Chains To Abide

http://www.dintaifungusa.com. This!!!!

Fast food and convenience food are starting to conquer France as well.

Interesting article Charles, the average length of lunch has certainly dropped considerably from when I lived there! I can't imagine them having lunch like that anymore. We used to regularly have a 4 course lunch with a bottle of wine. It made the afternoon go very slowly but....

When I first went to France more than 30 years ago places like Quick, Flunch, McDo etc had been already well established. People have been eating baguette sandwiches, pastries, slices of pizza and pissenlit, and other such items for many moons, especially in the bigger cities. They've also been listening to American music and watching our movies and television for many decades. The difference food wise is that the quick food fix tends to be of a better quality, and the French always set aside at least a few meals a week for long eats and conversation.

[Robin Garr]

When I first went to France more than 30 years ago places like Quick, Flunch, McDo etc had been already well established. People have been eating baguette sandwiches, pastries, slices of pizza and pissenlit, and other such items for many moons, especially in the bigger cities. They've also been listening to American music and watching our movies and television for many decades. The difference food wise is that the quick food fix tends to be of a better quality, and the French always set aside at least a few meals a week for long eats and conversation.

HAHA! I discovered Flunch around 1980, or early 80s, so, yup, 30 years ago!

I would add that quick-service cafeteria food along the Autoroutes is pretty much the same: Not what you'd want at a Paris bistro or cafe in Provence, but not the horrors that you might expect of Interstate rest-stop food in the US, either. And yes, people at least stopping to enjoy their meal, not eating off their lap as they drive.

When I first went to France more than 30 years ago places like Quick, Flunch, McDo etc had been already well established. People have been eating baguette sandwiches, pastries, slices of pizza and pissenlit, and other such items for many moons, especially in the bigger cities. They've also been listening to American music and watching our movies and television for many decades. The difference food wise is that the quick food fix tends to be of a better quality, and the French always set aside at least a few meals a week for long eats and conversation.

HAHA! I discovered Flunch around 1980, or early 80s, so, yup, 30 years ago!

I would add that quick-service cafeteria food along the Autoroutes is pretty much the same: Not what you'd want at a Paris bistro or cafe in Provence, but not the horrors that you might expect of Interstate rest-stop food in the US, either. And yes, people at least stopping to enjoy their meal, not eating off their lap as they drive.

So you were the snouty guy from the US I met at Flunch one day about 30 yrs ago who thought he knew so much about food! I knew I'd track you down some day....Actually, I brought my wife to France for the first time last year. I took her to Flunch one evening. The place is still pretty impressive after all these years. She was generally in awe over the qualty of food every place we went. She was perplexed at how I, my French buddy, and so many others could eat a whole baguette with butter and confiture every morning and not gain weight.

J.Alexander's. Hands down. Also honorable mention to Drake's. I'm a fan.

I too lived in Europe 30 years ago. Quick is disgusting.

Menu
http://www.tacopalenque.com/ourmenu.php

J.Alexander's. Hands down.

I totally forgot about them! Certainly needs to be on the list of better chains.

Menu
http://www.tacopalenque.com/ourmenu.php

Whoa!...... Taco Palenque....many a meal and good times were had there. McAllen, Texas North 10th location.....

Sigh.....home.

Chains that I like:

McCormick and Shmicks
Legal Seafood
Virtually any Cameron Mitchell Restaurant
Waffle House
SmashBurger
Penn Station
Mellow Mushroom
Wendy's
Chipotle
Rafferty's

One chain I would love to see here is Jim & Nicks. They are very, very good at what they do.
http://www.jimnnicks.com
Looking forward to a visit at the Germantown Pkwy location while visiting the Rents next week in Memphis.

We eat at Jim & Nicks in Destin and n the road- the food is consistently good.

Chains that I like:

McCormick and Shmicks

M&S definitely abides...and I'm going to throw Stoney River (at the Summit....errrr I mean "Paddock" shops ) into the mix. We've had several good meals there.

Erbert & Gerbert's is SOOO good. I have eaten at the one in Portage on the way home from our vacation this fall, and they reminded me how much I miss subs. They offer gluten free subs and they really do it right.

The ones around here we like the best, which are colored by the fact that we are a vegan and a gluten free vegetarian are Genghis Grill and Uncle Maddio's. I'm looking forward to trying the new gluten free pizza at California Pizza Kitchen.

I can't believe I left this place of my original chain "wish list"...The Winking Lizard, a Central and NE Ohio icon to pub grub, wings and a beer list to die for. Should "The Winking" ever make it to this side of the river....RUN...getcha some.

http://www.winkinglizard.com/