Boycott

speaking of old papa john...

i saw in today's CJ that he's now a partial owner of some "Panera like" restaurant that he's hoping to expand into a mega-chain.

here's a link if anyone is interested:
http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070425/BUSINESS/704251139

I love chili!!!! ;however I must come to the defense of one of my favorite foods, the much maligned and misunderstood "Cincinatti Style Chili". If taken in the context of what the dish is, I don't see much to dislike. A 3 way is a treat. Spaghetti, Cheddar Cheese and a chili sauce with a unique flavor(cloves,allspice,cinnamon and sometimes chocolate in some recipes).

I think some puke just came up in my mouth.

I'm sorry folks, but I honestly don't see the appeal. Tex-mex varieties have so much more flavor and texture than this pile of bland sauce on top of plain spaghetti with all that unwarranted cheese on top. Why would anyone want to eat all that cheese in one meal? The dish just doesn't make culinary sense to me.






Well do you like pizza? There is alot more cheese on pizza than on a 3 way! Anyway, everyone has a different opinion on Skyline. Like a lot of other things "you either love it or hate it".

Ok, fill me in, guys...short synopsis--please not opening a debate...just curious. I don't even know who the founder is!!

Ashley, Domino's founder Tom Monaghan is a strong financial supporter of fanatical right-wing Christian causes, particularly abortion, from a far-right Catholic perspective. In fairness, he is no longer associated with Domino's (except possibly as a stockholder - I don't know about that). He also started a new conservative Catholic law school, Ave Maria University, originally in Michigan (?), where he got into a fight with his own faculty who objected to his political interventions into teaching and tenure issues, and later decided to move the college to Florida, where he's building a grandiose college and a town around it. At one point he attracted controversy by announcing that the town would legislate morality for its citizens, ban adult books and movies, that kind of thing, but he's drawn back somewhat from that.

Here's one among many Web articles about him. This one is admittedly from an anti-Monaghan perspective, but I think it pretty much covers the ground.

Hmmmm. Very interesting. Thanks for filling me in!

Domino's Pizza. I have issues with the founder's politics. Please don't turn this post into a political discussion, though -- we're here to talk about food.

Good point, Paige. I wouldn't eat Domino's anyway, because it's even more bland and flavorless than Papa John's. But even if it was bodaciously wonderful pizza, the founder's politics would still keep me far, far away.

Ok, fill me in, guys...short synopsis--please not opening a debate...just curious. I don't even know who the founder is!!

hmmmm....very interesting. Thanks for the info!

I also say corporate-manufactured American beer (not the ones from the microbreweries) isn't real beer, but rather piss-water.

Alas, and in spite of my agreement that it bears numerous resemblances to piss water, such swill is produced by fermenting malted barley. That makes it beer, by fundamental definition.

Not beating a dead horse here, but during the course of travels through Europe, I must have tasted two dozen variants labeled as goulash, though there have been differences aplenty in the composition and presentation. My general reaction has been, "yummy."

I'm defiantly visiting Skyline tomorrow, and will be cooking my own Cincy chili recipe very soon; can't do it this weekend because I'm completely out of smoked Bavarian lager. I will make like a pig in slop while consuming it, and wash it down with non-piss water beer -- perhaps Jolly Pumpkin's (Michigan) excellent La Roja.

Ahhh ... que sera sera.

I also say corporate-manufactured American beer (not the ones from the microbreweries) isn't real beer, but rather piss-water.

Alas, and in spite of my agreement that it bears numerous resemblances to piss water, such swill is produced by fermenting malted barley. That makes it beer, by fundamental definition.

Not beating a dead horse here, but during the course of travels through Europe, I must have tasted two dozen variants labeled as goulash, though there have been differences aplenty in the composition and presentation. My general reaction has been, "yummy."

I'm defiantly visiting Skyline tomorrow, and will be cooking my own Cincy chili recipe very soon; can't do it this weekend because I'm completely out of smoked Bavarian lager. I will make like a pig in slop while consuming it, and wash it down with non-piss water beer -- perhaps Jolly Pumpkin's (Michigan) excellent La Roja.

Ahhh ... que sera sera.

I guess I thought people would naturally realize that when I said something isn't "real", that is a stab at its non-originality, or lack of quality or palate-worthiness, and based on my individual opinion.

Hey, to each his own, though. People should eat what they enjoy eating. Nobody should waste one moment of time caring what others think of their food choices anyway. Life is too short for that.

