Sizzler…just…wut (1 Viewer)

[Leroy Hoard]

Is this the crappy restaurant thread? My daughter insisted on Cheesecake Factory for her birthday, and based on history I could have predicted exactly what was going to happen. Four of us, and no one really like their meal. $170. Wife's pasta was way too spicy for her. Daughter's flatbread wasn't good at all. Her friend's dish was basically covered in basil. I haven't had a hamburger in about 6 months and have been craving one, so that's what I went with. Pretty meh. The three of them got cheesecake to go, I'm sure that was good.

We are never going there again.

I haven't been in nearly a decade, so I don't know if it has changed. But then, the thing that struck me was how much stuff was on their menu. Dozens of different foods and styles. I remember thinking, "there's no way that the line cooks they've got back there are good at producing every one of these menu items." Turns out, at least in my case, I was correct.

True, generally speaking better off to stick to a few things, better chance of getting it right

 

[Chadstroma]

My wife has four older brothers and all four worked in the kitchen when they were in high school. To this day their comfort food is cheese toast and a steak cooked what they call “sizzler style”.

We didn’t have a sizzler in my home town or if we did my parents didn’t take us, so my brothers in law’s sizzler cooking is my only exposure to the place.

What is “sizzler style”?

I am guessing all the butter in the kitchen placed in the pan with a steak

They definitely made it in a pan but other than that I don’t know what makes it “sizzler” style. I know they just love announcing it they handful of times they made “sizzler” steak at a gathering.

Come on.... with that screen name you should be all up in their business finding out.

 

[shuke]

Is this the crappy restaurant thread? My daughter insisted on Cheesecake Factory for her birthday, and based on history I could have predicted exactly what was going to happen. Four of us, and no one really like their meal. $170. Wife's pasta was way too spicy for her. Daughter's flatbread wasn't good at all. Her friend's dish was basically covered in basil. I haven't had a hamburger in about 6 months and have been craving one, so that's what I went with. Pretty meh. The three of them got cheesecake to go, I'm sure that was good.

We are never going there again.

I haven't been in nearly a decade, so I don't know if it has changed. But then, the thing that struck me was how much stuff was on their menu. Dozens of different foods and styles. I remember thinking, "there's no way that the line cooks they've got back there are good at producing every one of these menu items." Turns out, at least in my case, I was correct.

Yup. Impossible to do anything right when you're doing 200 different things.

 

[DA RAIDERS]

Is this the crappy restaurant thread? My daughter insisted on Cheesecake Factory for her birthday, and based on history I could have predicted exactly what was going to happen. Four of us, and no one really like their meal. $170. Wife's pasta was way too spicy for her. Daughter's flatbread wasn't good at all. Her friend's dish was basically covered in basil. I haven't had a hamburger in about 6 months and have been craving one, so that's what I went with. Pretty meh. The three of them got cheesecake to go, I'm sure that was good.

We are never going there again.

I haven't been in nearly a decade, so I don't know if it has changed. But then, the thing that struck me was how much stuff was on their menu. Dozens of different foods and styles. I remember thinking, "there's no way that the line cooks they've got back there are good at producing every one of these menu items." Turns out, at least in my case, I was correct.

Yup. Impossible to do anything right when you're doing 200 different things.

Most of it is made in a central kitchen and then sent to the restaurants where it’s ”finished”. Aka made fresh. Enjoy!

 

[Zow]

Is this the crappy restaurant thread? My daughter insisted on Cheesecake Factory for her birthday, and based on history I could have predicted exactly what was going to happen. Four of us, and no one really like their meal. $170. Wife's pasta was way too spicy for her. Daughter's flatbread wasn't good at all. Her friend's dish was basically covered in basil. I haven't had a hamburger in about 6 months and have been craving one, so that's what I went with. Pretty meh. The three of them got cheesecake to go, I'm sure that was good.

We are never going there again.

I haven't been in nearly a decade, so I don't know if it has changed. But then, the thing that struck me was how much stuff was on their menu. Dozens of different foods and styles. I remember thinking, "there's no way that the line cooks they've got back there are good at producing every one of these menu items." Turns out, at least in my case, I was correct.

I believe* that the majority of the meals are premade and cooked from frozen. That's how they're able to do all those items consistently.

*I'm not certain though so don't sue me CF if I'm wrong, but I recall reading this or hearing this somewhere.

 

[massraider]

The exec chef at Cheesecake Factory is not elbowing the chef from Olive Gardon or Chipotle out of the way at the fish market every morning.

People either know this stuff is not fresh, or they haven't thought about it. Or don't care. No way do a decent number of people think this stuff is getting made from scratch back there.

