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[Random Painted HIghway]

My own anecdote is similar. I used to visit Applebees all the time in my teens and early twenties. Likewise with the other big chains like Outback and TGI Fridays. BWW was cool for getting the guys together for a game. They had a solid bar and the wing sauces are pretty tasty. Applebees was always lower-tier...Crapplebees. We went to drink and eat cheap apps after class or our part-time jobs.

I've got a family now and my budget is much tighter. The appeal of these chains is completely lost...unless you count the nostalgia one feels for simpler times I suppose. The last few times I went to Outback and Olive Garden, the food quality had obviously gone down hill and the waitresses seemed to rush us through. I'd rather enjoy some home cookin' and craft brews, which I can buy at my local liquor store for much cheaper. Five Guys is also close and a solid choice for grease burgers.

I don't really feel bad, because I've read articles about Olive Garden thinking the answer to their falling revenue is to increase customer turnover--as if people are just dying to get in and they can't serve people fast enough. It's kind of amazing that they want to pretend we're not wise to their frozen menu items. If they got with the times a bit, maybe they'd stand a chance.

38 two kids 6 and 2 and this is where we're at with these. Applebee's 20 years ago was great, but now between their decline and the massive rise in options, just not worth it, particularly with kids in tow.

 

[SoRuffShoNuff]

I know what the differences are. But for the cost, I can't justify the price of wings these days over strips. At the end of the day, I'm buying buffalo chicken, so I'd rather have significantly more meat for around the same price.

You are getting a completely different product just with the same finishing sauce. It would be like me saying I'd rather have a t-bone than filet mignon because at the end of the day I'm buying beef so I'd rather have significantly more meat for around the same price.

 

[SDCowboy]

You are getting a completely different product just with the same finishing sauce. It would be like me saying I'd rather have a t-bone than filet mignon because at the end of the day I'm buying beef so I'd rather have significantly more meat for around the same price.

Right, it is like saying that.

Only in this case, it's like the reverse where the filet costs more than the crap cut (in this case, wings). The price of wings has gotten absurd.

I love wings, they are different, and they have a place, but I liked them a lot more when they were almost free.

 

[Nordicus]

-Americans are becoming more sophisticated about food. Many Millennial grew up in a time of massive growth of food availability, the growth of farmer's markets, Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, The Food Network and now Youtube. Simply put your average Millenial know more about food than her parents, who probably doesn't know what Mesclun is.

Not just sophisticated about food, but knowledgeable about restaurants. (or at least how to avoid the most mediocre ones)

You can whip out your phone and check for nearby quality local restaurants through online reviews, and likely not have to step into a mid-price chain restaurant ever again.

 

[Meadows]

Or you could, you know, make better food

 

[antibolo]

Or you could, you know, make better food

Nah it's easier to just blame the younger generation for your own failures.

It's a time honoured tradition throughout all of human history.

There are texts from Ancient Greece that called the youth lazy and stupid and blamed them for random stuff.

 

[AntraxSuicide]

These threads always make me appreciate how easily pleased I am when it comes to food. I eat at BWW, Taco Bell, and Dominos regularly and never had a problem with what they gave me.

Yeah I'm fine with all of these you listed. But Applebee's legitimately microwaves most of their food and I really think it shows. That's the one place I would pass on unless it was free.

 

[7DollarHagane]

So the millennials are actually smarter and realize that cooking at home is cheaper, healthier, and more fulfilling than paying $12 for a plate of fried garbage at a chain restaurant with 2300 empty calories??

I thought the millennials were supposed to be dumb and irresponsible?

 

[OfficerRaichu15]

My family likes going to local businesses(only place we like going to that's a chain is Ocharleys and Texas Roadhouse)
Most of them are shit and supporting local businesses makes me feel better than supporting corporations.

 

[Aureon]

I'm a millennial, very skilled at cooking, and the only thing i'll eat out with any frequency is AYCE Sushi, because that's hell to make properly at home.
#proudtobetheproblem

Spoiler

Am i doing this right

 

[Not Spaceghost]

So the millennials are actually smarter and realize that cooking at home is cheaper, healthier, and more fulfilling than paying $12 for a plate of fried garbage at a chain restaurant with 2300 empty calories??

I thought the millennials were supposed to be dumb and irresponsible?

Well it's likely that they are just choosing chipotle over applebees.

 

[tokkun]

You are getting a completely different product just with the same finishing sauce. It would be like me saying I'd rather have a t-bone than filet mignon because at the end of the day I'm buying beef so I'd rather have significantly more meat for around the same price.

Right, it is like saying that.

Only in this case, it's like the reverse where the filet costs more than the crap cut (in this case, wings). The price of wings has gotten absurd.

I love wings, they are different, and they have a place, but I liked them a lot more when they were almost free.

You guys are killing me with this analogy. A T-bone actually contains a filet. That's one side of the T. And as a steak snob, if either of them is a "crap cut", it's the filet. That's why it is often served with a sauce or wrapped in bacon to compensate for the lack of flavor.

