Are Your Favorite Restaurants Being Shut Down? Who Is To Blame?

[james bond]

All around, I see my favorite chain restaurants and once popular sole proprietorship restaurants closing its doors. It's due to the Millennials and their preference for fast, casual dining and home cooking. Now, I know these people work hard and long hours, so how is it that they cannot afford to treat themselves to a longer, better, more formal or buffet dining experience? These types of restaurants are more expensive than fast or fast-casual foods and one usually leaves a tip, but these places aren't exactly budget busters. If the US had more than 3% annual GDP growth during the Obama years, then we may not be in this mess now. These restaurants didn't see it coming. This is a trend in the USA, not so much the wealthier other nations.

It seems that it is important to vote for the right POTUS and politicians. Obama may have ruined it for one generation as they could not get decent jobs. Once the Millennials graduated, they ended up with high college loans and high taxes in order to support the poor immigrants. The lesson? Never vote for a socialist POTUS or politician again. Let the Canadians eat the fast-casual and fast foods. Now, I'm not against immigration. To the contrary, I am for it. Immigration is one of the keys to real GDP growth, but we can't just let anybody in like criminals and terrorists. Moderation is key and that means border control and immigration management. These restaurants need workers and people who will pick their foods and people who are willing to make better of themselves -- the working poor. These are the ideas that the USA was founded upon. Capitalism works.

You are barking up the wrong tree

Wages have been stagnant for decades. Young people are working for low wages and carry high debt
If they choose to compensate by eating at home, I applaud them

You missed their point. They don't have a choice due to their economic situation. You may choose to frequent the chains and better local restaurants, but they can't.

 

[ABikerSailor]

You know, economics has a great deal to do with it for me, because I live on my military pension.

But, I can come up with 10 bucks a week to treat myself. And, all the places I go, you can get a really good meal for 10 bucks or less.

 

[james bond]

All around, I see my favorite chain restaurants and once popular sole proprietorship restaurants closing its doors. It's due to the Millennials and their preference for fast, casual dining and home cooking. Now, I know these people work hard and long hours, so how is it that they cannot afford to treat themselves to a longer, better, more formal or buffet dining experience? These types of restaurants are more expensive than fast or fast-casual foods and one usually leaves a tip, but these places aren't exactly budget busters. If the US had more than 3% annual GDP growth during the Obama years, then we may not be in this mess now. These restaurants didn't see it coming. This is a trend in the USA, not so much the wealthier other nations.

It seems that it is important to vote for the right POTUS and politicians. Obama may have ruined it for one generation as they could not get decent jobs. Once the Millennials graduated, they ended up with high college loans and high taxes in order to support the poor immigrants. The lesson? Never vote for a socialist POTUS or politician again. Let the Canadians eat the fast-casual and fast foods. Now, I'm not against immigration. To the contrary, I am for it. Immigration is one of the keys to real GDP growth, but we can't just let anybody in like criminals and terrorists. Moderation is key and that means border control and immigration management. These restaurants need workers and people who will pick their foods and people who are willing to make better of themselves -- the working poor. These are the ideas that the USA was founded upon. Capitalism works.

I can't even wrap my head around the concept of "favorite chain restaurant". It's like "favorite form of cancer" or "most desired method of falling down".

Btw, care to essplain to the class what 'chain restaurants' have to do with the Politics forum?

Because Obama!

Exactly. Socialists!

Those damned socialists and their commie fast food!

Not exactly. Trump can eat anywhere he likes. Most people who are middle class and upper middle class could eat at the best places. Middle class may have to save for it. so it probably won't be a common experience. The Millenials are not able to choose better food and a better dining experience. To make up for what they're missing, they choose "avocado toast" or pricey, brunch restaurants. They could be making better choices and sustaining the chain economy by being in a better financial situation.

 

[boedicca]

All around, I see my favorite chain restaurants and once popular sole proprietorship restaurants closing its doors. It's due to the Millennials and their preference for fast, casual dining and home cooking. Now, I know these people work hard and long hours, so how is it that they cannot afford to treat themselves to a longer, better, more formal or buffet dining experience? These types of restaurants are more expensive than fast or fast-casual foods and one usually leaves a tip, but these places aren't exactly budget busters. If the US had more than 3% annual GDP growth during the Obama years, then we may not be in this mess now. These restaurants didn't see it coming. This is a trend in the USA, not so much the wealthier other nations.

It seems that it is important to vote for the right POTUS and politicians. Obama may have ruined it for one generation as they could not get decent jobs. Once the Millennials graduated, they ended up with high college loans and high taxes in order to support the poor immigrants. The lesson? Never vote for a socialist POTUS or politician again. Let the Canadians eat the fast-casual and fast foods. Now, I'm not against immigration. To the contrary, I am for it. Immigration is one of the keys to real GDP growth, but we can't just let anybody in like criminals and terrorists. Moderation is key and that means border control and immigration management. These restaurants need workers and people who will pick their foods and people who are willing to make better of themselves -- the working poor. These are the ideas that the USA was founded upon. Capitalism works.

