Not-so-shitty chains

I love Chipotle.

If you can get a nice piece from EA on Craigslist at a good price, it's a bargain. These days, you can get something for roughly the same price as an Ikea piece and they aren't even in the same ballpark, quality wise.

Haggar makes quality slacks. I think Lands End still has some quality products though their shirts don't seem to be as durable as they used to be, same as Brooks Brothers.

Fuck Ethan Allen. They are bigoted and homophobic.

Haggar apparel was started by Sammy Haggar, he makes for more money of his clothing line than he does music. He also owns Haggar lighting.

R4, go after Haggar. Talk about bigoted and homophobic.

There's no limit to bigoted and homophobic chains, R6.

Arhaus is a terrific furniture store. It is pricey but the key is to buy a few quality pieces that will last you a lifetime.

I've seen some decent stuff at the Ethan Allen on Central Avenue in Hartsdale, they've changed with the times and have a lot more to offer. I really liked the woman who waited on me and answered a lot of my questions in 2019. But the last time I went in - Feb of this year - they had replaced her with a pudgy Italian yenta who interrupted me and was constantly looking over her shoulder (store was empty). I'll only buy new furniture from EA this fall if she is GONE.

R8 - a little pricey? It's quality stuff but doesn't have a ton of style. $10,000 for a sofa is price-gouging. Personally, I don't want the same sofa for 25 years.

If you're going to invest like that, there are much better brands - like Baker.

This plain slip cover 3 seat sofa with an extension should not be $5,500 - without tax. And it takes up to 12 weeks to deliver. Fuck that shit.

PS - I have two Arhaus leather chairs that I bought second hand and they're beautiful. But it was 1/4 the price of new.

EA is cheap. That’s the point of it. Who’d want that crap in your home? What next? Ikea ? West elm?

Fairway supermarkets - love them! But they recently filed for bankruptcy.

I love Taco Time.

Del Taco has some really great items - much better than Taco Bell, which still holds a place in my heart.

El Pollo Loco is good too, although a bit one-note.

Wawa - in a pinch I'll head there for coffee or a sub as opposed to any of the fast food chains.

Jersey Mike's is decent.

Turcos on Central Avenue was a delightful fish and grocery store from the 1970s to the 1990s or so. There were a few of them so they qualify as a chain. Left approx ten years ago, three others failed, space is now empty.

Walmart

EA is midrange, and they are NOT homophobic.

Room & Board

[quote]Turcos on Central Avenue

[quote] Ethan Allen on Central Avenue in Hartsdale

A new meme, this "Central Avenue"?

Oy - stop trying to make “Central Avenue” relevant.

Agree with R10 - most furniture chains are insanely overpriced. All that stuff can be bought for less than half the price. And who wants the same furniture for 30 years?

Pollo Loco, The Habit burgers.

Cookout

R15 Wanted to buy stock in Wawa. Found out it's only available to employees, who are there at least a year.

“Central Avenue” real name, Central Park Avenue. Only tourists use that name.

I like West Elm, even though some of their stuff is really overpriced. And trying to decipher their email sale prices is like figuring out quantum physics.

We used to like looking at Ethan Allen catalogs—their furniture seemed well-designed. But we were terribly disappointed when we went to an Ethan Allen showroom. The high-design furniture was small-scale and flimsily constructed—veneers on particle board, poor joinery in drawers. Everything stapled and pasted together. No thank you.

Bought a glass and chrome coffee table from EA a few years ago. Really disappointed in the quality. Every other day screws drop out from it which I keep screwing back in.

The Texas Cheesecake Depsoitory

Facestuffers'

I’m curious; how is Ethan Allen a homophobic and bigoted company? I never heard of it. Yet, I went to their store a few years ago. I wasn’t impressed; I noticed a steep decline in quality.

The bullshit about Ethan Allen is just that. People are flinging crap about everyone and everything. Well, except.... I'm fine with giving a pass to historically victimized and assaulted groups in our communities, whether it be race, sexual identity, gender, national origin or age. But I've looked at the issue and the company did not have anything to do with a systematic attack on older employees, which appears to be the basis of the crap flung here.

I did business with Ethan Allen 20 years ago. It was a different company then, and the design and fabrication work for the custom job (three armchairs, hassock, sofa and ten upholstered dining chairs) was excellent. The pieces are still great, after a lot of use. And there was no homophobia in any of my experiences there. The delivery men were memorably un-homophobic.

I say it's a different company because I didn't find the same talent and commitment when I went back a few years ago. I could see that there was less experience. Places don't want to pay for experience - the fact that that tends to hurt older workers is inevitable, it seems. As an older worker in a competitive field I know that from experience.

The first person I encountered at EA on Central Avenue was a elder flamboyant queen. And I MUST say he was far more helpful than the Italian yenta I had to deal with in sales.

Crate & Barrel used to have some above average furniture. Now I'm dealing with a squeaky sofa of two years, and a night table that arrived damaged in Feb that they can't seem to pick-up. They charged $79 for "in home delivery" and it was left outside because of the coronavirus, then WHY charge anything for delivery???

White Castle.

Sometimes consistency and knowing that in a particular situation the whole thing will be as expected is enough.

R32, no honey....no. 🙀

Trader Joe's. Surprised no one has mentioned it yet.

Trader Joe's. Surprised no one has mentioned it yet.

Shitty Wok

Southern California's Fresh Brothers Pizza.

Pollo Tropical

Better than most chains. Decent food and cheap.

Great for a quick dinner before a late meeting.

Costco.

Room & Board

Seasons 52 - it's a restaurant based on lower-calorie, flavorful food. I've never been disappointed.

And P.S. Changs actually has some great food.

Last mention - CB2 - it's the higher-end (IMO) brand of furniture and home goods. They have great stuff - but I think they only have 5 or 6 stores. Some in NY, Chicago and LA. It's a chain - but not broad.

Chik-Fil-A. Fuck you all, it's pretty amazing for the price.

Chipotle - the guacamole and sour cream are off the charts

I second Trader Joe's. Pretty good ready to eat stuff but their sushi is a disaster.

Mildred's is just . . . divine!

In n out

Bojangles

R31, C&B furniture is overpriced, but their kitchen and dining sections are loads of fun to wander around in. I rarely manage to make it through the whole floor without buying something.

Their stuff looks great. Modern and stylish yet classic

Dutch Brothers Coffee. I really wish they would expend more because I can’t get them at all on the east coast, but they’re one of my favorite parts about the Pacific NW.

R46, I saw the name In and Out Burger in a film and thought it was a cheap joke.

Then I saw a television show reference it and I thought they stole the joke.

It took a while before I found out that In and Out Burger was a real company and not just a dirty joke.

I mentioned this in the Shitty Chains thread but it's appropriate to mention it again here- New Jersey Mikes Subs- Their Salami , Ham , Provolone with the works is REALLY good but $16 for the giant sandwich is rather expensive.

White Castle.

Sometimes consistency and knowing that in a particular situation the whole thing will be as expected is enough.

Eat at White Castle R32 and the last thing I’d expect is consistency... for two days at least

IKEA

Korvette's record department is second to none. There's one on Central Ave, Yonkers, and 46th and Fifth.

I keep hearing White Castle is good. But they opened on near where I worked and I went in. The burgers were so cheap, I was afraid to try one and walked out.

R52, it's JERSEY Mike's, not New Jersey Mike's. Are you from Ohio?

New York