 

[Camp Freddie]

As a gen x, I fully support the death of shit chain restaurants. Thanks millennials.

 

[Linkura]

Maybe if they actually cooked the food instead of microwaving it, shit tier places like Applebee's wouldn't be dying. Millennials aren't stupid nor as lazy as their parents to pay a premium to eat vacuum-sealed slop.

 

[Envelope]

bww isn't that bad tho there's tons of better wing places

otherwise yeah all those places can rot

 

[btrboyev]

I call bullshit on this. A lot of young people I know do not cook. They eat ghetto groceries and ice cream.

 

[SDCowboy]

You guys are killing me with this analogy. A T-bone actually contains a filet. That's one side of the T. And as a steak snob, if either of them is a "crap cut", it's the filet. That's why it is often served with a sauce or wrapped in bacon to compensate for the lack of flavor.

If you'll notice, I didn't even mention a T-bone steak. I specifically left that out of my version of the analogy.

 

[ruxtpin]

If this was part of Palpatine's plan, then good.

 

[teh_pwn]

When a restaurant asks if a burger is pink or no pink, they already failed.

 

[Bookoo]

I just started going to Fridays again and it's the best. $4 dollar cocktails with $10 dollar all you can eat apps. It is much better than the $8+ dollar craft beers or $4 dollar Coors at the other bars around me.

 

[MrMephistoX]

World War II?

If it turns out that millennial invent time travel...


QUOTE=7DollarHagane;239131749]So the millennials are actually smarter and realize that cooking at home is cheaper, healthier, and more fulfilling than paying $12 for a plate of fried garbage at a chain restaurant with 2300 empty calories??

I thought the millennials were supposed to be dumb and irresponsible?[/QUOTE]

Honestly I'm a better bartender and feel kind of offended paying $10+ for what amounts to mixer and like a shot of alcohol. Food wise, no surprise there these places are like the McDonald's of sit down restaurants: my work place cafeteria by Bob Apetit has better food.

The only thing I don't cook at home is authentic Asian stuff because my attempts never live up to what I can get in the San Gabriel Valley.

 

[ExVicis]

It could be the fact that Buffalo Wild Wings and Applebee's have terrible food that's killing them

Yeah goddamn, simplest answer and all that.

I've always hated Applebees but I would love to give an excuse for Buffalo Wild Wings to have my money, as I really used to like them in the past. But the last time I went to that place the Wings weren't nearly as good as I remembered and the Alcohol I could taste was watered down (Guinness has a very clear taste). So if that the kind of service they're giving me why should I bother returning?

 

[Swig_]

I think that the quality at BWW varies with location. I travel for work and the wings I had there in the north east (NJ, specifically) were pretty terrible. But around where in live in Utah, they're not bad. Same goes for Colorado and a few other south western states. They do seem to be slowly declining, though, and I don't go there very often unless I want a cheap meal on a Tuesday night.

 

[Veritigo_X]

Why is that article framing it as a bad thing? Has the author not eaten at any of those places?

 

[Acinixys]

I would rather get KFC or cook at home than go to a restaurant

Probably eat out at a sit down restaurant every 3 - 4 months

Slow service, ok food and the fact that you have to tip or be branded a cheapo all piss me off. Also I can make 99% of it better myself

If I wanted to be served 3 hours after arriving and eat crap food I will rather go to my Grans house.

 

[ruxtpin]

I eat out a ton due to the nature of my job requiring me to travel 75% of the year, and I flat out refuse to go AppleBees or Olive Garden. I'd take Wendy's over one of those places or just get some microwave lean cuisine for my hotel room.

 

[How About No]

But I'm millennial and like Bdubs! I mean I never go there but I like the idea of going there!

 

[xxracerxx]

Well the wings at BWW are pretty terrible and, at least in Portland, there are so many better options.

 

[Demoncarnotaur]

What kills these places for me is the vastly over priced, rather underwhelming food.

Buffalo Wild Wings has some fun sauces, but that's where the appeal ends. If I'm gonna get wings, I have 3 or 4 local pubs/bars/pizza shops that offer fucking GREAT wings for way better prices.

Applebee's tastes like frozen pre-made food dressed up to ideal conditions. It probably is that.

 

[Ric Flair]

At least in the cities, I know there's been a big change to local businesses that gather their ingredients from local farmers and use real cooking over grease baths. I'm talking the Midwest, here, anyways. Minneapolis, Milwaukee, and Chicago in particular.

 

[spuckthew]

"Millennial consumers are more attracted than their elders to cooking at home, ordering delivery from restaurants and eating quickly, in fast-casual or quick-serve restaurants," Smith wrote.

Weird, I went into this thread thinking: "No shit, I'd rather go to cool independent (or just non-chain) restaurants with quality cooking and ingredients", not that millennials are more inclined to stay at home and cook or order in.

But what can I say, I like living classy.

 

[Dreavus]

"Blame" is such a whiny way of putting it.

