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Oh that reminds me. Breakfast pizza is a thing here. You haven't seen anything like it in CA. You won't find a breakfast burrito in town except for a few select places and they aren't very good.... like McDonalds.
I had NEVER even heard of breakfast pizza until I moved here! Someone brought some into work one morning. I thought it was regular cheese pizza. I asked someone else what was up with bringing in pizza for breakfast (I love a cold pizza for breakfast, but just thought it odd someone would bring in a whole pie). And lo and behold, I was told it was breakfast pizza and my mind was blown lol. And I must say, I sure do love me some breakfast pizza!
The same can absolutely be said about Italian food. I am told I don't know good pizza. Based on the pizza I grew up on, it is all good. I ate very little Italian food before moving here because it wasn't as abundant. The only place that served slices was the mall. All the corner pizza joints here are taco joints on the West Coast.
OP, if you are a fan of the following chains, you will want to get your fill. Carl's Jr., Jack In The Box, Del Taco, Albertos, Yoshinoya, In N Out, Farmer Bros, Black Angus, Marie Callenders (it is just frozen food here), Rubios, Baja Fresh, El Pollo Loco, El Torito, Coffee Bean, On The Border, Cinnabon, DQ, Round Table, Wahoos, Weinerschnitzel, Hot Dog On A Stick, Chik-Fil-A, Fatburger, Islands, and others.
I only listed those out because if anyone were to be looking at filling a new development (like Township 5) these would be a good list of places you might want to look into. Variety is the spice of life. Sure these are all chains, but they are not in this area. We don't need another McDonalds, BK, Taco Bell, KFC, or Subway.
Yeah, that's how I looked at it with the Italian food here is prevalent in a way that Mexican is in California.
I agree about the variety of chains, as I would go down South a lot because of my parents. So, it was nothing new to me in regards to places like Bojangles, Chick Fil A, Dairy Queen, Hardee's, Church's Chicken, Shoney's, Quincy's, etc. When I was stationed outside of Augusta GA, I would go to Checkers on the weekends and tried Sonic once down there. They had Krystle's(think a Southern version of White Castle), as well as Rally's(think of the A&W in Cortland). So, I do think that is something they should consider.
BTW-Look into Denver or other Colorado Front Range cities(Boulder, Greeley, Fort Collins, etc). Omaha may be a sleeper.
Last edited by ckhthankgod; 03-17-2013 at 01:45 PM..
The lack of places to eat may or may not be an issue.
If they don't eat out often they will never notice.
If they eat out a lot and travel then they can get a fix when out of town.
If they plan to stay mainly in the area and like to eat out it is important to know thus is a very small area with not a lot of choices.
I can't tell you how many times we have been in Syracuse and had a hard time finding a place to eat. Not to say what choices there are aren't good just get tired of the same thing. When we are away , mostly Tampa and Seattle for us, there are roads where the restaurants are that go on for miles and miles. Lotta chain places and a lotta local places and a lot of places that could be either cause I ain't heard of them.
With this area, there are probably more mom and pop places to eat. So, while you get relatively limited national chains, you will find more local or regional/Upstate chains/restaurants. Places like Tully's, Zebb's, Original Italian Pizza, Pavone's Pizza and Jreck Subs are examples of local or regional chains. Here is a good website for viewing restaurants in the area: mobile.cnymenus - cnymenus
That may be true right off the interstates but far from true in just regular towns and cities.
Living in a small area like this means less of everything, good and bad.
But on a smaller scale I get what you mean. Syracuse is chain crazy these days while Utica has a lot of local stuff left. Chains over time do crush a lot of local places. But even Utica has new chains moving in like crazy like Mo's and Olive Garden so while I'm not happy in today's economy the chain business model is tough to compete with.
That may be true right off the interstates but far from true in just regular towns and cities.
Living in a small area like this means less of everything, good and bad.
But on a smaller scale I get what you mean. Syracuse is chain crazy these days while Utica has a lot of local stuff left. Chains over time do crush a lot of local places. But even Utica has new chains moving in like crazy like Mo's and Olive Garden so while I'm not happy in today's economy the chain business model is tough to compete with.
I wouldn't call Syracuse "chain crazy", as there are many mom and pop restaurants that are available and some have been featured on tv shows. While some chains have come in due to new developments, many times those restaurants have 1 or 2 locations in the area.
Every time the news or even us here say Toby Keith's is here people flock there for overpriced mid grade food and drive by 20 local places.
But no denying the chain model works. I'm kinda lucky in that like most people when thinking of a place to eat I think of whatever I have seen an ad or story about but the couple we most often go with HATE chain places and are masters at ferreting out excellant local places.
Again using the Utica example, with more chains moving in its unlikely people will go out more so some local place will go under.
Yesterday we ate at a place between here and syracuse with fantastic food, good prices and a great atmosphere. It was nearly empty. Meanwhile I'm sure TGI Fridays was packed to the max at twice the price for boiling bag food.
It is a double edged sword. New development is good for the area and chains come with it. They will help create an area. We eat out once a week and there is a time and place for chains. The chains at Destiny helped create a buzz and brought people to the mall that probably haven't been there in years.
I think the chains get the press initially, but it wanes as time goes on. Then, on the other hand, places like Pastabilities, Eva's European Sweets, Kitty Hoynes, Heid's, Mother's Cupboard, Dinosaur BBQ and maybe a couple of others get love from Food Network and the Travel Channel. So, some local spots have had their time in the sun too.
haha, only joking. There are a few things there that I don't mind...
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