Restaurants to Avoid!

kealey1318

Well I'm officially going to start a 'restaurants to avoid' list. #1 on the list right now is Champps Americana.... I've eaten there several times in the past and honestly enjoyed my experience EVERY time. Today, to pre-plan my attack (having lunch there with a friend) I found out that they have almost nothing under 1,000 calories... They have 'lite' portions of 3 different meals, they are almost 700 calories each too. Even their kids' menu will get you darn close. WTH???? I just sent them an customer comment e-mail suggesting that it is something they should work very hard on. What are they doing to get those types of calories in these meals???

Are there any restaurants that you avoid?

jazziesaj11

Olive Garden, never really eat there but I remember reading something about only a couple of options under 1,000 cals there too. I used to love Panera, never would've thought though that a simple turkey sandwich would get my close to 1,000 cals... until I started logging on here, to say the least I'll never eat there again. xD I here a lot of sammy shops are like that, you would expect it to be healthier but it's even worse.

Tori_356

Taco Bell
Burger King
(the two nastiest fast food places)

japruzze

Red Robin (Yum...love it but its a calorie/fat killer)
Arby's

firesoforion

Olive Garden, never really eat there but I remember reading something about only a couple of options under 1,000 cals there too. I used to love Panera, never would've thought though that a simple turkey sandwich would get my close to 1,000 cals... until I started logging on here, to say the least I'll never eat there again. xD I here a lot of sammy shops are like that, you would expect it to be healthier but it's even worse.

Panera can be bad but there are a lot of reasonable and very tasty options as well. Plus, you can get half portions of anything, salads, soups (cup), sandwiches, and that brings down the calories a ton.


Also Red Robin, it has an online menu to specifically help you customize and tailor your sandwich to your nutritional content. It works pretty well and you can get a decent hamburger for a decent amount of calories. Of course that excludes the limitless fries. :embarassed:

nmzeta

Olive Garden, never really eat there but I remember reading something about only a couple of options under 1,000 cals there too. I used to love Panera, never would've thought though that a simple turkey sandwich would get my close to 1,000 cals... until I started logging on here, to say the least I'll never eat there again. xD I here a lot of sammy shops are like that, you would expect it to be healthier but it's even worse.

I know - I used to love the Sierra Turkey from Panera. I mean it's just a turkey sandwich, right? NOPE as much fat and calories as TWO Big Macs

Cberg9

5 Guys Burgers and Fries....I haven't eaten there in almost a year but I can eat like a thousand pound man if left to my own devices but that place will always hold a special fat place in my heart :brokenheart:

sabre21d

Heart Attack Grill

becoming_a_new_me

This is sad: Man suffers heart attack while eating at Heart Attack Grill

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/sideshow/man-suffers-heart-attack-while-eating-heart-attack-185717972.html?fb_action_ids=337265826318801,2912051838249,2710955856659,336957279682989,10100679568486249&fb_action_types=news.reads&fb_source=other_multiline&code=AQCUk3mwZGgioKSamsKh4yecfeMrs7a-eveXO-gW-Hj9O-jh7-U2DYCmKdlBGsOP8GvXMO5yBvW-1Gne3m2fNXVgloS5BpCKGlVeQsqiSkYSyZwWxVNhdmzOwACzsR-eI3IqL7ZbSYwpVm_aVap_72HjNhrPFYJA0hOfhpbTZdaXLtrJ3vR9LldTLTcOEberoCM#_=_

The menu includes "Single", "Double", "Triple", and "Quadruple Bypass" hamburgers,[1] ranging from 8 to 32 ounces (230 to 910 g) of beef (up to about 8,000 calories)

The Quadruple Bypass Burger with 8,000 calories (33 MJ) has been identified as one of the "world's worst junk foods".[11] It consists of four half-pound beef patties, eight slices of American cheese, a whole tomato and half an onion served in a bun coated with lard.

Normal meals at the Heart Attack Grill easily exceed 8,000 calories.

haaaleyx

Friendly's...I always get the kids meal so it's not as large of a meal, but then it comes with a free ice cream which I of course just HAVE to get ) : haha.

twinsanity

Also Red Robin, it has an online menu to specifically help you customize and tailor your sandwich to your nutritional content. It works pretty well and you can get a decent hamburger for a decent amount of calories. Of course that excludes the limitless fries. :embarassed:

I LOVE this about Red Robin's site. You can add or delete any ingredient in your dish to completely customize your order, and it will give you the calories and nutritional info for only what you consumed, rather than trying to figure it out when you specialize your order. And, as most restaurants will do these days (even the fast food ones), you can get their burgers bunless, which comes with lettuce on the top and bottom of your burger instead of the bun. Cuts WAY back on calories.

vilardip1

Taco Bell
Burger King
(the two nastiest fast food places)

my two favorites...we have them right next to each other by me...ill go to taco bell first for my meal, then get onion rings at bk for the rider home :-)

LuckyLeprechaun

PF Chang's. They are lying jerkfaces: they say their rice bowl lunch is two portions, so they can pretend the calorie count is reasonable. Also, their sodium is atrocious.

