OT:Whatever Happened to the Family Restaurants We Grew Up With?

Lately I've found myself wishing there were more easy, family-friendly places to take the kids out for dinner. Not fast food. Not something trendy or overpriced. Just a simple sit-down meal, the kind we used to have all the time growing up.

When I think back to the 80s and 90s, I remember how normal it was to go out as a family to 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. We went to those too. They used to feel like fun family destinations with cheesy appetizers, colorful menus, and the occasional balloon or birthday song. But something's changed. A lot of them have tried to become more upscale or modern, and in doing that, they've lost the charm that made them family staples in the first place.

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 get that times change, and not every memory from childhood holds up perfectly. But there was something special about knowing there were places built with families in mind. Places that expected kids to be part of the picture. Where you could order a fried chicken or a cheeseburger, have a scoop of ice cream at the end, and head home without feeling like it was an ordeal.

It makes me wonder what places other families went to when they were growing up, and if anything today even comes close. If you have a memory like that or a spot you still go to, share with the group. Let's see if any of those old favorites are still holding on somewhere out there.