn't have to be constantly on your ass the entire time.

[The Brain]

They have those in the White House. Hilarity etc.

[Korea]

Only tangentially related, but I also dislike when stores try to make me do self-checkout.

I prefer them unless there is a line for them and there's a standard checkout lane open.  Only snag I run into is if I have to walk over to the attendant and show ID for beer or wine.  Or if I can't find the right code for produce.

I don't care for self-check outs, but the line up for the self check-out is invariably shorter...

I love self check outs because then I can avoid awkward small talk. They're also faster. You just scan your shit, pay, and then GTFO.

[The Brain]

Few self check-out machines are cute teenagers.