Restaurants to Avoid!
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Bone Fish Grill and Carraba's
Unfortunately, two of my favorite places to eat but VERY difficult to get nutritional information because they "prepare their food fresh daily" or some lame excuse (on the web site) REALLY? You serve the same stuff, for the most part, what's so hard about putting out the numbers for all to see? Maybe they don't want us to know, lol!!
Drooling...I love...no adore Carrabbas! Chicken Bryan....is my love!0 -
Do all American restaurants list out the calories? that must be so helpful.
A LOT of places are beginning to now, and if it's not listed on the menu you can usually find calorie count online. Makes going out to eat sooo much easier.
It's a step in making America less fat...because let's face it, America is fat.
Not sure about the rest of U.S., but here in New York it's a law that restaurants that have more than one location must list the calorie counts on the menus and/or menu boards. I think it's based on how many miles apart, but not 100% percent sure. The chain restaurant's are required where as a small local restaurant with only one location would not be.
My most recent experiences would be TGI Friday's, nothing there under 1000 calories. Panera's I like, but what I like to eat is a calorie disaster so I don't go very often. Almost every Friendly's around me just closed, but I only liked to go there for ice cream.0 -
I do not eat fast food, at all. I do not have an appetite for it. Although I do eat vegetarian sushi rolls! My parents force me to go to sit in restaurants and when we do I usual get a salad, with vinaigrette or no dressing. So far the only places I actually like eatting at are Kelseys which has a salad for 190 calories, and Moxies, they have a couple salads that are pretty darn good! not to mention it tastes more real then food ou get at other places.0
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I don't avoid anywhere due to calories, fat, or sodium.
If I want it, I eat it. Within reason and not daily.
It's called life.
What I DO avoid are:
Places that just feel "dirty".
Places with crappy service.
Places that are overpriced for the product and service you receive.
(I'll pay anything if it's awesome and worth it)
Places with sh!tty selection (of food AND beer)
Places that refuse to customize if you ask a special request.
Have to add: if you're looking for a good beer selection, go to Buffalo Wild Wings! Never seen so many taps in one place!
Even better than Buffalo Wild Wings is the WORLD OF BEER!! Lots of locations now and has awesome beer selections!!! and you can order food from a huge list of places and get whatever kind of food you want! It's awesome!
AVOID: Buffalo chicken salad at the 99--has OVER 1,000 calories for a salad!!!0 -
The calories at most places are ridiculous but they are also usually listed for the entire dish and you're really only supposed to eat half of the dish. I don't limit myself, if I'm going to go eat some where I just make sure I have the calories there to do it. I only avoid places with ****ty service and nasty food/atmospheres0
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I don't like to think anything is off limits. It is a lifestyle change, not a diet so I can't imagine completely giving up every restaurant there is. I don't want to have the perfect body and not be able to go out and enjoy it over dinner with friends.
It is all about portions. You can order that high calorie meal, JUST DONT FINISH IT. You can always get grilled chicken wherever you go. Ask that they cook it differently or take off the sauce/dressing. Be prepared before you go.
It is all about adapting to your surroundings and making healthy choices wherever you are and in whatever situation you are in
I agree with everyone who is saying things like this!
Most places around here (maybe not universally?) do offer low-calorie options. Otherwise, just simple things like ordering the sauce on the side and using small amounts of it can help reduce the number of calories. Lots of places will also let you customize sides (eg: if something comes with fries and salad, I might ask for extra salad instead.)
If it's going to be too high in calories, I'll eat half and box the other half for later. If that's not going to be enough, I get a side salad as well.
Though, once in awhile, I'll just splurge and pig out. Everything in moderation and all that.0 -
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>
Cheddar Bay biscuits
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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.
Actually Olive Garden has several healthy options that are under 500calories each including soups, a few appetizers, and entrees. Eat one breadstick, salad without the dressing, and one of those entrees or an appetizer as your entree (the ones under 500 calories) with a glass or two of water and you should feel full and happy.
If you dont remember to look up their nutrition information online before you go out then feel free to ask the host for a nutrition menu.
(I was a server at Olive Garden so if there's anything you need to know feel free to ask.)
Last time I checked the nutritional info about 3 weeks ago there wasn't a single entree under 1000 cals...in fact I don't remember a single one under 700...
One breadstick...possible.
Soup...good stuff.
Salad without dressing? Why eat the salad at all then?
