# Applebee's VS. Chili's



## Josh66

They both seem pretty much the same to me.  Similar prices, similar menus, _exact_ same specials (ex. - kid's free on Tuesday), even the inside of the restaurant looks the same...

Do you guys have a preference for one over the other?  If so, why?


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## usayit

Chili's has better fajitas.... Applebee's a bigger variety of foods.  I prefer Chili's... 

We rarely go to either.... so many better choices around here.


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## Josh66

There aren't many better choices here, unless we want to drive 40 minutes one way to eat...

Going out to eat here, you basically decide on food first - Mexican, Burgers, Pizza, Steak, or Chinese.  Once you make that decision, you have two choices of where to eat.  Not counting the fast food joints...

edit
Chili's/Applebee's would be the two burger joints.  (Of course, they both have other stuff, but if you want a burger, that's where you go.)


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## usayit

I get yah and you are a bit too far outside of the DFW area for an easy going dinner....  When I was in a similar situation, we ended up just grilling a lot... throughout the entire year.  I grew up on grilled foods... steaks especially.   I was near Arlington/Dallas border and there were lots of nice places to eat in Arlington because (at the time at least) they had tax abatement and other assistance that favored the growth of food establishments.   I miss Snuffers.

Now in NJ... on top of all the chain places there care smaller chains, diners, dozens of pizza/italian, and local mom/pop establishments.  No shortage....  except the long waits.


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## Haya.H

Last few times i went to chilis i nearly threw up. They used to be A LOT better than what they are now. I've never been to Applebees, surprisngly. So my choice is Chic-fil-a


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## Josh66

I do like Chic-fil-a, but that is what I would consider fast food...  I like a beer with my dinner, lol.

Lunch, yeah - great.  Won't be going there for dinner though.  

Can you tell where we went based on this picture?



Untitled by J E, on Flickr

If you look closely, you can probably read the name on the crayon...  Other than that, I don't think it would be possible to tell if that was Chili's or Applebee's.


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## o hey tyler

The 'bees is where you went. And I didn't enlarge the photo.


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## photo_joe

I prefer Chili's over Applebee's.  I always seem to get better food and service at Chili's.  Their Chicken Crispers and Queso Dip are the BOMB!!!!!!!!!


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## Josh66

usayit said:


> When I was in a similar situation, we ended up just grilling a lot... throughout the entire year.


We do that a lot too - especially since the weather usually permits year 'round grilling.  It's usually still in the 70's or 80's on Thanksgiving, and a t-shirt & jeans is not uncommon on Christmas.


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## o hey tyler

I wish I had a Chili's closer to me. There's an Applebees right in town, but I rarely go there. 


BTW, in the photo you took... The fabric on the bench seat, and the decorations in the background gave it away.


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## Josh66

o hey tyler said:


> BTW, in the photo you took... The fabric on the bench seat, and the decorations in the background gave it away.


Interesting...  Maybe it's just the Chili's/Applebee's here, but they look almost identical on the inside.


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## o hey tyler

I would expect a Chili's to look far more... I dunno... Mexican?


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## Haya.H

O|||||||O said:


> I do like Chic-fil-a, but that is what I would consider fast food...  I like a beer with my dinner, lol.
> 
> Lunch, yeah - great.  Won't be going there for dinner though.
> 
> Can you tell where we went based on this picture?
> 
> 
> 
> Untitled by J E, on Flickr
> 
> If you look closely, you can probably read the name on the crayon...  Other than that, I don't think it would be possible to tell if that was Chili's or Applebee's.



yeah its fast food, call me crazy but to me its 100 times better than Chilis. If were talking sit down restaurants. I say... Kanki. i like how im just proposing random places...


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## Josh66

I dunno...  The one's here, they're pretty much all just 'sports bars' and look the same.  A bar, a bunch of TV's, some sports crap on the walls.  Even the menus are almost the same here.  Chili's has more 'southwest' sounding names, but there isn't really anything hot or spicy on the menu.

edit
Even the stuff that has jalapenos on it isn't hot.  They use those jalapenos that aren't hot at all and taste more like some kind of green candy.  Like jalapeno shaped olives or something...


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## unpopular

while living in western KS, all the kids were like SUPER excited about Applebees opening in town, and how amazingly great Applebees is. I tried it for the first time a few months earlier, and was very unimpressed.

I associate the place with a lack of sophistication.

Their margaritas make my wife really, really drunk though. Like psychotic drunk, but in a good way.


