Menu items for suckers

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I'm a s-l-o-w learner....

I did this about , maybe somewhere in the neighborhood of 40-65 times before it hit me.

When I get that need for a steak, man, I mean, just got to have it, most times it is in the early morning, don't know why.

So, as usual, the only thing open is either your neighborhood burger joint or Dennys/IHop.

I think maybe once or twice, I had a decent steak, so it simply never occurred to me about this.

IF YOU ORDER A STEAK FROM OTHER THAN A STEAKHOUSE, YOU ARE BEGGING FOR DISAPPOINTMENT.

A chump that PAYS for abuse, wow, what a great customer, " ....come on back now, ya here?"

What would your local greasy spoon or diner know about steak, except an extra profit margin off the chumps that enjoy chewing 40% fat, 13% gristle, and the rest is wet jerky no matter how you asked it to be grilled.

That menu item at those type places is for chumps, and I have earned my 1st degree blackbelt in suckerdom by all the times I succumbed to that choice, but NO MORE.

I think another one is shakes, other than from a place that specializes in decent quality ice cream.

When ordering shakes at some of these places, it usually has no taste, very low quality ice cream, and any taste perceived is the extremly CHEAP syrup they usually never put in proper proportions....., and even when they do put it in proper proportions, it still taste like cold, cheap, chemical flavored milk, like as an example, strawberry flavored brake fluid.

I'm sure there are other items I can't recall now, but like I said, I'm a slow learner.

The 13th Warrior
  • Profile picture of the author Kay King
    It's one of those "well, duh" moments. If you want beef, you don't go looking in the chicken coop. Unless, of course, you want chicken fried steak.

    Yet have to admit a I had great steak (I mean really good) at a Waffle House once when a friend insisted I try it.

    I love milkshakes and I've solved my steak and milkshake problems - I have a machine that makes great shakes - and I know where to buy the best Angus beef and grill it myself!
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    • Profile picture of the author Kurt
      Originally Posted by Kay King View Post

      It's one of those "well, duh" moments. If you want beef, you don't go looking in the chicken coop. Unless, of course, you want chicken fried steak.

      Yet have to admit a I had great steak (I mean really good) at a Waffle House once when a friend insisted I try it.

      I love milkshakes and I've solved my steak and milkshake problems - I have a machine that makes great shakes - and I know where to buy the best Angus beef and grill it myself!
      Oh no! Not Waffle House!

      Jerry Glanville, a former NFL coach had one of the greatest lines ever when talking about a really good football player, "He's tougher than a Waffle House steak". You two must have had the one good steak in the history of the Waffle House...The only time to eat at a Waffle House is at 2:15 AM after the bars close and you're too drunk to taste the food or care about the bullet holes in the wall near the cash register.

      Trivia (stolen from Jake on 2 1/2 men) - If waitresses with big boobs work at Hooters, where do waitresses with one leg work? Answer: IHOP
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      • Profile picture of the author The 13th Warrior
        Just remembered another one.

        The day before yesterday is t-h-e-e-e-e-e LAST time I buy some sorry ass cheap Fish`n Chips other than at a seafood place.

        That breaded, tasteless fish has been so long out of water, I think the cardboard box it came in has better flavor. The only flavor is the bread, and if I wanted seasoned bread/batter, I'll go to some Italian or pizza place for way much cheaper.

        And it never, really satisfies your seafood craving , because its bread and mayonnaise w/relish(tarter sauce).

        And I hardly ever eat the fries, anyway.

        Just figured out , at least to me anyway, why the Brits put vinegar on fried fish.., I tried it sometimes and liked it. Its to cut down the oil taste or if the fish is too oily or thick.

        Maybe I would've had these revelations sooner if I bought some Focus Factor or something

        With these realizations, I'm starting to think that a burger, grilled cheese sandwich, fried egg sandwich, Deli food, Chinese food, nachos, or other items are your "go-to" items if you have to have cheap food or there's no other options around.

