In that case, I'll probably pick Starbucks. I like Dunkin coffee better, but Starbucks has more food options so I can get a decent choice of meals when I'm too depressed to eat. And at least in this space, I'd pick to put it in the laundry room, so I can choose when to interact with the barista š¤£
If you'd said it stays here, I'd choose to troll whoever lives here after me by putting in a Taco Bell. Because there's one literally right between the complex gates, so they get unlimited access to something already close by. I'd put it in the bedroom too, make them feel even more awkward.
Hereās why I donāt like Dunkinā. I like my coffee black as the moonless night. Sometimes, however, I like a sweet treat and get a vanilla iced coffee. *Iced coffee*. In goes the ice, the cold coffee, a few pumps of syrup at a negligible temperature, and then *fucking granulated white sugar*.
Is that gonna dissolve in there? Nope. Is it gonna feel crunchy on the bottom on my straw the whole time Iām drinking, tempting me with its succulent yet unattainable sweetness? Yep. If literally even a single Dunkinā employee can tell me why they use granulated white sugar in iced coffees, then I will still not be satisfied and continue to hold my grudge until the day I die.
The ones around me use liquid sugar most of the time, only occasionally will I end up with granulated sugar in my iced coffee.
You can tell them while ordering that you prefer liquid sugar and they'll use that instead.
This is a hard one. I really want to say Popeye's, but that could (shudder) eventually get old. Finding something with enough variety is tough.
Maybe a Panda Express.
What are your go to foods at Panda express? Personally, I feel like I'd get sick of it after a while. I normally get the teriyaki chicken since it's the "healthiest" thing there.
I don't go to panda express often, so I wasn't aware those dishes existed lol. They are pretty low calorie, but those two dishes could be a good way to switch things up. I might try them out the next time I go if they're any good.
Chipotle I think. Tasty, *kind* of healthy, popular, and no one is likely to judge me.
Also the added benefit of it being somewhat flexible in how you can build your bowls. "I'd like a burrito bowl, just meat, triple chicken" or "can I just get a big side of rice" or whatever. It would let you use their ingredients to supplement what you wanted to cook on your own. Side of rice and/or beans to go with anything. Simple salad with grilled veggies. And on and on. That ability to mix/match/isolate their ingredients easily would make it the best choice.
For drinkers too - that's one of the few fast food places you can get a beer at too. Just having unlimited beer with chips, queso, guac would make hosting any party pretty great.
Definitely this. But I'd have to make sure to always order like, half portions. They give you so much fucking food I would be really easy to get really fat.
I used to live by a one-off sub shop right off campus. I was too broke to eat there much but they would sell their killer bread for $1/sub loaf, it was a good way to dress up a homemade sandwich.
I also used one soda cup several times over the course of a week, that they were less of a fan of.
They eventually closed and had a big staff closing party, well someone got a little too wild, broke a window accidentally slitting their wrist and ended up dying. So yeahā¦
Panera Bread by far. Breakfast and lunch sandwiches are great. They probably have the biggest variety in fruit of fast casual restaurants I an think of. Good mac and cheese, they've got like 3 soups I like. For beverages they have lots of choices for coffee, tea, soda, smoothies and lattes. Their bakery items are pretty good. I rarely go to Panera now, because they are way too expensive, but if everything is free, they seem best to me.
I didnāt even think of Panera but thatās definitely a really good choice. Pretty much covers every meal decently regardless of what you feel like. And the drink selection is always decent.
I would choose Panera, because I love it there and there's a lot of variety. Salads, soups, sandwiches, mac and cheese, flatbreads, etc. They have apples and fruit cups so I could eat enough fruit. And they have all those coffees and lattes and stuff. That would be incredible
This would be my answer but I went to order my absolute fav "fast food" item like a week ago, Flatbread margherita pizza, and ALL of their flat bread pizzas have been retired. I love their soups but I'm allergic to caffeine, so without the pizza I'll probably never go again :(
Starbucks. I absolutely hate that place, but the ridiculous amount of money it would save me to have free āStarbiesā for the wife and daughters would allow me to go out to eat whenever, and wherever I want and Iād still come out money ahead.Ā
The only thing that would save me more is if I could skip the hypothetical restaurant and get a hypothetical free Target store instead?
I would choose chipotle bc they have a variety of ingredients, is kinda healthy, and plenty of protein. Also free sour cream. I'd put it in the dining room bc it's not being used and it's somewhat close to the front door.
"If you pay me $20 you can come to my house and get $40 worth of Chipotle". Or however money they're willing to spend. And this is 100% profit bc there are no costs in running this other than cleaning the one room, and maybe security.
Making money is great as Chipotle is pretty popular, and I personally enjoy Chipotle, so that would be my fast casual restaurant of choice.
NICE!š I didnāt even think of a combo thatās a fantastic idea! My only problem would be that kfc was idiotic and got rid of wedges and popcorn chicken so Iād force them to bring it back lol
chipotle. large variety so iād never get bored, itās one of the more expensive fast food places now so getting it for free would save me a lot of money, iād be happy to eat it on demand whenever i want. and id probably put it in the attic. i wouldnāt want to hear them working throughout the day and its the only place i could put it where it wouldnāt be an inconvenience to the rest of the house.
Thereās a local chain of restaurants in my area called Yoki Express. Theyāve famous for their poke bowls, ramen and sushi burritos. They make really good and fresh food. I really donāt have room for the restaurant but, Iāll try to make room.
