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I think you hit it when you mentioned price as well as everything else. Again, the average person does not even try the tops line restaurants because of price as well as preferance. If you did a quick survey on which is better, Outback or Ruth Chris? Most people would say Outback because they do not frequent places that charge about $50 to $100 per person for a meal..You and I might feel differently, but I am talking about the majority of us.
As a travel agent I see this with which cruise lines are rated the best and which ones most people cruise. They do not even think "Cunard" or "Seabourne" just to mention a few, in fact they often don't think HAL or Celebrity. They think RCI, Carnaval, Princess and NCL. So when these polls are done, they are based on how many people eat at those dining places. This isn't just Ft Smith, Little Rock, Dallas, or anyplace else, it is pretty much nation wide.
I bet if you asked 1000 Americans where they would go if they could spend a week vacationing anywhere in the world, the majority would say Hawaii or the Caribbean even though I would choose someplace like Hong Kong, the Baltic Sea area or maybe Austrailia for starters, but most people do even think that way.
Nita
I see what you are saying. If you don't know about it, you would not vote on it. HOwever, I looked at the top ten 'VOTED" Italian resturaunts in Atlanta, and Olive Garden was not on the list. Ruth Cris does have great steaks although Chops is the best, in my opinion. I have only eaten one time at either of the places, but I know it is the better than Western Sizzlin for best steak houses. The fact that people in Fort Smith don't know about Taliano's only proves my point about the people in Fort Smith. We have beaten this to death.
I disagree that people in Fort Smith don't know about Talianos. Heck, most high schools kids in this area know about the place. I have been in there on numerous occasions during prom season and the place is full of prom kids coming in for dinner.
I think nita was right about the price point. A lot of people in Fort Smith think Olive Garden is too expensive; they would have a coronary if they saw what people pay at real restaurants.
I disagree that people in Fort Smith don't know about Talianos. Heck, most high schools kids in this area know about the place. I have been in there on numerous occasions during prom season and the place is full of prom kids coming in for dinner.
I think nita was right about the price point. A lot of people in Fort Smith think Olive Garden is too expensive; they would have a coronary if they saw what people pay at real restaurants.
If that is the case, then they really have no idea. Sad.
I don't know that I necessarily agree. I've paid $300 for one meal. I've eaten in LA, SD, Dallas, Chicago, Atlanta and a few other places. My parents were kind enough to educate my tongue to the finer foods. I love French Triple Cream Brie but I can't find it where I live. It's a challenge to find Blue Cheese Crumbles much let along French cheese. If I want to enjoy fine dining I drive at least 50 miles.
What many foodies who are accustomed to upscale dining in NYC or Chicago do not understand is food. The top meats gp to private country clubs first. Restaurants get the second bite of the apple. Grocers get the last bite - regardless of what they order; there is only so much of the best beef to sell. Not only that, it goes to the mega cities first. Small town America does not get the same grade of beef that is sold to NYC. It is a facat of the food industry.
I traveled a lot and I drove long hours every day. What I ate and where I ate was dependent upon the next truck stop. I couldn't risk an upset stomach by eating strange food and drinking local water. The simple answer was I didn't. At night I stopped at the local grocer where I picked up a newspaper, deli meats and cheese, bagged ice and bottled water.
People on fixed incomes do not spend $200 for a steak dinner. If they do it is for an anniversary and its planned well in advance. Poor people have poor ways and it is usually chain restaurants. What I learned long ago is most of the national chains are over-rated and not worth near what they charge. One night I paid nearly $50 for sandwiches that were not fit to eat. Needless to day I will stop at Steak n' Shake a lot quicker than I will at that other chain store simply because I know what I will get if I order a Steakburger. It has not changed in 50 years and I live that. I cannot say the same for McD's or the rest. They are always try too hard to keep a customer. I went in one day for a sandwich and apple pie. The pies were frozen. Fine, I'll take it home a heat it. I could not do it and they lost a $5 sale. H's was more than happy to sell me a case of frozen pies if that is what I wanted.
