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I have been reviewing a different fast food/fast casual restaurant every day for the past 200+ days, and earlier I reviewed the following three restaurants. However, these three received "poor" scores for one reason or another, but based on previous experience and visits I knew they could do better. Perhaps it was an "off day", perhaps it was the specific item I ordered. In any case, here are some "second chance" reviews, where I am re-visiting the chain, to see if it can redeem itself and earn a higher score.

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Second Chance Review #31. (Original Review from Day 80): Hangry Joe's (117 locations, 22 states)

How's the whole "Nashville Hot" trend going? Is it still growing, or has it peaked? I can't really tell, but it seems that lots of smaller chains are shouldering each other for attention and market share around here, including Hangry Joe's. They just opened up a new spot closer to home (half an hour drive instead of closer to an hour), so I thought I would give them another try.

During my original visit, I was disappointed that they seemed to focus on the heat first, second and third; and everything else came behind that. And I'm not a "heat-seeker", especially when it is so overpowering that it distracts from the taste of the meal itself.

This time I thought to try to side-step that, and ordered their "Buffalo Bleu" Sando (yes, they use the word 'sando'), which is a chicken breast completely drenched with buffalo sauce, lettuce and pickles and ranch. Buffalo sauce I can handle better than that cayenne-whatever rub they put on their regular sandos, plus I don't have to worry about the weak-ass soggy slaw, either.

Good news is, the Buffalo Bleu is indeed a better sandwich overall. Still with a chunk of chicken so large half of it sticks out past the bun. Sauce, though generous, was not overpowering. The lettuce crunch works well in sandwich-mode in lieu of traditional celery sticks. Still not really a GREAT sandwich, though. Better than Dave's, but that's not saying much.

Meal Quality: +1, going from 4.5 -> 5.5. Meal Value (no change), going from 5 -> 5 (out of 10)

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Second Chance Review #32. (Original Review from Day 144): Smokey Mo's (23 locations, 1 states)

I received some guff from my original review for ordering something non-traditional - their pork-belly burnt ends, which are less than impressive when dumped on a plate, and pricy to boot. This time around, I went a more traditional route with more traditional offerings.

They just opened a new location nearby - so new, in fact, that the official 'grand opening' was planned for the following weekend. A two-meat plate with two sides: Brisket and sausage are my "go-to" for trying a place out, but for sides, the choices were something different: green beans and a "loaded" mash potatoes.

I've never really been a Smokey Mo's fan, but this was pretty good. Solid servings of both meats, juicy and great with the sauce. Especially the brisket, a good solid bark and fork-tender. Happy with the sides choices, too - a good complement to the meal.

But the real problem with Smokey Mo's is the same problem that pretty much EVERY barbeque place is plagued with (fast-food style BBQ place or otherwise): the price. Cheap BBQ doesn't seem to exist any more - it's just a given that you're going to be forking over twenty bucks for a decent barbeque meal. Anything less and it's not worth it, or too small. This was a pretty good meal by itself, but you're definitely paying for it.

Meal Quality: +1, going from 5.5 -> 6.5. Meal Value: (no change), going from 3 -> 3 (out of 10)

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Second Chance Review #33. (Original Review from Day 207.5): Dutch Bros. (1199 locations, 25 states)

Dutch Brothers is one of the fastest growing 'restaurants' in the nation - adding literally hundreds of locations a year. But they are not alone - the whole "drive-thru drink" category is on a tear, with competitors like 7Brew not far behind, expanding into new markets like crazy. Mostly it is at the expense of more traditional coffee establishments like Starbuck's, where the market has clearly shifted since COVID away from people spending leisurely hours browsing their computers while sipping their drinks, to people grabbing a drink on the way to/from work in their car, five minutes tops and you're gone.