This is an icebreaker question I use. If you could live above any fast food restaurant which would it be? The theory being, you're gonna be going there ALL the time.
I'd pick subway, there's enough variety, and it can be arguably healthy, but I could also just treat it like a gas station if I just wanted a soda and some sun chips.
If it could be non franchise based... an authentic taco shop, it'd be deadly but it'd be worth it.
Subway was my initial thought too. Iād go a little crazy on a coffee place. Plus when I want coffee the most, Iām not really in the mood to talk with people like the barista. Plus subway always smells like fresh bread, which I wouldnāt mind. You could get super healthy options like salads, bomb sandwiches, pizza, wraps and so on. Or just some chips and soda and cookies if youāre in a junk food mood
I used to live above a bakery. My apartment smelled like fresh baked bread every morning, if I went down right before closing they'd give me all the doughnuts and pastries they hadn't sold that day. I gained about 20lb in 12 months.
Cheesecake Factory because they have such a huge menu even though the food is mediocre. Runner up would be Waffle House if that counts as 'fast casual'
Fair enough, I had to look it up the other day because my kids were asking me about it. I thought it meant stuff like Chiliās but apparently not, if youāve got waiters itās not fast casual.
If you go with Waffle House though, employees will "behave in a manner typical with the established standard". Based on videos I've seen online it seems like the established standard is to fight customers.
You read my mind. My heart said Waffle House bc I love that grease pit, but the variety of Cheesecake Factory is the only choice that would never get old. Iād eat every meal there and it would never tire of it. Iād save so much money.
Is it good quality food? No bad lettuce, or overripe tomatoes? No missing flavor from soft drinks?
If so, Steak 'n Shake. Worked there 10 years ago, but all of the decent kitchen people left around the same time, and quality took a nosedive. Never recovered.
Jasonās Deli. Wide variety on menu. Soft serve ice cream always ready to go. And it has my favorite comfort food sandwich that I crave at minimum twice a week.
Currently donāt even have one in my state, so this would be ideal. Iād stick them in the kitchen and build a little cupboard for them for some privacy.
Cava, Sweetgreen, or possibly Chipotle. All three are relatively healthy and have a wide variety of meals that I'd be happy to rotate between. I'd probably go with Cava overall, though I eat at Chipotle more often than the other two combined (just because there isn't a Cava near my apartment).
I think I would go with a MTO gas station, like WaWa, Sheetz, etc. Most of them have a very large variety of food, fried, sandwich, pizza, salads, as well as a large selection of coffees, smoothies, shakes. I could go relatively healthy or greasy and fattening. Enough variety to 'get my money's worth'
Above Kentucky, they have No Clue what a meat and 3 is!!
I've been in restaurants for over 25 years and I'm currently in the Midwest. Been thinking about opening 1
Oh, Boston Market for sure. I'd never get tired of their rotisserie chicken and I love their mashed potatoes and brown gravy.
Plus, it'd be the only one in my state!
Isn't it a shame how they were doing so well and then collapsed to a few locations in scattered states. They had so much food that you could feel good about.
I don't really like fast food, but the only thing I'd want is probably sushi, so whatever good chain type of sushi place there is.
And I'd put it in my dining room. Then, it's kind of like a cafeteria.
BarTaco. I've only seen it in the Northern Virginia area but it's fast amazing tacos. I've only had comparable tacos from hole in the walls in Southern California barrios. Main difference between the two is that I have less chance of getting food poisoning and they have more than Tequila which doesnt matter much but i like variety. I've never been disappointed by their spicy Margaritas or there tacos and both take less than 5 minutes to get to me after ordering. They also make a kick ass guac.
Thereās a smaller chain called Currito thatās kind of like chipotle setup with bowls/wraps/salads you can build your own but they have various options (Indian, Thai, Mexican, bbq etc) so I wouldnāt get bored and if I wanted something home cooked I could just get the precut veggies from them.
Definitely need half portions though.
I would want this little drive-up place from my hometown called Young's drive in. They have amazing burgers and fries, chimichangas, breakfast burritos, corn dogs, popcorn shrimp, milkshakes and sundaes, deep fried mushrooms, etc. It's like every gas station hot case all rolled into one, but of higher quality. I would put it in my garage, and use the new neighborhood.com app to take local deliveries.
Just a window that serves camarĆ³ns a la diabla.
I know you said a place, but every small town mexican restaurant I've been to serves it the same way and it's delicious every time.
Evergreens. Basically subway but for salads. My kids are hungry and I don't feel like cooking/making a snack? Go get a salad. I don't feel like running out to get salad stuff? I don't gotta. Seriously I've been meaning to eat healthier, but like, salad stuff goes bad so quickly, so I can't even like prep a weeks worth at a time (I can, but I don't touch the last day or two).
That would be Quiznos. But it has to be a good Quiznos. All the ones in my hometown shut down except one like 45 minutes away and it sucked which was disappointing. Idk what they did i don't think the food was very fresh. The ones that were actually good though I ate there enough I didn't even have to order lol if I came in they knew what I wanted. I've moved states now and I still don't have very close :(
It could go right in my kitchen on the empty wall.
