The Swamp

Shake shack chicken has good everything but the chicken.

Nonlinear there's a "franchise" called Jim's Burger Haven around Denver that does old school burgers that are sudo-smashburgers. 50's diner vibe. They serve them in 6 in or 4 in varieties. Very good burger. Get it with jalapenos, green chile and bacon.

ETA: Denver/Colorado knows fuck all about the green chile cheeseburger, which is culinary excellence of the highest order.

I've been to this place before. Once when it was still in Chandler, AZ before they got run out of town and again in Vegas about a decade ago.

The food actually tastes great, but I'd only ever recommend going there for the novelty.

I'm pretty sure I was watching people weigh themselves before going in at the exact moment I took the hit off Brian's vape that made me feel the hangover leave my body.

On the drive back from CO, we topped in Lexington to grab some KFC.

The fries and gravy. Ridiculously good. We were smart and only had a little until we got home.

Raising Cane’s. What’s the big deal? Why the lines out the door? There’s one coming to my side of town.

I think that's going to happen when a new fast food place with any kind of hype makes its first appearance in a town/region. They're nothing special, but I do enjoy it. The sauce is good and always get an extra toast and make little chicken tender sliders to dip in.

Where's the lunch thread....

Cane's is fine. Nothing worth lining up out the door, but I get it when it's new. Youngest loves it, but I can only handle at sufficiently spaced intervals.

Agree with the general sentiment.

I have a pretty firm rule: I don't sit in a line longer than 10 minutes for food. And if the wait time at a restaurant is over 20 minutes, I'm moving on*.

* - Unless I have the option of chilling at the bar, or there is readily available time killing option nearby (pinball machine/arcade or it's on a nice Main ST I haven't explored, maybe in a mall I can tool around in.) But just sitting there waiting? F' that.

bfj wrote: ↑Fri Jun 09, 2023 10:28 am Raising Cane’s. What’s the big deal? Why the lines out the door? There’s one coming to my side of town.

It's just some fried chicken strips. I'll echo the others with the "it's new and shiny" aspect driving huge demand. But it's definitely a good choice for lunch. The menu is very simple. Looks like they've had steady growth and targeted this year as a breakout year: https://www.raisingcanes.com/news/comin ... -near-you/

The same thing happened in ABQ last month when one opened. Hour and a half long traffic for the drive thru. I chuckled. Reminded me of when Sonic finally opened just north of Boston a long time ago. Traffic backed up on the highway for quite a while.

When Shake Shack finally makes its way to Tucson I'll be in line for that. (They're in Phoenix, but I'm not up there often.)

I just saw we're getting a Shake Shack and it's the first one I've seen with a drive-thru.

Johnnie wrote: ↑Fri Jun 09, 2023 11:13 am Reminded me of when Sonic finally opened just north of Boston a long time ago. Traffic backed up on the highway for quite a while.

That's off route 1 though, traffic is ALWAYS shitty.

Giff wrote: ↑Fri Jun 09, 2023 11:17 am I just saw we're getting a Shake Shack and it's the first one I've seen with a drive-thru.

We had an In n Out and a Shake Shack open near us, less than half a mile apart, within about a month of each other. In n Out had lines forever. Never more than a car or two in Shake Shack's drive thru.

Obligatory:

Nonlinear FC wrote: ↑Fri Jun 09, 2023 12:56 pm Obligatory:

Yes, I knew I recently learned of Raising Cain's. I looked it up after someone posted this skit. Menu has like 3 items.

So, how embarrassing is it that I just ordered $20 worth of food for myself from McDonald's.

In my defense, it's both lunch and dinner. And I just finished a crappy hearing and now have to start preparing for a crappy deposition tomorrow morning.

But still. I really hope I can blame this on inflation.

Eat what you want!

The price of fast food is expensive. Don't feel bad.

Johnnie wrote: ↑Thu Jun 15, 2023 9:39 pm The price of fast food is expensive. Don't feel bad.

You enjoy that flaming diarrhea, you work hard, dammit.

