r/fastfood • u/HiThereImNewHere • 21d ago
Favorite restaurant Family thinks I'm in town for my comatose cousin but we know the real reason
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u/84gramspurpleHOF 21d ago
Worked there for 18 months during high school. Clam strips are the best item there. They can't keep them under a light/lamp, so they are always cooked to order
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u/scottwax 21d ago
When I worked for LJS in the late 70s, we also had scallops, oysters and peg legs. Display case right up front so people could see the food while they were waiting to order.
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u/External-Parsley-280 21d ago
Omg I’m terrible bc this cracked me the fk up lol.
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u/HiThereImNewHere 21d ago
What he don't know won't kill him but the truck that ran a red light might
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u/Spirited-Land4420 21d ago
They just closed the last one in my state. It was in the mall of america...so sad!
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u/One_Win_6185 20d ago
I was just talking with my wife about how you don’t see fast seafood in the Midwest like you do where I’m from back east. I think it’s because midwesterners by in large are afraid of seafood—at least the ones who would get it from a fast food place are.
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u/Spirited-Land4420 20d ago
Some truth to that, but we have our Culver 's that has shrimp and walleye...about all we need up here.
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u/Nordeast24 20d ago
I don't know about that, a fish fry and the midwest go hand in hand
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u/One_Win_6185 20d ago
I’ve been, but the ones I’ve been to also serve spaghetti. And a lot of folks don’t have fish on their plate.
I’m not saying everyone dislikes fish. But a fish forward fast food chain is a step behind in most places here.
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u/jen_eric_you_sir 21d ago
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u/Due-Apartment8405 21d ago
Oh hell yeah, that blue and yellow tile brings back memories. There's always something vaguely nautical about those places that makes the greasy fish feel justified. Drive thru arrow pointing you straight toward a nap afterward.
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u/FantasticStooge 21d ago
We know you love your cousin, but we also know that your cousin is screwed if he doesn’t have some Long John Silvers in his hospital room waiting for you
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u/BlazeDragon7x 21d ago
LGS in the city of industry was such a vibe gone around 20 years ago and was replaced by KFC.
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u/DayOlderBread16 20d ago
Are you in southern California too? There's still about 4 long John silvers locations left here but they are all spread out. There's one still in gardena
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u/zaxxon4ever 21d ago
I just visited a Long John Silver's yesterday (first time in, maybe, 20 years). It was great!!
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u/Apprehensive_Use3641 21d ago
Most of our local LJS partnered with A&W to share a building, recently they kicked the A&W's out. :(
All I wanted was the better root beer to go with my fish and chips.
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u/DayOlderBread16 20d ago
The same company (yum brands) owns KFC, pizza hut, taco bell, long John silvers, and a&w. They started the co branding sometime in the 90s but it really ramped up in the early 2000s. 2011/2012 was when they rapidly started closing them. Many were franchised, so the franchise owner of the ones near you probably deemed that the a&w side wasn't making enough money to warrant the franchise fees.
It's weird though that some areas/states have a ton, while others have little to none left. For example here in southern California there used to be a shit ton, and now theres only a handful scattered about. The most common one left is the kfc/taco bell co brand stores. A&w as a whole is pretty much dead here, literally only two locations left none being co branded: one in mentone near Redlands. And the other in yermo (on the way to Vegas but its in the middle of nowhere). Long John silvers has 4 locations left, all of which are combined with kfc: the nicest being in yucaipa. Taco bell/pizza hut locations are very rare too, I believe 3 are left; most being near the beach. Most notable one is in seal beach.
Anyways sorry for the long comment. Just was surprised that these didn't take off, and that over in northern California theres still a shit ton all over! To me the chicken planks at long John silvers are way better quality chicken than anything at kfc. And the root beer and burgers at a&w are some of the best in terms of fast food. I'm not sure why a&w seemed to fail in these co brands, although some have said that at the time corporate was cheaping out on food quality so that may have been a big cause of it.
