The Deuce: It used to be my favorite national chain, but my local went insanely downhill after covid.

There’s a new top fast food chain: Jersey Mike’s - biclops June 18, 2026, 8:34:18

interesting, because the I thought he general concensus was JM was in decline - assassin June 18, 2026, 11:59:58
- Even after the PE buy, I haven’t noticed any changes to portion or price* - MC June 18, 2026, 12:03:49
never had it and couldn't tell you without googling where one was* - VIV June 18, 2026, 11:43:32
I like JM, but they don't need to do the oil and vinegar like a 13 year old putting on cologne* - Gene Parmesan June 18, 2026, 11:35:15
- that's Mike's Way, baby!* - Sammich June 18, 2026, 11:37:59
- lulz, agreed. always gotta ask for light O&V - IlliniSax05 June 18, 2026, 11:37:53
  - ^^This is the way^^* - DocWalk20 June 18, 2026, 13:33:11
JM’s is awesome. Raising Cane is very good….we also have a Guthriees which is the same* - TarheelIllini June 18, 2026, 11:17:03
- I feel like I'm missing something with Raising Cane's. Had it a few times... - KingTalkyTiki June 18, 2026, 11:47:36
  - the sauce really makes or breaks it IMO. If you like the sauce, it's great - Gene Parmesan June 18, 2026, 13:57:22
    - It's a tad too peppery for me.* - KingTalkyTiki June 18, 2026, 15:48:35
    - It’s that damn garlic toast that gets me* - Jackie June 18, 2026, 14:25:46
  - as somebody who only eats boneless chicken, it's my #2 - Sammich June 18, 2026, 11:51:37
    - I was reading to see where Chick-Fil-A ranked on your list only to find you’ve never had it?!?!* - DocWalk20 June 18, 2026, 13:34:18
      - up until last fall, I had never lived within an hour of a chick fil-a* - Sammich June 18, 2026, 13:48:44
Potbelly's is better than JM imo.* - ibdoc June 18, 2026, 10:54:55
- not really a fan of their subs but they have a couple of great salads* - lcubed June 18, 2026, 11:06:50
- My local Potbelly also has arguably the best iced tea in Kane County. * - illini June 18, 2026, 11:05:00
Burger King? GTFOOH* - PapaDels June 18, 2026, 10:24:09
underrated fast food chain: Cook Out * - illiniranger June 18, 2026, 10:19:54
- Agree to disagree - Tortillini June 18, 2026, 12:21:17
Jesus Christ…those lists are an indictment on our entire culture. * - haighter June 18, 2026, 10:08:40
- It’s a survey about chain restaurants, what would you expect to be on the list?* - OB25 June 18, 2026, 10:26:24
  - The survey itself whatever...the fact that these restaurants (I'm guessing here)... - haighter June 18, 2026, 10:46:41
    - The problem is that the VAST majority of the country doesn’t live in places like we do. - OB25 June 18, 2026, 11:10:52
      - Yea...I realize I have an embarassment of riches for food options...I was more thinking about... - haighter June 18, 2026, 11:40:19
        
        a lot of small businesses, esp restaurants, are terribly managed and bleed cash - illiniranger June 18, 2026, 11:55:47
      - for why local places can't survive...i assume high costs (and associated high price) - IlliniSax05 June 18, 2026, 11:35:49
        
        Right...but they survived for decades before...something in economics or preferences changed. * - haighter June 18, 2026, 12:01:45
        
        Honestly I wonder if it’s more about there just being way less people now who are willing… - OB25 June 18, 2026, 12:11:32
        
        fewer - IlliniSax05 June 18, 2026, 13:48:04
- I generally despise full service chain places as a rule. fast food has its place - ijustkrushalot June 18, 2026, 10:14:36
  - they do have the best burgers, by a hair over Wendys - Sammich June 18, 2026, 10:16:54
    - I'm sorry, you're saying BK burgers are better than Culver's? Or 5 Guys? - Tuscy June 18, 2026, 10:20:26
      - BK is the Papa John’s of FF burgers. * - bjl63 June 18, 2026, 11:37:13
      - I only see Wendy's as a direct competitor among those - Sammich June 18, 2026, 10:26:53
        
        That makes more sense. What about Steak and Shake? BK isn't better than that. * - Tuscy June 18, 2026, 11:01:56
        