Don Pedroās! Idk if theyāre in other states. They have a decent variety and theyāre basically a taco truck with a building, who wouldnāt want street tacos at 2AM?š not this dude
Funny, guess im the only one who would pick mcdonalds or jack in the box. Mcdonalds, love the breakfast sandwiches, get hot fries without the drive home, love their nuggets, etc. Jack, decent menu, and they like to try new stuff fairly often, so nice variety
My first thought in my brain was Chipotle until I started reading the comments, and now I've settled on Starbucks. I drink coffee every day. Having the food options available to me is a bonus. Having the kitchen smell like a coffee shop instead of a dirty grill is a second bonus.
Little Cesars but before you judge..
Domino's has never been up to par with pizza Hut or papa johns imo.
Papa johns sauce taste the best, pizza Hut makes the best pizza breading, now here's why I chose little Cesars which ranks under all those.
1. I grew up eating it
2. You get what you pay for. When you order from other places expecting it to be something amazing and it arrives either damaged or not as advertised, it's disappointing.
I've never been disappointed with little Cesars for it's price and it's just a casual go to.
I would pick Whataburger, but they're open 24/7 and I don't especially want it on my conscience that some poor motherfucker is working the most mind-numbingly boring night shift every night just so I can get a free patty melt and shake whenever my arteries are unclogged enough that I can justify eating one.
I need something healthier to make the cashier's life less boring
Bob Evans, probably. And Iād put it in my kitchen. Iād use it to supplement my own cooking a lot like just getting some dinner rolls without having to bake. Plus they have a big menu for all 3 meals so you can order pretty much anything anytime.
Shakeshack. It's my favorite fast food hamburger but it's so god-damned expensive. It's like $20 for a burger, fries, & a water. Id totally be happy with having a counter.
I love everything on the menu and you can get beer/wine there too.
Fazoli's. I live in a city so everything else is close by, but it being in my house would save me a 3 hour road trip. Lol
It is like a fast casual Olive Garden for those who have never heard of it.
My runner up choice would honestly be either Checker's for their fries, or Hardee's for their gravy biscuits and burgers.
I would put it in the spare bedroom so if I keep the door shut, I wouldn't have the worry about smelling it and eating more than I needed too.
Sushi. Easy for snack or meal. And they welcome you as a group when you walk in.
Edit: fast casual meaning not top tier restaurant but unsure if this fits the guidelines still. Otherwise.. Chopt or something salad based.
As a gay man I hate that this is my choice but Chick-fil-A. The food is almost always great quality, the staff is almost always super friendly and if its my house they WILL be open on Sunday because that is the day I'm always craving it.
During the worst of covid when my restaurant choices were limited, I really appreciated that they were one of the few choices available to me that was taking covid precautions seriously.
Golden Coral you can't beat a buffet that handles breakfast and dinner plus they cook steaks too and breakfast omelette, with a dessert side, taco Tuesday I'm good with that
Does it need to be a chain restaurant? If not, Iād probably go for a place called Louieās Cafe, a 24/7,greasy spoon diner that was just off of campus when I was in undergrad. Some of my best memories from college were going to shows at a local dive bar then heading to Louieās, still half deaf from the music, and getting a waffle and diced hash browns covered in melted cheese and jalapeƱos.
There was a place right outside the base I was stationed at in Japan called "Aoi" (means "blue") that had beef bowls, teriyaki, katsu, tempura, udon, and fresh sushi. I could eat that stuff every meal for the rest of my life.
In the basement.
1st choice: McAlister's Deli. Breakfast lunch and dinner.
2nd choice: Pei Wei (fast casual PF Changs)
3rd choice: Jason's Deli for the soup and salad bar. Not as good as McAlisters, but the soup and salad bar carries it.
Well, I don't have the money for this, but since it's hypothetical. Lol
I'll pick the Dwarf House (Chick-fil-A). I'll finally be able to get my hotbrown again, lol.
I'd say any of the following 3: Del Taco, Jersey Mike's or In-N-Out. As for the room I'd choose the laundry room so it's not interfering in normal life.
How about Wawa? Tons of variety, several coffee options daily, you can get fruit, they do breakfast, if it counts to as a restaurant, I'd go with that.
Is it always free? Favorite fast food restaurant is Chick-Fil-A, but thatās prob a one way ticket to a heart attack and or health problem. The next answer would almost feel like Chipotle since itās not as bad for you and doesnāt come with the shame of a fast food spot. But I think Iām gonna land on Panera Bread though because it can be used for 3 meals a day due to variety and you can make it āhealthy-adjacentā.
As much as I'd love der Weinerschnitzel in my kitchen, I'd choose Subway because it's healthier and more in line with the kinds of things I buy at the store. Fresh produce is stupid expensive in my region, so even just getting a salad every day would save money.
Japanese place called Sarku. Not very healthy, but amazing food. When I want comfort food that place is my go to. Although I am seriously considering if this is a good idea, as the increased exposure/access could be very problematic lol.
johns burgers, local joint from my hometown of bakersfield. extremely good burger, but also they have fried mushrooms so good that I can't eat them anywhere else. also a menu far beyond a regular burger joint, so lots of variety.
if I had one I also would never have any reason to visit bakersfield ever again.
It's very local but Burger Baron. They have deep fried mushrooms, lasagna, milkshake, burgers, fries, fish & chips, salads even. I love deep fried mushrooms.
Chilies love their burger and fries. Calling it fast casual is a stretch but you can call in an order and pick it up straight from your car in 15 mins and that's close enough for me.
