Eating at Applebees for the first time in four years.

[Giuseppe Zangara 0]

I was desperate. I had been driving almost non-stop, alone, for several hours. There was an Applebees located off the interstate in Valdosta, Georgia. I relished the opportunity to get off the road for a bit. And, maybe, have a decent meal.

 

What was I thinking? Yes, it had been four years since I last stepped foot in one and about half as long since I dined at any sit-down chain, but did I think that the passage of time would have made their food any less mediocre? It's like they scientifically engineered the most flavorless, bland thing (it barely qualified as food) as possible, did a reasonable mock-up of a sandwich and called it a Roasted Turkey & Bacon Ciabatta.

 

Then there was the waiter, a sallow-faced young man who, after giving me my food, hit me up to donate to some cancer-related charity. I was trying to fucking eat! Couldn't his employers have made the staff pick a better time to pitch to the diners, if they had to do it all? Was he oblivious to my look of disdain as he told me about some wretched, terminally ill child and her lemonade stand? Maybe he assumed my disgust was with my meal, not his form letter sob story.

[godthedog 0]

considering the location where you ate, a chain like that was probably your best bet for food. never, ever stop anywhere in valdosta, for any reason.

[Giuseppe Zangara 0]

Georgia has two, maybe three decent cities; the rest of the state should be obliterated.

[Failed Bridge 0]

me and Slayer had a friend who lived in Valdosta for many years.

 

Even the nachos at Applebees pretty much suck since they did away with the colored chips for generic really salty ones.

[The Man in Blak 0]

They just got bought out by IHOP, by the way. I'm not sure if that means the Applebees will be absorbed into the great IHOP collective or what, but changes may be already be underway by the next time you encounter potential starvation on I-75.

[Giuseppe Zangara 0]

Chains. I live in a city that touches the goddamn ocean, yet people line up to get into Red Lobster. wtf, guys?

[The Man in Blak 0]

Tourists who don't know any better?

[Giuseppe Zangara 0]

Also, re: IHOP, I realize I've dined there within the past two years, but they get a pass. Decent breakfast, if nothing else. I know of a couple of smallish eateries (one of which is less than a mile from my place) which both offer a far superior breakfast. I go to one of them whenever I go out to eat in the morning at all.

[Giuseppe Zangara 0]

Tourists who don't know any better?

We both know this is only a small part of it.

[Your Paragon of Virtue 0]

Tourists who don't know any better?

 

Tourists would be more inclined to try out local specialties. I think it would be locals with horrible taste who love fast food, aka plenty of Americans.

[Giuseppe Zangara 0]

Any tourists here would more likely than not go out to the beach, where they can find a number of fine seafood establishments.

[The Man in Blak 0]

Tourists who don't know any better?

 

Tourists would be more inclined to try out local specialties. I think it would be locals with horrible taste who love fast food, aka plenty of Americans.

 

That's assuming that the tourists make like Rachael Ray and actually seek out the local specialties beforehand, of course.

 

But point taken, no sense in discounting rampant stupidity among the local populace.

[Guest Tzar Lysergic]

I ended up crashing at some trucker hotel in Valdosta on either the way there or back on my Florida voyage. That's kind of a long ass drive.

[godthedog 0]

Georgia has two, maybe three decent cities; the rest of the state should be obliterated.

does my home city make that list?

[Edwin MacPhisto 0]

I always aim for a Cracker Barrel during long drives on 75 or 95. Something about it just makes me happy.

[Steviekick 0]

me and Slayer had a friend who lived in Valdosta for many years.

 

Even the nachos at Applebees pretty much suck since they did away with the colored chips for generic really salty ones.

 

I knew there was something different about the nachos that was different.

 

As for food, I never think of going to Applebee's. If it wasn't for there half-priced appetizers, I would never go there.

[Your Paragon of Virtue 0]

I knew there was something different about the nachos that was different.

 

ha

[Steviekick 0]

I knew there was something different about the nachos that was different.