That Cain’s skit is hilarious because it’s true. And they’re always by In-N-Out too so it’s a massive fuckup of traffic.

brian wrote: ↑Thu Jun 15, 2023 9:55 pm That Cain’s skit is hilarious because it’s true. And they’re always by In-N-Out too so it’s a massive fuckup of traffic.

I just checked this for Tucson and it's pretty damn spot on. Each In-N-Out is within a mile or less of a Cane's. And there's even one spot on the northeast side where Chick-fil-A is right down the street too. Kinda funny.

Steve of phpBB wrote: ↑Thu Jun 15, 2023 6:45 pm So, how embarrassing is it that I just ordered $20 worth of food for myself from McDonald's.

In my defense, it's both lunch and dinner. And I just finished a crappy hearing and now have to start preparing for a crappy deposition tomorrow morning.

But still. I really hope I can blame this on inflation.

What the other guys said in terms of you do you, AND....


Fast food is no longer a super-cheap dining option. When my wife and I road-warrior our 12 hour trips, it's going to be fast food 100/100 times. We are not hogs, we just do a normal combo meal at Wendy's or McD's or Chicken Filet... Over $20 every time. That shit used to be $10 (two combo meals around $5 apiece.)

It's to the point where I'm tempted on baby trips (6-7 hours) to just go sit down at a Chile's or something and have a decent meal at this point.

Dammit.

Get off my lawn.

Yeah, many times I'm going the value menu if I'm doing fast food. Also make sure you use the apps if you do eat them regularly. The Wendy's one is especially great. I think the last time I went I didn't pay for a thing thanks to the rewards, and we really don't go there that often.

Nonlinear FC wrote: ↑Fri Jun 16, 2023 9:59 amFast food is no longer a super-cheap dining option. When my wife and I road-warrior our 12 hour trips, it's going to be fast food 100/100 times. We are not hogs, we just do a normal combo meal at Wendy's or McD's or Chicken Filet... Over $20 every time. That shit used to be $10 (two combo meals around $5 apiece.)

It's to the point where I'm tempted on baby trips (6-7 hours) to just go sit down at a Chile's or something and have a decent meal at this point.

I am in the "stop at a restaurant where you tip" boat (I think getting fries at a stop on the Thruway is the exception, along with eating the leftover fries from the kids). Now, that option has mostly been taken off the table, as our kids prefer to pack sandwiches and eat in the car to get the trip over as quickly as possible.

Johnnie wrote: ↑Thu Jun 15, 2023 10:56 pm

brian wrote: ↑Thu Jun 15, 2023 9:55 pm That Cain’s skit is hilarious because it’s true. And they’re always by In-N-Out too so it’s a massive fuckup of traffic.

I just checked this for Tucson and it's pretty damn spot on. Each In-N-Out is within a mile or less of a Cane's. And there's even one spot on the northeast side where Chick-fil-A is right down the street too. Kinda funny.

I read a story about this once and it’s because both restaurants use the same real estate leasing company.

Nonlinear FC wrote: ↑Fri Jun 16, 2023 9:59 am
It's to the point where I'm tempted on baby trips (6-7 hours) to just go sit down at a Chile's or something and have a decent meal at this point.

I...I've never seen these words together in the same sentence...

I'm talking about the array of options that are typical off your standard I-95 or I-70 exit. We're talking Outback Steakhouse, Logan's, Texas Roadhouse, etc.

If you are in a pinch order the Southwest Eggrolls and the Ribs. Maybe throw a salad in the mix. Fuckin' delicious.

My go to on a road trip dinner/take out is Uno's. But that's a shrinking franchise at this point.

Again, very specific to road doggin' it. I'm not going to a Chili's when I have normal big city options avail.

Okay, the deposition has not been as crappy as I expected.

Nonlinear FC wrote: ↑Fri Jun 16, 2023 12:30 pm I'm talking about the array of options that are typical off your standard I-95 or I-70 exit. We're talking Outback Steakhouse, Logan's, Texas Roadhouse, etc.