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## Josh66

Haya.H said:


> If were talking sit down restaurants. I say... Kanki. i like how im just proposing random places...


Never heard of that place, but I would try it for that reason alone.


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## Haya.H

its japaneese. okay so since your talking about sport bars. The Ale house. You gotta have that in texas.


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## Patriot

honey chipotle chicken crispers! That is all folks.


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## Josh66

I figured it was Japanese based on the name, I don't think I've ever seen one though.  I took Japanese in high school (not around here), and we went out to eat a lot, lol (that year was the most fun, all we did was eat, cook, and watch movies, lol).  There was this one place that we went to a lot ... I can't remember what it was called (in Columbus, Ohio).  Pretty good, very traditional.

The Ale House sounds vaguely familiar, but I don't think we have that here.  Steak & Ale is probably the closest that I know of.

There's lots of places to eat here, if I want to drive to Rockwall or Dallas, but Greenville doesn't have a whole lot.


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## Haya.H

I took two years of spanish and pretty much forgot 90% of it -.- & yeah the Ale House is pretty much a steak house. i go for the jalapeno cheese dippers. mmm heavenly. Well that would suck to have to drive if you wanna go out to eat! but then again a "road trip" is always fun. 

I just have to say... the past two nights ive been getting bit by a freakin mosquito (the same one!!!!). Tonight i have finally killed it, aside of the blood stain on my wall; I am filled with joy right now.


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## Josh66

Haya.H said:


> I took two years of spanish and pretty much forgot 90% of it


Yeah, I can barely speak Japanese now, but I can still read and write it pretty good.  I encounter a lot more opportunities to read it than speak it...  It's easy to forget when you never use it.

Spanish would be much more useful here...


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## Haya.H

lol yeah i bet! i can understand a lot of what people say to me in spanish. I can get my point across in espanol but the sentence would probably be butchured. Atleast you can still read and write thats impressive for someone who doesnt it use it much.


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## Josh66

It's actually not that hard of a language to learn, compared to English.  I think it probably has more 'rules', but once you learn those, it's not bad.  I learned to read and write Japanese pretty quickly.  At least with Japanese, everything is always pronounced exactly how it's written, and once you hear a word, you know exactly how to write it.  It doesn't have the situation in English where there are three different ways to spell the same sound, each having a different meaning.

You can also say the same thing using far less words in Japanese...  Some things are just implied, and don't have to be spoken.  Then again, there are some things that they don't have a word for, so you use the English (or French, or whichever culture they learned the word from first) word.  English is the same though...  We use a lot of words from other languages...  French, German, Arabic, etc...


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## ChrisB1966

I was at Applebee's earlier today in Grand Prairie(suburb of Dallas). I prefer AB, because they have a better happy hour imo.....


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## unpopular

I prefer Oprah Bees myself.


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## Josh66

LOL!


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## IByte

Give me a rack of lamb medium rare, with garlic mashed potatoes and a side of asparagus; along with some brews at Pomadoro's any day.


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## cgipson1

Fifteen years ago, I used to love Applebee's Riblet platter (Tampa Florida), but the menu and quality seems to have change immensely! Last couple of times I ate at one (Gillette Wyoming), I got sick... so no more Applebees (plus now the riblets are less meat, more bone).

We hit Chili's maybe twice a year... we just don't like generic chain style food, with no personality. And we don't do Sports Bars either, lol! 

Sounds like you have limited choices...  find one or two dishes you like at each restaurant and just change it up every now and them.


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## unpopular

That's not fair Gibson. You ate in Gillette, after all.


(why is Casper so windy? because Cheyenne sucks and Gillette blows)


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## cgipson1

unpopular said:


> That's not fair Gibson. You ate in Gillette, after all.
> 
> 
> (why is Casper so windy? because Cheyenne sucks and Gillette blows)



Yea.. being in the Armpit of Wyoming probably had something to do with it! lol! I had very few decent meals there (used to go there a lot for business... a week every month for over four years)... best restaurant there was the Chophouse, but it was a little spendy!


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## JClishe

usayit said:


> We rarely go to either.... so many better choices around here.



^^ What he said


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## rexbobcat

Chili's sliders are deadly from a health standpoint as is much of their other food. I guess I prefer Applebee's, even though they probaby aren't much better.

I personally wouldn't go to either. Cheap, greasy, home cooked burgers and fries are good enough for me.


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## unpopular

my late 70's era convection oven has a "broiled hamburgers" button, which, as far as I can tell, doesn't really cook the meat, more "slightly browns" the outside.

