Bubba Gumps

[LSPoorEeyorick]

I remember that, back when I lived in a small town, we really enjoyed the food at the Cheesecake Factory, and did wait in line in Chicago to eat there, because there were no others in our vicinity.

I don't think it's a stupid idea to eat somewhere you trust - but I do think that when you eat at a chain restaurant while you're traveling, it speaks to your sense of culinary adventure. Me? I wouldn't choose to eat at a restaurant I could access at home if it meant I was missing out on a new culinary experience. This is probably due to many factors, including:

1) I like to try new foods, new ethnic genres, new flavors, and new takes on dishes I enjoy.

2) I looooove researching restaurants, through Yelp.com or travel books. I can almost always pick something that we'll enjoy, so it reduces the potential for adventure-turned-food-poisoning. It also increases the chances of finding the true hole-in-the-wall that would be otherwise hidden.

3) I don't have any picky eaters or picky children in my party. (Vegan, yes, but we can do plenty of exploring despite that.)

If any of that weren't so - if I (like MouseWife) weren't fond of tentacles, or had people in my party who preferred a consistent (mid-) level of quality as opposed to a possible adventure (with possible bad meal, or possible terrific meal) I probably would, too. But I love the adventure of it, so it isn't the case.