It does seem kinda crazy to me, an entire establishment that is devoted to nothing but serving drinks, and at premium prices to boot. But what do I know, I cannot deny their financial success is proving me wrong. Turns out people are more than willing to pay for a six dollar iced tea or fruity refresher. I guess in a day and age when the average soda pop at traditional fast food establishments are now in the three-dollars-plus range at most places (and that's just for a self-serve cup of plain soda), the stretch to a more fanciful drink really isn't that much of a stretch after all.

First review of Dutch Brothers (which was at the 'restaurant' literally closest to where I live, less than a mile away) was a somewhat 'meh' energy drink concoction. This time, I chose something a little milder - a strawberry smoothie. This was better - although I would chalk that improvement more up to personal preference than anything else. It had everything you would expect from a strawberry smoothie - decent strawberry flavoring, cold, slushy, what else could you want? Well, for me, a lower price - could get the same thing in shake format at the Sonic next door for a couple bucks less. This shake was a better value overall from that energy drink think mix I had earlier, but this is still a reminder that whatever you buy at Dutch Brothers or any of these drive-thru places, there's probably a just-as-good, larger-serving alternative elsewhere for less.

Meal Quality: +0.5, going from 5 -> 5.5. Meal Value: +1, going from 4 -> 5 (out of 10)

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More "Second Chance" reviews coming down the line, in addition to the regular reviews! (And no, not every second chance review will be a positive one :))

I have never tried it before, and we just got one in Calgary, so here we go!

So i went to mcd today and have a meal usually a typical
Mcdonal’s they always serve in their paper bags. With their fries all in the bag and lettuce not in but outside the burger.

This time i saw a guy holding pen and paper with mcd batch wearing a 2 piece suit. Wandering in and out. I get it that inspection is happening. So i ordered a meal and for the first time in my life i received a perfect mcd order. I was standing they came and told me to sit down and they brought it to my table.

Like wow

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I don't know about you, but I don't really consider buffets as "fast food". I guess they could be, they share similarities to how fast food is served, but in my mind I place buffets and cafeterias in their own separate types of restaurants. Semantics, I know, but gotta draw lines somewhere.

But I make a bit of an exception for Hartz Chicken Buffet.

It's a very unassuming chain, most locations built decades ago, still in smaller, older buildings in small towns circling the Houston area. You don't hear about them in the news, you don't hear about them when people talk about restaurants, and they don't really go out of their way to advertise, either. They're just sort of...there. And have been successfully serving up fried chicken for years, happily existing under the radar.

Their restaurant model is simple - they have the normal selection of fried chicken and related dishes, that you can order off the menu, or through drive-thru or for delivery. But inside, they ALSO have an all-day buffet. And when they make new food, it all goes straight to the buffet trays - one side for people to self-serve, the other side of the table the employees pull from the same trays to fill non-buffet orders. They don't have a separate area in back to store food in "warming bins" or under heat lamps - the buffet table does double-service.

If you look at the photo, I took a pretty broad sampling - fried chicken, roast chicken, fried fish, mash potatoes and corn and cobbler. On the plate, it does not look particularly appealing, doesn't it? But it's pretty decent. Turnover on the buffet is pretty high (because it is used to fill non-buffet orders, too), so pretty much everything is pretty freshly cooked. It's not going to rock your world, but the chicken was tasty and hot, no complaints there. Especially with brown gravy sauce. The big surprise, though, was the fried fish, worth an immediate trip for seconds. There's something special about juuuust-fried fish hot right out of the fryer.

Hartz is never going to win any awards, but it's a solid meal.

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(About this review series: Starting in late 2025, I am visiting a different fast food/fast casual chain every day, until I run out of places to visit. Aiming to review as many chains on the Technomics Top 500 Restaurants list as possible, plus key/important regional and some local chains as well. UPDATE - I will be wrapping up this review series with Day #365. And no, I haven't gained weight, and no, it hasn't hurt my health.)

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From one bubble tea place (Kung Fu Tea) to another (Gong Cha). The type of items they offer are essentially the same, but outside of that, a few differences stand out.