If you are in a pinch order the Southwest Eggrolls and the Ribs. Maybe throw a salad in the mix. Fuckin' delicious.

My go to on a road trip dinner/take out is Uno's. But that's a shrinking franchise at this point.

Again, very specific to road doggin' it. I'm not going to a Chili's when I have normal big city options avail.

Ah, makes sense with the context.

Those 'fast casual' places are just awful and only marginally better than fast food.

I was forced to eat at a Chili's recently during a soccer tournament. Been at least 20 years since I set foot in one. I have to say, and several other parents all said the same thing, "this isn't nearly as bad as I remembered!" I'm not looking to go back anytime soon, but I'm not shunning it anymore if it's the only place on the highway. Actually had some decent healthier items, too.

brian wrote: ↑Fri Jun 16, 2023 12:14 pm

Johnnie wrote: ↑Thu Jun 15, 2023 10:56 pm

brian wrote: ↑Thu Jun 15, 2023 9:55 pm That Cain’s skit is hilarious because it’s true. And they’re always by In-N-Out too so it’s a massive fuckup of traffic.

I just checked this for Tucson and it's pretty damn spot on. Each In-N-Out is within a mile or less of a Cane's. And there's even one spot on the northeast side where Chick-fil-A is right down the street too. Kinda funny.

I read a story about this once and it’s because both restaurants use the same real estate leasing company.

This makes a ton of sense. Friend of mine does restaurant real estate, I'd be curious of his thoughts on this.

Giff wrote: ↑Fri Jun 16, 2023 11:01 am Yeah, many times I'm going the value menu if I'm doing fast food. Also make sure you use the apps if you do eat them regularly. The Wendy's one is especially great. I think the last time I went I didn't pay for a thing thanks to the rewards, and we really don't go there that often.

My god, yes. Use the apps. I don't eat fast food much, but my kids get it once a week or so. The apps are where the deals are.

govmentchedda wrote: ↑Fri Jun 16, 2023 2:21 pm

brian wrote: ↑Fri Jun 16, 2023 12:14 pm

Johnnie wrote: ↑Thu Jun 15, 2023 10:56 pm

brian wrote: ↑Thu Jun 15, 2023 9:55 pm That Cain’s skit is hilarious because it’s true. And they’re always by In-N-Out too so it’s a massive fuckup of traffic.

I just checked this for Tucson and it's pretty damn spot on. Each In-N-Out is within a mile or less of a Cane's. And there's even one spot on the northeast side where Chick-fil-A is right down the street too. Kinda funny.

I read a story about this once and it’s because both restaurants use the same real estate leasing company.

This makes a ton of sense. Friend of mine does restaurant real estate, I'd be curious of his thoughts on this.

I think there’s a lot of coattail riding too. The newer restaurant decides it’s going after the same demographic as a more established one. So instead of paying for the market analysis to tell them where that demo is, they go where the established one has put theirs.

The Cane's I've seen have aren't really near In and Out here in Denver Metro, but they glob on to other hot francises.

Fast food restaurants should not allow a product to be ordered on the app if they've discontinued said product at a pre-determined time. I should not have had to drive around to four different restaurants only to be told at the last one as I pointed to the huge ass poster they still have up advertising the product that they're no longer selling it (after being burned by the app at the first place, I didn't try it for the others). At least it saved me money because my annoyance did away with my hunger.

That's what I get for telling my kids they'll get a Grimace shake if they clean their rooms and the game room. And fuck them for actually following through tbh. Hope they enjoy the last Happy Meal I'll ever buy them.

Would have been easier to get two vanilla shakes and some food coloring.



(This assumes a grimace shake is merely a purple milkshake.)

Then I would be sitting here with that post-McDonald’s regret, so I guess it worked out.

mister d wrote: ↑Mon Jul 03, 2023 1:03 pm Would have been easier to get two vanilla shakes and some food coloring.



(This assumes a grimace shake is merely a purple milkshake.)

I recently read it is berry-flavored.

So, you were 90% of the way there.

Lamest Grimace shake horror story ever.


(For those who aren't in the loop...)