The decline in quality of Dunkin’ Donuts has to open the door for somebody.  Or maybe it’s the improvement in people’s taste and expectation, but DD has sucked for a while now.  Starbucks...I like their Blonde if I cannot find a local shop.  Otherwise meh.  

So many chocolate chip ice creams are made with really, really bad chocolate. 

Personal Top-5 (because you care)

Bottled I might agree. That is just thicker ranch.

And that is TOTALLY fair.  They had the balance pretty well figured out.  

Regional food pride is a thing...it’s silly but it’s one of those things that exist simply to exist. Like deep dish pizza vs. NYC pizza, where did the hamburger start, what is the best BBQ, does real chili have beans, is a hotdog a sandwich...life is hard.  Having something so inane to argue over, to have regional…

I’ve heard about the chicken there...just never needed to stop when I saw one, and didn’t see one when I needed to stop.  

Exactly hahaha people tend not to puke at a neighborhood bar (at least not until long after the kiddos are gone). 

That’s wings versus nuggets...and yeah, no contest there.

I agree with that...but the when is important.  Dinner hour, Saturdaynafternoon, neighborhood place sure.  Loud clangy super fun doing shots kind of place?  Maybe not.  

Mixing adult fun and child fun worked with their previous model...changing that risks one half of that equation. I don’t mind taking kids to a place I can get a beer or two, but I do mind taking them to a place where drinking is the point. I don’t want my kids to play Pac-Man next to a 27 year-old at his bachelor…

It was never a HOT hot sauce...it has a distinct flavor.  It has some heat.  It is thicker than many hot sauces so it sticks where it it placed (ideal for finger foods and sanwiches).  Huy Fong is the best (IMO) for hot dog sandwiches, pizza, fries...it is just GOOD. 

It’s definitely a “You know what you are going to get” place.  Nothing will excite you, probably nothing will disappoint you, and it will be the same every time.  

7-11 is the best (IMO only).  Everything is grab-and-go, the stores are small and easy to get in and out of, the drinks are fast and the coffee is OK, and the rollers always full.  Wawa and Sheetz is a full stop.  You cannot get in and out fast...it is 15 minutes at least.  

I worked at one of those in the mid-80's while in high school.  They did the rotisserie chicken and fried hot food thing long before most convenience stores.  Ran the lotto machine there and wow, you can learn a lot about people from a Convenience store in a poor neighborhood.  Got robbed once too, good times.  

You nailed it.  I did not gain exposure to Wawa until I moved to Philadelphia 25 years ago, so I don’t know the “early days”.  I did work at a Convenient Foot Market in Upstate NY (now defunct) - was a small convenience store chain, typical stuff, but they did rotisserie chickens in the early 80's, as well as the hot…

Yeah, but I secretly believe Popeye’s is really far more about the breading anyway (their spicy fried chicken is really quite good, especially for a fast-food place ((had a friend who brought it over for parties all the time, I’ve never actually purchased it intentionally)) ). 

Gotta have a real blue cheese, made in house with heavy mayo and crumbles.  The jarred bottled stuff is sub par.  If you know, you know.

I made great effort to accept that breaded chicken is good but differentiated this from actual chicken wings.

Really? Damn I always laughed when I saw one.