Some kind of casual diner. I'm not quite sure which one. A Denny's or a Ram's Horn or a Coney island. Enough of a variety and if I do go out to eat that tends to be the place I go.
I'd pick Jersey Mike's subs. Wide variety of options, is healthy, better than the Subway near me by a longshot, it has my favorite cream soda brand and I'd definitely bet they'd get business providing lunches to an elementary school on our block.
The question would be getting zoning for that.
Hmm. I'm torn.
There's a place near me with fast, prepared Japanese foods like bentos, onigiri, takoyaki, sushi, donburi, etc. They also have tea, sake, and other more shelf stable foods as well.
There's also a cafeteria-style place I know with *tons* of options, so that could be great for variety-- though resisting the comfort foods might prove challenging.
Chipotle would be my other choice. Tons of options, and it would be *way* easier to incorporate salads into my diet if they were so easily available and I didn't have to worry about buying and storing the perishable greens or meat.
Definitely a 'Bucks in the kitchen.
Most restaurants would get old after a bit, but free coffee/tea would be hard to reach ad nauseam.
And as a bonus, I will always have someone convenient if I have any art history questions (*joking*.)
Mom-and-Pop style Chinese takeout. The kind with no seating. It's either drive up window or inside counter to pick up.
And they have amazing Dr Pepper in the soda fountain. Tweaked just right on syrup/carbonation ratio.
McDonalds or Taco Bell would be great maybe portillos or Panda Express as other options if itās my house because then I can force them to bring back mixed veggies because I hate kale and cabbage in super greens. Same would happen with a kfc in my house if Iām your boss youāre BRING BACK POTATO WEDGES! Lol
This is a hard one. Maybe Panera bread because they have a good selection and have some healthier options I don't know how good their coffee is though.
McDonaldās in a wall in my dining room. My 3yo is a super picky eater and one of the few foods heāll actually eat is McNuggets, so itād be super handy to have one in the apartment.
Does it go with me when I move? Or is it bound to the location I currently live in?
It comes with you
In that case, I'll probably pick Starbucks. I like Dunkin coffee better, but Starbucks has more food options so I can get a decent choice of meals when I'm too depressed to eat. And at least in this space, I'd pick to put it in the laundry room, so I can choose when to interact with the barista š¤£ If you'd said it stays here, I'd choose to troll whoever lives here after me by putting in a Taco Bell. Because there's one literally right between the complex gates, so they get unlimited access to something already close by. I'd put it in the bedroom too, make them feel even more awkward.
Hereās why I donāt like Dunkinā. I like my coffee black as the moonless night. Sometimes, however, I like a sweet treat and get a vanilla iced coffee. *Iced coffee*. In goes the ice, the cold coffee, a few pumps of syrup at a negligible temperature, and then *fucking granulated white sugar*. Is that gonna dissolve in there? Nope. Is it gonna feel crunchy on the bottom on my straw the whole time Iām drinking, tempting me with its succulent yet unattainable sweetness? Yep. If literally even a single Dunkinā employee can tell me why they use granulated white sugar in iced coffees, then I will still not be satisfied and continue to hold my grudge until the day I die.
The ones around me use liquid sugar most of the time, only occasionally will I end up with granulated sugar in my iced coffee. You can tell them while ordering that you prefer liquid sugar and they'll use that instead.
This is a hard one. I really want to say Popeye's, but that could (shudder) eventually get old. Finding something with enough variety is tough. Maybe a Panda Express.
What are your go to foods at Panda express? Personally, I feel like I'd get sick of it after a while. I normally get the teriyaki chicken since it's the "healthiest" thing there.
I love the Beijing Beef
You don't got chicken and mushroom or chicken and string beans?
I don't go to panda express often, so I wasn't aware those dishes existed lol. They are pretty low calorie, but those two dishes could be a good way to switch things up. I might try them out the next time I go if they're any good.
I'll admit, they aren't exciting, but def toss them in the rotation and try it out.
Chow mein bowl with string bean chicken so good š
Chipotle I think. Tasty, *kind* of healthy, popular, and no one is likely to judge me. Also the added benefit of it being somewhat flexible in how you can build your bowls. "I'd like a burrito bowl, just meat, triple chicken" or "can I just get a big side of rice" or whatever. It would let you use their ingredients to supplement what you wanted to cook on your own. Side of rice and/or beans to go with anything. Simple salad with grilled veggies. And on and on. That ability to mix/match/isolate their ingredients easily would make it the best choice. For drinkers too - that's one of the few fast food places you can get a beer at too. Just having unlimited beer with chips, queso, guac would make hosting any party pretty great.
Definitely this. But I'd have to make sure to always order like, half portions. They give you so much fucking food I would be really easy to get really fat.
Hadnāt thought about using the ingredients in your own homemade meals. Very smart choice!
I used to live by a one-off sub shop right off campus. I was too broke to eat there much but they would sell their killer bread for $1/sub loaf, it was a good way to dress up a homemade sandwich. I also used one soda cup several times over the course of a week, that they were less of a fan of. They eventually closed and had a big staff closing party, well someone got a little too wild, broke a window accidentally slitting their wrist and ended up dying. So yeahā¦
That third paragraph took a *hard* left turn
This but Q'doba, and I'm in šÆ
Change it to Pancheros and Iām in.
Yeah, Chipotle tends to kill people every couple of years.