        Oh yeah, I have pretty much boycotted "Taco Fail" and "Del-ete Taco" or its other name, " Fail Taco " whenever I have a Mexican food craving.

        The worst hole in the wall Latino place beat these fake, cardboard breaded , flavorless establishments by a mile anyhow.
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        • Profile picture of the author Kay King
          You two must have had the one good steak in the history of the Waffle House
          I thought the same thing - so have never gone back for another one!


          There's a reason restaurants have the word "steak" or "fish" or "chicken" in their title (well, maybe not chicken). It's called a "hint":p

          Now if you hit a really good restaurant you might find great fish AND steak - for a price. As for the low end places....

          I knew there was trouble in foodland when the local KFC added a counter for Long John Silver's. That's too confusing so I avoid both.
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  • Profile picture of the author The 13th Warrior
    Yeah, Fish `n Chips is definetly a menu item for suckers.

    One reason , its simply overpriced fish sticks which usually run between $7-$10.

    Second, if you got a taste for soybean, cornmeal, chemicals that sound like the Czech language and seasoned bread mixed with the hope of it having enough of some body parts or some flesh of what used to be some aqueous form of life from the sea, then supermarket fishsticks is the bet..., but not at an eating establishment with retail price to match.
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    • Profile picture of the author Bill Farnham
      Originally Posted by The 13th Warrior View Post

      Yeah, Fish `n Chips is definetly a menu item for suckers.
      Hey! Them's fightin' words!

      I'll have you know that is an aquired taste...:p

      ~Bill
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      • Profile picture of the author The 13th Warrior
        Just thought of another one.

        Going to 7-11 for some cheap , pre-packaged sushi.

        Last time I do that, either.

        If you take real sushi, soak it under water for a week, mix it a little with watered down canned tuna flavor, then sprinkle some salt on it, eat up my friend, 7-11 sushi is for you.

        Another "menu items for suckers" bites the dust.

        Lifetime ban..., lifetime boycott.
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        • Profile picture of the author Lawrh
          Originally Posted by The 13th Warrior View Post

          Just thought of another one.

          Going to 7-11 for some cheap , pre-packaged sushi.
          It sure seems like your food woes are self inflicted. Maybe your mind is stuck in the "fast food" mentality. I don't mean food prepared quickly is bad, but the franchised slop houses like Denny's and KFC and similar.

          Some great places for a steak or fish and chips is in bars. Best fish and chips I've had here in Edmonton was at a place called The Moose Factory. It's a dining room and lounge. I only go to the lounge. Two pieces of halibut with fries is about ten bucks. Steak sandwiches are similarly priced.

          Hungry late at night? Go to Chinatown and pig out. Lots of bars (lounges) open late. Don't forget hotel bars and dining rooms. The prices will surprise you (in a good way).

          Spend some time looking through your local yellow pages. There must be a lot more places to go than you realize.

          BTW, never buy food from 7-Eleven. Especially sushi. The city I'm in has at least two dozen sushi joints. I'll bet your city has places you've never heard of (assuming you're not in a small town).

          Clear your mind of the usual hog slop emporiums and explore your city.
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          • Profile picture of the author The 13th Warrior
            Another "sucker" item is Cup `o Noodles on the menu.

            I've seen some charge $2.50 and up for this item that you can, like, get a case of 50 anywhere for $4.00.

            Especially when I can get 2 or 3 POUNDS of noodles from just about any fast food Chinese place for $2-$3. For $1 I can get at least 6X whats in a typical Cup of Noodles.

            The owner who puts that price on the menu for that should face slapped until fall with a dueling glove.
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            • Profile picture of the author Lawrh
              Originally Posted by The 13th Warrior View Post

              The owner who puts that price on the menu for that should face slapped until fall with a dueling glove.
              The owner who puts that on the menu should be given an award for recognizing that lazy boneheads who want things "right now" are a source of easy money.

