Perhaps I am missing out in a potential diamond in the rough, but I learned enough a long time ago not to expect any memorable food from Friday’s/Applebee/Chili’s or Wendy’s/Hardees/McDonald’s/BK. I do whatever I can not to ever set foot in them. I am constantly bewildered by the sheeplike mentality of those who flock there as if the big budget marketing leaves them no other choice.

A couple of years ago I was given a $200 gift certificate to Applebees (they obviously didn’t know me as well as they should have). When I finally got around to try to use it,I was stumped. The entire menu looked like bad generic versions of regional stereotypes. I think I settled on "Santa Fe Chicken," which reminded me nothing of what I had seen in Santa Fe. Then I told my kids theycould have as much dessert as they wanted in an effort to use up as much of the gift certificate as possible.