topic Re: Franchised Food Not As You Remember It in Community Chat

Franchised Food Not As You Remember It

Moonchilde — Mon, 16 May 2016 22:58:28 GMT

In the area I recently moved to, I have found that many times where there is a KFC there will be a Long John Silver's in with it. I haven't eaten in a LJS for decades. I used to love them. I went a couple of days ago.

The breading for the fish was not tempura-style as it used to be, and they were using the same spices in the batter as are used in the chicken. Uck. The hush puppies were undercooked and I tasted zero corn taste - have no idea what they were doing there, but hush puppies w/o cornmeal aren't hushpuppies.

I have in the past also noted "not the same taste" issues with H. Salt fish & chips, and Pioneer chicken.

I realize the names might or might not mean anything, many franchises are regional, but my question is - have you similarly been excited to spy a long-ago favorite franchise that in your opinion is now very little like the originals?

Re: Franchised Food Not As You Remember It

Mothertrucker — Mon, 16 May 2016 23:10:36 GMT

@Moonchilde wrote:
In the area I recently moved to, I have found that many times where there is a KFC there will be a Long John Silver's in with it. I haven't eaten in a LJS for decades. I used to love them. I went a couple of days ago.

The breading for the fish was not tempura-style as it used to be, and they were using the same spices in the batter as are used in the chicken. Uck. The hush puppies were undercooked and I tasted zero corn taste - have no idea what they were doing there, but hush puppies w/o cornmeal aren't hushpuppies.

I have in the past also noted "not the same taste" issues with H. Salt fish & chips, and Pioneer chicken.

I realize the names might or might not mean anything, many franchises are regional, but my question is - have you similarly been excited to spy a long-ago favorite franchise that in your opinion is now very little like the originals?

Yes, most of them LOL! I thought it was just me, getting o,d...I went to InNOut the other day, and thought

"hmm, this is not as good as I remember"..I can recall a similar experience with aBig Mac a couple of years ago...and the Taco Bell enchirito went from corn tortilla to flour long ago, alas...

I don't get out for fast food much, but had always heard of Long John Silvers and wanted to try it..you just cured me of that..No, it is not a hush puppy without cornmeal!

Re: Franchised Food Not As You Remember It

tedEbear — Mon, 16 May 2016 23:16:55 GMT

@Moonchilde-----I haven't had H.Salt in so long, I am now salivating. Thanks a bunch!!!!

To answer your question, nothing tastes the way it use to. With all the no thises and the no thats are have been put in place, it is sad. Monte Christo sandwiches are not MC sandwiches anymore, just egg and ham with powder sugar on them, etc. I thinknalot has to due with the oil and the cook time. I do like LJS, but, never ate there until about 7yrs ago. I do like it though. -tedEbear

Re: Franchised Food Not As You Remember It

scotnovel — Mon, 16 May 2016 23:23:55 GMT

I think the quality may be somwhat related to your location. The recipes would be the same across the franchise, but how long the item sits and the execution of the battering and cooking can be quite different. About 6 months ago I ate at a LJS for the first time in several years and found the food to be exactly as I remembered. I got a quarter pounder at McDonalds when on a road trip last year and it was terrible compared to what I remembered. It didn't even taste like meat.

Re: Franchised Food Not As You Remember It

Moonchilde — Mon, 16 May 2016 23:33:44 GMT

Yes, I'm sure that in some cases the oils and other ingredients used have made a big taste difference. In goes health, out goes (remembered) flavor :-(

I'm one who thinks the Mystery Meat and fillers in Taco Bell and Jack-in-the-Box tacos tasted better 🙀

In-n-Out still tastes the same to me, though - but it has to be fresh!

I think the true franchises disappear and whoever bought out the name sells franchise licenses without caring what the franchisee does with the food, which is sad. Like old perfumes and old favorite candies - they may own the name but I guess can pretty much do what they want with the recipes :-(

What's really sad is, even though another franchise-holder in another town might be a lot better, most of us aren't going to keep trying.