You are a business, adapt or die.

 

[FStubbs]

"Blame" is such a whiny way of putting it.

You are a business, adapt or die.

I almost feel like these boomers are going to go to Trump and see if he can pass legislation forcing millennials to prop up their failing business models.

 

[zeshakag]

I now remember the reason my friends and I don't go to Applebee's anymore is they removed the happy hour discount on wings. Used to be able to get 10 bone in wings and fries for around 8 bucks during happy hour. Could get 20 for $10 before tax.

Now not only were the wings not discounted during happy hour, they were more expensive.

 

[Korey]

You can't Instagram the food at Applebee's.

 

[JJDubz]

I would say I'm tired of all the blame that companies throw towards new generations but it gives me a good guide of which places to avoid giving money to.

How the hell do you not take responsibility for this and attempt to fix it?

 

[baxter2231]

Applebees is more popular than ever where i am and its popular with young people so idk what they are talking about. But in general people rather go to these so called fast casual places because you dont have to tip anyone. Sit down equals the need for tipping and for what taking an order and walking it to me wow u really earned to make more than the cooks themselves doing that !

 

[Stinkles]

Applebees food was actually a shock to me. Reheated frozen microwave dinner. It was genuinely abhorrent. I seem to remember that even Dennys used to make "real" food but applebees and sizzler at least have switched to factory bullshit. And I bet the CEO who made that choice has a great defense for it.

 

[Lord Frieza]

I read you right. Just don't take this or any of these "millennials are killing..." articles as "you're destroying society." It reads to me more as an indictment on these chains for resisting change for too long.

You misunderstood. I'm not taking it that way, but that's the way it's being presented. And it's not just chains. Someone posted a list earlier of all the headlines of what Millennials are killing from golf to the car industry to paper napkins lol. I mean, I know, it's bullshit, but that's the narrative a lot of people are pushing now.

 

[StoveOven]

I see a lot of people here taking issue with being blamed for this, but I personally would love to take partial responsibility for the downfall of shitty restaurants

 

[teh_pwn]

The problem with Applebee's is that it's in a weird spot between fast food and an affordable restaurant. There are at least a few fast food burger places that make a better burger than Applebee's and at the same cost. For a sit down restaurant with new American food, there's dozens of local and chain restaurants that cost 20-30% more that offer far superior food. For example, in Austin Jack Allen's offers similar food and as an example their burger is in a completely different class of quality than "pink or no pink" fake grill mark burger patties.

Also it's strange to blame millenials when people that eat out regularly tend to be 30+ because they have the disposable income. Eating out is expensive when you're paying student loans and have an entry level salary.

 

[JJDubz]

I see a lot of people here taking issue with being blamed for this, but I personally would love to take partial responsibility for the downfall of shitty restaurants

I'm with you and would wear it as a badge of honor. Better places deserve the crowds that gather at these shitholes.

 

[Snkfanatic]

The problem with Applebee's is that it's in a weird spot between fast food and an affordable restaurant. There are at least a few fast food burger places that make a better burger than Applebee's and at the same cost. For a sit down restaurant with new American food, there's dozens of local and chain restaurants that cost 20-30% more that offer far superior food. For example, in Austin Jack Allen's offers similar food and as an example their burger is in a completely different class of quality than "pink or no pink" fake grill mark burger patties.

Also it's strange to blame millenials when people that eat out regularly tend to be 30+ because they have the disposable income. Eating out is expensive when you're paying student loans and have an entry level salary.

Well I am mid 30s and part of the Millenials so there are a number of us in that age group already.

 

[HiResDes]

I went to an Applebee's once that told me they no longer served potato skins, so I did 360 right the fuck outta there

 

[Astral Dog]

I like Buffalo Wings 😯

 

[FreshCakes]

Hell yeah, support the local restaurants and kill the chains.

 

[sir_kevith]

BWW lunch deal is actually really good. Like 8 bucks for wings, fries, and a drink.

The last time I ate there I got it for free because they took longer than 15 min. It's like playing roulette for free lunch.

 

[hammysaurusrex]

I have no problem with this. It's not unusual to have a bad experience with a restaurant, but I have sincerely never had a good experience with Applebees. The few times I've been there's always been some kind of issue.

But the article gets it right. These restaurants just don't serve a purpose anymore. If I'm desperate and need something to eat quickly, I'm going to go to a fast-casual place. If I'm actually going out to eat for a meal then it's a very rare treat these days between mortgage and student debt, and I'm more interested in spending a little bit more money to get a lot better quality at any number of local restaurants.

 

[GTI Guy]

I like the wings at BWW. I like dry rub wings and most places don't have it. They have many options. Dig them.

 

[HvySky]

I like Buffalo Wings 😯

I do too. Just not the ones at Buffalo WILD Wings.

I celebrate our generation bringing an end to horrible chain restaurant food. Why would I ever go to an Applebee's when there a dozen other similarly priced places with generally healthier and/or tastier menus?