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The Reappearing King

March 23rd, 2010

There are not many things more annoying than turning on the television and seeing the obnoxious masked man with ghetto gold chains creepily looking into women’s bedroom windows, or lying in bed with another grown man. The “King” has completely turned me off towards the fast food chain restaurant. Even though the king has surpassed in successfully creeping out the country, they had to throw in the whopper man and his son Jr. (Jr. whopper), and the newest spokesman. The newest spokesman looks normal but he cant hold Burger King’s burger because his hands are too small. Just to let the fast food companies know, creepy is NOT funny.

Tyler’s Burger King population has been growing this past year. They built one off the loop near Vine. And a second one is being built in front of the popular Carmike movie theatre. I was sad to hear of the closing of Italian fast food restaurant, Fazoli’s; but I was even sadder that the building was a new home of Burger King. I guess I did not know that so many people liked Burger King.

I guess I should look pass the crown and try Burger King again but it might take a little while before the nightmares end.

Taco Bell on Highway 31 and Loop 323 in Tyler, TX

January 19th, 2010

Of all fast food chains available in the United States, I prefer Taco Bell, and if you found this by searching for Taco Bell, then I assume you also love the chain. In Tyler, there aren’t a lot of non-burger fast food restaurants. They exist, but for a city our size, there seem to be relatively few.

This Taco Bell branch is located at the corner of Highway 31 and Loop 323. It shares a parking lot with Blockbuster Video which together make a great combination for a lazy evening. Also in the same shopping center are a Burger King, a Little Caesar’s Pizza, a Family Dollar, and interesting enough a Mexican grocery market which has a real taqueria (taco restaurant). I’ve tasted real Mexican tacos. They are amazing. In fact, Tyler offers several locations that will sell you tacos as close to authentic as possible this far North. Yet, I so often find myself pulling into this Taco Bell.

What makes it special? Well, the location has nothing to offer in the visual realm. The parking lot is as depressing as a parking lot can be. It’s as huge as you would need for a mall or a Wal-Mart and so it is rarely even close to fully occupied. This allows for making the potholes visible. Taco Bell itself feels very scrunched against the corner of the two busy roads. The drive through tends to make me claustrophobic like driving on an interstate that is under construction. It is not very wide. It curves and does not allow for exiting it once you’ve committed. I sometimes wonder what I’d do if I was in line and had an emergency. I guess I’d have to attempt hopping the six inch curb.

The things that are special about this Taco Bell in Tyler are the food, of course, and the employees. I have become a bit of an expert on Taco Bell dining around the United States. This is purely from eating at so many of them and hanging out with people at them. Only once have I been disappointed by this Taco Bell’s food, and it was because I made the number one fast food ordering mistake. I tried to go healthy. I ordered some sort of chicken and rice burrito that was close to disgusting. I didn’t spit it out, but I didn’t smile either. That was such an obvious mistake on my part that I could never hold it against the restaurant.

This Taco Bell has been very consistent with their food production. The burritos and tacos always come out as expected. They look close enough to the enhanced commercial examples and consistently taste exactly as I want them too. The “grilled stuffed burrito” is an item that is so often messed up by Taco Bells. When I’ve ordered them at other locations they’ve been dry and overcooked. One common mistake with it is overstuffing it with the rice which needs to be there but not noticed. This location does it right every time. I was even able to convert my wife from a chicken sandwich only customer to being a burrito fan with this branch’s consistently wonderful “grilled stuffed burritos”.

The other cool thing is their employees. I know that fast food doesn’t pay well, and that the employee turnover rate is pretty high. It should be hard to keep good workers. And though I can’t say for certain that they have been the same employees, I can say that the service has stayed the same. They must have a manager who understands customer service. When I pull up to the window, the worker may appear rough or unfriendly, but they inevitably smile at me and offer some small talk. One employee in particular actually had me laughing at loud. It really made the difference in where I will choose to take my eating business.

