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Cheddars

October 23rd, 2009

On a Sunday afternoon the waiting room in the popular Cheddars restaurant begins to pour out on to the sidewalk. People crowd together for a good table. You would think that an extremely popular place would have me saying great praises about the well cooked food and the great service. Well, that was not my experience, and I have returned and again and again both the food and the services were below par.

As I walked into the over populated restaurant I stood shoulder to shoulder with complete strangers. Waiting for a table and, because of the hype, expecting the greatest food. They handed me a vibrating beeper with a red blinking light. As it begins to flash and vibrate I get excited as if I have won the lottery. As the hostess dressed in black lead me to my booth. I sat waiting as the young waiter approached dressed nicely with a blue collar shirt and black pants and a tie.

I flipped through the menu and everything sounded so good with great prices. For a second I started to understand all the people standing in the small crowed waiting area. I ordered my usual Dr. Pepper, what is the point of free refills when the waiter never comes to refill your drinks?

After hearing the amazing rumors, I order the spinach dip. I must admit, my taste buds sang as I dipped the thin chip into the layers of melted different cheese and green spinach topped with a spoon full of sour cream. I started to eat the warm outer sides of the dip but as I got into the center I took a large bite of halfway frozen spinach and cold cheese. I started to get frustrated that my drink still has not been filled, and annoyed that my food was not sitting in front of me after 30 minutes.

Finally my well-done steak and loaded bake potato sat in front of me. In my vocabulary “well-done” steak does not mean bloody and bright red. I was waiting for my food to grow legs moo at my and walk off. I ask the waiter to take it back and put it back on the grill. About twenty minutes of being sick of waiting, the waiter brings it back. As I cut into the slab of meat once again, I was so upset as again it was still really pink.

I was too annoyed and frustrated to ask a second time to re-cook my steak that I just asked for my ticket. I love when I ask for my ticket and the waiter has it in their little pouch on their belt and just hand it to you the second you ask for it. But that is just to easy to do for the waiters at Cheddars. I watch the waiter as he stands at the computer flirting with the cute hostess, with his phone in his hand hoping to win over her number, not even paying attention to what he is suppose to be doing.

Finally after waiting until he is finished his conversation, he brings me my ticket. I pay the amount for the food and leave. Well I was certainly disappointed walking through the crowded parking lot to my car. I don’t understand how they have so much business, I guess quantity is more important than quality. No, that still does not explain it.

I did return to Cheddars for my dear friend’s 21st birthday, but this time we sat at the bar. I was surprised at the amazing service and a great atmosphere, besides the strange girl hitting on my married sister, and a bar fly trying to ease-drop into our conversations. Was I really in the same restaurant? They had great drinks and really good prices. Even our food was cooked and everything came out really fast. Even our drinks were constantly refilled. I don’t really know how everything was so much better and different, but I really did enjoy my bar-experience and walked away with great stories and wonderful memories.

So I don’t know what to expect each time I eat there. I could have horrible service and uncooked meat or decent food and great service. But I still don’t see why it is one of the most popular restaurants in Tyler.

Cheddar’s in Tyler

October 5th, 2009

Cheddar's Casual Cafe

Cheddar's Tyler TX

If you love causal dining, you are probably familiar with this decision: do I choose Chili’s, Applebee’s, or TGI Fridays? It’s a difficult call. All three have a bar inside, have exciting food choices, and are chock full of pep. They each have good food, and are fun places to go. So let’s be honest: they are essentially the same restaurant.

Between these three titans stands Cheddar’s, a national chain with a location on South Broadway in Tyler. Unlike its 3 older brothers, Cheddars is not decorated with Elvis vinyls, shiny hub-caps, or posters of the cast of Friends sharing a malt. Whether you’re eating outside next to the classy fountain or inside in the elegant decor, Cheddar’s actually allows your senses to relax while you eat. That’s a novel concept for casual dining fans who are used to sensory overload.

Wherever you choose to sit down, you simply must have some chips and salsa. They will come complimentary, but you would pay for them even if they didn’t. What you need to pay for is the cheesy Santa Fe Spinach Dip, as long as you know when to stop. It is creamy and intoxicating. You won’t regret it. The only downside is you might not have room for any other appetizers, like the Chicken Fajita Quesadillas or fabulous Texas Cheese Fries.

The main menu, while not earth-shakingly original, is filled with delicious options. The soups and salads are fresh, and the burgers are terrific. Their Great Plates menu is full of cant-misses, like the Grilled Chicken Fettucini Alfredo, which would make the Olive Garden proud. But for this customer, it’s Cheddar’s sandwiches that set it apart from its competitors. Whenever I go, I struggle mightily between the Monte Cristo and the Philly Cheese Steak. I’m not going to tell you that the Philly is better than anything on the east coast, but it is plenty authentic enough for me, and I’ve had a Philly in Philly. And the Monte Cristo–a perfectly concocted blend of batter, meat, cheese and raspberry preserves–is one of those meals you feel you can’t go wrong with.

There are better restaurants in Tyler than Cheddars, but there is no better meal for your money. The portions are large, and the prices are alarmingly small. You can easily get filled up on a very nice meal for less than $10.

When I took my friends from out of town to Cheddars, they wanted to bottle up their salsa and take the whole restaurant home to Minnesota. It’s a well-run establishment, committed not to flair but to value. The only gimmick you’ll find is a great meal at a small price.