White Castle/Church’s Chicken – S. Cedar

27 06 2008

I hate White Castle.   That’s not necissarily a slam on the business.  I just don’t like thier slyders.  I’m not a huge onion fan and I really don’t like them on or in my burgers.  I’m well aware that people travel hours just to get to a White Castle, but I’ve never bought into it.  So when my girlfriend said she wanted something greasy for lunch, I was kind of surprised that she said White Castle.  I went along with it because this particular location also has a Church’s Chicken.  I figured I could get some chicken and she could get whatever greasy concoction her heart desired. Read the rest of this entry »


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Categories : 24-Hour Diner, Burgers, Chicken, Fast Food, Lansing, Restaurant, Reviews

Taco Bell – S. Lansing

31 05 2008
  • 5634 S. Cedar St.Taco Bell
  • Lansing, MI 48911
  • (517) 393-8639
  • Website
  • Menu

Ah, Fourth Meal.  My girlfriend came home from work and said she was hungry.  What a coincidence because I’m always hungry.  We debated for about ten minutes about where to go.  There’s a White Castle, Tim Horton’s, and Taco Bell pretty close.  For some reason, we both craved taco’s so Taco Bell won out.

Like most fast food, it has been year’s since I’ve eaten at a Taco Bell.  In Illinois, I always went to a chain called Taco John’s.  Tuesday’s were Taco Tuesday where taco’s were half price, so that was about the only time I ate fast food taco’s.  Anyway, back to Fourth Meal.  It was after midnight so only the drive-thru was open so we got in line.  Taco Bell is a pretty popular place that late at night.  There were probably five or six cars in front of us, but the people working inside were pretty efficient in getting people through the line.  We didn’t sit in line more than five minutes before ordering.

I stuck to something simple and just got four hardshell tacos.  Like most places, the tacos are really simple with just beef, lettuce, and cheese in the shell.  I’ve always thought Taco Bell’s tacos were a little dry and that’s why I don’t usually go.  These were that way too, but it really hit the spot that late at night.

My girlfriend got a softshell taco, a small nacho, and a Strawberry-Mango Fruitista Freeze.  The softshell taco was just like mine….but with a softshell.  The nachos are just…well, nachos.  The chips came with a cup of cheese on the side.  The Fruitista Freeze are kinda like a fruit smoothie.  All the advertisements show a mango smoothie with a layer of strawberries on top.  What she actually got was a mango smoothie with a dollop of strawberry on top.

Taco Bell served it’s purpose.  We didn’t order enough food beause we were both still hungry, but that late at night do you really want a big meal?  Since there are no Taco John’s that I know of in the Lansing area, I’m sure we’ll hit Taco Bell more often.  Again, not my first choice, but it’s not horrible either.  It’s one of those “you know what you’re gonna get” places and that’s not always a bad thing.


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Categories : Fast Food, Mexican, Restaurant, Reviews

Wendy’s – S. Lansing

26 05 2008
  • 6620 S. Cedar St.Wendy's Old Fashioned Hamburegers
  • Lansing, MI 48911
  • (517) 394-1341
  • Website
  • Menu

I know…Wendy’s is fast food.  What the heck am I doing stopping at Wendy’s.  I have a good excuse…really.  I had family come in to town for the Memorial Day weekend.  They drove four hours straight not wanting to stop for lunch, so when they got here, everyone was really hungry.  Since there’s a Wendy’s right around the corner, I suggested we stop there for a quick lunch before heading out to the malls.

It has actually been a really long time since I have eaten at a Wendy’s.  We used to go all the time for the salad bar (which I’m pretty sure they don’t do anymore) and Frosty’s (which they’ve upgraded..more later).  I remember Wendy’s as being super greasy burgers.  The last time I remember eating at a Wendy’s (about four years ago), the grease had soaked through the wrapper almost making the wrapper clear.  It was good, but it was messy and I know I probably knocked at least six hours off my life by eating that burger.

The Wendy’s on South Cedar Street has been undergoing some renovations recently.  I drive by it almost everyday and I’m never sure if it’s open as there is always work trucks there.  My girlfriend says she sees people inside at night when she comes home from work.  The interior clean and obviously new and the facade has been upgraded to the newer style Wendy’s getting away from the glass dining rooms near the front.

There were seven of us that needed lunch and we were putting it all on one order.   I got the Baconator combo.  Two fresh cooked burger patties, cheese and a mound of bacon were piled on the bun.  Unlike most burger places, Wendy’s does square burgers instead of round and to my surprise, this burger is NOT how I remembered Wendy’s burgers.  It wasn’t super greasy and it was really quite delicious.  They definately didn’t skimp on the bacon either.  The combo comes with fries and a drink.  The fries are just your average fast food fries and were a little on the salty side, but good. 

