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Find or Refer a Contractor in Tyler

Sonic

January 8th, 2010

Things are changing and it is nowhere more evident than at the Tyler Sonic drive through. During the drive through and drive up restaurant hay day of the nineteen fifties the average suburban family survived exclusively on root beer floats and cheeseburgers, congregating at the Sonic, like desert wildlife nourishing their bodies in the watering hole’s life giving root beer floats and cheeseburgers. Any given night at the Sonic was nothing less than the beginning of a summer long drag race musical.

These days, however, Sonic blends into the multitude of fast food chains all trying desperately to relive the same era. But no matter how bad everyone wants to go back to the nineteen fifties we will eventually have to accept our fate instead of living in the fast food past. This brings us to the denial facing Sonic, which is mainly that it sees itself as some sort of quality restaurant.

Unfortunately, Sonic has spent the money required for this on its comedy abortion, “two guys in a car commercial” shoveled down my eye throat three or four times a day. To switch topics for one second, there are about six hundred thousand students out there who could make a better commercial with nothing but their iPhones. But no number of eager undervalued students could salvage Sonics mediocre at best menu. You see, when you take out of account the things that are impossible to do wrong, such as, corn dogs and milkshakes, Sonic is revealed as nothing more than a slightly above average McDonalds, and no one should eat at McDonalds.

Playground Bullies

January 5th, 2010

A Mothers Frustration With Fast Food Play Areas

There is nothing much more wonderful than to see the excited faces a child as you drive up to the golden arches. I love to watch children run through the fast food restaurant and throw off their shoes and run through the brightly colored tubes, like a small hamster running through its cage.

When your small children run up to the Tyler TX play area, they look at it like a mountain they have to conquer. They bravely climb through the dark tubes until they finally find a small plexi-glass window to squish their little faces against to see if their parents are still watching. They finally see the bright yellow curvy slide which they cannot see the end. They slide down and come out a hero, proud of their great accomplishment.

But one of the most frustrating things as a parent is when your child, excitidely runs back up the tubes but finds older and bigger children taking over their defeated territory. Your children fearfully come back down away from the aggressive children. The older children began crawling past your young child, pushing them down. Disoriented, your child tries to find the exit. Your child cries are drowned out by the excited screams of the older children, whose parents are socializing to each other, not giving their children a second glance. They fight trying to find the yellow reflection of the slide. Finally, the slide was just steps away. As they slide down, hoping for the relief of the crowded play area, they slide right into two children climbing up the slide. They begin to yell at your child for running into them. They begin to scream that all the little children need to get out of the play area. Your poor child begins to cry louder for help as they are stuck in the middle of a slide. You have to get up and peal off the older children to free your child. Finally they get a breath of fresh air.

Frustrated you take your child and leave the play area, the older children’s parent still have not looked up to see their children bullying around toddlers and wrestling right in the way of other small children. Your kid cries harder as you leave, thinking that they are being punished for something because they can no longer play.

This is to all the parents out there, watch your children as they play on the play area. If there are small children being pushed and hit around by your kid, get them out of the play area. And if they are bigger than the height recommendation, don’t let them play in the tubes, especially when there are small children playing. Why have we lost the idea of manners? “Excuse me” and “sir, and mam” has been lost from this generation’s vocabulary. Teach your children to be kind to other children, and then maybe we would not have this problem.

Wendy’s Headache

January 4th, 2010

 

Fast food is good for one thing, fast cheap food for the person on the go. You think that it would be very important to be accurate filling a costumer’s full order. Rarely has Wendy’s  in Tyler Texas gotten my order right with out me having to go into the store to correct their mistakes. Even if you clearly state your simple order, they still seem to not understand.

One day I went out to eat with my dad to Wendy’s as I walked up to the counter I asked a simple question, “what dressing do you have for your salads?” The question was simple enough but it was even more simple since the young man had the list of dressings right in front of him. He stumbled through every word. Not to critisize the young man but I have never heard of a dressing called “veng…van…whatever that is”. If an employee cannot read the menu leave them to flip the patties.

