Why isnt there that many chain restaurants in seattle? (husband)

[Seacove]

Originally Posted by angelenogirl

I love Fred Meyer, and the new one in Greenwood is close by and really nice (though I don't get why there's a Tully's and a Starbucks in there). Way better than Walmart.

The only chain I really miss is In-N-Out. I actually want one so bad I'm planning a trip back to California next month. Not just for the burger, but still.

I like their burgers but their fries are terrible. I actually like Five Guys fries much more if I'm going to have a burger and fries.

As for chains, I don't know anyone that laments the lack of Applebees. It's always nice to support the local businesses.

[BellevueNative]

I can't remember the last time I went to a Chili's, but we do have a few. I think there's still one in Issaquah, but the one in east Bellevue closed a few years ago. It could be that Chili's closed a number of their locations due to money problems.

I've heard that Seattle has one of the lowest rates per capita of fast food/quick service restaurants. Fine with me. We're lucky to have a lot of independent restaurants here...something a lot of places wish they had more of.

If I had to pick a chain restaurant for a casual meal, I'd pick Red Robin. That's where we went when I was in high school, and I still like it on occasion. Sometimes I crave their honey mustard sauce.

[CarawayDJ]

I kinda like both chain and independent restaurants. They both have a place IMHO. As much as I love a good hole in the wall italian restaurant, I'd low-crawl naked over a mile of broken glass for a chicken marsala at Carrabba's right about now.

Now for my pet peeve.... I love it when people talk about supporting local shops and restaurants. Actually, I'm envious. Stores and restaurants get special treatment by people. I just wish those same people and towns that claim to support local businesses realized there are more types of local businesses than stores and restaurants.

[Camano Days]

I moved here from out of state and although I prefer non-chain restaurants, there are not many good places to eat near where I live - Exit 212 on I-5. I really miss Maggiano's, Outback and Carabba's. I do not live close to Seattle and the restaurants where I live are, for the most part, awful. There is no good Italian food for maybe 40 miles. The Italian places near me, like Johnny Carano's are god awful. It's like eating school cafeteria food with thier watered down sauces and poor quality bread.. I guess I should move - or go on vacation more so I can find some good food.....

[ironcouger]

Originally Posted by Camano Days

I moved here from out of state and although I prefer non-chain restaurants, there are not many good places to eat near where I live - Exit 212 on I-5. I really miss Maggiano's, Outback and Carabba's. I do not live close to Seattle and the restaurants where I live are, for the most part, awful. There is no good Italian food for maybe 40 miles. The Italian places near me, like Johnny Carano's are god awful. It's like eating school cafeteria food with thier watered down sauces and poor quality bread.. I guess I should move - or go on vacation more so I can find some good food.....

go to Alderwood Mall.

[eskercurve]

Originally Posted by Camano Days

I moved here from out of state and although I prefer non-chain restaurants, there are not many good places to eat near where I live - Exit 212 on I-5. I really miss Maggiano's, Outback and Carabba's. I do not live close to Seattle and the restaurants where I live are, for the most part, awful. There is no good Italian food for maybe 40 miles. The Italian places near me, like Johnny Carano's are god awful. It's like eating school cafeteria food with thier watered down sauces and poor quality bread.. I guess I should move - or go on vacation more so I can find some good food.....

So you live in the middle of nowhere up there ...

Around Alderwood mall there's mostly chain restaurants but H mart has excellent Korean, Chinese, and a good Japanese place.

If you venture to Mill Creek your choices expand greatly. Mukilteo has Diamon Knot (*gurgle best beer in Seattle area!) and Ivars sitdown restaurant Brooklyn pizza place that dunno if authentic but I thought it tasty. Cafe Soliel is just awesome asian fusion.

Diamond knot is also on Camano Island with other great places there. Yeah check out the island.

Snohomish has many cute little family run places, definitely recommend that town.

In Everett try the Gastropub, it was featured on Ramsay's kitchen nightmares but they really outdid themselves turning it around. Also King Noodle has fresh made noodles if you want Chinese. Couple of nice coffeehouses there too.

[RustinginSeattle]

Chains?!? We don't need no stinkin' chains!!

Some of the chains don't quite feel like chains to me, because they started here... Ivars, Taco Time, Red Robin (the first one was a bar on Eastlake).

[revelated]

Puget Sound region is lacking in chains. They prefer mom-and-pops. Which shut down just as frequently.

We really do need (in some cases, more of):

- Rambertos
- Humbertos
- Jobertos
- Robertos
- Albertos
- Pat & Oscars
- Wings & Things
- Chik-Fil-A (I know the hippies chased them out once upon a time)
- New York Style Bagels & Café
- Church's Chicken
- Z-Pizza
- Submarina
- Farmer's Market
- Real greek restaurants
- Checkers/Rally's
- Hardee's
- New York Style Pizza
- Fatburger
- What-a-burger
- Worldburger
- Long John Silvers
- Boston Market (hippies chased them out too)
- El Pollo Loco
- Del Taco

It's frankly silly that McDonalds, Denny's, Starbucks, and Taco Time have so many frickin locations all over the place.

[amandaskye]

Originally Posted by JSeaman0

It was the same way in san francisco. Why isn't there that much fast food or chain restaurants in Seattle? Do most people here not like those kind of places? Most cities in america have these places everywhere.

Seattle and San Francisco are named as some of the most hipster cities.

[AngelicCreativity]

I noticed that too when I moved here a few years ago.

I wondered why downtown would not have more fast food joints besides that one McDonalds on 3rd and Pine.