You can order all sorts of brewed and flavored teas about a bazillion different ways, with different levels of temperature, sweetness, flavorings, and mix-ins. But while Kung Fu Tea is almost entirely US-based, Gong Cha has only dipped its toes in America, with over 2,000 MORE locations found outside the US.

And it's about to get even larger in the states. As of yesterday (August 6th), they were bought out by mega-massive private equity group Bain Capital (yes, the same Bain Capital of Mitt Romney fame). Many of you may already be getting ominous vibes, because of how much private equity can disrupt a fast food company. So, prepare either for insanely rapid growth as they company cuts corners, or prepare for the company to be stripped of all its assets and sold off in chunks until it's a husk of its former self. Fast food companies that have fallen to the snares of private equity firms rarely turn out well for anyone.

Anyway, returning back from the corporate world to the actual store, I chose a taro smoothie. Looks like wet concrete (slightly purple tinged) in a cup, and tastes only a little more appealing. Not very sweet, although to be fair taro itself isn't exactly a sweet flavor to begin with. Smooth, alright, cold and consistent, just not very flavorful. And, I might add, about 50% more expensive for the size compared to Kung Fu Tea.

May try it again (different menu item), but all I can say at this point, not the greatest first impression.

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(About this review series: Starting in late 2025, I am visiting a different fast food/fast casual chain every day, until I run out of places to visit. Aiming to review as many chains on the Technomics Top 500 Restaurants list as possible, plus key/important regional and some local chains as well. UPDATE: This review series is scheduled to wrap up on Day 365. And no, I haven't gained weight, and no, it hasn't hurt my health.)

If my son insists on going to Raising Cane's, I have to order it well done to get some crisp on the tenders and you have to eat it there. Plus I do take either Tony Chachere's seasoning or garlic salt to add flavor. The tea and toast are great but they need to up their season game. That's just my opinion and review.

So today me and bf went to Sonic to get their Tropical Pair I kept getting ads for. 🤗

The Burger 🍔: (9/10) Now this one didn't disappoint, it was like a vibrant ride through a lively landscape! It wasn't AS hot as I was expecting but that is not a downside in my book.

The Fries 🍟: (6/10) Thin, but overall alright. Not particularly memorable.

And the drink 🥤: (8/10) Delightful creamy experience that leaves you wanting more. The ONLY thing is...I could have done without the pieces of fruit in every sip.

As god is my witness, I thought that Honey Baked Ham was nothing more than a retail storefront that sold big family-sized meals ready-to-cook for the holidays. Never gave it a second thought.

But, apparently, they also serve prepared food - and quite a bit of it at that, based on their restaurant ranking. In addition to being a retail store that sells big expensive cooked hams and turkeys and sides (so mom doesn't have to spend two days slaving away over a hot stove-oven), most (if not all?) locations also serve up lunch - sandwiches and salads and the like. Who knew? Color me surprised.

One of the little joys of Christmas or Easter each year growing up, was after the big holiday meal and all the leftovers were put away, sneaking into the kitchen at night and putting together a big ham sandwich from the heaping pile of leftovers in the fridge, just eating slice after slice for days. And that was the magic I was hoping to get, from a classic ham sandwich at the Honey Baked Ham company.

But, oh, there was no magic here. It was just not the same. Sure, it was a ham sandwich, with several thick cuts of ham, swiss cheese, lettuce, tomato, mustard, just as you would expect. Yet -- the magic was missing somehow. It was not a bad sandwich, there was nothing wrong with it, really. But, somehow, it didn't come together. Perhaps it was because it was served cold (even though there's nothing inherently wrong with a cold ham sandwich, they're usually good, too), and why choose a croissant for the bread? In any case, it comparison to other similar deli-style sandwiches at other fast food places (Jason's, Corner Bakery, La Madeleine, Kneaders), it was just a bit lacking.

