New fast food discussion/review thread
OK OOT, it's been a while since we had a devoted fast food thread around here and I think it's time we had a new one.
In
I think the cup may cost more than the actual 20 oz. fountain drink for these FF establishments.
I think the cup may cost more than the actual 20 oz. fountain drink for these FF establishments.
When I worked FF/snackbar a lifetime+ ago, the cup was the most expensive piece of the FF soda. The breakdown as told to me for a $1.75 (at the time, expensive) 32 oz soda was about $.05/cup, $.02/syrup and a $.01 each for soda water and ice. Not sure the labor cost per soda, but minimum wage was $3.35/hr. One minute of labor=~$.05.
FF restaurants charging $1 or $1.25 for any size soda are still making bank, even today.
I waked past a 5G the other day in Seattle and took a glance at the menu through the window. Bacon Cheeseburger was $14.59 IIRC, large fries $8.09, medium $7.09. I guess I won't cry because it's over, but be grateful for what it was.
I specifically remember when the 5G opened at Patriot Place the cheeseburger was $3.59, line out the door all day.
Now when I walk by it has 0-2 people inside, never a line, literal ghost town. There's a lesson in there, but I doubt it will ever be learned.
I specifically remember when the 5G opened at Patriot Place the cheeseburger was $3.59, line out the door all day.
Now when I walk by it has 0-2 people inside, never a line, literal ghost town. There's a lesson in there, but I doubt it will ever be learned.
Lessons to be learned from 5G:
1. Never sell out COMPLETELY.
2. Remember where you came from.
3. You can sheer a sheep many times but skin him only once.
100% true. The original spots in the DC area had lines wrapping around the interior of the building, spilling to outside during lunch and dinner, 7 days a week. You had to plan for a 10-15 min wait before ordering and 20-25 min total wait between arriving and getting your food when you went (the peanuts they offered were for when you were standing in that line).
Unfortunately, I'm pretty sure they decided that by raising their prices to 2X+ where they would have been if they just followed standard (and already high) inflation, they may lose 70% of their customer volumes, but that means they can run way lower on staffing, and come out ahead on profit.
jawhoo, ever have the burger at Loretta's Northwesterner in South Park?
I've lived in the Seattle area ever since Loretta's hit the hype train, which seems forever ago. Haven't gone because:
- the area is a pain in the butt to get to
- I got the impression the locals didn't appreciate the influx of hype-chasers after they got noticed
- I can make better smashburgers at home
I went to Loretta's once, gotta be almost ten years ago now. Solid burger for at the time a pretty fair price. Only reason I've never gone back I'd I'm never in that area. Quite a few places you have to decide to drive past to get there.
5G mentions always make me lol at the 5G / in n out debates from the days of old. The value margin was a lot closer between them back then. Now it's like no contest. I'd drive past probably 100 5g to eat at InO.
After the 5G opened in Santa Clara, and all the hype, I got in line to try it. The burger was almost as good as a Jumbo Jack ($1.50 at the time) but not quite. The fries were quite crappy. You can't compensate for crappy fries by giving you a mother buttload of them. I ate about half of them, and that was a struggle.
So goes the story of my only visit to 5G.
Lucky dogs (not the NOLA ones)!
When I was in HS there was only one national chain FF place in my hometown. Fortunately there was a plethora of drive-in beer joints that not only served hamburgers and cheeseburgers but also underaged patrons!
One served the best cheeseburger I've ever had. It is my gold standard--and has not come close to being equaled yet! They also brought draught beer in a frosted glass mug to your car. Heaven but didn't know it!
The best grilled food i've ever had was at a McCrory's. They had a diner type place inside that had specific fixtures for hot dog and burger buns. A buttering machine and a machine for the buns that heated and crisped the buttered inside surface.
Loretta's makes a bunch of 'best burger in Seattle' lists but somehow I haven't made it in my 10 years here. Will rectify that this year.
After the 5G opened in Santa Clara, and all the hype, I got in line to try it. The burger was almost as good as a Jumbo Jack ($1.50 at the time) but not quite. The fries were quite crappy. You can't compensate for crappy fries by giving you a mother buttload of them. I ate about half of them, and that was a struggle.
So goes the story of my only visit to 5G.
I LOVE 5G. I have never, ever been letdown by them. The cajun fries are so f'in good. Burger is always fantastic.
But the cost is insane. I'd guess I go there once a year. And yeah, whenever I go it's a ghost town.
Loretta's is 13 mins from me. Tavern burger was $7 two years ago, fries $4. Hand cut. Hmm. May be worth a visit, not in this snow though. I know the burger will be good, but worth driving a half hour?
I'd rather get a QPC or big mac, with a 10 min round trip
\edit: Chipotle tripped the circuit breakers and turned off online ordering around 7pm Sat night. An hour or so later it was back on. Never had an app do that!
I LOVE 5G. I have never, ever been letdown by them. The cajun fries are so f'in good. Burger is always fantastic.
But the cost is insane. I'd guess I go there once a year. And yeah, whenever I go it's a ghost town.
This is me: I love the 5G product, back when I lived in the DC area and it was just the original locations, it was one of the top 2 or 3 "gotta take people visiting from out of town to try this place" places. I love their fries (cajun and regular both), they are maybe my absolute favorite, but I also get that some people don't like boardwalk style/only like crispy fries.
But yeah, I have a hard time justifying a $35 meal there even once a year. Really sucks they went that route.
I wonder if I could blatantly copy everything they used to do, serve a bacon cheeseburger, fries and a soda for $17-$20 these days, and have lines out the door and make a good-enough profit?
Chili's and Red Robin both crush those prices.
I wanna eat Culver's 2x in one day.
Spoiler
:: Tuma Bat Signal ::
One of the best burgers I've had recently came from Buffalo Wild Wings. $12-$15 typically depending on what you get, and they're BOGO on Mondays and Wednesday right now.
I always order Cane's a la carte, since I don't want the slaw, the fries are fine but usually would rather a half order and an extra tender. So like for 4 of us, I'll just order like 15 tenders, two orders of fries, 8 toasts, 6 sauces.
My local CFA is giving us free fries today. AND if you mobile order on a Monday, they give you more free food...
There was a rumor going 'round that CFA changed their fry recipe to make them stay crispy longer, but some reports indicated the taste took a hit. Please to be reporting back.
