I pondered this question last week as I grabbed lunch at the Medallion Center Applebee's, which is adorned with all kinds of neighborhood-y memorabilia from schools like Woodrow Wilson. The photos, pendants, etc. were collected and hung before the restaurant opened last year.
At one point, the Applebee's commercial jingle was "Eatin' good in the neighborhood", and it clearly likes to bill itself as a down-home gathering place. In the movie "Talladega Nights", it was spoofed as the "fancy" restaurant for the Nascar set, a joke probably appreciated by people on either side of the cuisine spectrum.
But with more than 3,300 restaurants worldwide, I'm just not convinced that it can ever be a "neighborhood" restaurant, no matter how many photos of Woodrow students it hangs on its walls.
If we're just talking food, though, the lunch "pick and pair" menu, with salads, soups and sandwiches for $6.99, is definitely worth a try. And Applebee's recently introduced dessert shooters, similar to the P.F. Chang's concept, but about twice the size for the same price. They key lime pie was yummy.
Speaking of restaurants, I notice Al Baba in Lakewood now has its signs up.
Work is also underway at Whole Foods!
Posted by: Bob | May 29, 2008 at 07:18 PM
We are traveling to Aguascaliente Mexico (northwest of Mexico City) next month and I went google to find places to eat. One of the first places that popped up listed an Applebee's. Too freaky. I had to look at the menu and it's mostly mexican food. I don't think we will visit, but just thought I'd throw this out there.
Posted by: CindyE | May 29, 2008 at 09:23 PM