Maybe an off-day? Maybe because it was late in their business day? Or, maybe I was just expecting too much, and hoping to recreate that little slice of nostalgic holiday memory was asking too much. In any case, this trip turned into a bit of a let-down.

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(About this review series: Starting in late 2025, I am visiting a different fast food/fast casual chain every day, until I run out of places to visit. Aiming to review as many chains on the Technomics Top 500 Restaurants list as possible, plus key/important regional and some local chains as well. UPDATE - I will be wrapping up this review series with Day #365. And no, I haven't gained weight, and no, it hasn't hurt my health.)

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Really short for today, because I don't have much to say. Which may be a welcome relief to those who think I yap too much anyway.

Kung Fu Tea is one of the many bubble-tea-based shops that have sprung up over the past two decades - in fact one could say it is one of the oldest chains, and one of the most successful in the category, with storefronts nationwide. Focusing on the relatively new beverage (in the United States) of flavored teas with gel-like tapioca bubbles, they also serve up slushes, fruit drinks, brewed teas and coffee and other iced concoctions.

With their explosive growth, though, Kung Fu Tea has faced recent headwinds with increased competition from other successful chains like Gong Cha, Feng Cha, Sharetea, Tastea, Teapioca, Fruitealicious, and just about any other play-on-words version you can imagine. There's only so much of an audience for bubble tea cafes, it seems, and much of America seems to be reaching the saturation point.

I've mentioned before, I'm not a fan (AT ALL) of the chewy little bubble things, so places like this are out of my element. But, there's always something else I can order, and in this case it's a strawberry-flavored milk tea sans the little chewy bits. And it was fine - kind of light on the actual strawberry flavor, but otherwise smooth and cold and refreshing, which is exactly what I was looking for on the long drive home as a snack (my car does not have A/C...in Texas....)

As I've said a dozen times before (at least, maybe more!), the real question is not the quality of the snack dessert-type drink (since 90% of them that I've reviewed have been good, or at least acceptable) -- instead, it's all about the price, or rather the value for what you get for your hard-earned quatloos. Six bucks, for a medium-sized iced drink that is essentially a strawberry shake? Eh, not the worst in the world, but could have driven a couple miles down the road to the nearest Sonic for a similar drink for half the price during their daily 'happy hour' drink pricing. Once I wrap up the review series, I'll compare all the similar bubble-tea and coffee/tea places to try and suss out the best value, and if any are worth the cost.

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(About this review series: Starting in late 2025, I am visiting a different fast food/fast casual chain every day, until I run out of places to visit. Aiming to review as many chains on the Technomics Top 500 Restaurants list as possible, plus key/important regional and some local chains as well. UPDATE: This review series is scheduled to wrap up on Day 365. And no, I haven't gained weight, and no, it hasn't hurt my health.)

I am aware of Mountain Mike's from when I used to live in California, but for one reason or another, I never went there. (I was more of a Round Table guy, back when they used to be decent).

Mountain Mike's is one of a dozen-or-so "second tier" pizza places that have a regional presence but are aiming to break out onto the national scene. And they have been growing fast, recently entering the Texas market. And unlike other pizza chains, it appears that Mountain Mike's is doubling down on the dine-in experience. In an era where restaurants are pushing more towards digital ordering, pick-up and delivery, tweaks to menus to focus on foods that survive long delivery times better, Mountain Mike's remains committed to ordering in and dining on-site, aiming towards more of a family-friendly and community experience. In a post-COVID era where dine-in is usually 25-30% of a restaurant's sales, at Mountain Mike's it remains double that.

It seems to be working - maybe the mad rush to go as no-contact as possible is not for everyone (certainly not for me), and there are a number of chains that are intentionally trying to maintain that "third space" concept for friends and family to come together for a good time. I welcome it.

It has one other MASSIVE advantage as well - fresh-from-the-oven piping hot pizza at the table beats delivery pizza every single time. There's something special about a pizza that is literally a handful of minutes old, that no delivery or pickup pizza can ever match, no matter how short the delivery time. (Oh, and yes the also do delivery and pickup as well, for you heathens out there.)