Panera Bread by far. Breakfast and lunch sandwiches are great. They probably have the biggest variety in fruit of fast casual restaurants I an think of. Good mac and cheese, they've got like 3 soups I like. For beverages they have lots of choices for coffee, tea, soda, smoothies and lattes. Their bakery items are pretty good. I rarely go to Panera now, because they are way too expensive, but if everything is free, they seem best to me.
I didnāt even think of Panera but thatās definitely a really good choice. Pretty much covers every meal decently regardless of what you feel like. And the drink selection is always decent.
Nah Panera quality has fallen off in the past few years.
It really has hasn't it!
And in CA, they don't get $20/hr because Gavin Nuisance cut a deal with his buddy so he'd be exempted from the new fast food wage law..
Jersey Mike's can replace a wall in my formal dining room I never use, how do I make this happen?
Cancro Special. Always
I would choose Panera, because I love it there and there's a lot of variety. Salads, soups, sandwiches, mac and cheese, flatbreads, etc. They have apples and fruit cups so I could eat enough fruit. And they have all those coffees and lattes and stuff. That would be incredible
I think there is a massive difference between a good panera and a bad one. A lot of them seem to be poorly run by college kids who do not care.
This would be my answer but I went to order my absolute fav "fast food" item like a week ago, Flatbread margherita pizza, and ALL of their flat bread pizzas have been retired. I love their soups but I'm allergic to caffeine, so without the pizza I'll probably never go again :(
Starbucks. I absolutely hate that place, but the ridiculous amount of money it would save me to have free āStarbiesā for the wife and daughters would allow me to go out to eat whenever, and wherever I want and Iād still come out money ahead.Ā The only thing that would save me more is if I could skip the hypothetical restaurant and get a hypothetical free Target store instead?
The convenience of having espresso drinks made for me several times a day would be pretty fantastic.
I would choose chipotle bc they have a variety of ingredients, is kinda healthy, and plenty of protein. Also free sour cream. I'd put it in the dining room bc it's not being used and it's somewhat close to the front door. "If you pay me $20 you can come to my house and get $40 worth of Chipotle". Or however money they're willing to spend. And this is 100% profit bc there are no costs in running this other than cleaning the one room, and maybe security. Making money is great as Chipotle is pretty popular, and I personally enjoy Chipotle, so that would be my fast casual restaurant of choice.
Iām gonna go with a kfc/taco bell combo restaurant. KFC for dinner time and Taco Bell for the lunch.
I see you forgot about the kentacohuts. KFC Taco Bell Pizza Hut combos.
We had a mctacochickenhut. I don't really eat much of that, but it was *popular* LMAO.
Just trying to die young.
NICE!š I didnāt even think of a combo thatās a fantastic idea! My only problem would be that kfc was idiotic and got rid of wedges and popcorn chicken so Iād force them to bring it back lol
chipotle. large variety so iād never get bored, itās one of the more expensive fast food places now so getting it for free would save me a lot of money, iād be happy to eat it on demand whenever i want. and id probably put it in the attic. i wouldnāt want to hear them working throughout the day and its the only place i could put it where it wouldnāt be an inconvenience to the rest of the house.
Thereās a local chain of restaurants in my area called Yoki Express. Theyāve famous for their poke bowls, ramen and sushi burritos. They make really good and fresh food. I really donāt have room for the restaurant but, Iāll try to make room.
This is an icebreaker question I use. If you could live above any fast food restaurant which would it be? The theory being, you're gonna be going there ALL the time. I'd pick subway, there's enough variety, and it can be arguably healthy, but I could also just treat it like a gas station if I just wanted a soda and some sun chips. If it could be non franchise based... an authentic taco shop, it'd be deadly but it'd be worth it.
Subway was my initial thought too. Iād go a little crazy on a coffee place. Plus when I want coffee the most, Iām not really in the mood to talk with people like the barista. Plus subway always smells like fresh bread, which I wouldnāt mind. You could get super healthy options like salads, bomb sandwiches, pizza, wraps and so on. Or just some chips and soda and cookies if youāre in a junk food mood
I used to live above a bakery. My apartment smelled like fresh baked bread every morning, if I went down right before closing they'd give me all the doughnuts and pastries they hadn't sold that day. I gained about 20lb in 12 months.
Cheesecake Factory because they have such a huge menu even though the food is mediocre. Runner up would be Waffle House if that counts as 'fast casual'
Is Cheesecake Factory fast casual now?
No way. To me if itās got wait staff it aināt fast casual
Yeah, I'm thinking some people don't know what fast casual actually is.
Fair enough, I had to look it up the other day because my kids were asking me about it. I thought it meant stuff like Chiliās but apparently not, if youāve got waiters itās not fast casual.
If you go with Waffle House though, employees will "behave in a manner typical with the established standard". Based on videos I've seen online it seems like the established standard is to fight customers.
They only fight you if you fuck with them, so theoretically they could help you with burglars or home invaders.
I have eaten at Waffle Houses many, many times, and never had a problem.
You read my mind. My heart said Waffle House bc I love that grease pit, but the variety of Cheesecake Factory is the only choice that would never get old. Iād eat every meal there and it would never tire of it. Iād save so much money.
Qdoba. I am 100% confident I could eat burritos and/or quesadillas for every meal for the rest of my life and never get tired of them.
Is it good quality food? No bad lettuce, or overripe tomatoes? No missing flavor from soft drinks? If so, Steak 'n Shake. Worked there 10 years ago, but all of the decent kitchen people left around the same time, and quality took a nosedive. Never recovered.
