Millennials are killing chains like Buffalo Wild Wings and Applebee's
- Thread starter capitalcityguy
- Start date
Maybe it's just that Applebee's is bland and boring and there are a million better options available. Same with BW3. There are five different wing places all closer to my house than the closest BW3 and all of them have better wings.hummm...I'm not too proud to eat at either of these places on occasion, but always annoyed at the knowledge that many people won't step inside a restaurant unless it is some highly marketed, safe, national chain (thus hurting local restaurant scene).
While I'm too old to be a millennial (so don't blame me!, I wouldn't lose sleep if these types of places eventually left the landscape. That said, if this is true, it could be another concern for typical suburbia where trends are also spiraling downward for traditional brick and mortar retailers as well....i.e...department stores,malls, and big box stores. Seems there may be a lot of empty commercial buildings on the horizon in some places.
Anyway, here is the BWW/Applebees article:
http://www.businessinsider.com/millennials-endanger-casual-dining-restaurants-2017-5
hummm...I'm not too proud to eat at either of these places on occasion, but always annoyed at the knowledge that many people won't step inside a restaurant unless it is some highly marketed, safe, national chain (thus hurting local restaurant scene).
While I'm too old to be a millennial (so don't blame me!
Anyway, here is the BWW/Applebees article:
http://www.businessinsider.com/millennials-endanger-casual-dining-restaurants-2017-5
steve deace and his wife will do their share to keep them going
Well then I'd have to go on Tuesday, which interferes with my Taco Tuesday. Come on man, think straight.
Boneless are good for my 7yo daughter. Once she's 10 she'll eat wings like an adult.
Whoa pal, the fried chicken is heaven. The pizza sucks however.
This is one of those topics that always amuses me. The amount of "Holier than Thou" people who won't go to a chain restaurant is obnoxious. There is a local person who is benefiting from managing that business and local people who work there. Everyone acts as though chains are this thing where a bunch of people from outside of the location are bused in from two states away every day to work and steal local revenue.
None of these places started out "hey I'd like to open 20 restaurants" they all grew from a "local" restaurant and then the food got mass marketed into bad quality.
If you want to complain about the quality of mass marketed food... different story and I agree they are designing to the lowest common denominator. If you want to complain about the price someone pays TGI Fridays to microwave the same food you can buy in the frozen food section... go for it.
At the same time what you get out of chain restaurants is a known thing. If you're hungry and don't want to risk not being able to find something at the hip local restaurant then maybe the chain is for you.
I also want to point out that anyone can start up a restaurant and they don't need to be any good at cooking, they just need a bank to back them or enough money from their real job to give it a shot. Madison has SEVERAL of these establishments that meet the "local" qualification but the food is straight up bad if you get anything aside from the one item they are known for.
/end rant.
None of these places started out "hey I'd like to open 20 restaurants" they all grew from a "local" restaurant and then the food got mass marketed into bad quality.
If you want to complain about the quality of mass marketed food... different story and I agree they are designing to the lowest common denominator. If you want to complain about the price someone pays TGI Fridays to microwave the same food you can buy in the frozen food section... go for it.
At the same time what you get out of chain restaurants is a known thing. If you're hungry and don't want to risk not being able to find something at the hip local restaurant then maybe the chain is for you.
I also want to point out that anyone can start up a restaurant and they don't need to be any good at cooking, they just need a bank to back them or enough money from their real job to give it a shot. Madison has SEVERAL of these establishments that meet the "local" qualification but the food is straight up bad if you get anything aside from the one item they are known for.
/end rant.
So you have studied the economics behind how money recirculates within a local economy when spent at a local establishment vs a national chain and dismiss those studies? OR...you haven't looking into it? Curious which it is.
We don't have to agree, but you have done nothing with your comment to refute what studies seem to show when it comes to the benefits of spending money at a local restaurant vs a large national chain.
In other words, is it "holier than thou" to want what is best for a local economy?
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Yeah, I think that you nailed it. I don't think millennials alone are "killing" Applebee's, so much as boomers and the now-elderly made it popular and now aren't sustaining the business model. Both of my sets of grandparents freaking love Applebee's and Texas Roadhouse, as well as some of our younger relatives. It drives me crazy to go there because we almost entirely eat at local places whether at home or traveling - but I think that generation want safety, and those big chains provide it.
I think there are going to be similar declines in other types of chains - some of the big department stores, particularly JC Penneys, cater mostly to that older crowd. Penneys is at least trying to bolster their home department and draw in a younger crowd with Sephora, so they are attempting to pivot. I'll be curious to see if it works out.
I've worked in chain restaurants and only saw just a smidge of what goes on behind the scenes for management/employee choices, etc., and it's one big reason I prefer local spots.
Applebee's: I forgot it exists.
BW: I've been to maybe two and was never all that impressed. Now a days it's not unusual for a local pub to have a TV for just about every game you'd want. Usually better beer too.
For both, I'd rather eat at a place that has a few really good things on the menu vs. a TON of marginal items and service that's short and to the point instead of trying to upsell everything.
Until BDubs stops charging for ranch(!) they are dead to me.
That's like McDonalds charging for ketchup!
That's like McDonalds charging for ketchup!
Holy food-snob central. Are you guys seriously telling me that you couldn't go into an Applebee's and find something that sounds appetizing? LOL. Now, whether or not what you order is as good as you hoped, I guess that's determined by your level of expectations and the quality of the location that you visit.
I love trying new restaurants and finding local establishments, don't get me wrong. But a bunch of you must be living the high-life since you wouldn't be caught dead in a low-life Applebee's or BWW.
I love trying new restaurants and finding local establishments, don't get me wrong. But a bunch of you must be living the high-life since you wouldn't be caught dead in a low-life Applebee's or BWW.
I've never used Yelp but I've used Trip Advisors restaurant guide. It's not too bad. I'm not an expensive restaurant person usually so even if I pick a bad one I'm not out much.
- Jun 20, 2006
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You live in Motown, AND you think you don't have local options?!
Expand, and explore. Great food in MTown.
Any of you tries to take my BDubs Caribbean Jerk, I'll KEEELL YOU DEAD
- Jun 20, 2006
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