Who doesn’t love a good restaurant? Whether you are going out with friends, your significant other, family or just yourself it can be hard to come by a restaurant that checks all the boxes. A perfect meal is not just the main course, it’s the drinks and appetizers you get beforehand, the entree itself and some delicious dessert to finish it off.
Cocktail Hour
Lucky for you I have eaten at a lot of places and I’m a self-proclaimed food critic, if you count liking food as a qualification. Let’s start with the first question you are asked once you are seated at a table, “what can I get you to drink?”
My personal answer would be Dr. Pepper since I’m under the age of 21 and I cannot quite yet indulge in a good cocktail. For this round, I have consulted my good friend Google for an answer to the best chain restaurant cocktail menu.
According to my findings on multiple online forums including Facebook, Instagram and Reddit, most people would say that Texas Roadhouse has the best cocktail menu with a wide variety of drinks for any audience of responsible drinking age to enjoy.
Appetizer
What pairs perfectly with a good drink? Appetizers! I always appreciate a good appetizer menu that has a range of chips and dips as well as some fresh dishes like salads and bruschetta. These are easily found at small family-owned restaurants, but they are a bit rare to find at chain restaurants.
Although it may not be the fanciest choice, Applebee’s, in my opinion, has the best appetizer menu. The range of their appetizer list is unmatched, especially during happy hour or when they have half-off apps, which is a frequent occurrence.
Main Meal
Now that we are done talking over our drinks and apps it is time for the main event, entrees and sides. Since steak is a very popular entree choice, I will be choosing both a steakhouse and a non-steakhouse chain restaurant for this category.
The steakhouse champion and my personal favorite is Longhorn Steakhouse. Although, I don’t speak for everyone I wish I could because I have never had a bad cut of steak from Longhorn and their sides never fail to perfectly complement the steaks. My personal favorite is their buttery mashed potatoes.
As for a non-steakhouse chain with wonderful entrees it must be Olive Garden. Whether you are looking to carb load or stay on the lighter side of things, Olive Garden has something for you and all their dishes are accompanied by their butter garlic bread sticks.
Dessert
If you have made it this far without having to loosen your belt, you have made it to my favorite round that I never skip. Dessert!
I would be crazy if I did not say that Cheesecake Factory takes the cake in this category. With a dessert list longer than any book I have read recently, there is something for everyone and even if you didn’t save room, you have to take a piece of velvety cheesecake home with you.
Thanks for dining with me and I hope this list helps you the next time you can’t decide where to dine on your night out.