 

ha

 

Steviekick: Bringing the redundancy since 2002

[Jingus 0]

I always aim for a Cracker Barrel during long drives on 75 or 95. Something about it just makes me happy.

I wouldn't. Years back, my brother got an entire load of plates dropped directly on his head at one of those. He was, like, 8 at the time, and those big earthenware motherfuckers cracked and broke they hit him so hard. He developed seizures afterwards. And yet it took a DECADE LONG LAWSUIT for Cracker Barrel to part with a measely couple thousand bucks in repayment.

[Giuseppe Zangara 0]

I ended up crashing at some trucker hotel in Valdosta on either the way there or back on my Florida voyage. That's kind of a long ass drive.

This was part of the return of a to-and-from solo trip to Atlanta. This was the longest drive I've ever taken alone; the four hours between that city and Valdosta made me realize I'll never be a trucker.

 

Georgia has two, maybe three decent cities; the rest of the state should be obliterated.

does my home city make that list?

Atlanta, Athens and Savannah. I rather like the first one; I haven't spent too much time in Athens, but it seemed okay; I'm sure I'd hate living in Savannah, but it's a beautiful town.

 

 

I always aim for a Cracker Barrel during long drives on 75 or 95. Something about it just makes me happy.

This was a consideration, as there was one a few exits away. I decided against it due to my recalling Cracker Barrel's tendency to cause explosive shits about an hour post-meal. I didn't need that on the road.

[MarvinisaLunatic 0]

 

Applebees is the #1 Casual Dining Restaurant Chain in America, but the fact that they got bought out by a lesser chain in IHOP (#2 in Family Dining behind Denny's) is odd. Im sure that Applebees wont start changing over to IHOPs, in fact it might end up being the otherway around.

 

 

[Darthtiki 0]

Chains. I live in a city that touches the goddamn ocean, yet people line up to get into Red Lobster. wtf, guys?

 

Ok in Sacramento I heard that there were lines outside a new Sizzler when it opened. I can understand a Ruby Tuesday, Claim Jumper or even a Cheesecake Factory, but Sizzler WTF?

[Guest]

I haven't been to Applebees since I was a kid. I ordered some fried fish thing, and when I got it, it was obviously of the microwavable variety. I took a bite and it was cold. My dad cursed the waiter out and we were told we had to leave.

[Hank Kingsley 0]

I do like their honey barbecue boneless wings. Everything else is average.

[kkktookmybabyaway 0]

RE: The waiter. What's just as bad, if not worse, are the movie donations when they play a preview asking you to give and then the ushers walk up and down the aisles with those collection cans.

[Guest Tzar Lysergic]

I ended up crashing at some trucker hotel in Valdosta on either the way there or back on my Florida voyage. That's kind of a long ass drive.

This was part of the return of a to-and-from solo trip to Atlanta. This was the longest drive I've ever taken alone; the four hours between that city and Valdosta made me realize I'll never be a trucker.

 

That's the furthest you've ever gone in a car by yourself? You need to go on a voyage. Next time you're off for a week, just drive west for three days and see where you end up.

 

[Giuseppe Zangara 0]

An idea I've toyed with, but, as I've said, I go stir crazy driving just four hours alone.

 

Longest road trip I've taken is from here to Providence, Rhode Island, but that was with a friend to periodically switch driving duties.

[Scarlett_Rayne 0]

This was part of the return of a to-and-from solo trip to Atlanta. This was the longest drive I've ever taken alone; the four hours between that city and Valdosta made me realize I'll never be a trucker.

 

4 hours? I can't even get 1/3 of the way out of my state in 4 hrs. Sometimes I wish I lived in some of the smaller states on the east coast for that very reason.

[MrRant 0]

Applebees is the #1 Casual Dining Restaurant Chain in America, but the fact that they got bought out by a lesser chain in IHOP (#2 in Family Dining behind Denny's) is odd. Im sure that Applebees wont start changing over to IHOPs, in fact it might end up being the otherway around.

 

Did you even read the fucking story about what the plan is?

[Red Baron 0]

I've been to Applebees once.

 

It was the most expensive food poisoning I've ever had.