An appetizer is not going to be filling.
There are no entrees under 500 cals.
wanna bet?
lets starts with the whole appetizer arguement, an app can be quite filling. Ive watched many guests come in the restaurant, buy one, split it and say they were full. As for salad, it is possible to eat one without dressing, not as appealing for sure, but very possible and filling.
Lastly, try linguine alla marinara, venetian apricot chicken, and capellini pomodoro (lunch portion), and much much more are under 500 calories.
Heres a link for more since you don't seem to believe me: http://www.olivegardennutrition.com/restaurant-nutrition-chart.php?rid=
And yes, I admit to feeling a slight bit hostile over your disagreement. Our managers drilled the nutrition into our heads and I can and will argue that there are healthier options (under 500calories) that are well portioned, filling, and available to the guests. Maybe you don't enjoy those particular dishes, but that doesn't mean they don't offer them. 0 -
Buffalo Wild Wings. I LOVE the food, however I requested a nutritional sheet and holy cow, I gained three pounds just reading it. It sucks because it's one of my favorite places to eat. The only place I really eat out now is Subway.0
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I love Panera! And you can get out of there for under 400 calories if you pay attention. Most of the time, it's my go-to "fast food" place.
Also, Outback (while a chain and generic) has an excellent nutritional calculator on their website. And the new wood-fire grill uses less seasonings and butter on whaetever you get. I fully enjoyed my food and plan on adding it to the list of "safe" restaurants.
Places I avoid at all costs: Olive Garden (I have a weakness for bad Italian food), T.G.I. Fridays (crappy service, lack of healthy food options), Five Guys, and lately Cheesecake Factory. Yeah, they have the Skinny menu, but they have NO nutritional information posted.0 -
Buffalo Wild Wings! My once favorite place to eat. I have been there once without ordering wings and it was torture. I know if I go there today, I won't have the self-control to not order 8 boneless garlic wings and potato wedges. I'm sure I could substitute the wedges for a side salad but i would have to have the wings. The fat and sodium content is probably thru the roof, especially since i have to eat more to feel satisfied! Knowing that, I just avoid the place all together. Sigh
was there last night...
I enjoyed the hell out of 7 boneless honey bbq wings, a whole order of fries, ranch, and a 22 oz beer. Came in just under maintenance calories for the day.
Win! ♥0 -
Cheesecake factory.
I don't like cheesecake so that doesn't temp me at all but it was hard to find healthy choices there. They don't have any nutrition information on there website to help plan ahead. When you get there the shock of the amount of calories the salads are is insane. I wrote the company afterwards and was told they have a skinnylious (something like that )menu they recently introduced that I should have picked from.
How I was suppose to know about that. The waitress never mentioned it and I didn't read any information about it while I was there. Assuming your cheesecake factory had the "diet" menu maybe you'll have better options.0 -
I avoid most chain restaurants. Not because of the calorie content (most restaurants are high calorie) but because the food isn't worth it. I like locally owned places. The food is almost always better and I am supporting locals. Let's face it, most restaurant dishes are high calorie/fat/sodium, period. If I'm going to go blow my wad at one sitting I want it to be quality food.
Food snob? Yes, that's me, but I'm lucky to live in a place where there is always a wonderful locally owned place to eat right down the block from the funky chain. Not to say that I don't take my daughter to places she likes to go every once in a while.0 -
Since starting to log on MFP, my wife and I rarely go out to eat anymore - I honestly feel its a waste of calories. As many people have mentioned, even if you manage to find something semi-healthy, its usually saturated with sodium and comes in a large enough portion to feed four adults. Usually, there is at least something on the menu at most places that I can work with but I went to a rib placed called Frankie's recently for a work luncheon and there was ABSOLUTELY nothing on the menu I could work with...even all the salads were loaded with bacon bits, etc. Very frustrating luncheon. Best advice in my opinion is to eat out as little as possible.0
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I try not to eat out at all anymore. If I have to have fast food for some reason, I usually get hardees had breaded 3 pack of chicken fingers. They are right around 300 calories but geez, how not worth it can you get. I have yet to try the taco bell fresco menu that is supposed to be healthier.