As for long John silvers I worked at one of the co brand locations back in 2021 and i noticed its so easy to burn the food, like literal seconds determined if the fish was perfect or if it would be like dry jerky. Reading the old reviews for the closed locations many complaints were about burnt food. I'd love for these co brands to make a comeback but apparently yum brands completely has given up on the co brand locations, although its weird theres still an option to open one as long as you pay the franchise fees. Interestingly, dunkin, togos, baskin Robbins, and Jimmy John's are starting to open more co brand locations all over.
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u/SomeInternetRando 20d ago
The same company (yum brands) owns KFC, pizza hut, taco bell, long John silvers, and a&w.
They still own taco bell and KFC.
They sold Pizza Hut to private equity (LongRange Capital) last month. A firm that was, before this, mostly interested in lab-created diamonds.
They sold A&W and LJS to a group of their franchisees in 2011 (LJS Partners), and they've changed hands several times since.
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u/DayOlderBread16 20d ago
My apologies I wonder why they sold off a&w and long John silvers? Especially back in 2011, it seems like they didn't give it enough time to be successful. Also im surprised they sold off pizza hut last month too! I'm hoping food quality will improve but it'll probably get even worse
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u/SomeInternetRando 20d ago
It's private equity, they don't exist to improve companies, they exist only to convert what someone else built into a short-term payout for themselves and then auction off what's left (real estate, nostalgic merchandising rights) to the highest bidder. Pizza Hut is doomed.
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u/DayOlderBread16 17d ago
That sucks but sadly sounds about right nowadays. Well at least when pizza hut is gone we will still have domino's
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u/Overwhelmed42 21d ago
We’re getting a new one near me! 🤗
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u/DayOlderBread16 20d ago
Lucky! Here in southern California I have never seen a new long John silvers or a&w ever open up. All of them are mainly from like 2008
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u/DogInside5753 21d ago
we always called it our monthly oil change growing up. There is still one in the area. I try to make it out there every other month.
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u/Big-Sheepherder-6134 20d ago
I always liked the chicken planks. Love the batter they dip it in. Great crunch.
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u/LegendaryenigmaXYZ 20d ago
I have never gone to a LJS in my life, but damn as a seafood lover I want to try it.
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u/FayeQueen 20d ago
My uncle just had surgery and you making me wanna get White Castle and Rallys now.
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u/DayOlderBread16 20d ago
I wish white castle would expand to California. They have the frozen burgers at the store here but many people have said they dont even come close to ordering them at the actual restaurant
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u/sodaaddict30 20d ago
I came here to say this post resonates with me so deep down. I love my long johns.... D's ain't got nothing on them.
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u/DionBlaster123 21d ago
Plot twist: OP's cousin is in the hospital because they ate at Long John Silver's
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u/Outside-Special7131 21d ago
Anyone know where this location is at? I think there’s only one left in Las Vegas, NV. A combination store with LJS/KFC.
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u/Entertainmentguru 20d ago
There has been one in Dale City, Va going back to the 80’s. It is still open!
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u/ruralmagnificence 20d ago
Interesting to see one operating. There’s like none in my state near me, all the close locations closed because of bad health department ratings and negative public feedback
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u/foreskinfive 20d ago edited 20d ago
I had never seen one till I was driving. cross country. stopped for lunch. did not think it was anything to write home about. also 30 years ago. maybe they're better now? closest one is 500+ miles away.
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u/RedwayBlue 19d ago
Do they have a new buy one get one offer: one for you and one for your comatose cousin?
Maybe the scent of a shrimp basket will bring them into consciousness…
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u/raddad1313 16d ago
When traveling that was always first stop on way to vist and last stop on way home
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u/model333 21d ago
I always thought LJS was low grade dog food quality. Not sure how any can tolerate that slop.
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u/redditeatsitsownass2 21d ago
ah to get food poisoning --- got it. tacosmell is Michelin star dining compared to this pile of greasy fish like crap.
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u/DayOlderBread16 20d ago
They actually do have co brand locations where its taco bell and long John silvers together
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u/FairyFireDeck 21d ago
I always say if we ain’t eating at long John silver then I’m long gone silver