They really didn't have much concern for e. coli back then, did they.


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## Infidel

There's a Chili's about a 10-minute walk from my building...in fact, my wife and I had our wedding-night meal there (after all the guests left...didn't have a chance to eat much during the party)...best burger I ever had. That said, the competition for nice restaurants is absolutely fierce here...there is no reason to eat at the same place twice unless it really knocks your socks off. Also, a lot of the nice places around here have become ultra kid-friendly, with fast service, kids' menus and ample stroller parking.


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## Nod

Thumbs down on both !


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## Tony S

Finally a message thread with some meat in it...........  or not.  Get the asian chicken salad at Applebees.  lol


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## mishele

This says it all.....


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## Sw1tchFX

Never been to Chili's and I can't remember the last time i'd been to an Applebees....9, 10 years ago maybe?

If i'm going to spend that kind of money on food, i'd rather do something more local.


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## manaheim

They're both sheer and utter crap and I summarily refuse to eat at either of them.

Mind you... this is a statement coming from a man who willingly and happily will eat at Friendly's.


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## mishele

I love Friendly's....lol


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## manaheim

mishele said:


> I love Friendly's....lol



it's sad, isn't it?  I was saying to my wife last time we were there (yesterday), "You know... this place basically just throws a stick of butter on the grill and tosses your food product on the butter and fries the crap out of it.  Want a burger?  Fry the bun.  Want a sandwhich?  Fry it.  Hell, you want you some salad? Fry that too!  Ice cream?  FRY IT!!!!"



mmmm... Friendly's.

We also noticed that the quality of the friendlys is inversely proportional to the average home value of the town.  The better the town, the crappier the food and service at friendlys.  The crappier the town, the better.


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## Josh66

Sw1tchFX said:


> Never been to Chili's and I can't remember the last time i'd been to an Applebees....9, 10 years ago maybe?
> 
> If i'm going to spend that kind of money on food, i'd rather do something more local.


I don't really get that...

Maybe it's different where you live, but Chili's/Applebee's is as local as it gets here, and also as cheap as it gets unless you consider fast food 'eating out'.

At roughly $10 a plate, drinks and tip included, it doesn't get much cheaper without a drive thru window.


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## mishele

I was worried they were going to close the one by me....lol
Friendly?s emerges from bankruptcy, closes more stores - Boston.com


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## manaheim

mishele said:


> I was worried they were going to close the one by me....lol
> Friendly?s emerges from bankruptcy, closes more stores - Boston.com



They closed the one by me, but it was run by an inbred bunch of freaks.  They gave me a sandwich once that had FROZEN lettuce in it.  You cannot know true displeasure until you've chomped into a sandwich with frozen lettuce.


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## Sw1tchFX

O|||||||O said:


> Sw1tchFX said:
> 
> 
> 
> Never been to Chili's and I can't remember the last time i'd been to an Applebees....9, 10 years ago maybe?If i'm going to spend that kind of money on food, i'd rather do something more local.
> 
> 
> 
> I don't really get that...Maybe it's different where you live, but Chili's/Applebee's is as local as it gets here, and also as cheap as it gets unless you consider fast food 'eating out'.At roughly $10 a plate, drinks and tip included, it doesn't get much cheaper without a drive thru window.
Click to expand...

I also live in a very metro area...I can't imagine Greenville Texas having a very eclectic or diverse menu. In Greenville, I wouldn't be surprised if olive garden is fancy.


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## JClishe

Sw1tchFX said:


> In Greenville, I wouldn't be surprised if olive garden is fancy.



I cannot even begin to put into words my hatred for Olive Garden. I cannot think of a single seller of any sort of goods and services whatsoever that I hate more than Olive Garden. Even wireless carriers, airlines, and cable companies don't reach the level of suck that Olive Garden has achieved.

/rant


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## bhop

Is neither an option?  I usually stay away from the big chain restaurants, not because they're bad, but because there are so many 'mom and pop' options that are just better and just as cheap most times, but then, L.A. is a big town with lots of restaurants competing for customers.  Granted, if I still lived back home in the small town in NC that i'm originally from, Applebees and Chilis might be considered fine dining.


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## Tony S

Screw it then....... I'm off to Golden Corral.


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## mishele

JClishe said:


> Sw1tchFX said:
> 
> 
> 
> In Greenville, I wouldn't be surprised if olive garden is fancy.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I cannot even begin to put into words my hatred for Olive Garden. I cannot think of a single seller of any sort of goods and services whatsoever that I hate more than Olive Garden. Even wireless carriers, airlines, and cable companies don't reach the level of suck that Olive Garden has achieved.
> 
> /rant
Click to expand...



