Chain restaurants in the Syracuse area (Buffalo, Rochester: home, neighborhood, movies)

[bellafinzi]

Just an informative post. There really isn't many(if any) sites on the internet where you can see a list of chains for each US city. So I thought I'll do my part and list the chain restaurants currently in the Syracuse area. Just in case those browsing and thinking of relocating to the area are curious. This is City-DATA you know! (Please save the anti-chain/supporting local mom and pop restaurants comments for another thread. Thank You--)

Sit Down
Applebee's
Red Lobster
Ruby Tuesday
Chili's
Olive Garden
Denny's
Panera Bread
Smokey Bones BBQ
Pizzeria Uno
Friendly's
Fresno's
Tully's
Zebb's
Dinosaur Bar-B-Que
Ponderosa
Salsarita's Fresh Cantina
Cracker Barrel
TGI Friday's
Johnny Rockets
Chuck E. Cheese
Texas Roadhouse
Outback Steakhouse
Red Robin
Buffalo Wild Wings
IHOP
Bonefish Grill
Carrabba's Italian Grill
Nothing but Noodles


Fast Food
McDonalds
Burger King
Starbucks
Arby's
Taco Bell
A&W
Dunkin Donuts
Subway
Wendy's
KFC
Wingstop
Arthur Treacher's
Bruegger's Bagels
Quiznos
Papa John's
Pizza Hut
Domino's pizza
Little Caesars Pizza


(Believe it or not, when weighting the pros and cons of a city....chains can make a difference. For example, not too long ago in this very forum. The fact that Syracuse does not yet have a "Whole Foods" was a real factor for someone trying to decide between relocating to Syracuse or Connecticut.)

Also, finding a current list of all local restaurants is not easy. If anyone has info about the local Syracuse based restaurants, please feel free to post away.

If I'm missing a chain in my list, please let me know. Thanks for your cooperation!

[bellafinzi]

Chain Restaurants not in the Syracuse Market....yet are in either the Buffalo, Rochester or Albany markets.

1. Famous Dave's
2. Boston Market
3. Dinner By Design
4. Macaroni Grill
5. Buca di Beppo
6. Cinema Grill
7. Fuddruckers
8. Popeyes
9. Manhattan Bagel
10. Panda Express
11. Cheesecake Factory
12. Roadhouse Grill
13. Champps Enterainment
14. Long John Silver's
15. Cheeburger Cheeburger
16. P.F. Chang's China Bistro
17. The Melting Pot
18. Ben & Jerry's
19. Bugaboo Creek Steakhouse
20. Biaggi's Ristorante Italiano
21. Atlanta Bread
22. 99 Restaurant & Pub
23. Old Country Buffet
24. Perkins
25. Houlihan's
26. Jack Astor's
27. Firkin & Fox
28. Great Harvest Bread Co
29. Old Chicago Pizza & Pasta

For some reason many restaurants just skip over the Syracuse area.

[kmbell]

Cheesecake Factory and Bucca di Beppo are worth a visit, but I hate the idea of chain restaurants. The food is never that great, since you know you're not getting anything unique or local when you're served a good meal. Do people really make their home choices based on proximity to Olive Garden? (Not a rhetorical question)

I'd rather have Alto Cinco or Varsity Pizza any day, or Dinosaur Barbeque for that matter (yes, I know they opened a chain in Rochester). What are people's favorite everyday restaurants in the area, the non-white tablecloth establishments?

(I'll make this into it's own post, it's a bit of an aside)

[jecker1970]

It is amazing to me that this area does not have Boston Market or Long John Silver's. I used to live right near a Boston Market in Sch'dy and that's one thing about there that I miss.

[Slig]

you can move Old Country Buffet to the "not in syracuse" list. Both locations closed on Monday and Tuesday of this week.

[bellafinzi]

Originally Posted by Slig

you can move Old Country Buffet to the "not in syracuse" list. Both locations closed on Monday and Tuesday of this week.

Thanks for the info! That's too bad.... Not that Old Country Buffet is a big deal, but unfortunately that means more people out of a job. Why does it seem like Syracuse is always taking one step forward and two steps back.

[Slig]

Originally Posted by bellafinzi

Thanks for the info! That's too bad.... Not that Old Country Buffet is a big deal, but unfortunately that means more people out of a job. Why does it seem like Syracuse is always taking one step forward and two steps back.

I agree with all points except when you said that Old Country Buffet isn't a big deal...it just so happens to be one of the few chain restaurants I enjoy eating at.