              Lazy Impatient People = Money

              Many, many millions have been made just acting on this fact.
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              • Profile picture of the author The 13th Warrior
                Originally Posted by Lawrh View Post


                The owner who puts that on the menu should be given an award for recognizing that lazy boneheads who want things "right now" are a source of easy money.

                Lazy Impatient People = Money

                Many, many millions have been made just acting on this fact.

                So you consider all patrons of fast food, past, present or future, for whatever reason, 30 lunch break, new in town and very busy, circumstances, whatever, boneheads?

                That's a capital opinion.
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                • Profile picture of the author Lawrh
                  Originally Posted by The 13th Warrior View Post

                  So you consider all patrons of fast food, past, present or future, for whatever reason, 30 lunch break, new in town and very busy, circumstances, whatever, boneheads?

                  That's a capital opinion.
                  Not the new in town, just the ones too lazy to know what's good in their own city and take advantage. Creating an absurdly broad generalization is silly.
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          • Profile picture of the author The 13th Warrior
            Originally Posted by Lawrh View Post


            It sure seems like your food woes are self inflicted. Maybe your mind is stuck in the "fast food" mentality. I don't mean food prepared quickly is bad, but the franchised slop houses like Denny's and KFC and similar.

            Look, this isn't a planned excursion.

            I'm talking about , "knee-jerk, grab something quick, ain't got a lot of time, grab something on the way, within 5 minutes, wolf somthing down" type of impulse.



            Originally Posted by Lawrh View Post


            Two pieces of halibut with fries is about ten bucks.

            I've had fish n chips at a seafood place and at 'other-than-seafood' places..., not close.

            I like real fish flesh, not pre-mixed concoction of various fillers and chemicals with some bits and parts of fish heads and ground up tail and guts.

            You must like seasoned bread and tarter sauce flavored with some fish taste.

            If I want that, I'll get a pizza with anchovies, more bang for the buck, not overpriced and supersized fish sticks.

            $10 for fish bread? I'm out.




            Originally Posted by Lawrh View Post


            Steak sandwiches are similarly priced.

            I'll give you that, steak sandwiches are a hit and miss grey area, but it is better to either go by reputation or don't bother at all.





            Originally Posted by Lawrh View Post


            Hungry late at night? Go to Chinatown and pig out.

            Sorry, we can't ALL live in New York where there's a variety of different places open 24-7.

            Most cities shut down from 9 pm-11pm, especially if you live in the hinterlands, where they close everything down at 5pm-7pm.


            "Hog Slop" is definitely the term.
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  • Profile picture of the author Lawrh
    Sorry, but I was talking about REAL Halibut fillets, lightly battered. Served moist and succulent. Not U.S. style frankenfood.

    Also, I am not talking about "planned excursions". I'm talking about knowing what's in your city so you can "knee-jerk, grab something quick, ain't got a lot of time, grab something on the way, within 5 minutes, wolf somthing down".

    Unless you live in a really small town there has got to be lots of places to grab great food "on the way home".
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    • Profile picture of the author The 13th Warrior
      Originally Posted by Lawrh View Post


      Not U.S. style frankenfood.

      You got that right, cold dead center.
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    • Profile picture of the author CDarklock
      Originally Posted by Lawrh View Post

      Sorry, but I was talking about REAL Halibut fillets
      You can substitute those for chicken in damn near any recipe... so if you're trying to get more fish into your diet, there you go.
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  • Profile picture of the author Pauline60
    As a brit I find myself confused about the US approach to food. On the one hand there is an incredible amount of junk. I once made the mistake of 'eating' in a Taco Bell.
    On the other hand there is an abundance of gloriously well prepared, delicious food available in small diners and so on. Also one of the best meals I have ever had in my whole life was in a B&B in Vermont where the lady of the house served a breakfast so wonderful that I will never forget if I live to be 100. I spent three days there and she fed us at every possible opportunity - much of which she wanted no payment for. It was Heaven!