LOL I like The Olive Garden. 
What did they do to you.......murder a family member? 
I don't eat out much anymore. The hubby and I have become so good at cooking that it's part of the fun of a nice meal. Plus we can have anything we want to eat. Seafood and steaks cost soooo much less if you cook yourself!


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## molested_cow

No longer in the states, but I sure won't miss chain restaurants!

Among the low-mid price range chains, Olive Garden is not bad. I mean, limitless bread stick and soup or salad? Come on!

Crocker Barrel is really nice for a chain. A little pricier, but worth the extra cost.

Fast food wise, Chick-fil-A!

Back to the topic. I don't even know why there's a point in comparing Applebees and Chili's. THEY ARE THE SAME!!!


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## Haya.H

JClishe said:


> Sw1tchFX said:
> 
> 
> 
> In Greenville, I wouldn't be surprised if olive garden is fancy.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I cannot even begin to put into words my hatred for Olive Garden. I cannot think of a single seller of any sort of goods and services whatsoever that I hate more than Olive Garden. Even wireless carriers, airlines, and cable companies don't reach the level of suck that Olive Garden has achieved.
> 
> /rant
Click to expand...


I am with you 100%! From the uncooked chicken, to the crappy service. Never again! but you gotta admit the breadsticks with oil & vinegar, yumm.


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## 12sndsgood

O|||||||O said:


> Sw1tchFX said:
> 
> 
> 
> Never been to Chili's and I can't remember the last time i'd been to an Applebees....9, 10 years ago maybe?
> 
> If i'm going to spend that kind of money on food, i'd rather do something more local.
> 
> 
> 
> I don't really get that...
> 
> Maybe it's different where you live, but Chili's/Applebee's is as local as it gets here, and also as cheap as it gets unless you consider fast food 'eating out'.
> 
> At roughly $10 a plate, drinks and tip included, it doesn't get much cheaper without a drive thru window.
Click to expand...




 I believe when he means local, he is referring to a resteraunt owned by localls. not a chain restaroun which applebees and chilis both are. I am trying to rememeber who owns what and if chilli's and Applebee's are owned by the same company, i know Applebee's and TGIF are both the same company.   

honestly to me they are both about the same grade of meal. if that is all you have i'd probaby go to both just to get a small change in food from time to time if that is your only options.


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## JClishe

mishele said:


> LOL I like The Olive Garden.
> What did they do to you.......murder a family member?



LOL, no, I visited Olive Gardens on 3 occasions in the late 90's, and 3 different Olive Gardens at that, and each time was mindblowingly bad service. 2 hours to get our meals, rude waitstaff with no sympathy whatsoever about the wait, an entire table of empty drinks for 15-20 minutes at a time, etc. 

If something like that happens once I might be willing to chalk it up as a fluke. Maybe a bunch of people called in sick and the staff are doing their best to keep up. I'm an easy going person and I'm willing to give the benefit of the doubt. But having the exact same experience at 3 seperate locations is no fluke, so I'm out. I hope to finish out my life on this earth having never stepped foot in one again.


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## Josh66

Sw1tchFX said:


> I also live in a very metro area...I can't imagine Greenville Texas having a very eclectic or diverse menu. In Greenville, I wouldn't be surprised if olive garden is fancy.


It probably would be if we had one!  

Really, I don't think there's a single restaurant here that you couldn't walk into wearing flip-flops.

If you want fancy, you have to drive to Dallas.


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## unpopular

I like olive garden's fauxtalian menu, but if i want real Sicilian, roman or florentine food I just go home and make it myself. Their portions are pretty weak.


As for fauxtalian (italian nachos?!?!) I prefer Johnny Corino'as


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## unpopular

O|||||||O said:


> Sw1tchFX said:
> 
> 
> 
> I also live in a very metro area...I can't imagine Greenville Texas having a very eclectic or diverse menu. In Greenville, I wouldn't be surprised if olive garden is fancy.
> 
> 
> 
> It probably would be if we had one!
> 
> Really, I don't think there's a single restaurant here that you couldn't walk into wearing flip-flops.
> 
> If you want fancy, you have to drive to Dallas.
Click to expand...



I also have to get a chuckle from those who dress up to go to Applebees or Outback Steakhouse. For me, these places are the definition of casual dining.


