Restaurants to Avoid!

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.

Yes, lets outlaw any restaurant that has unhealthy food. We can't expect people to make their own choices about what to eat, now can we?

El Chico. The only restaurant that has ever given me heartburn.

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:

Love their cajun fries, that would be a hard place to stay away from!

In general eating out is problematic due to high sodium and calories in most menu items. That said, I'm looking at many of the restaurants on this list and know for a fact that healthy or at least low cal food choices can be obtained. Put the onus on yourself to review the menu carefully and find the food choices which make sense for a healthy and fit lifestyle. Its not McNasty's fault if you go in there and order Big Mac with all the works, super size fry, apple pie and large Coke. If you must eat out and/or enjoy doing so as I do then order in a fit & healthy fashion. If you can't resist the temptation to binge when you eat out then stay out of restaurants.

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.

Maybe's its just where I live, whenever I've asked for a kids meal at a sit down place theysay they don't let adults order kids meals Which is ridiculous a paying customer is a paying customer right?

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>

Red Lobster offers fish and vegetables choices that are not bad at all in calories (check their website before hand). We just need to stay away from the cheesy bread and deserts. No problem for me not eating the deserts, but man, do I need to control myself to not eat the bread.

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=

Fair enough...

I'm still going to argue that any appetizer portion under 500 cal is not going to be filling for 90% of the population. And yes its possible to eat a salad without dressing...but disgusting.

I have never seen the linguine alla marinara...i may try it if we have it around here. I realized I forgot about the capellini...I've had it and thought it was disgusting so I think I just counted that one out when I looked at the nutrition menu. As for the apricot chicken...I probably counted that out too just because it doesn't sound like my thing.

So yes...there are (very few) healthier options available. Olive Garden is still one of the least healthy places to eat.

And for the record...I'll still eat there...I just don't worry about healthy eating when I go. I love the place.

Do all American restaurants list out the calories? that must be so helpful.

Almost all of them do on their websites, yeah.

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.

You can make bad choices at Panera, sure, but in fairness, a you-pick-two with half a Smoked Turkey Breast sandwich and Chicken Noodle soup, plus an apple as the side, comes to 370 calories. Swap the soup for a Classic Cafe salad with Balsamic Vinigrette for the soup if you prefer, it has 130 calories. 370 calories. Even choose Asiago Roast Beef sandwich and and Vegetarian Black Bean soup is only 600 calories, and lots of choices are around 500 calories. It's really not fair to diss Panera because you CAN make bad choices there.

That's what I was thinking of! It's not the sierra turkey I would get when I worked next to panera it was the smoked turkey. Good stuff and low cal.

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:

I can usually eat off a restaurant to go box for two or three days. lol

IHOP and Denny's have some options under 500 cals...they aren't too bad. Macaroni Grill is up there with Olive Garden.

the one thing at Denny's that blows my mind is that on their "healthy" food list they have banana pecan pancakes...which I ate the other day...they are fantastic...they are also 800 cals. Not healthy by any means.

The Fit Slam from Denny's is pretty good, and under 400 calories. They serve it with a nice helping of fresh fruit.

The Banana Pecan pancakes are absolutely wonderful, and they are higher in calories. But to be fair, they don't advertise them as being low-calorie but low-fat. They are extremely filling, tho...

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=

Fair enough...

I'm still going to argue that any appetizer portion under 500 cal is not going to be filling for 90% of the population. And yes its possible to eat a salad without dressing...but disgusting.

I have never seen the linguine alla marinara...i may try it if we have it around here. I realized I forgot about the capellini...I've had it and thought it was disgusting so I think I just counted that one out when I looked at the nutrition menu. As for the apricot chicken...I probably counted that out too just because it doesn't sound like my thing.

So yes...there are (very few) healthier options available. Olive Garden is still one of the least healthy places to eat.

And for the record...I'll still eat there...I just don't worry about healthy eating when I go. I love the place.

Personally I eat salads without dressing ((Just don't like it, it takes away the fresh veggie flavor)).. And I know a lot of people that can be full off of an app.

Also Olive Garden does have healthy options, you just prefer their non healthy options.

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

Taco Bell is actually a major part of my current diet. I am travelling alot for my job and if I need to eat fast I find a Taco Bell. I get 3 Fresca soft tacos at 150 calories each and I have a quick on the go lunch for 450 calories that fills me up.

In general eating out is problematic due to high sodium and calories in most menu items. That said, I'm looking at many of the restaurants on this list and know for a fact that healthy or at least low cal food choices can be obtained. Put the onus on yourself to review the menu carefully and find the food choices which make sense for a healthy and fit lifestyle. Its not McNasty's fault if you go in there and order Big Mac with all the works, super size fry, apple pie and large Coke. If you must eat out and/or enjoy doing so as I do then order in a fit & healthy fashion. If you can't resist the temptation to binge when you eat out then stay out of restaurants.

I can not agree more! I eat out probably more than I should and I have been to almost every place listed here and have came out just fine! I educate myself with the menu and go from there.

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.

I love this too! Their chicken sandwiches are actually really good, and you can get those calories down pretty low without losing any of the flavor.