Applebees. Sodium levels are outrageous, calorie counts are offensively high. The "lime chicken under 500 calories" meal has 4900+ mgs of sodium. That's almost 5 GRAMS of sodium in a meal. Gross.

taso42

Places that serve bad food and/or have bad service. Places that are overpriced but the quality of the food doesn't line up with the prices. And whenever possible, chain restaurants.

If you're gonna go out to eat, make it worthwhile. Otherwise make your own food.

KMiche82

Johnny Carinos sodium is out the map and so is the calories, salads there are 700+ calories that is ridiculous.

infamousmk

I prefer to not eat at restaurants with a sh!tty beer list.

taso42

I prefer to not eat at restaurants with a sh!tty beer list.

Yes, this too. It just seems odd when a place has a well thought out menu, nice wine list, and then just Bud, Miller Coors, and Heineken for beer choices.

erikastarryiz

2 words: Golden Corral. They do have a salad bar, but for me it is too hard to stick to the salad bar when there's potatoes and gravy, fried chicken, mac & cheese all staring me down. Not to mention the dessert bar, which sings like a siren. It's just better to avoid the place all together.

shanolap

Places that serve bad food and/or have bad service. Places that are overpriced but the quality of the food doesn't line up with the prices. And whenever possible, chain restaurants.

If you're gonna go out to eat, make it worthwhile. Otherwise make your own food.

^^^THIS!!!

UponThisRock

I avoid any restaurant that forces me to get the high calorie items, and forces me to eat the whole thing.

onedayillbamilf

Taco Bell
Burger King
(the two nastiest fast food places)

^ This.....although, I do admit that I crave a Whopper once every 5-6 years. And I do enjoy BK's Mocha Iced Coffee once every 3-4 months.

SageGoddess320

Red Lobster! Man, can I really pack away all of that butter-soaked seafood. Don't even get me started on the caesar salad and tempting deserts. <drools>

Lesa_Sass

Any restaurant that focus's on bar food and is mainly a bar. They pretty much depend on people drinking a lot and wanting bad stuff, like burgers, wings, fries and so on.

Shannon023

2 words: Golden Corral. They do have a salad bar, but for me it is too hard to stick to the salad bar when there's potatoes and gravy, fried chicken, mac & cheese all staring me down. Not to mention the dessert bar, which sings like a siren. It's just better to avoid the place all together.

BLARGH! We call that place the "Gaggy Corral". :sick:

I think buffet style restaurants are nasty anyway. :sick: :sick:

BeeElMarvin

I prefer to not eat at restaurants with a sh!tty beer list.

Yes, this too. It just seems odd when a place has a well thought out menu, nice wine list, and then just Bud, Miller Coors, and Heineken for beer choices.

Now, THAT just pisses me off...

kennethmgreen

There is a Bennigan's at the Galleria Mall in Dallas, TX. It's right next to an ice skating rink. At least it was in 1998. I had my heart broken in that restaurant. Don't go there.

BeeElMarvin

Any restaurant that focus's on bar food and is mainly a bar. They pretty much depend on people drinking a lot and wanting bad stuff, like burgers, wings, fries and so on.

mmmm, beer, burgers wings *drool*

mnwalkingqueen

Friendly's...I always get the kids meal so it's not as large of a meal, but then it comes with a free ice cream which I of course just HAVE to get ) : haha.

I read an article in a health magazine stating that any time we eat out a kids meal should be the choice because American portions for a adults is double or more what it should be. I always have a kids meal or only eat half of the food now.

MrsCon40

Go out to have a meal that tastes delightful. Enjoy it. Budget your calories if you need to (you can average over two days, you know). Split a meal if you need to.

It it doesn't fill you with glee, cook for yourself. Quit being lazy and eating cheap greasy food that makes you feel bad about yourself because you can't be bothered to cook dinner or pack a lunch.

But do not "do without". There is nothing in this world that would keep me from having my favorite Ike's Place sandwich which I conservatively estimate to have 1,100 of the most delectable, drippy, ooey gooey, run down your arm kind of calories. Nothing.

Whether you're into wings or foie gras, you should be able to eat them without guilt. Otherwise life is not worth living without your favorite foods.

KOrogue

I avoid any restaurant that forces me to get the high calorie items, and forces me to eat the whole thing.

Hahaha, yes! Exactly!

lukeout007

Olive Garden, never really eat there but I remember reading something about only a couple of options under 1,000 cals there too. I used to love Panera, never would've thought though that a simple turkey sandwich would get my close to 1,000 cals... until I started logging on here, to say the least I'll never eat there again. xD I here a lot of sammy shops are like that, you would expect it to be healthier but it's even worse.

I'm with you on Olive Garden...

but Panera has several options under 500 cals. Including sandwiches, soups, and salads. Sierra Turkey is the best one for low cal.

My favorite is the Bacon Turkey Bravo but its like 800