Panera Soup Company or whatever they call it now. The soup's literally just salt, it costs twelve bucks for a small, and I'm supposed to be excited about bread bowls? The whole vibe of 'casual but classy' just feels like they're charging Olive Garden prices with Applebee's quality.

Chipotle's definitely up there. Yeah, the customization is cool, but you're paying $14 for a burrito that's basically just rice, beans, and whatever protein they didn't skimp on that day. There's a million local spots doing the same thing better for less.

I get why people say Olive Garden is overrated, but honestly? Sometimes my family just wants unlimited breadsticks and a place where nobody judges us for being loud. Not everything has to be a culinary experience. We don't need gatekeepers deciding which restaurants are worthy of our money.

Honestly the 'overrated' label is kind of meaningless because it depends entirely on expectations and what you're looking for. Cheesecake Factory's probably 'overrated' if you want innovative cuisine, but it's not claiming to be that - it's a reliable chain where nothing's a surprise.

Red Robin killed me last time - went there after not visiting in like five years, thinking maybe I'd misremembered how mid it was. Nope. Soggy fries, underseasoned burger, $16 for the privilege. The whole 'gourmet burger' thing never landed when Five Guys exists, you know?