Agreed, and I really enjoy your board. We've been trying to do something like it here in NA ... with mixed results.

Agreed, and I really enjoy your board. We've been trying to do something like it here in NA ... with mixed results.

Thanks. I'm always happy to see other efforts to get people to communicate with each other about local issues and such. If you have it up and running, I'd be happy to tell others about it.

I would say I'm having mixed results with my board too. The membership growth has been slow, and the conversation is spotty. I'm striving to be patient and letting it grow as organically as possible. It's a fun slog, although technical issues are sometimes frustrating. In the end, it should be worth the effort.

Well do you like pizza? There is alot more cheese on pizza than on a 3 way! Anyway, everyone has a different opinion on Skyline. Like a lot of other things "you either love it or hate it".

It depends on what kind of pizza you mean. Most pizzas I eat aren't three inches deep in cheese, and usually the cheese shares space with other toppings.

Well sir, I think we have agreed to disagree on our feelings concerning Cincy Style "chili".

But I don't think that just because you don't care for a certain type of food, you would call for a boycott. There are better ways to voice your displeasure.
I mean, I really HATE, pretty much every chain restaurant that serves what is described as "fast casual"(ie.. Applebee's, Friday's, O'Chucks and the like) with a few exceptions (I do like me some Steak and Shake from time to time). In my humble opinion, I feel the "atmoshpere"is generally ill conceaved and mediocre at best, service is usually very spotty, and I often find the food offerings at these places insipid and uninspired most of the time. The corporate bean counters that run these places don't really have your best dining experience in mind when they write the menus. However, I just choose not to go there. I wouldn't call for an all out ban just because I don't care for the establishment and what they serve. I just spend my hard earned cash elsewhere.

For many other people(Robert, for example)These places that I despise are a real dining option. There are way too many of them out there for them not to appeal to the general public. I think that most folks just want to get something to eat that they feel is a good value, get in and out quickly, and perhaps, eat something they enjoy because they don't have to, or know how to cook at home. Or they have kids and most chains are VERY kid friendly(Another reason why I don't go to these restaurants, but that's another topic altogeather). Maybe I'm a little biased because I'm a food service professional, and I have first hand, insider knowledge of what in my perception, is good or bad food.
In my eyes, I feel that just choosing not to frequent certain restaurants and not giving them my money is protest enough for me.
Wow, I'm sorry I went on a minor rant there. I'm really just trying to say that there is no need to picket Skyline, just because you don't like it. Just don't eat it.(stepping down from the soapbox now)

I don't think the thread is about any kind of organized boycott, but rather about suggested avoidance based on foodie experience.

Dan, I essentially agree with your post, as it's mostly spot on. Well, except the Steak 'n Shake part. Their shakes are great, for sure. But their burgers and fries are sub-par, even beneath White Castle, IMHO.

I love the "Sliders" as well but, you have to branch out sometimes. You can't live on White Castle!(or maybe you can....)

.

[Robin Garr]

I question whether their employees, by and large, would tell you that they feel mistreated, though. The company provides opportunities for advancement that might not be available at other places. My wife is a vendor and calls on their retail stores periodically. She says there are lots of opportunitries to progress and department and store managers are treated well. And, whether you like it or not, other retail employers look favorably on those that have Wal-Mart experience.

I've been a vendor to Wal-Mart, too, and they tend to beat down vendors, so there are obviously negatives along with the positives.

Jay, it's probably beyond the scope of this forum, but it seems to me that there's ample evidence that Walmart is anything but benign to most of its employees, and certainly inimical - probably illegally so - to any effort at union organizing; practice unfair competition and lead a race to the bottom in quality, inspiring their competitors to cut corners to stay in the race (much as Gannett has done in the field of journalism).

That's my story, and I'm stickin' to it ...

As for your thoughts about the size of the store and the impractical nature of "big lots" shopping for two-consumer families or singles, I agree, although in fairness, that's an issue with Costco, too.

Well, I know I'm steppin' in it here, but I do shop at Sam's, but I'm buying for my business. I actually do need 50 pound bags of sugar and 1/2 cases (7.5 dozen) eggs just about every week. I use click and pull, where I email in my order before 5 pm and the next day its pulled and waiting for me at the counter by the door. Sam's sugar is Domino's @ $20 and Dawn (the bakery goods supplier I use for nearly everything else is $34 per bag.) I gotta stay in business, and sugar is sugar. Sam's does provide great prices for the small biz owner.