        Speaking of Steak n Shake what the hell happened to them? - illini21 June 18, 2026, 11:12:27
        
        They got stuck in no-man's-land between fast-food slop and fast-casual - Sammich June 18, 2026, 11:40:18
        
        heh, i had a similar thought earlier this week - IlliniSax05 June 18, 2026, 11:32:14
        
        We go to the one near I-74 and Cunningham. Service can be a little spotty but not bad and... - Tuscy June 18, 2026, 11:27:22
        
        totally agree on Five Guys, different type of thing * - ijustkrushalot June 18, 2026, 10:34:05
        
        Five Guys is closer to Gibson's than to BK. - Illiniphil June 18, 2026, 11:07:26
        
        i think a BK burger is better than just about anywhere - illiniranger June 18, 2026, 10:31:19
        
        I remember listening to a podcast on chain restaurant food innovation - DT June 18, 2026, 11:11:57
        
        i had In and Out once and was unimpressed - IlliniSax05 June 18, 2026, 10:54:32
        
        I decided when I lived in Cali that In 'N Out might be the most overrated brand in America. - Tuscy June 18, 2026, 10:54:15
        
        in n out has a good experience - illiniranger June 18, 2026, 11:45:24
        
        I actually do enjoy In N Out and completely agree with your assessment. - haighter June 18, 2026, 11:41:57
      - i agree with Sammich here. - illiniranger June 18, 2026, 10:24:20
Papa John’s is terrible pizza. I do not understand how they became and remained so popular - DT June 18, 2026, 8:51:30
- it is awful. there’s bad pizza and then “how did they even do that?”? - memyselfandillini June 18, 2026, 14:47:24
- LBK drunkenly ordered some in Minneapolis a couple weeks ago. Can confirm. - KingTalkyTiki June 18, 2026, 10:31:44
- it's the garlic sauce/butter* - lcubed June 18, 2026, 9:56:15
- I like it, but like almost all chain pizzas it's absolutely worthless if not eaten right away - Sammich June 18, 2026, 9:42:31
  - I haven't had it in a long time, but it was always my go-to for trash pizza - ijustkrushalot June 18, 2026, 9:52:19
  - I've never liked Pizza Hut's pizza - ijustkrushalot June 18, 2026, 9:44:10
    - They recently revamped their traditional hand tossed and have tavern style now as well. - OB25 June 18, 2026, 10:11:24
    - It used to be my favorite national chain, but my local went insanely downhill after covid. - Sammich June 18, 2026, 9:48:42
    - there are times where I crave a stuffed crust pizza but never actually end up getting one - IlliniSax05 June 18, 2026, 9:47:30
- They're no Pizza World, that's for sure. - osklister June 18, 2026, 9:20:38
I liked Firehouse Subs - illiniranger June 18, 2026, 8:50:23
- Local Firehouse only made it a couple of years before closing. - Illiniphil June 18, 2026, 11:00:40
- I had Firehouse on the reg when I lived in Florida. Awesome subs but they didn't travel well. - Tuscy June 18, 2026, 9:19:32
  - Never had Firehouse. I haven’t had Jersey Mike’s or Jimmy John’s enough to have a preference - DT June 18, 2026, 9:31:30
    - *pours one out for quizno's* - Tuscy June 18, 2026, 10:07:18
      - ooo - Sammich June 18, 2026, 10:15:01
they're good, but they lose points for not having a meatball snawich* - Sammich June 18, 2026, 8:43:34
- i was very disappointed to learn they'd discontinued that after/during covid - IlliniSax05 June 18, 2026, 9:13:03
They're pretty good... my biggest complaint is that they've really mastered the - ijustkrushalot June 18, 2026, 8:40:12
- Mine is they serve Pepsi products.* - SurfTheBoneyard June 18, 2026, 10:54:44
- YES!!!!!!! 1000% this.* - KingTalkyTiki June 18, 2026, 10:32:24
- LOL, very true.* - Warrin'_Illini June 18, 2026, 8:46:22
  - Going with someone and and ordering a medium and a large is the perfect outcome - ijustkrushalot June 18, 2026, 9:43:14
never been there but i'd like to give it a go* - lcubed June 18, 2026, 8:39:23

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