One of the best things about Wendy’s is the famous frosty. Being such a popular menu item you would think that it would be available, at the Lindale Wendy’s (right off the interstate) seems like it’s ice cream machine is always out of order. But this little issue is just one of the many things wrong with this fast food store. The employees are extremely rude. More accounts than one have I been gripped at because they did not get my order right. I have worked at places that I did not want to work, and dreaded going to work as much as the next guy, but you smile and be polite, and don’t take your issues out on costumers.

I have found that every once in awhile you can get something that tastes somewhat like food at Wendy’s. I despise the service and attitude at this fast food chain its ridiculous! I know each store should be different with a different attitude, but some how it’s the over-all attitude of the food chain.

If you are trying to get your food and go on your way, I would skip Wendy’s. If you want what you ordered without headache and without having to go into the store to correct their mistakes about three different times, Wendy’s is not your restaurant.

McStarbucks in Tyler

November 17th, 2009

McDonalds and Burger King have always seemed like pretty much the same place to me. The menus are nearly identical, and aside from the differences in cooking method, the food is interchangeable. In Tyler however the two franchises appear to be going in opposite directions.

Burger King on Broadway seems to turn a tidy profit. They keep a fairly steady flow of customers. The west loop B.K. on he other hand practically requires a police escort to enter the drive through. The restaurant is messy, and full of unsavory customers. From a safety standpoint, I would avoid that location at all costs.

McDonalds in Tyler is making a lot of improvements however. Their Broadway locations have been entirely remodeled after their new café theme. Flat screen TVs and interactive touch screen computer games are there to entertain both adults and children. A visit to McDonalds is almost like hanging out at the local pub or coffee shop.

Overall, I like what the chain is doing in terms of improving their stores and trying to appeal more to adults. At the end of the day however, they still serve largely Big Macs and fries. Oh I know they have salads, smoothies and gourmet coffee now but it’s still McDonald’s food. There’s a lot of competition in the city of Tyler Texas for your fast food dollar and I’m just not sure that turning the fast food icon into Starbuck’s is going to earn more of that market. Still I applaud the store’s efforts. The restaurants are quite nice!

Confession of a fast food hypocrite

November 7th, 2009

                The following article is something of a confession, or a coming out column for me. For years I’ve been vocal about the fact that I hate the fast food restaurant chain “Jack in the Box” due largely to the store’s advertising campaign. I have openly declared my unwillingness to eat at any of the store’s Tyler locations regardless of the quality of the food they serve because I so detest their commercials… that is until recently.

            When my workplace moved to a new building, I found that “Jack in the Box” was the closest available eatery. One day, while on my lunch break, and without the time to visit one of my regular favs. I reluctantly swallowed my dislike for the franchise and made that infamous right turn into the small parking lot. I rationalized the decision by telling myself it would be a one time thing. Besides, I didn’t have to tell anyone, right? Except that the food was great! I had a problem, or rather I still do. As fast food goes I like “The Box” (not as much as Whataburger by the way), but it’s close to my work, the prices are reasonable and they serve breakfast all day, on the other hand, those commercials are just more than I can take, a sentiment shared by my whole family by the way.  

            So why make this confession now? Because I can live the lie no longer! I like Jack in the Box’s food! There I said it. The menu is unique, and the quality good. I still make no excuses for the company’s ads however. In fact, they are the ones who should be ashamed, not me or those like me. We are just the victims, the users if you will. I call on the corporation to do the right thing and fire the current ad agency and find another. Please, make it easier for those of us who enjoy the product, but whose consciences object to the mindless temptation they use to appeal to the masses. A step like this can only bring in those stronger than I who would ordinarily never set foot in a Jack in the Box restaurant.

            So please don’t judge me! Pity me, and remember you may be one sausage egg and cheese biscuit away from becoming a “Box” fan as well. Tyler Locations can be found on Broadway next to Burgfield Park, and on the west loop next to CIci’s.