Which Restaurant Has Fallen The Hardest?

I would say that McDonald's can stay relevant if they up their quality of meat like to that standards they had at least in the 1980's. Are they worried that if they jack up the prices of a Big Mac, that nobody will go to McDonald's anymore?

If you told me that they went back to the quality and size of a Quarter Pounder from 1975, I'd go to McD's in the next week to try it.

They don't even need to be at the level of Five Guys which runs you $45 for a family of 3!

People still buy gas even when the prices are high. People still smoke even though the prices of cigarettes continue to climb. Soda prices are .35 higher than they were 10 years ago. McD's can charge more and their die-hard, addicted fan base would still buy it.

It's those rich executives at the top who are looking to cut costs for their own good so they can keep their jobs, the companies net profit, and fat year-end bonuses. None of it is for long-term stability, it's just so they get in and get out with a nice retirement. They don't really give a crap about the legacy or supposed quality of that brand.

That's true with a lot of the mentions (especially Applebee's), but it is possible the OP meant fallen as in lost popularity, not necessarily greatness. BK definitely isn't as popular as it used to be.

I was starving today, the highway was closed because of an accident, I rolled into a Wendy's.

A double burger and large fry was $10.85

Wasn't bad

I will say Five Guys and Panera have gone way down hill from what they used to be 5-10 years ago, because they are literally nearly twice the price. These two places are far more expensive than Chipotle, local Chinese places, and most traditional sit-down places. They used to be a pretty good deal. I don't think I'll ever go back after paying nearly $50 for two people at Panera

I used to love Blimpie. I was driving through SC a few years ago - just prior to COVID - and stopped for lunch and saw a Blimpie. I talked my wife into stopping and I was confident it was going to be a great experience, despite the rough looking exterior of the store. Things didn't look much better inside, but I was holding strong to my hope of a great sub. There was only one employee in the place. She was on her phone in a chair in the dining section. Looked annoyed that we walked in the place. We placed our order and she started making the sandwiches without washing her hands and was sneezing off to the side while making them. No gloves, and kept wiping her nose. My wife was so disgusted that she just started shaking her head. To top it off, the woman lets out a huge fart. She did not try to hide it at all. It seemed intentional. I started to laugh and just said, "Actually, no thank you" and we walked out. When we pulled away, you could see her sitting in the dining area on her phone.

Panera in 2016 was amazing. Now its overpriced and feels like microwaved food.

Had a similar experience at a taco bell driving up 79 in WV. Was desperate for food and thought why not. Ended up walking out and going to a chinese buffet next door. Wasn't great, but at least didn't get sick. That's the last time I've been in a taco bell and will never eat at one again.

This is like something straight out of a Daniel Clowes book. Love it.

You’re an idiot. You went back to one ONCE and make a blanket statement for a whole franchise. Applebees has been the same for decades. You just grew up. Just like “flight of the navigator” was a cool movie as a child, but now it sucks.

Remember Chi-Chi’s?

thetakeout.com

What the Hell Happened to Chi-Chi’s?

The once popular chain lives on past its brick-and-mortar restaurants.

Open link

Agree on panera.

It was decent as early as 2018.

It's terrible now. Bread is all stale. Sandwiches are weird. Salads not fresh. And the soup is just out of a bag.

Also wierd menu items like Flatbread pizzas and a strange spicy chicken sandwich that is extremely overpriced(and just microwaved too).

Places get bad when they lose sight of their core menu items.

Weirdly enough panera group announced today they are exploring an IPO (after their take private a few years back). Maybe a final cash out before the final decline?

McDonald’s has a good breakfast, good soda, and they are clean, but BK’s burger is 10x better.

Not that there aren’t better options.

Quality is relatively unchanged but the hardest fall price-wise has got to be Taco Bell. Stuff that was on the dollar menu in the mid to late 2010s is $2+ now. There's inflation and then there's 100%+ price increases. Still pretty easy to eat a ton for like $8 so I still go, but you used to be able to get the same amount of food for like 5 bucks.

Also: Charlie Browns. I think there's only one left in NJ (it's home state). Time has long since left it in the dust, that was the kind of place my grandparents would frequent 20 years before I was born!

Not mutually exclusive. Places could have been not that great to start with AND have also gone downhill.

older workers at hooters have said its harder when things fall

Can confirm Chick Fil-A is absolutely thriving. I live in Oregon and all locations constantly have lines into the street to point where they're blocking traffic. And when a new one opens people literally CAMP OUT waiting for the place to open.

Honestly I don't really get it. It's pretty good, but still mass produced fast food.

TGI Fridays used to be the s*it back in the day. That's a fall from grace.

Sweet Tomatoes anyone?