[bellafinzi]

Tim Horton's rollout in the Syracuse market has begun! Looks like East Syracuse will be the first to see a Timmies in the area.

Very surprising. Only one Tim Horton's location for the northern burbs has been announced so far - Cicero. Haven't even seen any movement on that proposal either. Looks like they took down the coming soon sign a couple weeks ago. The northern suburbs are the most populated area of the Syracuse market. You'd think that many more Tim Horton's would be announced by now.

I just hope Tim Horton's doesn't make the same mistake that others in the past have by locating stores in either 1) out of the way locations or 2) hard to reach locations near busy intersections where it is difficult to drive in or out of the establishment. Also, I hope Tim Horton's does not judge the Syracuse market based how well it does in East Syracuse or the DeWitt area....or even the city or Camillus. Those areas are completely different than the northern suburbs. The Clay, Salina, Cicero, B'ville area is the real gauge of this market. If it doesn't do good in the northern suburbs, it probably will not do good in the rest of the market. On the other hand, you can not judge the Syracuse market based on how a store does in a city neighborhood or the eastern or western suburbs IMO.

A little off topic...I hear that Pavone's pizza is opening up another location in East Syracuse. Bad choice of the next locale. Too bad Pavone's pizza hasn't made its way back to the northern suburbs. I grew up eating at Pavone's pizza in Penn Can Mall back in the day. Since Penn Can Mall shut down in the early 90s, I've only eaten a Pavone's pizza a hand full of times. IMO still makes one of the better pizza's in town.

[jrice]

Originally Posted by bellafinzi

Tim Horton's rollout in the Syracuse market has begun! Looks like East Syracuse will be the first to see a Timmies in the area.

Very surprising. Only one Tim Horton's location for the northern burbs has been announced so far - Cicero. Haven't even seen any movement on that proposal either. Looks like they took down the coming soon sign a couple weeks ago. The northern suburbs are the most populated area of the Syracuse market. You'd think that many more Tim Horton's would be announced by now.

I just hope Tim Horton's doesn't make the same mistake that others in the past have by locating stores in either 1) out of the way locations or 2) hard to reach locations near busy intersections where it is difficult to drive in or out of the establishment. Also, I hope Tim Horton's does not judge the Syracuse market based how well it does in East Syracuse or the DeWitt area....or even the city or Camillus. Those areas are completely different than the northern suburbs. The Clay, Salina, Cicero, B'ville area is the real gauge of this market. If it doesn't do good in the northern suburbs, it probably will not do good in the rest of the market. On the other hand, you can not judge the Syracuse market based on how a store does in a city neighborhood or the eastern or western suburbs IMO.

A little off topic...I hear that Pavone's pizza is opening up another location in East Syracuse. Bad choice of the next locale. Too bad Pavone's pizza hasn't made its way back to the northern suburbs. I grew up eating at Pavone's pizza in Penn Can Mall back in the day. Since Penn Can Mall shut down in the early 90s, I've only eaten a Pavone's pizza a hand full of times. IMO still makes one of the better pizza's in town.

Pavones pizza was one of 4 reasons to go to Penn Can back in the day--Cavages, Arcade, Movies, and Pavones. Pavones is one of the best-if not the best pizza in Syracuse--thin crispy crust, dripping grease--I am home sick now. San Remo Pizza in liverpool (corner of bear and buckley) is a close second


You should do a list of mom and pop restraunts--beats chains anyday. From my list

Aunt Josies-Northside
Dominicks-Teall Ave
Twin Trees-North Syracuse

[bellafinzi]

Oh, I forgot to add one. Nothing but Noodles just opened a location on Erie Blvd in DeWitt. I wish them luck! Erie Blvd is the last place I'd open a chain restaurant. Reasons: 1) Most city residents and eastern suburb residents aren't into chain restaurants. 2) Erie Blvd East is a major eyesore that is avoided by most people that do not need venture down there. 3) residents of the northern suburbs very rarely frequent Erie Blvd for shopping or dining.

If a chain believes it can capture the entire Syracuse market with a location on Erie Blvd.... they judge incorrectly. The Syracuse market north of I-90 rarely shops in the eastern suburbs or on Erie Blvd East.

jrice, how neat is that! The Arcade, Movies, Pavones, and the pet store were the main places my family would frequent in Penn Can Mall. Just slightly different.

San Remo Pizza is good, I agree. Though in the past couple years they have gone downhill a little.

Chains are easy to list. Very hard to compile an up-to-date comprehensive list of mom and pop restaurants. That's one reason I chose to focus on chains.