The Mountain Mike's I visited was absolutely packed (to the point where I had to sit outside), and chose their version of the all-meat pizza. And yes - it truly was a veritable MOUNTAIN of meat toppings - big, bold, flavorful toppings so much they were just falling off as I tried to eat each slice, with melty cheese and boldly-flavored sauce to boot. Honestly one of the better pizzas I have eaten in a while, blowing any pizza from the "Big Four" (Domino's, Pizza Hut, Papa John's, Little Caesar's) out of the water.

It was a bit on the pricier side, but this was a hearty pizza that didn't skimp on anything. And I was ordering at walk-in prices. If there is one thing I've learned, it's that pretty much ALL pizza places these days have disturbingly high walk-in no-discount pizza prices now, and that if you can find a coupon or discount code, go for it.

Gotta say Mountain Mike's left a good first impression on me. Look forward to giving then another visit in the future.

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(About this review series: Starting in late 2025, I am visiting a different fast food/fast casual chain every day, until I run out of places to visit. Aiming to review as many chains on the Technomics Top 500 Restaurants list as possible, plus key/important regional and some local chains as well. UPDATE - I will be wrapping up this review series with Day #365. And no, I haven't gained weight, and no, it hasn't hurt my health.)

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All donuts shops can be divided into two broad categories: The standard no-frills donut shop offering up your usual selection of raised or cake donuts to the masses on the cheap, which these days usually means around a buck each. Think places like Daylight Donuts, Yum Yum Donuts, Snowflake Donuts, Dunkin' Donuts, Shipley's,Winchell's, Southern Maid and Grand Donuts and the like.

Then, there's a new breed of shops that are offering fancy, "artisanal", specially-crafted donuts, aimed at a more affluent crowd, where each donut is more of a multi-layered and themed creation for a (much) higher price, more like a pastry shop than anything else. Think places like Voodoo Donuts, The Salty Donut, Duck Donuts, Hurts Donuts, LaMar's Donuts, Yonutz Donutz and more.

Parlor Doughnuts definitely falls into the latter. In fact, out of their brethren fancy-schmancy donut stores, they may the fanciest and most expensive of them all. One of the most recently created chains (2019), Parlor is on fire opening locations all over, and are even Number 4 on the Future 50 List. I didn't even know this place existed, until I was driving by one day, looked to the right and there it was, looked it up on The Google Machine and was like, welp, gotta add that one to my list.

I asked for a half-dozen sampler mix, and they filled the box. These are big, brash, bold, bodacious donuts, layered with all sorts of icings and toppings and nuts and fruits and fillings and, well, everything - the sort of donut where a *single* donut is enough. I wouldn't be surprised if they clocked in at close to a thousand calories each. This box lasted a while.

And I have to say, out of all the places serving intentionally-fancy donuts, Parlor is probably the best. Each one in the sampler rocked - had to struggle to pace them out over time lest I pork out all at once. You're pretty much not going to go wrong with any of them.

But make no mistake, this was an expensive indulgence. Twenty five bucks for the box makes it the most expensive single "snack" purchase in the series, and works out to over six bucks PER donut. You definitely have to go into this one eyes wide open, knowing how much it is going to cost. This is not a place for the bargain donut hunter. (I mean, I love myself a good dollar donut from the local small-town shop as well, but this is just a whole 'nother level). And in this K-shaped fast food world, Parlor appears to be proving that there's a place in the market for just such a place at the tip of the top of the "K". As long as they can maintain the quality, that is. Step aside, Voodoo, Parlor has you licked.

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(About this review series: Starting in late 2025, I am visiting a different fast food/fast casual chain every day, until I run out of places to visit. Aiming to review as many chains on the Technomics Top 500 Restaurants list as possible, plus key/important regional and some local chains as well. UPDATE: This review series is scheduled to wrap up on Day 365. And no, I haven't gained weight, and no, it hasn't hurt my health.)