Re: Franchised Food Not As You Remember It

Marp — Mon, 16 May 2016 23:41:13 GMT

I don't eat at fast food or franchise places often enough to notice a difference but recent cravings for foods from childhood created surprising how could I have ever liked that reactions.

Food tastes change and as we age how we taste foods changes.

Re: Franchised Food Not As You Remember It

millieshops — Mon, 16 May 2016 23:36:26 GMT

Along that same line, a friend and I finally made our way to a local restaurant which we had decided had the best burger, fries, and cole slaw in our town. Not nearly as good as our memory had made them.

As for the fast foods, I used to think each storefront was the same as all the others in the chain -- and although that's the way they're supposed to be, they aren't all the same. Very disappointing most of the time!

Re: Franchised Food Not As You Remember It

Moonchilde — Mon, 16 May 2016 23:40:28 GMT

@Marp wrote:
I don't eat at fast food or franchise places often enough to notice a difference but recent cravings for foods from childhood created surprising how could I have ever liked that reactions.

Food tastes change and as we age how we taste foods change.

I still am surprised at how "young" taste buds can be so different to more mature ones. Quite a few things I just honestly didn't like the taste of when young that I now can't live without. Avocados and cranberry sauce come to mind.

The first time I had a Hostess cupcake in my 30s-40s I was bitterly disappointed. Same with Twinkies - they had cheapened the ingredients LONG before they stopped making them and sold the rights. They were literally almost nothing like those from my childhood.

Re: Franchised Food Not As You Remember It

Moonchilde — Mon, 16 May 2016 23:45:32 GMT

@Mothertrucker, the swing everywhere to tacos with flour tortillas is just - nooooo! Burritos=flour tortilla, taco=corn! I literally cannot gag down a taco made with a flour tortilla -especially an uber-thick, full of preservatives commercial/restaurant flour tortilla.

Re: Franchised Food Not As You Remember It

VanSleepy — Mon, 16 May 2016 23:48:32 GMT

I recently had KFC for the first time in quite a while, and I thought it was better than I remembered. On the other hand, I was all excited for an Arby's opening since I hadn't had that in 30 years. It was gross lol

Re: Franchised Food Not As You Remember It

jlkz — Tue, 17 May 2016 00:12:39 GMT

@Moonchilde

Your mention of Hostess cupcakes not being as good as you remember matches what I have found Tastykakes's pies to be: horrible, heavy lard flavor. Used to look forward to a cup of tea and a lemon pie...no more. The peanut butter tandytakes and the chocolate juniors remain the same.

Our tastebuds do change as we age but not enough to explain how the new franchise owners make their products.

Re: Franchised Food Not As You Remember It

Noel7 — Tue, 17 May 2016 00:17:35 GMT

Speaking of franchises, did anyone here see Undercover Boss last night? It was about Hamburger Mary's which started in SF and now has about 15 restaurants across the nation.

I'm wondering if they still have good burgers.

Re: Franchised Food Not As You Remember It

Moonchilde — Tue, 17 May 2016 00:29:34 GMT

@jlkz wrote:
@Moonchilde
Your mention of Hostess cupcakes not being as good as you remember matches what I have found Tastykakes's pies to be: horrible, heavy lard flavor. Used to look forward to a cup of tea and a lemon pie...no more. The peanut butter tandytakes and the chocolate juniors remain the same.

Our tastebuds do change as we age but not enough to explain how the new franchise owners make their products.

@jlkz, I don't think we had Tastykakes locally when I was growing up. We didn't have Little Debbie either but we do now, and although I know people make fun of it, I think it's okay (if not as a steady diet, heh).

Re: Franchised Food Not As You Remember It

Moonchilde — Tue, 17 May 2016 00:31:38 GMT

@VanSleepy wrote:
I recently had KFC for the first time in quite a while, and I thought it was better than I remembered. On the other hand, I was all excited for an Arby's opening since I hadn't had that in 30 years. It was gross lol

I'm in between on Arby's. I don't think it's the same as it was, but I can still enjoy it once in a while. Too many new things on the menu, though!