    Pauline
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    • Profile picture of the author Kelly Verge
      Originally Posted by Pauline60 View Post

      As a brit I find myself confused about the US approach to food. On the one hand there is an incredible amount of junk. I once made the mistake of 'eating' in a Taco Bell.
      On the other hand there is an abundance of gloriously well prepared, delicious food available in small diners and so on. Also one of the best meals I have ever had in my whole life was in a B&B in Vermont where the lady of the house served a breakfast so wonderful that I will never forget if I live to be 100. I spent three days there and she fed us at every possible opportunity - much of which she wanted no payment for. It was Heaven!

      Pauline
      I completely agree.

      I live on the Gulf of Mexico. In the town I'm in, there are dozens of seafood restaurants. Maybe a dozen of these have seafood that's really, really good - hard to beat anywhere.

      Yet... Red Lobster (a chain which serves frozen seafood) is always packed. The craziest thing is that many of the better local places are also cheaper.

      I can't explain it.
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      • Profile picture of the author Kay King
        It's true that America has some fantastic food. Every region has specialties worth trying.

        One thing I learned long ago when my sons were very young is that the best restaurants in the area served children for free - and the food was outstanding. No kid's menus with fries - children were served smaller portions from the regular menu. It was great training in behaving and dining in public with linen napkins, candles and "courses".

        Just curious - am I the only person in the US who has never been to Taco Bell?
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  • Profile picture of the author CDarklock
    There was this absolutely hysterical advertisement back in the day, where they said "You wouldn't go to a Chinese restaurant for..." and then this smug Asian guy held out a tray and said "tacos!"

    I have no idea whom that commercial was for, but man, when we were sitting around the basement smoking weed... it was the bomb, dog.
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  • Profile picture of the author KimW
    "Just curious - am I the only person in the US who has never been to Taco Bell? "

    While I can't say I have never been, I can honestly say I have never been since a little after I became an adult.
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  • Profile picture of the author Kurt
    My teen fast-food job was at Taco Bell for 6 weeks.

    I would have to come in 2 hours before opening and "pick" beans, then cook them in a pressure cooker fresh every day. We'd slice heads of lettuce on the slicer. At the same time, a girl was putting corn tortillas into taco racks, then deep fried them fresh every day.

    Now, Taco Bell has plastic bags of freeze-dried beens and just adds some hot water. The lettuce is all packaged and the taco shells are all pre-packaged and taste like year-old cardboard.

    And Taco Bell went from being decent to barely edible.
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    • Profile picture of the author The 13th Warrior
      I think I found another menu item for suckers.

      Which is why I stayed away from it.

      WAFFLES.

      If you are hungry, this is a sucker item.

      If you hardly have an appetite, but still have a desire to throw some money away, then this is one of your items.

      Waffles are pretty much the SAME batter as pancakes.

      Waffles are simply "air fluffed" pancakes with perforated grill patterns.

      Pancakes are 4 times heavier, there's more of them to an order compared to Waffles, much thicker, sticks more to yer ribs , yet, Waffles are higher in price than its counterpart.

      I don't get Waffles, unless you are really not hungry and have an itch to throw money away.

      I've pretty much banned Waffles from purchase , at say, your local I-HoP(e).

      At the prices of those waffles, they should call it I-HurT.

      But some of their food at some of those prices, they should call it I-HurL, I really got to be desperate to go in their again, can't be NOTHIN else around or open.
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  • Profile picture of the author Lawrh
    Such a sad little man. Everyone is trying to con you.

    We ate waffles often as children, always homemade. Waffle irons were commonplace once upon a time. The purpose of the design (those square indents) is to hold on to more syrup and toppings. Since the design is centuries old it's unlikely it was invented to rip you off.
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    • Profile picture of the author The 13th Warrior
      Originally Posted by Lawrh View Post


      Such a sad little man. Everyone is trying to con you.

