Gripe/question about the Des Moines Metro (Ankeny, Union: neighborhood, wedding)

[tiki7]

Normally I'm a big supporter of the Des Moines metro area. Really, for a mid-size town in the midwest (read sucky winters), we've got it pretty good. We have many of the options in terms of housing, activities (especially for families), schools, etc. as much, much larger cities just on a smaller scale.

The one huge gripe I have is that compared to cities our size and even smaller, we have few good national chain restaurants and the ones that we do have are often so overcrowded that it is stressful to go there.

Examples: Olive Garden. We have 1. I often go there for lunch but ONLY if I can go by 11 a.m. Arriving at 11 there is most often already a small line waiting at the door to get in as the doors open. AFter that, forget it. Hu-Hot. Sioux Falls, SD has TWO with a metro population of just over 100,000. Des Moines is right at 500,000 with ONE. One that is always crowded with long waits at peak times and even at off times like 3 p.m., still plenty busy. We got our 1st Ruby Tuesday's about 2 years ago. Again, Sioux Falls has had one for a decade or more.

Then there are the restaurants we don't have. Boston Market, Steak 'n Shake, Cheeseburger in Paradise, Trader Joe's and lots of others I am sure.

What is the cause of this? There is plenty of disposable income in our western and northern suburbs. People here eat out. A lot. These places would be supported, I am certain.

If someone knows why this is, I'd love to know.

[El Rhino]

Olive Garden!?!??!?!?!?!


There are way too many good local Italian restaurants in Des Moines for that sort of thing. I can kind of understand someone way out in the suburbs not wanting to go all the way to the South Side, Latin King, Gino's or what have you but I'm pretty certain an Olive Garden within city limits would fail miserably due to local competition.

There used to be Boston Market here, I remember one on SE 14th. I liked it then but I had it in Minneapolis a couple of years ago and was a little underwhelmed. Hu-Hot is pretty sweet though, I wouldn't mind seeing another one of those. I guess they have their reasons for not being here though, whatever they may be.

I can do without Ruby Tuesday's, TGIFridays or whatever but I'm glad we have some of the quality locally owned restaurants we do have here.

[tiki7]

OK Rhino, I will accept that the number of good local Italian eateries is likely the reason why a 2nd Olive Garden may not work if placed closer to where those are located. That does make sense but I will always be an Olive Garden fan and apparently there are lots of other folks around here who feel the same way given the waits at peak times. Different tastes are what make the world go 'round I guess.

My complaint wasn't necessarily that I love ALL of those places (personally I hate Ruby Tuesdays) but rather that our fair city seems to be ignored for reasons I don't fully understand by so many national chains that I am fairly certain would do well here and without harming the business of the local eateries that many enjoy. Bloomington, IN, Sioux Falls, SD---both of these towns have greater restaurant diversity than we do and pale in comparison sizewise. Our demographics aren't that different either....Bloomington is a college town but I wouldn't think that would be the demographic most of these places would be looking for. Sure they have John Mellencamp but hey, we have Shawn Johnson. :P

[capitalcityguy]

Why they heck would you want more formulated chain restaurants?!?! The great thing about Des Moines is there are so many great locally owned places...that's what makes and defines a city. Not that fact that you have the same old places to eat that you can eat in any other decent sized city in the US. That said, it seems to me we are already littered with chain restaurants....especially in the 'burbs.

Why the facination with these places (and for that matter, the lack of appreciation for unique, locally owned restaurants)? What local Italian restaurants have you tried? We are so lucky to live in a metro that offers so many great ones - Latin King, Tumea and Sons, Chucks, Gino, Centro, etc. etc...

If it makes you feel any better, I believe Ankeny, the city without any identity, will continue to be just a dumping ground for chains as I believe they are tapped to get both a Hu Hut and Olive Garden. (if rumors are true).

[cyclone47]

I agree with capitalcityguy. With all of the great locally owned restaurants in the Des Moines metro area, why would anybody want to eat at these national chain restaurants. My experience with chain restaurants is that their food all tastes the same, even if their food is palatable enough for you to eat. Most of them thrive and survive on gimicks, but don't serve anything close to great food. Prime example: The Texas Roadhouse. For God's sake, if you want a great steak in Des Moines just go to the Chicago Speakeasy on Euclid Ave., Gino's on 6th Ave., or a dozen other locally owned restaurants in this town. Why wait in lines into the parking lot, walk on peanut shells, and try to talk over other shouting tables of people, just to be served a 3/8 inch thick piece of fatty meat that has been soaked in seasonings! My fear everytime we get a new national chain restaurant in this town, is that it will put more pressure on the locally owned restaurants to keep their doors open. Everytime one of the locally owned restaurants closes, Des Moines just loses another small reason to even want to live here. Without it's restaurants, there really isn't much going for this city anyway..... except more urban sprawl.

[MrsStewie]

I agree with Capitalcityguy. Ankeny is horrible for chains. I'm originally from a small town in Iowa so I can really appreciate the locally owned restaurants and would prefer those over any chain. Another great Italian restaurant is Baratta's on South Union and in the historic building downtown. They catered our wedding and the food is incredible.

[tiki7]

I guess I'm clearly outnumbered here and the passion my fellow Des Moiniens feel for our local fare maybe does say alot about why many chains don't settle here. I certainly understand this being true for Olive Garden as there are a lot of reputable local Italian restaurants. Less so for some of the other specialties except I will say, for Mexican. I'm pretty sure El Aguila Real and El Rodeo are both local and they are probably my 2 favorite restaurants in Des Moines---(yes I still love Hu Hot and Olive Garden BUT, their frequent waits make them less desireable to go to). I'm not anti-local by any means but when I find something I like when visiting another community and then find out its a nat'l chain, I wish I could enjoy the same stuff here. I know that makes me different than most on this site but again, to each his own I guess. Also, if someone local can put up something similar to Boston Market (fast food that doesn't include only burgers, fries, etc., has a "home cooked" sort of taste and has a drive thru) I guarantee I'll be there. As a busy mom w/kids in sports this is what we often need rather than the sit-down fare offered at the local spots or the nicer nat'l chains.

[tptvosox]

Having lived in Boston and NYC, I can agree that one in that list needs to show up in Des Moines, and that's Trader Joe's. But TJ's is a store (an incredible and affordable one at that), not a restaurant: Welcome to Trader Joe's - Your Neighborhood Grocery Store - Trader Who?

Boston Market is great, as well, but there are too many local places I'd put above that. I really can't think of national chains that I'm dying to see here. Stores yes (clothing and products), but not restaurants.

[Chicago60614]

Yuck.....chain restaurants. They're easy and you know what to expect, but lots of time they just get so bland from it all being so corporate.

[RonnieJonez]

Some people like chains because they know they are going to like what they are going to order.

Nothing worse than going to an expensive restaurant and not liking the food. Personally, I think the local Italian restaurants are a little overrated by the locals who want to think Des Moines Italian food somehow rivals Boston or Chicago. Their menus are also too alike, which is a direct result of being in a small market. They're all claiming Southern Italy about 5 generations too late and they probably don't even know a word of Italian.

Also, when a chain comes to town, it's a much bigger deal than something local, as much as the detractors can't admit.

Example, when Popeye's came to town, there was a line extending into the Merle Hay mall parking lot for the drive-thru, and it's about 1/2 mile away, this went on for days. When Chipotle came to town, I think they may have broke the world record for burritos served in one day.