re: Whataburger coming to Fayetteville

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on line image

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same as off line image. old, hairy and smelly.


well, I guess it's time for me to hit the hay, headed to texas tomorrow,, may drop in on a whataburger.. I might can find that feller a job.

I think it's gonna be peanut butter on toasted wheat, tonight.

Aight, y'all had me thinking bout whataburgers w/mustard & onions for a few days now. I can't land in tyler, so where's the closest one to dfw, dammit?

Fayetteville has a good restaurant scene, no doubt. It's very competitive though and that's due to a combination of good quality and a high number of options for a town that size. There's a lot of restaurant space available right now.

Olive Garden over pesto those people really missed out I love me some pesto cafe

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We get a lot of chains who come in and drop out,

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That happens in Baton Rouge, as well. There is one particular street off of I-10 in south Baton Rouge, which is a very busy area, that always has a lot of "chain turnover." BR has a very high quantity and wide range of chain restaurants, though. It being the capitol city as well as where the main state university is located, I expect there to be a good many of them, but really, in south LA, I would also expect there to be more popular locally owned restaurants here. The outlying areas, suburbs, other nearby smaller towns, and New Orleans, of course, have more of those establishments than Baton Rouge, proper.

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I was in Home Depot the other night talking with a couple who had just moved to town. They were asking for a "good italian place" and I suggested Pesto Cafe or Noodles, which is right down the street from HD. Then I said "if Noodles is too busy, there's an Olive Garden right across the street". They went "ooh..aah...Olive Garden. We'll go there." I was like "WTF?" I mean OG is pretty decent for a chain, but why not try a local place in your new town?

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I'm not against a good quality chain, either, whether it be a Five Guys, J.Alexander's, or Ruth's Chris, but living in a region known for its food, I would expect the local flavor and privately owned eateries to be more abundant in this city. Obviously, Baton Rouge is a big enough city to sustain both chains and independent restaurants, but more & more chains seem to be moving in and becoming increasingly popular, which is not necessarily a bad thing, as long as they are quality & consistent chains, and the fact that many wonderful independent restaurants are just a very short drive from here, actually gives one the best of both worlds. However, the only locally owned places that seem to be doing well here are the ones that have been around forever. There just aren't nearly as many new ones opening as there are chains, and I would hate to see any of the few old, well established independent restaurants that do exist close because of a chain. It is just too expensive, and the economy is still much too unstable for most people, even with solid culinary business backgrounds and excellent product, to take that risk right now. Corporate chains are very hard to compete with for new privately owned restaurants, especially in an "iffy" economy. They can sustain many more days of average or weak sales than a sole, independent owner.

Your Olive Garden story is very similar to BR. There are a couple of local Italian places that have been here forever, but friends always choose the Olive Garden or Carrabba's, and these are people from BR!! The last time we dined out, I put my foot down & practically drug them to a local non-chain Italian family hole-in-the-wall restaurant. I don't have anything against OG & Carrabba's. They are both decent Italian food chains, (especially Carrabba's; it's very good) but it is hard to beat the authentic Italian ambience - decor; knowledgable family member wait staff & chefs; and customs/historical elements/language. And it is particularly hard to beat the authentic Old World family recipes handed down through generations that you cannot get in any chain.

I believe this describes the appeal of independent, locally owned restaurants to people who love dining out, and who are in love with the entire culinary experience, not just the food aspect. It has, sadly, become the norm, these days, for people to run into a commonly recognized place with the standard themed decor & menu, very average food, inhale their unmemorable meal (all courses brought simultaneously), get "politely" whisked out the door by their interchangeable, nondescript, culinarily challenged, robotic server(s) within 45 minutes, and be satisfied. That is not an enjoyable dining experience, imo.

Dining in a restaurant with an authentic atmosphere & cuisine, reflective of the specific culture and history of its owners' region of origin and/or culinary specialty, is very much a part of the entire experience. Ambience is equally as important as the quality of the food & beverages of the restaurant, imo, and usually, locally, family owned places are the most favorable for this type of atmosphere, no matter the style of cuisine. Whether it be Greek-Lebanese, Italian, or Mexican food, Arkansas Bar-B-Que, Burgers, & Home Style dishes, Iowa Steaks, or Louisiana Seafood or Cajun & Creole influenced dishes, the independent restaurants are the ones with local flavor, local historical significance, and family traditions with, by far, the best service and food, which isn't surprising considering the pride involved, not to mention the blood, sweat, tears, and funds it takes to make this type of restaurant a success with staying power, and the fact that, many times, it is a main source of income for the family - their livelihood. These restaurants are always the most interesting, as well. They're the ones you want to take your time in, learn about, and savor your meal. They are much more relaxed, usually, and I never feel as though I'm just a "party at table 12" or whatever, being rushed out of the door to be replaced by the next group of "cattle" waiting for the table. It's pretty standard to spend a couple of hours dining at these locally owned types of restaurants, taking in the ambience, chatting with the owner(s) and staff, even the chef sometimes, which are all generally related, and learning about the family, the establishment & its history.

This is something that, unfortunately, seems to be disappearing in cities & towns across the country. I understand the need for chains and have nothing against them if they have quality product & service & good execution, and I do frequent them, especially when I have to because of time constraints, but given a choice, I opt for an independently owned local restaurant pretty much every time or anywhere. Being surrounded by the homey atmosphere of a busy local diner or bar-b-que shack, or the elegant & relaxed ambience of an authentic Italian or Greek family restaurant, or American Steakhouse, not to mention the exceptional cuisine, is a much more enjoyable overall culinary experience than any chain can ever replicate or attempt to reproduce, and something I really wish more people would take the time to enjoy again.

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A burger chain in Fayetteville is just another burger chain.

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Exactly!

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Fayetteville has lots of great restaurants, and always has. You insisting otherwise doesn't change that.

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That depends on your definition of "lots." There are a few. Where in this thread did i say otherwise?

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I couldn't give two shits about the opening and failing of:

OCharley's
TGIFridays
that chain burger place where you pump your own nacho drizzle on your burger
Hooters
etc

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So this is the type of shite you eat, and you criticize me. Nacho cheese on a hamburger, that sounds disgusting. I haven't eaten "nacho cheese" since i was 16.

By mentioning a nacho cheese hamburger restaurant, you obviously imply you eat there.


I had no idea such a place existed. I notice a strong correlation on here between lack of intelligence, and resorting to childish insults.

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happens all the time, its their "go to move".

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The irony of course is I'm making an insult as well. Not that I would expect the enlightened on here to pick up on the subtle humor.