Restaurants to Avoid!

kriggs1976

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.

Really? Huh. I ate there once and met a great girl! Said she was just getting out of a relationship.. It was the late 90's...


:laugh:

Ummm. I am from Dallas area...Didn't this Bennigan's close down?

sfh0wrd

We like getting the KFC Grilled Chicken for super bowl parties, etc, when we don't feel like grilling. We just take it home and make our own sides.

KLK1986

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?

But to be fair, their portions are HUGE and should be 2-3 meals each. I had a chicken fajita salad there a week ago....around 860 calories for the whole thing - but I could only eat half at a time because it's HUGE. So only 430 for my meal. That's not bad at all.

NicoleElen

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:

My very favorite place to eat EVER, I am so brokenhearted I miss it so

Cajun Fries are the stuff that dreams are made of.

dmpizza

Applebees varies wildly from location to location.
There are three near me and two are horrible, one is really nice and has great service.

MattGetsMad

Only gonna blast this place because I called ahead specifically to make sure I had my dietary needs met without having to argue.

Kobe Japanese Steak House. While, I'm sure there are several dishes that would meet many dietary needs, they did not have anything that would meet mine. When I called ahead I was assured by the manager that it would not be a problem.

It was a problem as there was little to no communication between the manager, the table chef, the waitress and the kitchen. I basically had to explain myself to everyone, again and again, and was served the wrong food 3 times.

I won't go to any restaurants that will not meet or will lie about being able to meet my specific dietary needs.

GoldspursX3

texas road house i just cannot pass up the buns!! :embarassed:

HAHA...I took my fiancee there for Valentine's and she tore up those rolls. I think she could live off of those things.

Bikini27

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

:happy:

Honestly, most of the portions are 2-3 times larger than a "normal" portion. When ordering, simply request they bring a to-go box along with your meal and place the extra into the box instead of consuming it because it's right there on your plate.

Then give the box to someone else to eat :devil:

lpeace2u

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.

Wow I had no idea you could do this. I never get a cheeseburger always a hamburger but since I didn't know the calories saved I would just count the whole calorie count.

I just ate at Red Robin on Valentines Day and got the lettuce wrapped turkey burger - no bun. It was FABULOUS! They served it with a side salad instead of the fries.

KLK1986

Chilli's is awful. I can barely find anything to work with when we go there. Most stuff is well over 1k calories.

When getting a sandwich at Chili's you can save several hundred calories by subbing in broccoli instead of fries, fyi.

BAMFMeredith

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.

stone307

Any place that has a buffet

nerdyandilikeit

I don't avoid restaurants. I avoid GOING to restaurants every day. Works like a charm.

EPICUREASIAN

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:

I have a great affection for their cajun fries.

lukeout007

Avoid Olive Garden
20 years ago it was pretty good, certainly for what you paid, then the meat wasn't great, then everything just went to crap. I haven't been there in about 15 years, but I have no desire to go back.

Doesn't it seem silly to say a place has crappy food when you haven't been there in 15 years? Especially one of the most popular places in the US?

Don't get me wrong...its not gourmet...or even Italian for that matter...but I've really never had a problem with the quality...and I'm pretty picky.

Brilliantbritt27

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.)

_Shelley_

I avoid any restaurant that doesn't have a full bar selection.

mes1119

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

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.

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.

pinuplove

I ate at Five Guys this weekend. I had a little burger with mustard, no cheese, and a few of my husband's fries. It wasn't THAT bad, and it tasted soooo good!