Re: Franchised Food Not As You Remember It

Moonchilde — Tue, 17 May 2016 00:35:34 GMT

@Noel7 wrote:
Speaking of franchises, did anyone here see Undercover Boss last night? It was about Hamburger Mary's which started in SF and now has about 15 restaurants across the nation.

I'm wondering if they still have good burgers.

Which reminds me of Hamburger Hamlet, a very popular CA chain from the 60s and 70s. Slowly on, all but one has gone under. The second-to-last was in my most recent neighborhood; the last remaining was my high school hangout.

Re: Franchised Food Not As You Remember It

tansy — Tue, 17 May 2016 00:39:50 GMT

@Moonchilde wrote:
@Noel7 wrote:
Speaking of franchises, did anyone here see Undercover Boss last night? It was about Hamburger Mary's which started in SF and now has about 15 restaurants across the nation.

I'm wondering if they still have good burgers.

Which reminds me of Hamburger Hamlet, a very popular CA chain from the 60s and 70s. Slowly on, all but one has gone under. The second-to-last was in my most recent neighborhood; the last remaining was my high school hangout.

Ah! Date nights at Hamburger Hamlet. I loved the tin roof hot fudge sundaes. It was a long drive for us to get to one.

How about Hoff's Hut? Nowhere near as good as when I was a teen.

Re: Franchised Food Not As You Remember It

Moonchilde — Tue, 17 May 2016 00:44:55 GMT

@tansy wrote:
@Moonchilde wrote:
@Noel7 wrote:
Speaking of franchises, did anyone here see Undercover Boss last night? It was about Hamburger Mary's which started in SF and now has about 15 restaurants across the nation.

I'm wondering if they still have good burgers.

Which reminds me of Hamburger Hamlet, a very popular CA chain from the 60s and 70s. Slowly on, all but one has gone under. The second-to-last was in my most recent neighborhood; the last remaining was my high school hangout.
Ah! Date nights at Hamburger Hamlet. I loved the tin roof hot fudge sundaes. It was a long drive for us to get to one.

How about Hoff's Hut? Nowhere near as good as when I was a teen.

No matter what else we got at HH, we had to order "Those Potatoes" - hash browns with sour cream & onions.

Ah, Hof's Hut! I loved their entire menu. I mostly ate there in the 70s, most recently in the mid 90s. Only one left, and that was doubtful for awhile - glad to notice it's still there.

Re: Franchised Food Not As You Remember It

Kachina624 — Tue, 17 May 2016 01:03:05 GMT

@Moonchilde wrote:
@VanSleepy wrote:
I recently had KFC for the first time in quite a while, and I thought it was better than I remembered. On the other hand, I was all excited for an Arby's opening since I hadn't had that in 30 years. It was gross lol

I'm in between on Arby's. I don't think it's the same as it was, but I can still enjoy it once in a while. Too many new things on the menu, though!

Arby's makes a pretty good Reuben sandwich, although it's a bit pricey. That with some of their curly fries makes a nice meal.

Re: Franchised Food Not As You Remember It

september — Tue, 17 May 2016 01:05:59 GMT

A few times a year, I get a Filet O Fish from McDonald's, and I'd say it hasn't changed in the past 30 years

When I travel, and see a Dunkin Donuts, I get my one donut. I'd say they haven't changed

Re: Franchised Food Not As You Remember It

sandraskates — Tue, 17 May 2016 01:55:32 GMT

OMG - I thought H Salt Fish & Chips met their demise in the 80s! What a trip down memory lane. I also remember dates at Hamburger Hamlet.

I'm with @Kachina624on the good Reuben sandwich at Arby's. In fact I didn't go there for years and have recently started going there on occasion (ours is near Kohl's).

I admit to on rare occasion (maybe once a year) indulging in those wonderful, greasy tacos offered by Jack in the Box. Those tacos and their onion rings are how I remember them from high school. But their hamburgers now taste very sterile to me.

I still like Carl's Jr burgers, fires and onion rings-I think they are the best of fast food. I just wish they still made the steak sandwich on a hoagy roll with lettuce, tomato and onion rings on the meat. That was a great sandwich that I fondly remember from my high school days. <sigh>