• NotJohnSmith@feddit.uk
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    20 days ago

    Got me thinking, I have heard of Applebees before but have never cared enough to think what it is - Is it a diner or some kind?

    • LangleyDominos [none/use name]@hexbear.net
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      20 days ago

      It’s a restaurant with a bar, not really a diner. It’s more of a place that middle-class workers would go after work to have a few drinks and eat cheaply sourced food. It also doubled as a place for families to go during the day. We have several of these kinds of restaurant chains that all serve microwaved food and have a bunch of memorabilia on the walls. TGI Friday’s, Applebee’s, Chili’s, Fudrucker’s, etc.

      The original was Max & Erma’s. They were the first “casual dining” restaurant that appealed to baby boomer nostalgia in their design/layout. Imagine the bar from Cheer’s but with antiques, collectables, and vintage signage all over the walls. It became a chain and was so successful everyone started copying it.

      • NotJohnSmith@feddit.uk
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        20 days ago

        Oh that’s interesting, I forget how much of this gets imported into our (UK) country and culture

    • ColonelKataffy [he/him]@hexbear.net
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      20 days ago

      food mass produced offsite, packaged in bags, sent to restaurant where it is either microwaved or the bag is put in a hot bath to heat up. to be honest, i don’t think i’ve ever eaten there (because i have dignity and im-vegan ) but it’s known for being low-tier amerislop for boomers without tastebuds

    • Flyberius [comrade/them]@hexbear.net
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      20 days ago

      As far as I know yeah. I guess Harvester might be there closest thing we have, but that’s more like shitty pub grub. I think Applebee’s is just shitty food in general.