Millennials may not care for these restaurants, but I suspect the bigger culprits are the minimum wage and ObamaCare. Restaurants run on thin margins. A few in our neighborhood have closed due to MW and OC - the owners have been quite explicit that they can't afford to stay in business due to them.

 

[my2¢]

Of those 6 in the video: Chili's, Buffalo Wild Wings, Applebee's, Hooters, Subway, and Outback the only one I frequented was Subway. But the only thing Subway had going for itself was location, however better quality sandwich options have popped up around here so it has been awhile since my last visit. The only casual dining chain I would truly miss is Olive Garden.

 

[Dogmaphobe]

Here in the PNW, food carts are popping up like crazy. Same with brew pubs.

Seems like good, old American entrepreneurship at its finest to me - people starting up a small business about something for which they are passionate.

Forget about the homogenized chain places - go out and support a food cart, instead. You can get some really amazing food and the person you are dealing with actually has a vested interested in it.

 

[WinterBorn]

The main thing I is that you can find much better food at a local place than a chain restaurant. I live in Atlanta. Why would I willingly go to O'Charleys, Applebees or other place, when I can go to The Colonade, Mary Mack's, The Beautiful or other locally owned place that serves FAR better food at the same or lower prices. And if I want to spend more, I have never eaten better fare than you will find at The Iberian Pig.

 

[TomParks]

The fast food places around here are always packed...those $5.00 meal deals are killing restaurants

 

[WinterBorn]

Here in the PNW, food carts are popping up like crazy. Same with brew pubs.

Seems like good, old American entrepreneurship at its finest to me - people starting up a small business about something for which they are passionate.

Forget about the homogenized chain places - go out and support a food cart, instead. You can get some really amazing food and the person you are dealing with actually has a vested interested in it.

Twice a year there is a food truck festival here. Great music and seriously delicious food!

 

[WinterBorn]

The fast food places around here are always packed...those $5.00 meal deals are killing restaurants

Killing people too.

 

[Dogmaphobe]

Here in the PNW, food carts are popping up like crazy. Same with brew pubs.

Seems like good, old American entrepreneurship at its finest to me - people starting up a small business about something for which they are passionate.

Forget about the homogenized chain places - go out and support a food cart, instead. You can get some really amazing food and the person you are dealing with actually has a vested interested in it.

Twice a year there is a food truck festival here. Great music and seriously delicious food!

Add in some beer and I'm there!

 

[Lysistrata]

I still mourn the closing of The Guards, on M Street in Georgetown, Washington, D.C., which was located in a building from the 1800's. I will always miss it! From Eggs Maryland to burgers to Steak Tartar, it had it, and by fireside. Those were the days.

But I do live in northern Virginia, and we have a great number of mom-and-pop places with delicious food, all run by immigrants from all over the world. I love the Afghanis, the Pakistanis, the Chinese, the Koreans, the Indians, the Mexicans, the Peruvians, but I especially love the Ethiopians. Delicious!

 

[Dogmaphobe]

Help- I've been super sized and I can't get up!

 

[james bond]

Maybe they’re closing down because the food sucks.

Not everyone sucks. The ones mentioned in the vid were favorite chains. They were successful. The change has to do with millennials' spending habits and restaurant choices. Some don't fit their preferences, but many are closing because they're not spending money to go out and eat at good places.

 

[Natural Citizen]

I still miss Sizzler's. Sigh.

Ha. I remember Sizzler's.

 

[Windparadox]

`
The last chain restaurant I ate at was "Olive Garden" and that was over 10 years ago. There is a locally owned greasy spoon I go to that sells killer cheese burgers.
`

 

[Natural Citizen]

I was under the impression that the Millennials were living off of french fries and chicken nuggets.

 

[Natural Citizen]

A lot of people are vegan, too. I'm not completely vegan, because I do eat chicken if I'm bulking, but for the most part, I'm eating sticks and leaves and stuff like that now. I see a lot of young people in the vegan section. Like a lot. The younger folks might be more health conscious than the previous generation.

 

[Snouter]

Folks, this seems to be a serious thread about restaurant/take out food, Pepe's in New Haven makes the best pizza on planet Earth if you can believe it. A large cheese, onions, peppers, garlic, bacon, mushroom is about $33. But it actually tastes just as good cold from the fridge. Do it about once a month. They actually know me there. I bring a big old pizza bag thing to keep it hot on the drive home. Long story short, coal fired ovens 700 degrees, the dough is like better than the best Italian bread, etc.

 

[Natural Citizen]

Wages have been stagnant for decades. Young people are working for low wages and carry high debt

Yep. This is true. Only problem is that few people understand why the wages are stagnant.