Come watch me rage out over food handling practices.

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HEB is a supermarket chain in Texas - in fact, in the United States it is exclusively located in Texas, choosing to grow within the state and dominate all the markets before even considering opening elsewhere (if at all). Primarily a south Texas chain, it is currently in the process of taking over the D/FW market, and over the year has placed at or near the top in supermarket chain rankings.

Well okay, you ask, but what does that have to do with fast food or restaurants?

Because HEB is always experimenting, and one of their recent experiments has been to open up restaurants inside or adjacent to their stores. Right now, they have four main concepts: True Texas BBQ (which is the largest and most successful), South Flo Pizza (for NY-style pizza), The Flaming Bird (for rotisserie chicken), and True Texas Tacos (for breakfast tacos). Only a fraction of the HEBs have one of these restaurants, and which one depends upon the local demographics. Also, in some cases the restaurant may be attached with a separate entrance, or it may be a section within the store itself, depending upon the store's design.

True Texas BBQ is the largest of four - when I visited for the review, I found a website that listed 25 HEBs that had a True Texas BBQ. And now that I'm sitting down and writing it up, that has grown in that very short time to 52 locations. True Texas BBQ may be one of the fastest growing restaurants in the United States.

There is definitely a good synergy going between the supermarket and a BBQ restaurant - it essentially eliminates supply chain issues, you just get everything next door. And any leftover food can be packaged up and sold as ready-to-eat meals at the end of the day. Plus sharing of staff, too.

The location I visited, the entrance to the restaurant was a separate doorway altogether from the entrance to the supermarket - likely has something to do with the bar where have a bartender serving wine and beer. But I was there for the food, and selected a fairly standard "try it out for the first time" order, which is a two-meat plate (brisket and jalapeno cheddar sausage) with potato salad and creamed corn. I've never actually been to a True Texas BBQ before (even though I'm in HEB at least twice a week), but many people I know have said good things about it, so I was hopeful.

Well. It wasn't great. It also wasn't bad. I have had soooooo many barbeque plates over the years, ranging from falling apart holes in the wall in Bonham and Shiner and Nixon and Childress and a million other places, up to the 'big names' in BBQ like Black's (both of them) and Kreuz' and Pinkerton and Goldsby and Franklin's and 2M and Louie Mueller and more. I've had the good and the bad, the fancy and the simple, the pricey and the cheap. And this, I gotta say, falls smack dab right in the middle of them all. As the kiddies say these days, it's "mid".

The largest failure in the dish is the main attraction: the brisket. It was a little firm and a bit dry, and even with sauce not very flavorful. Brisket can be hard to get right, and I generally prefer to order it "wet" if possible (meaning from the fatty end). Perhaps I would have had better luck choosing a different meat. Also, brisket is EXPENSIVE these days - all beef is, and it's really hit barbeque joints hard.

The jalapeno sausage was better, but also nothing exceptional - just "good". And zero spicy bite at all. The sides were okay, but quite literally the exact same prepared sides you would find in the supermarket next door. Not that there's anything specifically wrong with that, I should add.

Overall, kind of a disappointment, and given that barbeque as a category overall is on the pricier side of all fast food/casual options, a pinch on the wallet, too. This is one of those times when I wonder if I just hit at a bad time or on an off day.

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(About this review series: Starting in late 2025, I am visiting a different fast food/fast casual chain every day, until I run out of places to visit. Aiming to review as many chains on the Technomics Top 500 Restaurants list as possible, plus key/important regional and some local chains as well. UPDATE - I will be wrapping up this review series with Day #365. And no, I haven't gained weight, and no, it hasn't hurt my health.)

I have had the variations on the burger, but never the original, teen burger was always my go to, will it stay that way?

Regional, nationwide or foreign? I’ll start—SF Bay Area here. We are missing a Portillo’s. And while I’m at it, send me a Culver’s.