Do you try to avoid chain restaurants when you are travelling?

Question

When I go on a trip, I like to research restaurants where I'm going and on the route there. I eat at McDonald's if I am in a big hurry or there's nothing else available. I try to avoid chains like the Olive Garden or Red Lobster when I'm in a new city. I want to try the local places. What about you?

Answer 1

I totally agree. I think that it is important to try new restaurants because you may find a new favorite. You can go to McDonald's or Burger King anytime, and if you really think about it, their food isn't the greatest anyway. You don't really want bad food on a vacation. It will help you experience the culture of the area, and it might also give you an excuse to come back.

Answer 2

If I'm traveling I try to stay out of restaurants completely. I find stores(markets) and make my own food.

Answer 3

I'm glad I'm not the only one like this!  I really try to get the "local flavor" of the community where I'm going, and I don't do chains either if I can help it.  I much prefer even the old truck stop diner joints to the cookie-cutter fast-food places.  We live in a small town where we really don't even have many of the well-known chains like you mentioned (the nearest Olive Garden is about 1 1/2 hours away), so even those are "new" to me, but all the same, I prefer to try to find something that represents the local cuisine!  When we go on family vacations, we actually have a rule that we are NOT to eat at any restaurant that we could eat in back home; this doesn't totally eliminate chains because like I said, we don't have them all--I have found that even some of these are "regional" and do reflect the local culture somewhat (White Castle, etc.), but we look first for one-of-a-kind local spots!  It's much more of an adventure this way!

You will probably have better luck with this approach, especially on the road, if you avoid the big interstate and do the business alternate routes through the towns or pick the old state highways that usually parallel the freeway!

Answer 4

I like to try out the local food, but my husband likes chains so we end up doing some of both.

Answer 5

I agree that it would be good to eat at local restaurant when you are out of town. I try to eat at different restaurants even when I'm at home. Some of the smallest restaurants have the best foods.

Answer 6

I prefer local places unless it is a chain that is not in my area..  then I am very excited to try sonic or zaxby's or something not the norm at home..

Answer 7

Hamburger shops, Pizza. Taco Bell, etc.  They're good, when one is on the run.

Answer 8

I totally agree!  I love trying new restaurants when traveling. Especially the little hole in the wall places. I always ask people where the good places are when we stop along the way to our destination. Who knows better than the locals?

Answer 9

I agree...I can go to Applebees any time at home, I want to find the off the wall places and see what they offer.

Answer 10

Yes, we LOVE trying the local places.  We joke around that we don't eat at fancy places or chains.  We like the little diners that have signs out front saying "eat" or "food".  Never go to Red Lob, etc.  Makes me want to take a trip!!!

Answer 11

I try to go out of my way to research the most authentic restaurants in an area, and what the area is known for.

The one exception I made.  After a week in Italy, I was craving McDonalds.

Answer 12

Always try the local places. Usually works out to be better food, lower price, friendlier service.

I travel a fair amount, but generally only once or twice a year to  each city/town. Once I find a local place I like, I always go there when I'm in town, so I'm recognized in many as an "occasional regular!"

Answer 13

Pleeeeeeeeez AVOID the chain restaurants!!! THEY don't need your business.

Local food joints taste better & their cooking & foods reflect the part of the country where you're visitng or doing business. And THEY need your $$$ to keep going.

Hooray for local cuisine & local restaurants! They're really NOT that hard to find.