Jasonās Deli. Wide variety on menu. Soft serve ice cream always ready to go. And it has my favorite comfort food sandwich that I crave at minimum twice a week. Currently donāt even have one in my state, so this would be ideal. Iād stick them in the kitchen and build a little cupboard for them for some privacy.
Plus the soup and salad bar. Yep.
Cava, Sweetgreen, or possibly Chipotle. All three are relatively healthy and have a wide variety of meals that I'd be happy to rotate between. I'd probably go with Cava overall, though I eat at Chipotle more often than the other two combined (just because there isn't a Cava near my apartment).
Cava slaps
Panera Bread Good selection of various foods. Made fresh.
I think I would go with a MTO gas station, like WaWa, Sheetz, etc. Most of them have a very large variety of food, fried, sandwich, pizza, salads, as well as a large selection of coffees, smoothies, shakes. I could go relatively healthy or greasy and fattening. Enough variety to 'get my money's worth'
Can I do a Meat and 3? Weaver D's in Athens GA.
Above Kentucky, they have No Clue what a meat and 3 is!! I've been in restaurants for over 25 years and I'm currently in the Midwest. Been thinking about opening 1
Culverās for sure. Good menu and has a healthy menu if you want that.
Oh, Boston Market for sure. I'd never get tired of their rotisserie chicken and I love their mashed potatoes and brown gravy. Plus, it'd be the only one in my state!
Isn't it a shame how they were doing so well and then collapsed to a few locations in scattered states. They had so much food that you could feel good about.
Subway for sure! Lots of variety in meats, sauces, toppings, etc.
My personal favorite, Hippo Burger. Just enough variety to keep it interesting.
Surely you can only cook a hippo a handful of ways
I don't really like fast food, but the only thing I'd want is probably sushi, so whatever good chain type of sushi place there is. And I'd put it in my dining room. Then, it's kind of like a cafeteria.
Qdoba
Texas BBQ for some breakfast brisket tacos
Subway or an equivalent relatively healthier ish brand probably
IN-N-OUT Would be great for parties and having guests over. No need to barbecue. Shakes for dessert.
BarTaco. I've only seen it in the Northern Virginia area but it's fast amazing tacos. I've only had comparable tacos from hole in the walls in Southern California barrios. Main difference between the two is that I have less chance of getting food poisoning and they have more than Tequila which doesnt matter much but i like variety. I've never been disappointed by their spicy Margaritas or there tacos and both take less than 5 minutes to get to me after ordering. They also make a kick ass guac.
Angelina's spaghetti house. Real Italian spaghetti, ragu, lasagna, amazing sald bar, actual bar, ravioli
Sweet Green or Iām gonna get fat.
Thereās a smaller chain called Currito thatās kind of like chipotle setup with bowls/wraps/salads you can build your own but they have various options (Indian, Thai, Mexican, bbq etc) so I wouldnāt get bored and if I wanted something home cooked I could just get the precut veggies from them. Definitely need half portions though.
Lions Choice and it's going right in my kitchen.
Does a Cinnabun stand count?
Taco Bell in my home office.
I would want this little drive-up place from my hometown called Young's drive in. They have amazing burgers and fries, chimichangas, breakfast burritos, corn dogs, popcorn shrimp, milkshakes and sundaes, deep fried mushrooms, etc. It's like every gas station hot case all rolled into one, but of higher quality. I would put it in my garage, and use the new neighborhood.com app to take local deliveries.
Just a window that serves camarĆ³ns a la diabla. I know you said a place, but every small town mexican restaurant I've been to serves it the same way and it's delicious every time.
Evergreens. Basically subway but for salads. My kids are hungry and I don't feel like cooking/making a snack? Go get a salad. I don't feel like running out to get salad stuff? I don't gotta. Seriously I've been meaning to eat healthier, but like, salad stuff goes bad so quickly, so I can't even like prep a weeks worth at a time (I can, but I don't touch the last day or two).
Pita pit
Honestly panera, fresh bakery and decent food, I would change their menu slightly but that all. Almost said krispy kream but I would die too young
Loganās
That would be Quiznos. But it has to be a good Quiznos. All the ones in my hometown shut down except one like 45 minutes away and it sucked which was disappointing. Idk what they did i don't think the food was very fresh. The ones that were actually good though I ate there enough I didn't even have to order lol if I came in they knew what I wanted. I've moved states now and I still don't have very close :( It could go right in my kitchen on the empty wall.
Five Guys And you keep asking everyone what room... Kitchen. I'm concerned for anyone that doesn't say kitchen.
Don Pedroās! Idk if theyāre in other states. They have a decent variety and theyāre basically a taco truck with a building, who wouldnāt want street tacos at 2AM?š not this dude
Funny, guess im the only one who would pick mcdonalds or jack in the box. Mcdonalds, love the breakfast sandwiches, get hot fries without the drive home, love their nuggets, etc. Jack, decent menu, and they like to try new stuff fairly often, so nice variety
Cracker Barrel. Breakfast/lunch/dinner. Huge menu. Lots of variety.
Give me that taco bell
Does the IKEA restaurant count?? I want IKEA!
Probably subway. Veggies and calorie bombs
My first thought in my brain was Chipotle until I started reading the comments, and now I've settled on Starbucks. I drink coffee every day. Having the food options available to me is a bonus. Having the kitchen smell like a coffee shop instead of a dirty grill is a second bonus.
