Speaking of restaurants....

10 years ago

I always enjoy reading others opinions about restaurants so thought I'd comment on a recent experience that Robert and I had.

The restauant is a small chain called Cheddar's. Great food, great prices, and very popular for good reason. But the service is head and shoulders above most fine dining experiences I've had! No sullen teenagers in this place...the whole service staff, not just the servers, are all well trained professionals.

They use a very efficient system that requires more staff, but do they ever move people through with no lag time. There's a sea of black ties, white shirts swirling all over bringing food, removing plates, pouring drinks and making sure you're happy. It's very unique in a casual restaurant.

Well known for their burgers, we've enjoyed other sandwhiches, big salads, corn meal catfish. Their appetizers serve 2 or more. All has been very good.

Is there a Cheddar's in your city?

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Comments (15)

ellendi
10 years ago
Thanks for sharing. I looked it up and alas, nothing near me.
ravencajun Zone 8b TX
10 years ago
There is but every time we go it's so packed the wait is long, the last time we did get in we enjoyed the food, it was very full and a bit loud. We have tried to get in a few times since. When there the last time our waitress lost our credit card! It was quite the panic, I had noticed she picked it up with an arm load of other stuff and menus. Thank goodness I saw that and told them because they finally found it in the stack of menus. I don't think that anyone would have thought of looking there. It certainly should never have happened, and I was upset about it. Her boss was pretty upset about it too. We really watched the card carefully wondering if any charges would show up because in actuality the card could have been any where during that lost period. We were waiting for almost an hour before it was found.
We did like the food and the service was good up till that point.
We used to go to one regularly when we lived in Denver, I assume it was the same chain.
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lydia1959
10 years ago
There's none in my immediate area, but we ate at one in my DD's college town. We thought it was very good. If there were one close I'm sure we would dine there quite a bit.
maxmom96
10 years ago
Mixed reviews here. A Cheddar's opened here about a year ago and of course everyone flocked to it and so I waited till the novelty was over before going. I've been three times now.

I like the variety of the menu, but I'm not so sure about the quality of the food. The first time I had to try the onion rings. LOVE onion rings. These were so hard I could have easily cracked a tooth on them. Very disappointing. Ordered them a second time and they were pretty good.

I've ordered the Monte Cristo sandwich twice. It's very good, especially with the raspberry dipping sauce, but both times it was very greasy.

Each time I've gone my friends and I have commented on the noise level. It's difficult to talk with people at the same table, only four of us.

I've always thought I'd love to be a restaurant critic. Not particularly for the food, but I'm constantly checking things out to see how a small change in something could make the ambience better, or generally make a patron's visit a bit more pleasant. I.E. Whoever thought putting a wrapped pat of butter on top of a hot baked potato was a good idea?
rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
Original Author
10 years ago
You are right about the noise....that's one thing that we've commented on. It's a design flaw that should be addressed when they build more of these restaurants.
Lily316
10 years ago
None near me, but I'd go if there was.
oldfixer
10 years ago
None here, but I only dine out maybe once a year.
marilyn_c
10 years ago
In Houston, but not in the sticks where I live.
LuAnn_in_PA
10 years ago
We went to one in WV.

The food was decent, but the service was lousy. All college kids the day we were there, who were slow and liked to talk plenty among themselves instead of being attentive to customers.
rob333 (zone 7b)
10 years ago
Mixed reviews to the one closest to me. I don't remember what it was the like the one time I went. It's not close enough to go frequently.

Here is a link that might be useful: very mixed bag on yelp
joyfulguy
10 years ago
Haven't heard of it.

As for the conversation at a table for four, given the noise level ...

... cut up a couple of chunks from an old garden hose or other slightly larger hose, which would enable one to send a message from the moth(*) of one to the ear of another. It sure would delay one's meal, though, as one would need to repeat one's self two times!

The information about the prolonging of the dinner would need to be communicated to one's server, as fewer table groups over the course of the evening would reduce one's tips ...

... and one could communicate the message to the manager (if the server, or other patrons, having observed the means of communication, hadn't told her/him about it and s/he hadn't come to view this [interesting?] innovation for him/herself).

ole joyful

(*) Please read "mouth" - this computer isn't computing well, today.
natesgram
10 years ago
Not a single one on the west coast :(
Kathsgrdn
10 years ago
There's one in Lexington. Been there a couple of times and it was ok. Nothing special.
susanjf_gw
10 years ago
none local...closest is in state capitol....(lansing, mi) so doubt if we'll ever eat there....
kittiemom
10 years ago
I'd never heard of it. The closest one to us is about an hour & a half away in a city we never go to. There are some in some other places we go occasionally. Will keep it in mind if we visit.

Speaking of restaurants....

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ellendi

ravencajun Zone 8b TX

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rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7Original Author

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