If that is the case, then they really have no idea. Sad.
It seems possible some of them might actually be poor people. Maybe for some people "Olive Gardens" is really the most they can afford in Italian food. Maybe that is "sad", as in sad that they're poor, but I don't even know if it's that sad. I mean "barely affording the Olive Garden" poor is not quite like "living on food stamps and pancake batter" poor. (Or the much rarer "living on hunting and gathering" poor)
My family has friends from back when in Fort Smith. Technically speaking I was born there as that's where the hospital my Mom went to is located. I wouldn't want to live anywhere that large, second-largest city in Arkansas, but I remember it having some nice places. I seem to recall we preferred the Van Buren part though.
If that is the case, then they really have no idea. Sad.
what is sad? The fact that someplace like Olive Garden is the top of the line for many people? Although I am certainly anything but a supporter of most chain restaurants, I do not think I would call it sad. I guess you and I just don't see this the same way, many people, especially in small towns enjoy the occassional time they can go to the mom and pop diner and get biscuits and gravy for breakfast or chicken fiied steak for dinner. If you offered them a filtet M. they would know what to do. They would probably want in cooked well done, but this isn't sad, as long as they are happy. What would be sad is, them wanting to enjoy that $100 or $200 dinner and not be able to afford a $25 dinner. I know many who think a good seafood meal is all you can eat buffet at the nearest casino on Friday night. Have you even tried one of those buffets? If you have you would know they do not offer good seafood, but for those who enjoy the experience, good for them.
BTW, a foodie is someone who I would refer to as a food snob. They look their noses down at those who do not enjoy the true culinary delights or what they feel are the true delights. they wouldn't be caught dead at a Micky Ds for instance and yes, they spend $200 for dinner without blincking an eye. These are the same people who only buy organic food (or think it is organic) think that if a steak cost $15 a lb it must be the best just because of price and they don't hesitate to let the world know this. They are sorta like the guy who says, if you didn't graduate from Harvard you probably don't have a really good education..
By the way I don't see anything wrong with organic foods, in fact I love growing my garden and doing my own canning. Yes, I love to cook, I do like my gourmet sauses, I miss living on the east and/or west coast where we got really fresh seafood and if I didn't have my fresh herbs I would not know what to do, but I don't expect everyone to enjoy cooking the way I do and I see nothing wrong with those main stream Americans who are quite happy to dine at fast food restaurants or think the ultimate meal is a buffet at Western Sizzler (actually they do have great chicken, but I didn't say that.)
I don't know that I necessarily agree. I've paid $300 for one meal. I've eaten in LA, SD, Dallas, Chicago, Atlanta and a few other places. My parents were kind enough to educate my tongue to the finer foods. I love French Triple Cream Brie but I can't find it where I live. It's a challenge to find Blue Cheese Crumbles much let along French cheese. If I want to enjoy fine dining I drive at least 50 miles.
What many foodies who are accustomed to upscale dining in NYC or Chicago do not understand is food. The top meats gp to private country clubs first. Restaurants get the second bite of the apple. Grocers get the last bite - regardless of what they order; there is only so much of the best beef to sell. Not only that, it goes to the mega cities first. Small town America does not get the same grade of beef that is sold to NYC. It is a facat of the food industry.
I traveled a lot and I drove long hours every day. What I ate and where I ate was dependent upon the next truck stop. I couldn't risk an upset stomach by eating strange food and drinking local water. The simple answer was I didn't. At night I stopped at the local grocer where I picked up a newspaper, deli meats and cheese, bagged ice and bottled water.
