Oversaturation of Fast Food Restaurants in Southern PG (Clinton, Greenbelt: appointed, buy)

[SmoothGuy]

Originally Posted by pgtitans

YESSS!!!! Right down the street from my job. My co-workers and I are excited. I usually go to that same Panda Express too. I find the Panda Express and the Giant to be pretty good. Never really got any ghetto service from either. I think Chick Fil-A will be fine there though. For one the Chick Fil A in Steeplechase and the Blvd are pretty good. I like the Steeplechase one better though. It is a huge contrast to some of the other carry outs in the Capitol Heights area. I also will add that Chick Fil A has a really strong customer service system set up. I don't know how they do it, but usually their employees are on point.

I don't know much about that Friday's. Never been there, but Friday's is just a bad idea if you are looking for a decent place to eat. I took my wife to the one in Greenbelt one night and it felt like we were in a club. Those type of restaurants are not on my radar. I also will say that I drove by the Fridays in District Heights one time when it first open and I just so happen to see this woman outside screaming and cussing at the top of her lungs on her cell phone. This is the type of image that people would get if they imagined a restaurant in District Heights so needless to say, that scene didn't give me much hope for that restaurant. How has your experience been there if you've been there?

I've been in there about 3 or 4 times since it opened, but only for Happy Hour, and it has been so LOUD, I could hardly hear my friend speaking to me it was so loud. People were in there drunk and cussing. The last few times I went they had a couple of police officers inside the restaurant, and the last time I went these two chicks were outside arguing and cussing at each other. I love my people, but can't we just learn how to act civilized sometimes

[justtitans]

Originally Posted by SmoothGuy

I've been in there about 3 or 4 times since it opened, but only for Happy Hour, and it has been so LOUD, I could hardly hear my friend speaking to me it was so loud. People were in there drunk and cussing. The last few times I went they had a couple of police officers inside the restaurant, and the last time I went these two chicks were outside arguing and cussing at each other. I love my people, but can't we just learn how to act civilized sometimes

That is the reason why I don't have a lot of hope for that location being a decent spot to stop at, not even for lunch. The fact that they have to have a police officer there, tells me a lot and perhaps is motivated by the state trooper who got killed at the Applebees a few years ago. Honestly I think the food there is overrated too. I would rather go to Five Guys, Chipotle or something along the lines of made to order fast food than to go there and deal with that nonsense.

[justtitans]

Originally Posted by adelphi_sky

I think the TGIFridays in Greenbelt has always been the spot for singles. I think because it was the first in PG? It was there when I was in college I believe over 15 years ago. They have a loyal following. They recently expanded it last year. I recall pro basketball players showing up, etc. At a Fridays! Imagine that! Until more places open up like Busboys and Poets and Carolina Kitchen (smaller but attracts single professionals), the Fridays in Greenbelt will continue to draw a heavy singles crowd. National Harbor drew some away. But for north county, that Fridays is it. lol What's sad is that you have a college town less than 10 minutes away with watering holes and bars that would be practically empty if it weren't for the students. That's not the case in other college towns. You usually have more locals filling in.

Yeah I remember seeing that Friday's when I was little. We rarely came up to Greenbelt when I was little so after I got married and was living closer, I was curious to check it out. Boy was that a mistake. My wife was pregnant with our first child at the time and these people kept bumping into the back of her. It was definitely a forgettable night.

As far as Carolina Kitchen, they definitely have that potential, but they have failed at attracting more because of bad service and the Largo location being WAY, WAY too small. How are you going to have a place that small next to a movie theater? The one in Hyattsville is much nicer I will admit but I've had too many bad customer service experiences to patronize that business. Unfortunately they don't have a sophisticated soul food place like that down in southern PG. The places that we have with soul food are hole in the walls like Henry's, Levi's and Smoke Shack. Smoke Shack is pretty decent though.

[EdwardA]

Originally Posted by pgtitans

That is the reason why I don't have a lot of hope for that location being a decent spot to stop at, not even for lunch. The fact that they have to have a police officer there, tells me a lot and perhaps is motivated by the state trooper who got killed at the Applebees a few years ago. Honestly I think the food there is overrated too. I would rather go to Five Guys, Chipotle or something along the lines of made to order fast food than to go there and deal with that nonsense.