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## Infidel

unpopular said:


> I also have to get a chuckle from those who dress up to go to Applebees or Outback Steakhouse. For me, these places are the definition of casual dining.



Define "dress up".


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## unpopular

Any time you wear something other than what you were wearing just prior to going out to eat, for no other reason than being 'seen'. Compare what people wear at McDonalds, v. Applebees.


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## 12sndsgood

Usually depends on your economic level. to some people going to an outback is a big deal. to others its like going to mc'donalds.


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## unpopular

I tend to dress according to respect for the establishment, not the price of the food. I don't have a lot of respect for these kind of restaurants. Many locally owned placed I'll dress up for, even if their prices and atmosphere are comparable.


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## Josh66

For some people, going to the Outback (we don't even have that here, lol - I would have to drive 30 minutes to get to the closest one) is just one of the only options that you have to get out of your car for.

I actually wouldn't mind having an Outback here...  I guess in a lot of ways it would just be more of the same though.


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## unpopular

We went to outback just the other night. The menu was so blasé that we ended up having appetizers and a few drinks. Tequila Mojito I had was too sweet, and seemed to use sugar syrup a rather than crushing the mint into the sugar. Lo didn't complain about her margarita, aside from it being a little weak.


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## Sw1tchFX

never been to outback..


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## Josh66

Next time we go out to eat, we'll go to Rockwall or Dallas.  We need to get out of town more anyway.  Rockwall is like half-way to Dallas, and the eating establishment choices are half way between here & Dallas too.


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## Bitter Jeweler

Chick-Fil-A


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## Josh66

Had no idea.  That's pretty messed up.  Haven't been there in years though, so I guess I'll just keep doing what I've been doing (not going there).


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## mishele

Bitter Jeweler said:


> Chick-Fil-A



Did I ever tell you.....I love you?!!

Eat Mor Chikin!!!!


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## Bitter Jeweler

Ummmm....


Not sure if...


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## MWG

Don't think i ever ate @ an applebees, but Chilis sure has gone down the ****ter the last few years imo.

South Louisiana has too many good local restaurants for either to compete.


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## MatthewMorris

Does it matter. It's diareahea either way ; )


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## Bitter Jeweler

Bitter Jeweler said:


> Chick-Fil-A



Ha! And look how crazy it's become!


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## Jaemie

Bitter Jeweler said:


> Bitter Jeweler said:
> 
> 
> 
> Chick-Fil-A
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Ha! And look how crazy it's become!
Click to expand...


*Chaz The Intolerant Chick-fil-A Chicken*


[video]http://teamcoco.com/video/highlight-07/26/12[/video]


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## prodigy2k7

Mmm chick fil a.  Yummmmm


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## 2WheelPhoto

O|||||||O said:


> They both seem pretty much the same to me.  Similar prices, similar menus, _exact_ same specials (ex. - kid's free on Tuesday), even the inside of the restaurant looks the same...
> 
> Do you guys have a preference for one over the other?  If so, why?



Chili's.....food sux at either but the waitstaff gals FTW at Chili's


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## Tuffythepug

We have an Applebees about a mile from my house;  I'd rather drive 15 miles to the nearest Chili's.    But fortunately I have a Red Robin about half a mile away which is better than either one


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## Kazooie

Never been to either.


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## Tee

Applebee's used to have the veggie patch pizza which was my favorite but they discontinued it. Haven't been back since.


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## Derrel

Applebee's Chicken Quesadilla

I have never been to a Chili's, but I have been to Applebee's about 10 times total. I really like the chicken supreme quesadilla at Applebee's...it's quite delicious, and is offered half-price during their happy hour. Here's a quick low-light snap by late afternoon window + overhead 40 watt bulb of the chicken quesadilla I had after a day's shoot recently. Hand-held with a 24mm f/2.8 AF-D Nikkor shot wide-open at 1/15 sec at ISO 400. Not a great pic, but a damned fine quesadilla!


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## 2WheelPhoto

Derrel said:


> View attachment 15691
> 
> Applebee's Chicken Quesadilla
> 
> I have never been to a Chili's, but I have been to Applebee's about 10 times total. I really like the chicken supreme quesadilla at Applebee's...it's quite delicious, and is offered half-price during their happy hour. Here's a quick low-light snap by late afternoon window + overhead 40 watt bulb of the chicken quesadilla I had after a day's shoot recently. Hand-held with a 24mm f/2.8 AF-D Nikkor shot wide-open at 1/15 sec at ISO 400. Not a great pic, but a damned fine quesadilla!



And no pic of your waitress!?


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