Pretty much everyone else I was with got some kind of burger as well. My aunt got a baked potato  which is what she gets quite often.  I’m not sure which one she got but ther are three options..sour cream and chives, bacon and cheese, and brocoli and cheese.  My dad and brother both got Frosty’s instead of drinks with their meals.  My brother just got the original chocolate Frosty.  It’s a little bit thicker than a milkshake, but made with real milk.  It’s kind of a cross between soft serve and a milkshake.  You still need a spoon, but it’s thinned out just a little.  My dad got one of the new Frosty shakes.  I’m guessing he got the Chocolate Fudge Frosty Shake.  They take the original Frosty and add a little fudge to it for a handspun Frosty shake.

While fast food is never my first option, I was really happy with Wendy’s food this time.  It wasn’t a greasy mess which is what I was afraid it was going to be.  It’s nice that it’s so close and it’s nice to know that there is a decent option if I’m ever hungry and just not in the mood to sit down in a restaurant for a meal.


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Categories : Burgers, Fast Food, Lansing, Reviews

Chicken Coop

19 05 2008
  • 848 S. Kalamazoo St.Chicken Coop
  • Paw Paw, MI 49079
  • (269) 657-6136
  • No Known Website
  • No Online Menu

I was on my way back towards the Chicago area one day when I needed gas.  I got off in Paw Paw to stop at a Speedway and I noticed a sign across the street.  All it said was “Chicken.”  I looked down and saw a little restaurant that looks like it was a chain store at one time converted into a little chicken shack.  I figured what the heck.  I was hungry and not sure when I’d actually get a chance to eat again, so I stopped in.

When you walk in, you walk up to a counter and order.  The menu is is pretty much chicken and fish.  Off to the right there’s a dining room that didn’t look very inviting.  There’s a few booths then a few tables scattered in the remaining open area.  Behind the counter are the deep fryers so you can see your chicken getting fried.

I ordered the popcorn chicken basket.  You have a choice of a la carte, baskets, and meals (I think that was the word used…might have been platter or something similar…the point is, you get three choices).  Baskets Chicken Coopcome with a side and the meals get the side and a pop.  The popcorn chicken was dropped into the deep fryer when I was standing there, so there was a five minute wait.  It wasn’t quite what I was expecting, but that’s not a bad thing.  Usually, popcorn chicken is little bite size pieces.  In this case, they were more like chicken chunks.  The order only came with five pieces which when you think popcorn chicken, doesn’t sound like a lot, but for the “popcorn chicken” that I got, it was actually a pretty substantial meal.  The side I got was fries, but they were what you’d expect.  The cook did take a little extra effort and dump the fries that were sitting under the warming light back into the fryer, so the fries were warm and crispy.

I found an article in the local paper that says The Chicken Coop won’t be at this location much longer.  Pretty soon there will be a Walgreens there.  That kind of sucks for the restaurant. I never would have found it and definately would not have stopped if it hadn’t been located right off the Interstate.  The food was alright, but it isn’t something that’s memorable. 


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Categories : Chicken, Fast Food, Paw Paw, Restaurant, Reviews

Arby’s buys Wendy’s

25 04 2008

I don’t eat fast food very often, but when I do, I usually eat Arby’s.  I love their fries.  They were one of the first and still one of the few that actually use fresh cut fries instead of those crappy processed ones.  The Associated Press had an article yesterday on the sale of rival fast food chain Wendy’s.

The deal comes as Wendy’s struggles with declining profits and weak sales compared with rivals McDonald’s Corp. and Burger King Holdings Inc.

Wendy’s said Thursday that its first quarter profit was down 72 percent to $4.1 million, or 5 cents a share, in part because of expenses tied to the work of a special board committee that has been studying ways to boost the company’s stock. Revenue fell to $513 million from $522 million a year ago.

Sales at company-owned stores opened at least a year, considered a key indicator of a retailer’s strength, fell 1.6 percent in the quarter and 0.1 percent at U.S. franchise restaurants.

So, how would Dave Thomas feel about this?

Thomas’ daughter Pam Thomas Farber said the family was devastated by the news.

“It’s a very sad day for Wendy’s, and our family. We just didn’t think this would be the outcome,” said Farber, 53.

If her father were alive to hear news of the buyout, “he would not be amused,” she said.

No kidding.  It seems when the founder dies, those in charge always find a way to ruin a good thing.  It happened to Col. Sanders.  It happened to Sam Walton and now it’s happening to Dave Thomas.

Reminds me of the Chris Farley classic Tommy Boy.  It’s sad.  In their lifetime, these American icons build up their dream to make it something great, but as soon as they pass on, corporate greed takes over and destroys the concept and turns people off.  In all fairness, I’ve never been a huge fan of Wendy’s anyway.  I always thought it was too greasy.  As a kid, I ate there all the time.  My dad and brother loved it.  As long as I could get a Frosty, I was happy, but as I grew older, I sorta backed away from fast food. 


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Categories : Chains, Fast Food, Food News

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