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my procedure totaled $58k, but I only had to pay $150
Same situation with my augmentation surgery last December; had already reached max out of pocket ($4000) on my company insurance; surgery bill was $33k; insurance negotiated in-network cost 16k; I paid ZERO!
Let me show you what has happened to good old family diner restaurants thanks to millennials in a picture:
I'm the same way. There's a Friday's that I occasionally drive by and I'm always amazed that it still exists with all the local places that are far superior.
Chipotle survives because it's a smaller footprint, less overhead, larger scale, simpler kitchen that isn't just combi oven cooked food, and until the last couple years, used to be only $7-$8 for a filling burrito.
Chicraple has had more food poisoning than any of them and yet it's still going. As for "just not good" I disagree they were cheap, consistent and easy, I knew what I was getting each and every time.
Food poisoning killed a lot of these places. But ultimately they just weren't good.
With 4 kids and busy schools, sports and other activities some weeks it would be nice to have a consistent easy place to get a family dinner. Other than our Friday night Mexican it's always a struggle to find something all four will agree on. Living in a relative new suburb area means not a lot of old stand alone restaurants and the new ones are all niche or trying to be "special". Where consistence problems are an issue and cost isn't great.
FROSTY IS A BEAR
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1 year 3 days
# | OT:Whatever Happened to the Family Restaurants We Grew Up With? I hear you. My daughter is the same way in that she likes it the most for the rolls. Last time we were there, I think she just ordered 2 sides (mac-n-cheese and something else, probably fries) and did not get an entree.
Maybe Red Robin too. Just thought of that.
I think chains largely died because they failed to adapt. They kept doing the same mediocre thing while the internet made their customers better cooks. When I was ten I fucking loved chilis because of the ribs and fajitas. I'm no great cook, but I can do better than them at home, for less money. I used to like steakhouses, but between my wife and I, we do better beef at home, with better wine pairings, at half the price. When we go out, it's to get something we can't do at home. Those places are usually small menu, mom and pop kinda shops.
We do go to Texas Roadhouse but sometimes depending on kids they struggle to find something to eat on the menu. I could just live off the rolls honestly.
I grew up with all those chain restaurants. They were pretty terrible.
I didn't want to sound so pretentious given that Fireman seems to have some nostalgia for these places... but I agree lol.
My memory of those places was that we went to them when we were already nearby (ie; we went shopping or ran errands right before dinner, and Friday's was our only (easy) sit-down option. We were never like "oh, it's Saturday night, let's go to Applebees!" We had our neighborhood spots that we would go to in those situations - Adam's Ribs, Rivera's, The Gingerbread Man, Rocky Run were the ones I remember - while the names of the restaurants were rememberable, the food was not lol.
Avoid the chains and hit the more local diner instead. We have several options for food here in our tiny rural town, and only a couple are pricey and only one really fancy. The point is that the eateries serve the population that lives here, a rural and less affluent base supplemented in the summer by the more affluent influx of the people who own the big fancy million dollar waterfront homes, and those folks don't tend to eat out much here in town. Everything's pricey, except for the Hardee's on the corner, but that's everywhere you go these days, it seems to me. Locally owned is the norm here, and Hardee's is the only exception among the 9 eateries within 5 miles of my house.
This right here. I grew up with all those chain restaurants. They were pretty terrible. There are dozens of places nearby to me that we regularly take our kids that are MUCH better than Friday's or Friendly's ever were.
I see your point, but have to say that all 6-6 records are not created equal. Last year, after 7-6 and so many people returning, 6-6 + losing a bowl was a major failure. This coming season, with so many new players and learning new systems on offense and defenses, I think 6-6, especially coupled with a bowl win to be 7-6, would be pretty good.
To what I think is your underlying point, yes, Pry has to show that he can be better than that. And show it pretty quickly. But 7-6 in 2025-26 should be good enough to coach in 2026-2027 and then he has to show he and his staff can elevate the wins further or be gone. He can't have another failure like last season relative to the W/L expectations.
Guessing a lot was on the combination of QB and OL. We need to see better play there to know if the WRs are really any good or not. I'm optimistic about the OL improving, hopefully a lot. Less so about QB given our track record there. But we will see.
FROSTY IS A BEAR
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1 year 3 days
# | OT:Whatever Happened to the Family Restaurants We Grew Up With? "places like Old Country Buffet, Piccadilly Cafeteria, Friendly's, and Shoney's. The food wasn't anything fancy, but it was good enough, filling, and you didn't have to worry about how the kids were behaving every second. It felt casual, welcoming, and affordable, something you could do on a weeknight or after church without it being a big production.
Then there were places like Chili's, TGI Fridays, and Applebee's."
Been to all of them except Piccadilly Cafeteria. Don't remember ever hearing of them, but maybe I've just forgotten. The closest things I can think of that match the desired profile would be your individual or small chain (i.e., 2-4 location) diners or pizza/Italian/deli-type places.
Some of the ones you mentioned seemed to really go down hill. Went to a Shoney's on vacation last summer and was really disappointed in the food. Maybe I was less picky in my late teens and early 20s? But that was not good and Friday's was uninspiring the last time I was there - which was the first time I had been in quite a while. Not terrible, but not worth going to again.
EDIT: oh, and maybe you could try Texas Roadhouse. That may be more expensive than you are looking for, but it's not bad, going during the day is very family-friendly and it is probably our favorite large chain restaurant.
What's really missing today is that middle-ground dining experience. It feels like we've gone from "pull up a chair and let's eat" to either a drive-thru window or a place with a cocktail list and small plates. That's tough when you're just trying to have dinner with your kids without spending a hundred dollars or wiping ketchup off your lap in the car.
I live in Atlanta and I can name at least a half dozen of these places within 3 miles of my home.
It's a different experience than friendlys/shoneys, but much better imo
Edit: talking to my wife about this, I think our generation might view eating differently. If we're choosing not to eat at home, there has to be a reason: the food must be something I couldn't cook at home, or it's something faster/easier than I would cook at home. Friendlys/Shoneys/Fridays/Applebees are neither of those things.
I miss those places as well. Out here in Hampton/York Co, we had the Greek owned steak houses. I'd love to be able to take my wife and kids to Sammie and Nicks again and get a nice steak, large baked potato and a Greek salad.
My knee makes audible noise going up and down stairs with moderate pain. Like its not just i feel grinding, but you can hear it -- mri came back unremarkable except for minor fluid and swelling, so checking w an orthopedic next week and expect he'll order the mri with contrast
Man Gobble, I know you're correct. I just wasn't prepared for *this* advice.
But with that being said I really hope you get relief for your knee. That sounds awful and, roles reversed, I would tell you the exact same thing
I see the "quiet approach" as a positive. We need every advantage we can get.
If Wiggins and adams don't click at tech this year, will they move on? I agree that the receiver corp didn't pan out last year. How much of it was on the qb?
I think it will be very interesting to see what happens with the WR this year.
Mines has been a fantastic recruiter, but can he really develop his players? Agree that WR play seemed inconsistent and uneven last year, I think this year will be very telling.
I think we have some talent at the skill positions, just young. But that means growing pains. However it felt like lane and gosnell were the only 2 wrs that knew what to do last year
