Speed round of no go!

On the flip side, places I refuse to go because of bad experience, politics,food poisoning,etc.

1. Chick Fil A
2. Bristol
3. Joe's Older than Dirt
4.Olive Garden
5. The Back Door

1. Burger King
2. Wick's
3. Tumbleweed
4. Hard Rock
5. El Tarasco

99% of national chains. To many awesome local places always popping up.

I'm not sure the subject of this thread is fair. Considering the wide range of "criteria" (including "etc."!!!), plopping a restaurant down on this list is a pretty low blow, in my opinion. For instance, any restaurant on this list is now subject to being tarred with the "food poisoning" brush, when they may just be on someone's list for "etc." - whatever that was: long wait, full parking lot, ugly wallpaper, noise level, etc. (!)

Everyone has a short list like this but I don't see any need to publish it with such scant information.

Everyone has a short list like this but I don't see any need to publish it with such scant information

Thank you, Marsha. I totally agree!

This thread makes me sad. There's nothing wrong with posting a negative experience, or why you don't like a place, but a speed round? With no details? What could be the point? At least with the "favourite restaurant" thread, even without details, you still don't run the risk of hurting someone's business and livelihood with no explanation for it.

I'm not sure the subject of this thread is fair. Considering the wide range of "criteria" (including "etc."!!!), plopping a restaurant down on this list is a pretty low blow, in my opinion. For instance, any restaurant on this list is now subject to being tarred with the "food poisoning" brush, when they may just be on someone's list for "etc." - whatever that was: long wait, full parking lot, ugly wallpaper, noise level, etc. (!)

Everyone has a short list like this but I don't see any need to publish it with such scant information.

+1. Very well said! Without explanation of reasoning saying he refused to go to a restaurant isn't very valid. Saying restaurant is one of your favorites is one thing but putting it on this list is....

[Robin Garr]

I sort of agree with everyone else. It borders on snide, and there's enough of that around without us contributing.

Disagree.

I don't really believe you need to justify an opinion in these types of forums. When I wrote mine own out, I had no experiences with food poisoning or someone doing something improper, but I still categorically would not want to go back to any of the places I personally listed. Do not feel that hurts anyone's business.

I could do the same for vacation spots, cars, TV shows, political parties, etc. and usually the debate is welcome, but feel there is too much of an attitude that either you speak in glowing terms or be silent, and that to me discourages very valuable information. If everything is outstanding (or at least that is what is communicated), then nothing is distinguishable.

Didn't mean to be snide. I dislike most chains, but especially Olive Garden because I had bad service, fatty food and two days of non-stop vomiting thereafter. A call about it was not returned. Chick-Fil-a, politics. Last week, we had four people go to Joes for bar food. I've been there many times. I usually enjoy nachos. I got potato salad with undercooked potatoes in a tasteless sauce, cold green beans which were shredded in microscopic pieces and were ice cold swimming in fat. The broccoli casserole was bits of soggy frozen pieces covered in some watery Campbell soup. The pizza was on a shoe sole. My husband scraped off the toppings and ate a few bites. He said it was the worst pizza he's ever tasted. It was also the longest wait I've had in ages at such a place.

You can remove this thread. I guess you should complain individually,but I've never been motivated to post about the last truly bad meal at Bristol, I just wrote them off.

I always give a place a second try, btw.

This is such a difficult business in which to succeed I see no reason for drive by snipping. It really seems unfair to me to engage in such a negative game with no context whatsoever.

I know in my list of five I would include one of the most treasured restaurants in town because I find the owner loathsome, but what purpose would that serve other than to stroke my resentment?

Now, I enjoy a good snark as much as anyone and am exceptionally good at it, but I draw the line when it involves other's livelihoods in a public forum.

[Robin Garr]

Didn't mean to be snide.

I don't believe you did, Linda. Your heart was good, but I think when I saw an entire discussion evolving that shot down local eateries without context, it didn't look like something to encourage. Not your fault, and I'm certainly not placing blame. I don't think we need to censor the topic, either. Just think of it as one of those, "Hmm, let's think before this gets out of hand" moments. I'd really like to emphasize, though, that there's no criticism of you or anyone else in this discussion.

I could do the same for vacation spots, cars, TV shows, political parties, etc. and usually the debate is welcome, but feel there is too much of an attitude that either you speak in glowing terms or be silent, and that to me discourages very valuable information. If everything is outstanding (or at least that is what is communicated), then nothing is distinguishable.

And this is where I see a fundamental disconnect. So far, no one has said it's not OK to criticise. However, listing five restaurants you won't go back to isn't actually criticism. It's just naming names without giving reasons. Love a place? Tell me why, because it doesn't mean much just as a rave without reasons. Hate a place? Tell me why, because then I can make my own decisions. Just make a list of places you love and places you hate? Now all I have are questions.

Linda, for what it's worth, I didn't think you meant to be snide, either.

I gave reasons for four of my five. I actually went easy on Bristol. The reason I listed Back Door was I witnessed the owner using F bombs on people who favored a smoking ban. Disagreeing is one thing, calling people stupid MFs is another.

I would rather go overboard praising the great chefs and restaurants that we enjoy here. We spend lots of $ in the industry, and not at chains. I stand behind the 5 I listed, though I wish I had asked, "what specifically makes you absolutely avoid a business?" This goes for any business on any chat site. I had a food poisoning issue in CA which was handled poorly. I wrote about it in an online forum. If they handled it fairly, it would not have been an issue.

Now, I just heard that a rather new joint in Louisville has been double booking bands in order to be covered and dismissing other bands for later gigs. Should I share or keep mum?

[Robin Garr]

Should I share or keep mum?

Sharing - with specifics - is always in good order.