Restaurant Shame List

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alyssamiller77
alyssamiller77 Posts: 891 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Is there one here on MFP or anywhere else? I think we need one. I'm thinking a list of chain restaurants that should be publicly shamed (and their CEO's potentially Flogged) for their uncanny ability to take seemingly healthy foods and make them calorie laden, fat gorged dining enigmas from hell. If anyone else is interested, here's a few that I'd nominate for that list early on:

Chili's - By far the most hideous minefield of a menu. Almost all their meals are well over 1000 calories and many exceed 2000.
California Pizza Kitchen - I think there's like two meals below 1000 calories
Qdoba - I love Qdoba but seriously how do you turn a chicken burrito into an 1100 calorie entre

Thoughts? Do you disagree? Is this the lamest topic ever?
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Replies

  • DeadMarsha
    DeadMarsha Posts: 203
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    I'm with you on that... It's just bad cooking. They think they can get away with adding waaaaay too much salt & fat to our foods to get us to think it's well made. =P
  • undertabledreaming
    undertabledreaming Posts: 1
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    I agree... Another really bad one is TGI Fridays!
  • lauras777
    lauras777 Posts: 237 Member
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    I like the idea! Chili's really does mess you up if you are not super careful to pull the info BEFORE you go there!! :laugh: And I'm a vegetarian, so even the "somewhat healthy" sounding options are high in calories!!!
  • dmoses
    dmoses Posts: 786 Member
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    Cheesecake Factory is the WORST! Portion sizes are out of control!
  • stephyy4632
    stephyy4632 Posts: 947 Member
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    Hide I don`t think I have even hurd of any of the restraunts you have listed. I know I was shocked at how many cals I ate in just a chicken sandwich and frys at Friendlys a while on vacation
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
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    No one forces anyone to buy or eat any of the entrees, so who really cares if a menu is chock full of high cal choices
  • chelledawg14
    chelledawg14 Posts: 509 Member
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    Max & Erma's & Smokey Bones are my nominations
  • meechi53
    meechi53 Posts: 195 Member
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    Just eat half...that's usually a reasonable amount of calories for a meal. They serve such large portions at most restaurants it's insane...
  • Mama_Jag
    Mama_Jag Posts: 474 Member
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    Qdoba - I love Qdoba but seriously how do you turn a chicken burrito into an 1100 calorie entre

    I just ate there the other day and was SHOCKED when I added it all up (1105) - and I skipped cheese!!

    To be fair, the food on my burrito was healthy, just calorie dense.
  • Sidesteal
    Sidesteal Posts: 5,510 Member
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    As long as a restaurant makes some effort to post/list the calories and macros in their foods, they're A-OK in my book.

    Chilis has a Margarita chicken dish that is VERY macro friendly, and tastes baller.
  • swolenbeast
    swolenbeast Posts: 7
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    you should take a look at dominos pasta bread bowls..... pasta in a bowl of bread CARB OVERLOAD
  • Aperture_Science
    Aperture_Science Posts: 840 Member
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    I can see the logic in your idea and to an extent sympathise. But, vote with your wallet. If you don't like the food at a place don't go there. We could have a shame list on here, but would it make a difference to someone who enjoyed their food and was able to fit a meal there into their daily cals?
  • dinosnopro
    dinosnopro Posts: 2,179 Member
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    Cheesecake Factory is the WORST! Portion sizes are out of control!



    Do they charge extra if you don't eat it all?
  • aloranger7708
    aloranger7708 Posts: 422 Member
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    Applebee's
    Texas Roadhouse
    Friendly's

    I mostly eat at non-chain restaurants and I never know the calorie counts at those!
  • SyStEmPhReAk
    SyStEmPhReAk Posts: 330 Member
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    When eating out, as long as i can get a mixed greens or spinach salad with grilled chix breast(2) and dressing on the side (i don't eat it) the menu can have toxic sludge and I'd be ok with it. However, on cheat days... I'll eat anything! :bigsmile:
  • chocl8girl
    chocl8girl Posts: 1,968 Member
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    Eh, I dunno how effective "shaming" would be, since the reason they make those things the way they do is because people eat them. Just either don't eat there, or if you do, be aware of how many calories there are in things, and adjust your portion size/calorie intake/other eating for the day accordingly. Honestly, you could probably make most of the same things at home healthier and cheaper...
  • butterfli7o
    butterfli7o Posts: 1,319 Member
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    I hate it, it makes it so hard to eat out. Especially when even the "lighter" choices are 750 cals and the portions are small.
  • vegasmari
    vegasmari Posts: 120 Member
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    CPK has the best salads... I go for the 1/2 Miso Salad with Shrimp... under 500 calories!!!

    Cheesecake Factory has a fabulous menu called "Skinnylicious"... really good stuff and still big portions

    I agree TGIF should just burn down. Even if I wanted fatty foods, I wouldn't pick that craptastic chain

    Applebees is GROSS with a capital G

    Fried Chicken Places: KFC, Popeye's and Cane's

    Here's one that needs to go away: Long John Silvers..... WTF is this?
  • callikia
    callikia Posts: 226 Member
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    I agree... Another really bad one is TGI Fridays!

    Top on my list!
  • pittskaa
    pittskaa Posts: 319 Member
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    Friendly's is the worst.
    I work there.
    Everything is fried and frozen!!!!

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