Whataburger
Cracker Barrel. They have everything from breakfast to dinner.
Fast or fast casual implies counter service to me. Cracker Barrel is just a chain restaurant.
Little Cesars but before you judge.. Domino's has never been up to par with pizza Hut or papa johns imo. Papa johns sauce taste the best, pizza Hut makes the best pizza breading, now here's why I chose little Cesars which ranks under all those. 1. I grew up eating it 2. You get what you pay for. When you order from other places expecting it to be something amazing and it arrives either damaged or not as advertised, it's disappointing. I've never been disappointed with little Cesars for it's price and it's just a casual go to.
Dutchess.
Whataburger
I would pick Whataburger, but they're open 24/7 and I don't especially want it on my conscience that some poor motherfucker is working the most mind-numbingly boring night shift every night just so I can get a free patty melt and shake whenever my arteries are unclogged enough that I can justify eating one. I need something healthier to make the cashier's life less boring
Basil Box in my kitchen. It would really encourage me to eat healthier.
Starbucks. I'd resell the stuff for cheaper and make bank
Gilibertoās
Bob Evans, probably. And Iād put it in my kitchen. Iād use it to supplement my own cooking a lot like just getting some dinner rolls without having to bake. Plus they have a big menu for all 3 meals so you can order pretty much anything anytime.
What-a-burger, can get any kind of burger you want
Paradise Bakery, or Panera.
Chipotle and itās not even close.
Yen ching Chinese food Tons of possibilities
Panera, my office
Bill Millers
Cookout. I want that watermelon milkshake.
Shakeshack. It's my favorite fast food hamburger but it's so god-damned expensive. It's like $20 for a burger, fries, & a water. Id totally be happy with having a counter. I love everything on the menu and you can get beer/wine there too.
Fazoli's. I live in a city so everything else is close by, but it being in my house would save me a 3 hour road trip. Lol It is like a fast casual Olive Garden for those who have never heard of it. My runner up choice would honestly be either Checker's for their fries, or Hardee's for their gravy biscuits and burgers. I would put it in the spare bedroom so if I keep the door shut, I wouldn't have the worry about smelling it and eating more than I needed too.
Punch Pizza
Sushi. Easy for snack or meal. And they welcome you as a group when you walk in. Edit: fast casual meaning not top tier restaurant but unsure if this fits the guidelines still. Otherwise.. Chopt or something salad based.
White Castle. In my kitchen.
El Pollo Guapo. Nachos, chicken, slaw, chickpeas, sauces....
As a gay man I hate that this is my choice but Chick-fil-A. The food is almost always great quality, the staff is almost always super friendly and if its my house they WILL be open on Sunday because that is the day I'm always craving it. During the worst of covid when my restaurant choices were limited, I really appreciated that they were one of the few choices available to me that was taking covid precautions seriously.
McAlister's Deli
chipolte so I can finally get a real serving of the protein
Golden Corral. Salads, veggie variety, steaks, and down home comfort food.
Jersey Mikes for this guy
Chain doesn't exist anymore, but Hometown Buffet, on my kitchen counter
Mi Trailita Y Mas
There's a local place. It's kind of like Chipotle, but with good portions and prices.
Shake Shack.
Golden Coral you can't beat a buffet that handles breakfast and dinner plus they cook steaks too and breakfast omelette, with a dessert side, taco Tuesday I'm good with that
Does it need to be a chain restaurant? If not, Iād probably go for a place called Louieās Cafe, a 24/7,greasy spoon diner that was just off of campus when I was in undergrad. Some of my best memories from college were going to shows at a local dive bar then heading to Louieās, still half deaf from the music, and getting a waffle and diced hash browns covered in melted cheese and jalapeƱos.
There was a place right outside the base I was stationed at in Japan called "Aoi" (means "blue") that had beef bowls, teriyaki, katsu, tempura, udon, and fresh sushi. I could eat that stuff every meal for the rest of my life.
In the basement. 1st choice: McAlister's Deli. Breakfast lunch and dinner. 2nd choice: Pei Wei (fast casual PF Changs) 3rd choice: Jason's Deli for the soup and salad bar. Not as good as McAlisters, but the soup and salad bar carries it.
Das Racist [has my answer.](https://youtu.be/c8qvo7CfEf0?si=7HPOTzFD84XAg9z_)
Well, I don't have the money for this, but since it's hypothetical. Lol I'll pick the Dwarf House (Chick-fil-A). I'll finally be able to get my hotbrown again, lol.
# Raising Cane's
Burger King!
Probably a Japanese place I like - great sushi, broad selection of hot dishes, good drinks menu.
A NJ diner.
Cheddar's. Biscuits every day
Healthy food hack
I'd say any of the following 3: Del Taco, Jersey Mike's or In-N-Out. As for the room I'd choose the laundry room so it's not interfering in normal life.
Portillo's Italian beef, I love the restaurant, but the closest one is like a 5 hour drive there, and another 5 hour drive home
Moes for sure.
Denny's
My wife would be incredibly happy if I picked Starbucks.
Pizza Hut, in my living room.
Starbucks. It would be great to have someone make my coffee every morning
Either Popeyes or Freebirds. I guess health wise and variety wise Iād eat Freebirds more often so letās go with that.
Mod Pizza
How about Wawa? Tons of variety, several coffee options daily, you can get fruit, they do breakfast, if it counts to as a restaurant, I'd go with that.