One last thought to encourage you to check them out…their soda is perfectly mixed. They are always strong with the initial burn that a good soda should offer, and the syrup mix has never been off when I ordered. They also have really good small ice and the really thin straws that make for a nice drinking experience. Give this slightly unattractive location a shot. You might become a regular like me.

500 S Southwest SL-323
Tyler, TX 75702‎
(903) 597-9244‎

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!

The Many Faces of Whataburger in Tyler

September 24th, 2009

When you come to Texas, you’ll see the white and orange A-frame roofs all over the place. There are almost as many them in Texas as there are Texans, which is good news for everyone who lives there! Call it Texas’ own In ‘n Out Burger. Call it a slightly higher class, more expensive fast food option. Just don’t call it “Water Burger.”

Whataburger was founded in the 1950’s in Corpus Christi by a man who wanted to impress his customers so much by the size and quality of his food that they would exclaim “What a burger!” The restaurant took off and made a name for itself by making fresh, quality burgers to the exact specifications of each customer. Their plethora of condiments was never stale and always at your disposal. In other words, they were giving burgers “your way” long before burger king ever did.

Today, Whataburger restaurants can be found all throughout the South, and they are still committed to that principle. When you order, they’ll suggest “all the way, mustard,” but you can can tell them exactly what you want. Scratch the pickles and add jalepenos. Lots of ‘em. This is Texas, after all!

I would be remiss if I didn’t recommend the #1 with cheese and bacon. If you’re really hungry, go ahead and make it a double meat. You won’t be disappointed. They don’t have much use for heat-lamps because they still make it fresh when you order. And the fries are terrific, just like everything else on the menu.

In Tyler, Whataburger is a more interesting option than most other fast food restaurants because of the individual themes of the various locations. Do you love music? Are you a fan of Elivs Presley? Try the 50‘s Whataburger on the East Loop next to El Charro. The walls are filled with memorabilia and vinyls from from the golden age of Rock ‘N Roll, and posters of the movie starts like James Dean and Marilyn Monroe. The 50’s Whataburger is guaranteed to bring back memories for the elders, and create new ones for the young.

Need something to get your motor running? NasCasr fans rejoice! There’s a Whataburger for that! Stop into the Hot Rod Whataburger on South Broadway in front of the WalMart Supercenter for a breakfast burrito a cup of coffee, and some high-octane decor. Come really early if you want, because this Whataburger, like the others, is open 24 hours.
Or maybe you’re just feeling especially patriotic about Texas. (This is a peculiar phenomenon, found in almost no other state.) There’s a Whataburger for that, too, on the south loop across from Broadway Square Mall. The Texas theme Whataburger features long horns and oil references galore–a visual history of the state of Texas. Put on a Rangers hat while sitting in there with a #2 double meet, and even Nolan Ryan would be impressed with your Texan authenticity.

And hey, speaking of Nolan Ryan, the All-Star Whataburger is on the West loop between Hightways 64 and 31. This one is my personal favorite, not just because I used to go study there in the middle of the night, but because it is littered with sports memorabilia and TV’s tuned to ESPN. My favorite display, more than the motorcycle or the Cowboys pictures from their 1990’s Super Bowl teams, has to be the framed picture of the aged Nolan Ryan, pummeling the head-locked Robin Ventura after the much younger man charged the mound. It was not only one of the funniest, most unforgettable moments in recent baseball history, it was also vintage Texas. Just like Whataburger.

If you show up to the All-Star location for a game, see if you can coax the manager into cranking up the volume. They didn’t used to do it for us, but they just might, now, if you promise to buy a shake with your meal.

There are more locations too! Check out the original Tyler franchise on South Beckham, or the new one on 155, just off the loop. I think you’ll agree that Whataburger is one the best fast food franchises in the country.

Rank and Review Whataburger in Tyler Texas from 1 – 10 stars by clicking here