my sense of it is that it isn’t the fact that Applebee’s serves terrible food, but that it’s overpriced and sells this illusion of a “nice sit-down meal” which is mostly starch and salt, as the waitstaff tries to shove you out the door as fast as possible to maximize turnover. i don’t think of people who go there as poor or lower-class; i just think of them as idiots, even the richer ones.
in contrast, there’s McDonald’s. you go there, you buy a McDouble or two for $1.39 each, and that’s the right price for what you get. there are no illusions. i go to McDonald’s once or twice a week, and leave satisfied. i will never go to Applebee’s unless I have to.