      We ate waffles often as children, always homemade. Waffle irons were commonplace once upon a time. The purpose of the design (those square indents) is to hold on to more syrup and toppings. Since the design is centuries old it's unlikely it was invented to rip you off.
      Dude, the only thing that is sad is your projection of your "fix" for personal condescension and perception from some warped psychosis.

      All we talkin about is food, dude, so if you NEVER felt ripped-off, ever, for purchasing some menu item, how 'bout'cha not crash the party.

      Wow, you really are impressive with your "history" of waffles man, ooooo-weeeee, man, wikipedia's got nothing on you, shooter.

      Using whatever intellect and knowledge you perceive you have as a hammer only shows the information POSSESSES you , not the inverse, and of who you are.

      And since most psychologist and psychiatrist can't do much for sanity of themselves or their patients except dope them to death, save your psuedo shrink internet practice for yourself.

      Waffles and historical accounts, jesus christ, poindexter.

      Since you like specifics, historical accuracy and "proper" dispensation of information, academic Nazi, here's one for you :

      Anal retentive - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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    • Profile picture of the author HeySal
      Originally Posted by Lawrh View Post

      Such a sad little man. Everyone is trying to con you.

      We ate waffles often as children, always homemade. Waffle irons were commonplace once upon a time. The purpose of the design (those square indents) is to hold on to more syrup and toppings. Since the design is centuries old it's unlikely it was invented to rip you off.
      We have a nice little counter-top waffle maker and just make a big bowl of batter and put what we don't use in a jar and stick it in the fridge - the next person who wants waffles just dumps the batter in the waffle maker. There are usually berries of some sort, and vanilla ice cream, or syrup-- who the hell needs a restaurant for waffles?

      I have only eaten one item from an IHOP and it's specifically what I go to IHOP for -- Blueberry blintzes. I used to live close to an IHOP and every now and again a bunch of us would go there late at night. Everyone else would just gag over their meals and I was always just fine and dandy with my blueberry blintzes.

      I had the best scallop dinner ever in upstate NY. It was just a little place - hole in the wall. My friend took me there for my Birthday while I was in NY and I walked in and expected an average dinner -- it was the best plate of scallops I've ever eaten in my life and I've been on coastlines and eaten scallops. Holy cow - If I ever go back through NY I wanna go there again.

      Alot of times I live in very small towns though, and the only self defense for late night hungries is to have something right at home to munch on.
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  • Profile picture of the author KimW
    Waffles are great if you get the right kind.
    Waffle house waffles suck.
    I hop waffles aren't much better.
    If you want a deliscious waffle,you need to get a Belgium Waffle.
    Locally I can get them at my Bob Evans Restaraunt and Mimis Cafe ( Bob Evans owns both places).

    Now, if you want waffles at home, you need to use Waffle Mix.

    Darn things melt in your mouth.
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    • Profile picture of the author The 13th Warrior
      I still say to me, they are a rip off if you are really hungry.

      You pay 3 and some change, some places more, for ONE an air fluffed pancake.

      Maybe to others, they are some delicacy, like french crepes or something.

      I don't taste the difference and I'm still starving, so maybe they are a treat for some or most, but they don't do much for me, so they stay on my list.
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  • Profile picture of the author KimW
    If you tried the ones I suggested you would see how wrong you are.
    I would bet $10 you couldn't eat 2 of the ones I recommended in one sitting.
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    • Profile picture of the author The 13th Warrior
      Originally Posted by KimW View Post


      If you tried the ones I suggested you would see how wrong you are.
      I would bet $10 you couldn't eat 2 of the ones I recommended in one sitting.

      Alright, I'm game.

      I'm going to find the best, and see if you are right.

      And even if you are, IHOP/Dennys quality and price just prove my point, does it not?
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