I do eat Sushi out very often but never Tempura and watch what rolls I eat.0 -
Raising Cane's, *sigh* love, love, love it.....but no choices other than the beloved fried strips and sauce. Oh, and that BREAD.....*BIG sigh*:sad:
Oh that SAUCE!!!0 -
You can build a pretty healthy sandwich at Jimmy John's, and you can check out exact nutrition on custom sandwiches on their website. But beware their cheese, especially! I've ordered things that should be healthy from them, only to get sandwiches with 5-6x the cheese I feel they need.
Calorie wise, you'd be wise to avoid the cheese entirely. But if you do opt for cheese, make sure it's not like five or six slices thick once you get it. Otherwise, just watching for mayo and excessive mountains of lunch meats can result in a pretty healthy meal from JJ's.0 -
Sonic is horrible with calories0
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I avoid most chain restaurants. Not because of the calorie content (most restaurants are high calorie) but because the food isn't worth it. I like locally owned places. The food is almost always better and I am supporting locals. Let's face it, most restaurant dishes are high calorie/fat/sodium, period. If I'm going to go blow my wad at one sitting I want it to be quality food.
Food snob? Yes, that's me, but I'm lucky to live in a place where there is always a wonderful locally owned place to eat right down the block from the funky chain. Not to say that I don't take my daughter to places she likes to go every once in a while.
I'm in the same boat. Most of the recommendations I can make aren't really that helpful, because they're all local, haha.
There is one local chain that I really love, but they've started centralizing a lot of their food prep, which means it's nearly impossible to modify most of their dishes. Despite being locally owned, a lot of their food shows up pre-prepared at each location, so you can't get an item without the cheese, for example. Very frustrating.
Most local places, though, can do substitutions more easily than a lot of chains can.0 -
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>
Disagree! There are many low calorie options at Red Lobster if you skip the extra butter and pastas... Shrimp, lobster and crab legs are all VERY LOW in calories. 1 lb of snow crab legs is 180 calories. Plus, if you can control yourself with the Cheddar Bay Biscuts, you can endulge for only 150 calories each. They have an interactive menu online that you can use to design your meal based on your caloric needs. By the way, the Caesar side salad is 270 calories... not bad.0 -
This is funny, Panera Thai Chicken Salad is one of my favorite things and it only has 380 calories. Problem is when the bread is picked as a side instead of an apple. The bread alone is 283 calories.0
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I "try" to avoid all Chain restaurants, I want a restuarant that wiill accomdate any special requests I have that use good fresh foods, but also love some (very few) chain restaurants.0
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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.
That is horrible and that restaurant should be outlawed. It's not funny or cute to sell things so horrible for people. At the same time, people should be smart enough to never have walked in their door.0 -
Restaurants to AVOID? LOL. It would be much easier to just list Restaurants that are acceptable. So far I have only found 2. All others I have stopped going to.
Acceptable restaurants for me:
Subway (Oven Roasted Chicken Breast Salad, double meat, no cheese, no dressing just vinegar)
Sushi Bar (girly sushi rolls with sauce are a no-no. just straight tekka or sake maki and hand rolls for me).0 -
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.
That is horrible and that restaurant should be outlawed. It's not funny or cute to sell things so horrible for people. At the same time, people should be smart enough to never have walked in their door.
Outlaw a restaurant? SERIOUSLY?
Since when should the government be allowed to tell me what to eat or not eat? I think this restaurant is fantastic! I may not go there, but that certainly does not mean it should not exist. If no one wanted such a meal the place would shut down within a month due to no business. Free Market, baby. You need to relax.0 -
I "try" to avoid all Chain restaurants, I want a restuarant that wiill accomdate any special requests I have that use good fresh foods, but also love some (very few) chain restaurants.
this
For me, I'm super picky and also have quite a list of foods I can't eat (allergies and intolerances).0 -
I made the mistake of Olive Garden last night. I ended up eating a whole days worth of calories at dinner and I didn't finish one thing that I ate. I have to say though, I haven't been taking days off from working out and was sore for three days straight. I woke up this morning feeling like a gluttonous beast, but I had no more muscle soreness. Maybe I just needed the extras and an easy day.0
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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.
Oh Golden Corral...
There have been times where I walk out and look preggo. It's awful.0 -
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>
I ate there about 3 weeks ago as my "free" meal which I do once a week. Loved every bit of it too and even ordered dessert when I normally don't.
With that being said, this type of meal will not be a "norm" on my free meal list. This is more like a once a year thing. 0 -
Heart attack grill should be against the law. It is not funny.0
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