Well the Chipotle in Clinton has a cop posted there on weekend nights, evidently there has been a couple stick ups there. Heck I've even seen cops posted up in the buffet at Wegman's
The Applebee's on PA Ave has cop a posted most evenings in fact one was killed there a year or two ago.

It's a shame really folks can't go out have a few drinks and call it a night without someone getting shot.

[justtitans]

Originally Posted by EdwardA

Well the Chipotle in Clinton has a cop posted there on weekend nights, evidently there has been a couple stick ups there. Heck I've even seen cops posted up in the buffet at Wegman's
The Applebee's on PA Ave has cop a posted most evenings in fact one was killed there a year or two ago.

It's a shame really folks can't go out have a few drinks and call it a night without someone getting shot.

The only one that you mentioned that kind of surprised me was Wegmans, but then again, they are probably trying to make sure that shopping center doesn't develop a bad reputation.

[adelphi_sky]

Originally Posted by pgtitans

The only one that you mentioned that kind of surprised me was Wegmans, but then again, they are probably trying to make sure that shopping center doesn't develop a bad reputation.

After looking at the Woodmore Town Center website, this is the wonderful food selection Petrie Ross has selected for its shoppers:

Irie cafe
Kenny's Chinese (this from Petrie who touts being developers of "premier" properties.)

Mad For Chicken (Really? A chicken joint?)
Had to add this: From their website. "There is no freezers in Mad For Chicken locations." "Our sauce...tested and approved by FDA, you can trust on our sauce." No lie! Check out the website for yourself. I won't be eating there. lol

Subway
Noodles & Company (Thanks for adding some "flair" )

[justtitans]

Originally Posted by adelphi_sky

After looking at the Woodmore Town Center website, this is the wonderful food selection Petrie Ross has selected for its shoppers:

Irie cafe
Kenny's Chinese (this from Petrie who touts being developers of "premier" properties.)

Mad For Chicken (Really? A chicken joint?)
Had to add this: From their website. "There is no freezers in Mad For Chicken locations." "Our sauce...tested and approved by FDA, you can trust on our sauce." No lie! Check out the website for yourself. I won't be eating there. lol

Subway
Noodles & Company (Thanks for adding some "flair" )

Kenny's Chinese? Is he related to Danny, Jerry Yum, Lenny's? Doesn't really sound that appetizing.

I have to admit I can't really complain about those other places. I mean it's better than the list I gave in the original post. At least they are 'trying' to do something different. The sad thing is this shopping center fits into what I like to call the stereotypical PG County shopping center. What is that you ask? One that has a liquor store, a chinese joint, a cleaners, a hair/nail salon, and a beauty supply store. I challenge anyone to find a shopping center that doesn't have at least 3 of those things.

[North Beach Person]

Here's what one of the problems is, and we have it in Southern MD, too. It's the training people have had to look for chains, many do have a reputation for consistency over each location.

We have several Chinese places in Calvert, all are good, but people now want a PF Chang's. Same with steak and seafood places.

Newer residents, especially, won't go to locals because many of the locales aren't "modernized" but look like what they really are-a crab/steak/hamburger place. So they go to a chain, all the while bitching and moaning about all the chains.

[cool rob]

You guys should try the new Levis in Clinton, it has the potential to be a nice cool afterwork type of spot-

The food is still served "cafeteria" style, but they added a bar area, so that might be the new hip place to be-

Also the decoy lounge in Colony South is starting to get kind of live during weekends

[bowian]

Originally Posted by EdwardA

Well the Chipotle in Clinton has a cop posted there on weekend nights, evidently there has been a couple stick ups there. Heck I've even seen cops posted up in the buffet at Wegman's
The Applebee's on PA Ave has cop a posted most evenings in fact one was killed there a year or two ago.

It's a shame really folks can't go out have a few drinks and call it a night without someone getting shot.

See there. The bold is what happens when newspaper articles pronounce the restaurant portion "Club Wegman's." Where one goes to find a sophisticated love. Instead, here comes Boo-boo the Fool, and now an off-duty cop or rent-a-cop has a new gig.