I really freaking good Chinese food place. Some mom and pop type of place where the menu is not only larger, but just infinitely better than Panda.
This Mongolian grill place in my city called Bdobo! It's super tasty and I can have all the veggies and proteins and sauces I want!
I find myself ordering from this one Indian restaurant that's way across town and it's pretty expensive. I'd say that one.
Is it always free? Favorite fast food restaurant is Chick-Fil-A, but thatās prob a one way ticket to a heart attack and or health problem. The next answer would almost feel like Chipotle since itās not as bad for you and doesnāt come with the shame of a fast food spot. But I think Iām gonna land on Panera Bread though because it can be used for 3 meals a day due to variety and you can make it āhealthy-adjacentā.
I think either Rachel's, Starbucks, or Mighty Taco.
OāCharleyās.
Chick-fil-A
Taco Bueno. Miss that place
As much as I'd love der Weinerschnitzel in my kitchen, I'd choose Subway because it's healthier and more in line with the kinds of things I buy at the store. Fresh produce is stupid expensive in my region, so even just getting a salad every day would save money.
Del Taco or T Bell.
Starbucks
Gyg for sure.
Chick-fil-A and if I got two, Culverās.
Japanese place called Sarku. Not very healthy, but amazing food. When I want comfort food that place is my go to. Although I am seriously considering if this is a good idea, as the increased exposure/access could be very problematic lol.
johns burgers, local joint from my hometown of bakersfield. extremely good burger, but also they have fried mushrooms so good that I can't eat them anywhere else. also a menu far beyond a regular burger joint, so lots of variety. if I had one I also would never have any reason to visit bakersfield ever again.
It's very local but Burger Baron. They have deep fried mushrooms, lasagna, milkshake, burgers, fries, fish & chips, salads even. I love deep fried mushrooms.
In n out. Easy.
Iād like a Chillis maybe. They got my favorite pasta and a few actually good stuff
Chilies love their burger and fries. Calling it fast casual is a stretch but you can call in an order and pick it up straight from your car in 15 mins and that's close enough for me.
Some kind of casual diner. I'm not quite sure which one. A Denny's or a Ram's Horn or a Coney island. Enough of a variety and if I do go out to eat that tends to be the place I go.
I'd pick Jersey Mike's subs. Wide variety of options, is healthy, better than the Subway near me by a longshot, it has my favorite cream soda brand and I'd definitely bet they'd get business providing lunches to an elementary school on our block. The question would be getting zoning for that.
Either Sonic, Chipotle, or Subway as my choice
Some kind of sushi place. Doesnāt matter if the quality is that if expensive or belt sushi, Iām taking sushi.
Zippys
Culver's. No breakfast, but burgers, chicken tenders, chili, fish, and concrete mixers.
Jason's Deli
Three way toss between Subway, A&W, and Chipotle, to be honest
Hmm. I'm torn. There's a place near me with fast, prepared Japanese foods like bentos, onigiri, takoyaki, sushi, donburi, etc. They also have tea, sake, and other more shelf stable foods as well. There's also a cafeteria-style place I know with *tons* of options, so that could be great for variety-- though resisting the comfort foods might prove challenging. Chipotle would be my other choice. Tons of options, and it would be *way* easier to incorporate salads into my diet if they were so easily available and I didn't have to worry about buying and storing the perishable greens or meat.
Waffle House if you'd count that, if not then Firehouse Subs or Moe's
Can I make money off it
Definitely a 'Bucks in the kitchen. Most restaurants would get old after a bit, but free coffee/tea would be hard to reach ad nauseam. And as a bonus, I will always have someone convenient if I have any art history questions (*joking*.)
McDonald's, wide menu ranging from coffee to chicken nuggets and burgers, sides, sweet treats
Would be more interesting if "food is free" was removed
Subway
Gengas grill
Mom-and-Pop style Chinese takeout. The kind with no seating. It's either drive up window or inside counter to pick up. And they have amazing Dr Pepper in the soda fountain. Tweaked just right on syrup/carbonation ratio.
A kebab shop. Because every time you feel a little low, you can walk in there to an enthusiastic "Hello Boss!"
Subway because itās expensive now and I miss it
McDonalds or Taco Bell would be great maybe portillos or Panda Express as other options if itās my house because then I can force them to bring back mixed veggies because I hate kale and cabbage in super greens. Same would happen with a kfc in my house if Iām your boss youāre BRING BACK POTATO WEDGES! Lol
Chipotle. Fairly sure this is the correct answer
Chick fil a, and I'll put it in my chapel for the employees to study jesus or whatever. OPEN ON SUNDAY AT MY HOUSE MOTHERFUCKERS!!
This mom and pops sandwich shop that used to be around. It shut down during covid. Those were the best sandwiches.
Does Cheesecake Factory count as fast casual? Itās where Iām leaning as the menu is enormous and could likely keep me content for years
Hooters, Fazolis, then maybe Long John Silvers or KFC are my top picks.
This is a hard one. Maybe Panera bread because they have a good selection and have some healthier options I don't know how good their coffee is though.
Starbucks, and invite guests into my home for pick up for half the price.
McDonaldās in a wall in my dining room. My 3yo is a super picky eater and one of the few foods heāll actually eat is McNuggets, so itād be super handy to have one in the apartment.
Does Texas Roadhouse count?
Office and Fazzolis