[Nana2Teddy]

Originally Posted by Michael 61

I’m not a fan of Applebees-type restaurants either - but happy for those that enjoy them and frequent them. I have found that most of these chains all source their items from the same distributor (often times Sysco), and is why the chicken, fish, beef, vegetables, etc all taste the same (pre-cooked and pre-seasoned just nuke it or boil it) from an Applebees to a Ruby Tuesday to a Chili’s to a Red Lobster to a Olive Garden, even to a Cheesecake Factory or a PF Changs. The folks in the kitchen aren’t trained chefs, but folks that learned how to open bags of already prepared foods and nuke them or boil them, and maybe add some pre-made, packaged sauce to them to try to set them apart.

I understand the desire to go out and be “served” and not cook, so maybe these type of restaurants serve that option for some. I personally, living here less than a year, have searched out and found some locally owned mom-and-pop type places outside the “bubble” that are actually cheaper than some of the chains inside The Villages, with fresher and more unique type of entrees.

It’s good to have options, isn’t it, so everyone can be happy!😀

Would love to know where you go outside the bubble. Maybe in a new post someday? I really enjoy your posts as a newbie too here in TV.