Chains that you didn't know where chains at first

[cycloneG]

How many branches does Pizza Pit have? It can't be very large.

14 according to their website

 

[Gunnerclone]

Showbiz Pizza back in the day.

 

[ruxCYtable]

McDonald's.

 

[HFCS]

I didn't interpret it that way, but I'd be open to seeing a spin-off thread of that nature.

It would be a lot more depressing than talking about Gumby's Pizza that's for sure.

 

[DanCyn]

I was shocked that Bonefish Grill is a chain.

 

[HFCS]

I was shocked that Bonefish Grill is a chain.

Outback started Bonefish, Carrabba's, Fleming's and I think franchised Roy's at one point but not anymore.

I worked there in college, but unfortunately we didn't have a lot of those around Iowa back then, just a Carraba's in Omaha I did hit up for half price food once back then.

 

[coolerifyoudid]

Mccormick and Schmicks
Bonefish Grill

 

[RayShimley]

Gumby's for me as well. More recently, and in the same vain, Jeff's Pizza Shop. Two locations is pushing the definition of "chain", but I was still shocked to run across one in Menominie, WI of all places!

 

[mapnerd]

Taco Time. Supposedly there is a 2 story one out in the Seattle area. Or at least there was 15 years ago.

 

[Cycsk]

Jeff's Pizza.

The Other Place.

 

[Incyte]

Pizza Pit actually has some pretty good sandwiches, particularly if you aren't worried about things like saturated fat.

 

[cowgirl836]

Does Jeff's really count as a chain though? It's two locations and I thought it was his brother who owned the one in WI.

 

[3TrueFans]

Does Jeff's really count as a chain though? It's two locations and I thought it was his brother who owned the one in WI.

I say no.

 

[Al_4_State]

Reading the chain restaurant made me think about all of the places that I used to think were unique, single-location restaurants, but later discovered were chains. Growing up in small town Iowa and going to school in Ames, there were plenty for me:

-Jimmy John's
-Pita Pit
-Breugger's Bagels
-Pizza Pit

What about you? Did it break your heart when you learned that certain places were chains? Did you ever get into embarrassing situations like bragging up how good your local Jimmy John's is to some out-of-towners?

All of these, save Bruegger's.

I guess I knew that Jimmy John's was in Iowa City, but I thought it was an "Iowa college town" thing. Same with Pizza Pit.

Pita Pit I thought was the only one in the world.

 

[Topshelf]

Taco Time. Supposedly there is a 2 story one out in the Seattle area. Or at least there was 15 years ago.

Taco Time was a surprise to me. Favorite taco place as a kid, then one appeared in the Mall of America, I still didn't think they were related. Then I met someone from Washington and found out they are all over in Washington. Finally asked the owener one day and he verified the original owner liked the Taco Time in Washington so opened one in Ames.

Still enjoy their tacos, but sad they aren't an Ames original.

 

[Cycsk]

Does Jeff's really count as a chain though? It's two locations and I thought it was his brother who owned the one in WI.

Okay, maybe not. But I did feel a little cheated when I first learned that it wasn't just a local Ames pizza place.

 

[dahliaclone]

DaVinci's. Ames was the only location outside Nebraska before it closed. I miss it.

 

[MeanDean]

Iowa Machine Shed. I thought the one in Davenport was the one and only for a while.

Don't knock Pizza Hut pizza until you've had Paul Revere's. They were a chain back in the day - don't know if any of them are still around. Last one I knew about was in Mt. Pleasant, I think. Probably the worst excuse for a chain pizza ever.

 

[urb1]

Iowa Machine Shed. I thought the one in Davenport was the one and only for a while.

Don't knock Pizza Hut pizza until you've had Paul Revere's. They were a chain back in the day - don't know if any of them are still around. Last one I knew about was in Mt. Pleasant, I think. Probably the worst excuse for a chain pizza ever.

Paul Revere's still beat Pizza Pit when I was in school.

 

[schlepp571]

Iowa Machine Shed. I thought the one in Davenport was the one and only for a while.

Don't knock Pizza Hut pizza until you've had Paul Revere's. They were a chain back in the day - don't know if any of them are still around. Last one I knew about was in Mt. Pleasant, I think. Probably the worst excuse for a chain pizza ever.

Ci Ci's hands down shattyest pizza ever.