People on fixed incomes do not spend $200 for a steak dinner. If they do it is for an anniversary and its planned well in advance. Poor people have poor ways and it is usually chain restaurants. What I learned long ago is most of the national chains are over-rated and not worth near what they charge. One night I paid nearly $50 for sandwiches that were not fit to eat. Needless to day I will stop at Steak n' Shake a lot quicker than I will at that other chain store simply because I know what I will get if I order a Steakburger. It has not changed in 50 years and I live that. I cannot say the same for McD's or the rest. They are always try too hard to keep a customer. I went in one day for a sandwich and apple pie. The pies were frozen. Fine, I'll take it home a heat it. I could not do it and they lost a $5 sale. H's was more than happy to sell me a case of frozen pies if that is what I wanted.
.
agree, most chains are overpriced, there are a few exceptions. We decided to stop at Denny's on our way home (hubby decided) from NM last week. It was lunch time, we had not have much for breakfast and we did need something. Again, if nothing else you can depend on them being clean most of the time. Anyway, not only was the service awful, our wait person nowhere to be found but the cheapest hamburger was a little over $8.00. Needless to say, we got up and walked out. Would I pay $8 for a hamburger? Yes, if it was a really top quality restaurant, at Denny's, no way!!!!
We had a similar experience a few weeks ago which shows how food is subjective. Our garnddaughter was getting an anvanced degree from OU and we were going to celebrate after graduation. Of course she choose the place, on the recommendation of she and her husbands good friends she choose an Habachi restaurant in Norman. If it had been good, it would have been fairly priced, but it was not good. It was dirty, very small servicing, rice undercooked, drinks so weak no one even drank them, etc, etc. We all felt sorry for our granddaughter. It wasn't her fault but she was totally in shock. By the way, the couple who recommended the place are not just a couple of young people who do not know quality, in this case their idea and ours was totally different.
what is sad? The fact that someplace like Olive Garden is the top of the line for many people? Although I am certainly anything but a supporter of most chain restaurants, I do not think I would call it sad.
Nita
What I was saying was sad is that they have never tried really good food. If they had tried it and did not like it, then that is another thing entirely. I guess I am not a foodie. I can't afford to be a foodie. I do like really good food, which most of the time is expensive, but not always. I still eat at the Awful House maybe twice a year, and I love the Krystal, although the one in Fayetteville is not that great. I love Varsity hamburgers in Atlanta.
I am trying to quit eating fast food, but not because I feel I am above it, but because most of the fast food that I eat is not good for me. Since coming to Fort Smith I have started cooking more myself because there are not that many good resturaunts. That is probably a good thing. I have found out that I enjoy cooking and I can make things just the way I like them. It is also nice to have people over to the house. It is just a more pleasant experience. I also now have a baby and it is a lot easier. Sweet baby Proud Papa.
1) They typically do not buy locally. Even their breads (which could be bought from local bakeries) and vegetables (which could be bought from local farmers) are usually grown in Peru, Chile, Mexico, or even California (the horror!), then packaged, then put on a big truck, then days, weeks, even months later delivered to the local restaurant. I wish they would buy more locally. Many (not all) locally-owned restaurants are good at buying locally. (Some buy from Sysco; if I ever see a Sysco truck in your parking lot, I'm done with you.)
2) Their food is generally predictable. Some people think that's a great thing, and that's a big reason for going to the chains. Personally, I like the fact that the salsa at my local Mexican restaurant is a little different every time I go. I like the fact that the marinara at my local Italian joint is a little sweeter or more acidic this time than it was the last. I like the imperfections. It reminds me of my mom's cooking and my grandma's cooking; different flavors/ingredients come through more at different times. That's part of the fun of going out to eat -- the adventure and surprise of it all.
3) They tend to foster an environment of 'hurry'. I don't like that. I don't want to be churned. I know you have to make a profit by turning this table around, but give me a minute or two to have a discussion with the folks at my table. Locally-owned restaurants, in my experience, are less likely to rush me in an attempt to 'turn the table'.
RE Fort Smith --
I've been there a few times. I don't think I would want to live there as it does seem to be dominated by chain culture. But the people I've met there were nice, and I know they take great pride in their town, so good for them. If they're happy, then that's all that matters, imo.
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Proud Papa.