You can build an entire restaurant of very decent tasting items from Sysco or US foods. Without coming up with anything yourself.

 

[Bri]

I thought they were out of business. I didn't realize they just left open/moved west coast locations.

 

[Hot Sauce Guy]

Checks out

 

[Todem]

The last time I think I ever stepped foot into a Sizzler was high school 1986.

I actually much preferred Western Sizzlin.

Strip Steak/baked potato/Texas Toast and a free salad bar all for a grand total of $5.99 back in the mid 80's.

 

[Mrs. Rannous]

Checks out

That is truly disturbing. The singing, the making out in the restaurant, the Stepford waitstaff. Oy.

 

[Chadstroma]

Checks out

That is truly disturbing. The singing, the making out in the restaurant, the Stepford waitstaff. Oy.

Was 1991 really THAT long ago?

 

[CGRdrJoe]

Checks out

That is truly disturbing. The singing, the making out in the restaurant, the Stepford waitstaff. Oy.

Was 1991 really THAT long ago?

ugh, I graduated high school in 93... there's no way I'm this old

 

[Beef Ravioli Part 2]

Checks out

The Choice of America!

The closing line of a whispered “Sizzler” was awesome!

I wonder if any of those AMAZING actors from 1991 made it in show biz?

 

[massraider]

Checks out

Nice to know the guy who made Penthouse VHS tapes had other clients. Good for him

 

[Chadstroma]

Checks out

The Choice of America!

The closing line of a whispered “Sizzler” was awesome!

I wonder if any of those AMAZING actors from 1991 made it in show biz?

The whispered "Sizzler" was their long time trademark

 

[Todem]

Checks out

Priceless

 

[Hot Sauce Guy]

Checks out

That is truly disturbing. The singing, the making out in the restaurant, the Stepford waitstaff. Oy.

They kissed 3x and never once contacted each other’s lips.

Also wtf was with RFK Jr and the dog, followed by the chick shaking her wet hair? Neither of those had anything to do with sizzler.

Also, also, I did appreciate the single token representative of the AA community among a sea of white faces.

 

[BoltNlava]

I know it's a little off topic but what is this "snow" you reference? San Diegans want to know.

 

[Zow]

I know it's a little off topic but what is this "snow" you reference? San Diegans want to know.

The white stuff that's cold and you don't put it up your nose.

 

[Todem]

Checks out

That is truly disturbing. The singing, the making out in the restaurant, the Stepford waitstaff. Oy.

They kissed 3x and never once contacted each other’s lips.

Also wtf was with RFK Jr and the dog, followed by the chick shaking her wet hair? Neither of those had anything to do with sizzler.

Also, also, I did appreciate the single token representative of the AA community among a sea of white faces.

Kinda on quick glance looked like George Jefferson.

 

[Hot Sauce Guy]

Checks out

That is truly disturbing. The singing, the making out in the restaurant, the Stepford waitstaff. Oy.

They kissed 3x and never once contacted each other’s lips.

Also wtf was with RFK Jr and the dog, followed by the chick shaking her wet hair? Neither of those had anything to do with sizzler.

Also, also, I did appreciate the single token representative of the AA community among a sea of white faces.

Kinda on quick glance looked like George Jefferson.

I almost typed that! He totally had the Jefferson hairdo

 

[FatMax]

ugh, I graduated high school in 93... there's no way I'm this old

Same here. This actually jarred a memory loose.

When I graduated from high school, and had my immediate family present, and both sets of grandparents there, with one set being from out of state. When I was growing up, my family used events like these as an excuse for sort of miniature family reunions. Anyway, the ceremony was at the football stadium and it concluded about noon. My dad decided to surprise all of us with lunch at Sizzler. Our waitress was cute girl, about 20-ish, and me being 17, I was doing my best to look all cool and aloof, though I'm nearly certain I just kind of came across as an awkward dork (which as a fair assessment at the time). But even if I had somehow managed to unleash the hidden charm I had locked away, it wouldn't have mattered. One of my grandfathers was unabashed dirty old man who kept hitting on the waitress. Super cringy stuff, like asking what color her underwear were. I guess this was commonplace, which is why they normally never took him anywhere. I was mortified, but it was memorable for sure.

 

[GroveDiesel]

Checks out

That is truly disturbing. The singing, the making out in the restaurant, the Stepford waitstaff. Oy.

Also, also, I did appreciate the single token representative of the AA community among a sea of white faces.

