macaroni grill

so i remember awhile ago my friend karl telling me that he felt he was done eating at chain restaurants. i dont even know if he remembers saying that or if has sticked to it. at the time i remember thinking that was something typical for karl to say. i dont really know what that means or why that would be typical of karl, but i thought it was a bold statement and pretty ridiculous and a little pompous perhaps. but im beginning to realize that karl has a good mentality or is on the right track. and i realized this a month or so ago when i went out to eat at macaroni grill. now macaroni grill is a fine restaurant. but its just fine. nothing more, and nothing less. just an average time in my opinion. i didnt hate my meal, but there was nothing wonderful about it either. granted i wasnt expecting any sort of fine italian cuisine, and i realized that i am paying only about $12 a plate which isnt too bad, but i just realized that there is no point in even eating there. once upon a time it was a great restaurant and i loved the bread and most everything it had to offer. now, its just blah and average. ill go there about once a year because ill forget how average it is and remember how i used to love the place, but after going ill realize that nothing has changed and that it doesnt have anything to offer me anymore. like the gap.

now i dont think this applies to all chain restaurants. there are many great ones still. i go to corner bakery often. i still like pei wei. its just that when i first heard karl's statement, i thought it was ridiculous, but im realizing that it is hardly ridiculous. there is a lot of sense to it.

and i dont feel as though if i choose not to go to chain restaurants that im being some sort of food snob. well, perhaps i am and i guess thats alright. but i dont think its really being a food snob. its more of me needing to lower my expectations and recognize what i will be receiving at these restaurants. just mediocrity (not at all of course. some are just delicious and have special places in our hearts etc.). pretty good food at a pretty reasonable price. i didnt hate the food, but i chose to go there so i cant complain that i wasnt blown away by the meal. its my fault. i just dropped $40 for my date and i, which is fine, but i can easily find better food for that price elsewhere. and i think that is what i realized after macaroni grill. i can find better food for the same price. so come on karl. lets go place ourselves above the masses in society and scoff at them because we are food snobs and have convinced ourselves that few places have something, if anything to offer us. i feel special already.