I think we all know what they were referring to when they talked about “traditions”

 

[shuke]

Checks out

OMFG what is happening here? Seemed semi-normal/creepy enough until the 1:50 mark, then the guy with his dog, the sweaty exercising woman, girl on carousel, the construction site foreman, the sailor and his girl! WTFM??

 

[shuke]

The closing line of a whispered “Sizzler” was awesome!

This can't be real, right?

 

[shuke]

I've watched this 4 times now so far. It has such a Too Many Cooks vibe.

 

[SWC]

Is this the crappy restaurant thread? My daughter insisted on Cheesecake Factory for her birthday, and based on history I could have predicted exactly what was going to happen. Four of us, and no one really like their meal. $170. Wife's pasta was way too spicy for her. Daughter's flatbread wasn't good at all. Her friend's dish was basically covered in basil. I haven't had a hamburger in about 6 months and have been craving one, so that's what I went with. Pretty meh. The three of them got cheesecake to go, I'm sure that was good.

We are never going there again.

i sort of live by the rule that if a place has a menu that is a book it wont be great i mean if they can do a million things thats nice but it probably means they cant do any of them really well take that to the bank brohans

 

[SWC]

We never really ate at Sizzlers or Ponderosa when I was a kid. I don’t know why. We ate fast food a lot with all of the running around my folks did for hockey. How we could afford ice time and pads plus food is beyond me. Really. Later, my father would improve his lot in life to where things became expected, and the work he put in was diminished by his own. How all that happened I’ll never know, but we still eat at Red Lobster. In SoCal when’s better fare awaits a similar ride. And we enjoy it. Because that’s what we know. Sure, we’ve had good seafood on the water, but Red Lobster is a place we all go. I’m not sure what my point is but damn if GG didn’t appeal to the side of me that hates snobbery. And knows what it’s like to be barely middle class and makin it. Just thoughts tonight.

i feel like i know you so much better from this post than anything else of yours ive ever read same thing for us i grew up pretty poor lived in a 900 square foot house and on rare fridays my parents would take us to a fast food joint and i could get whatever i wanted it was the best night ever for us but if i mentioned it to anyone else id be ridiculed mercilessly and i am sure my dad wished he could have taken us someplace fancier but it wasnt in the cards still love the hell out of him though and just marvel at the piles of crap he crawled through so my sister and i could have it so much better than he ever did anyone making fun of where someone eats due to being able to afford it or not can go to hell as far as im concerned take that to the bank brochachos

 

[DA RAIDERS]

We never really ate at Sizzlers or Ponderosa when I was a kid. I don’t know why. We ate fast food a lot with all of the running around my folks did for hockey. How we could afford ice time and pads plus food is beyond me. Really. Later, my father would improve his lot in life to where things became expected, and the work he put in was diminished by his own. How all that happened I’ll never know, but we still eat at Red Lobster. In SoCal when’s better fare awaits a similar ride. And we enjoy it. Because that’s what we know. Sure, we’ve had good seafood on the water, but Red Lobster is a place we all go. I’m not sure what my point is but damn if GG didn’t appeal to the side of me that hates snobbery. And knows what it’s like to be barely middle class and makin it. Just thoughts tonight.

i feel like i know you so much better from this post than anything else of yours ive ever read same thing for us i grew up pretty poor lived in a 900 square foot house and on rare fridays my parents would take us to a fast food joint and i could get whatever i wanted it was the best night ever for us but if i mentioned it to anyone else id be ridiculed mercilessly and i am sure my dad wished he could have taken us someplace fancier but it wasnt in the cards still love the hell out of him though and just marvel at the piles of crap he crawled through so my sister and i could have it so much better than he ever did anyone making fun of where someone eats due to being able to afford it or not can go to hell as far as im concerned take that to the bank brochachos

Our big night out was a Mexican restaurant. To me it was the coolest, fanciest place ever. We never did fast food, or ate out at all. But every once in a while, we got to go to barragan’s. love you mom.

 

[Todem]

Checks out

OMFG what is happening here? Seemed semi-normal/creepy enough until the 1:50 mark, then the guy with his dog, the sweaty exercising woman, girl on carousel, the construction site foreman, the sailor and his girl! WTFM??

A masterpiece of marketing.

 

[Pip's Invitation]

Checks out

OMFG what is happening here? Seemed semi-normal/creepy enough until the 1:50 mark, then the guy with his dog, the sweaty exercising woman, girl on carousel, the construction site foreman, the sailor and his girl! WTFM??

A masterpiece of marketing.

My 12-year-old son: “What even IS this?”

 

[Mrs. Rannous]

Checks out

OMFG what is happening here? Seemed semi-normal/creepy enough until the 1:50 mark, then the guy with his dog, the sweaty exercising woman, girl on carousel, the construction site foreman, the sailor and his girl! WTFM??

A masterpiece of marketing.

My 12-year-old son: “What even IS this?”

I now have an answer.

Mr R says it's the Golden Corral brought to you by Baptists.

 

[rockaction]

This is late, but I just got it.

i feel like i know you so much better from this post than anything else of yours ive ever read

Thanks, GB. I don't talk much about my background here, but it sure wasn't extraordinarily white-collar, if you know what I mean. We grew up modest until we didn't because my father made it (back when that still happened). It was luck and blessing, and I know it every day. I'll never make fun of people who can't afford. We were always making it, but barely. My mom still clips coupons and insists on deals. It's just how we all came up. I remember days when all the kids would come over and play and my mother would basically feed the neighborhood because we could afford to. Always that way in our family. Not quite enough but just enough to care when they could. Always a ride, always a sandwich, always something for our neighborhood in the rural area of CT, which was adjacent to the rich area, but never even close, really.

and just marvel at the piles of crap he crawled through so my sister and i could have it so much better than he ever did

So do I. I wonder whether my brother and I truly appreciate it. I think we do. I think every day having what we have is a blessing and never forget it. I'm also not of means, but that was my fault, so I just do what I can now to be present and available and working soon.

anyone making fun of where someone eats due to being able to afford it

is not thinking or spoiled or something brohan. Let's give them the benefit of the doubt of not having ever been there and not knowing. Ignorance is bliss. But I hear you, GB.

Thanks so much for posting this post, SWC. Made me feel good to hear someone is listening months later. Careful on these boards, all. Somebody might drop something meaningful and it'll go not responded to until months later, when it might mean something to someone who just happens to be reading it then. And that makes it all worthwhile.

 

[Brunell4MVP]

Checks out

That is truly disturbing. The singing, the making out in the restaurant, the Stepford waitstaff. Oy.

Was 1991 really THAT long ago?

ugh, I graduated high school in 93... there's no way I'm this old

93 was college grad for me. We used to hit up a Golden Corral in the nearby locals town for brunch every weekend. We smashed so much food for less than $10.

 

[Chadstroma]

We never really ate at Sizzlers or Ponderosa when I was a kid. I don’t know why. We ate fast food a lot with all of the running around my folks did for hockey. How we could afford ice time and pads plus food is beyond me. Really. Later, my father would improve his lot in life to where things became expected, and the work he put in was diminished by his own. How all that happened I’ll never know, but we still eat at Red Lobster. In SoCal when’s better fare awaits a similar ride. And we enjoy it. Because that’s what we know. Sure, we’ve had good seafood on the water, but Red Lobster is a place we all go. I’m not sure what my point is but damn if GG didn’t appeal to the side of me that hates snobbery. And knows what it’s like to be barely middle class and makin it. Just thoughts tonight.

i feel like i know you so much better from this post than anything else of yours ive ever read same thing for us i grew up pretty poor lived in a 900 square foot house and on rare fridays my parents would take us to a fast food joint and i could get whatever i wanted it was the best night ever for us but if i mentioned it to anyone else id be ridiculed mercilessly and i am sure my dad wished he could have taken us someplace fancier but it wasnt in the cards still love the hell out of him though and just marvel at the piles of crap he crawled through so my sister and i could have it so much better than he ever did anyone making fun of where someone eats due to being able to afford it or not can go to hell as far as im concerned take that to the bank brochachos

Our big night out was a Mexican restaurant. To me it was the coolest, fanciest place ever. We never did fast food, or ate out at all. But every once in a while, we got to go to barragan’s. love you mom.

Barragan's is a Mexican joint?

I have lived a range throughout my life... from so poor there was nothing but ketchup in the house for a couple of days until my mom getting paid teetering on losing our home to the lower end of being "rich". Most of my life has been spent in a lower to upper middle class range.

My Mom worked hard to get us through those really lean times... I didn't fully understand that weight as a kid. Our extended family always helped keep us going as well.

My wife lived mostly comfortable though her parents didn't splurge on pretty much anything. Her father grew up poor in the Philippines which means my darkest days growing up poor in the US would have been a relatively good time. He worked hard, became a Dr and made his way to the US... then worked hard raising a family here. My in laws have plenty of money but they don't spend it... the only thing my FIL has spent some money on has been cars. Luxury brands (basically Caddy's and Lexus... never German because you can't work on them yourself) and also always slightly used, never brand new. The other thing he would spend money on is education for his kids (all private school) and has offerer to pay all the college for any of his grandchildren that want to become a Dr.