12 Chain Restaurants Diners Say Aren't Worth It Anymore

It's no secret that it's getting more expensive to go out to eat. Fast food and fast casual meals that used to be regarded as budget options are now regarded as once-in-a-while treats. But what happens when they stop being treats altogether? Even as prices rise, quality seems to be going down at a lot of chains. Where you once got a reliable, decently portioned meal, you're now left with food that looks like it could have come out of the marked-down freezer section at your local grocery store. Why pay those prices when you could just make better food at home for cheaper?

We've scoured online reviews of some of the most popular chains that diners say just aren't worth it anymore. If you want to get the most bang for your buck when you go out to eat, you can probably feel safe skipping these places. Our advice? Either visit a local restaurant and support restaurants in your own community, or just make a meal at home. After all, you're not likely to get a good deal at any of these joints.

Going out for lobster should feel like a fun and celebratory occasion, right? But if you go to Red Lobster, there's a good chance you're going to be disappointed. Customers complain that the prices — specifically the upcharges — are getting out of control. Combine that with the fact that the quality of the food seems to have declined precipitously, and it's no wonder why patrons are no longer excited about the meals that they're being served at the behemoth seafood chain.

One Redditor complained that they ordered a lobster roll and instead got a sad-looking sandwich filled with langostino instead. Another said that portion sizes were getting noticeably smaller and that the butter didn't even appear to be real butter. Someone who claimed to work at Red Lobster said that the "butter" hasn't been actual butter in years. And others complain that even the non-seafood options are falling flat on the quality front. Even the fries aren't very good. Considering the slew of these comments you can find online, you might want to skip Red Lobster the next time you're craving seafood. Luckily, though, we have plenty of seafood recipes for you to try that will help you achieve a delicious seafood meal in the comfort of your own kitchen.

Pizza tends to be regarded as an affordable meal when you're looking for something that feels kind of indulgent but doesn't break the bank. Or, at least, it used to. But these days, a lot of pizza places are raising their prices ... and offering poorer quality food in return. That seems to be the case at Pizza Hut, which was once known for their great deals. Some say that the chain was amazing in the '80s, but these days? Not so much. One customer complained that a large pizza comes out to almost $25 when you take all the fees into account. For that, you should be getting a higher-quality pie from a local gourmet pizza spot, not a basic pizza from a chain like Pizza Hut.

Some have suggested that Pizza Hut may have changed their recipes, opting for cheaper ingredients for their crust and sauce, which has resulted in worse-quality food. And others say that the price is just too high for what you're getting, considering that you can get a better-quality pizza from a local joint for the same price.

Let's be honest: Applebee's has never really been known for offering amazing-quality food, but at one point, you could actually get a decent meal there. But according to customers who have visited in recent months and years, that's no longer the reality at the once-popular American chain. One Redditor went to Applebee's for their birthday celebration and found that just about everything they ordered was bland. They felt like they could easily make better food at home. So why would they pay a premium for it? It's not like Applebee's has an incredible atmosphere anyway.

Some say that the quality of food you get there is akin to that of frozen grocery store food. And considering the fact that it's way more affordable to just grab something from the freezer section than it is to go out to eat, it's no wonder that a lot of customers don't think that going to Applebee's is worth it anymore. After all, when quality declines past a certain point, customers start to lose their appetite for the subpar food that chain restaurants keep serving up.

There are steakhouse chains that you visit when you're looking for a higher-end dining experience, and Outback Steakhouse was never one of them. Rather, this place was regarded as a budget-friendly option that served up solid steaks and sides without the huge bill at the end of the night. But it seems like Outback Steakhouse's glory days might just be over, according to customers online. Patrons complain that prices are higher but that they keep getting steaks that simply don't taste good.

One Redditor said that this is what happens to restaurants when they're acquired by private equity firms. (Outback Steakhouse was acquired by a private equity firm back in 2015). That poster said that these firms rely on a brand's reputation and then let the quality slip. To be fair, that assessment checks out — many private equity-backed restaurants have slipped into bankruptcies in recent years. You're probably better off going to a local steakhouse if you want a decent-quality steak. Better yet, you can choose from one of our incredible steak recipes for an even more budget-friendly option.

Ahh, Subway: the fast food chain that once purported to be healthy but whose bread contained so much sugar that it couldn't even legally be classified as bread in Ireland. Ultimately, Subway didn't even really start off offering the best-quality food, but if you've been to Subway in recent years, then you may have noticed that its quality has declined even from that point. Customers compare the chain to competitors, like Firehouse and Jersey Mikes, claiming that these chains offer way better sandwiches at around the same price point.

Other patrons have noticed that portion sizes seem to have decreased and that the quality of the meat and bread is lower than it once was. Many admit that this decline in quality has been evident for years, but rising prices make that low quality even more egregious than it once was. Even an alleged former employee said that employee benefits were better back in the day but that workers are now not even receiving the food perks they once expected. At least making a good sub sandwich at home is relatively easy, so you can safely skip Subway without really feeling like you're missing out.

Once upon a time, families with young children and tipsy college students alike would make their way to IHOP at all hours of the day and night to indulge in some good old-fashioned diner food, huge American-style breakfasts, and, of course, stacks upon stacks of pancakes. These days, though, what once seemed like an altar to the deliciousness of well-made pancakes seems like a graveyard of breakfast affordability.

A Redditor took to the platform to complain about the fact that so many of the better, more difficult-to-make menu items have been erased from the menu, only to be replaced by simpler dishes that it would be easy to make at home anyway. Others complain about the fact that you get upcharged for items that used to be complementary at the restaurant. And considering that IHOP has been hit by inflation, like so many other restaurants, you're not paying a premium for food that tastes a lot worse than it once did, according to another Redditor. They suggested that IHOP is likely to go out of business because of this discrepancy in price and quality. And they may be right — even Forbes has reported that the chain is struggling financially.

If you're looking for the most authentic Italian food, Olive Garden probably isn't going to be your first choice. But there was a time that dining at Olive Garden was at least a nice experience. Although the food was never outstanding, it was good enough for the price, which is why it was such a popular chain restaurant for such a long time. But like so many other chain restaurants in recent years, the quality that Olive Garden offers has been declining despite rising prices.

A patron remembers what Olive Garden was like in the '80s, when you were expected to wear at least business casual to dine there. They even claim that you could see people in the kitchen making fresh pasta. Another claims that the breadsticks — one of the chain's most beloved items — are now smaller and harder than they once were. Some point to the decline of the food quality at Olive Garden as a result of the pandemic. At least we have a copycat Olive Garden shrimp scampi recipe you can recreate at home for less than you would spend on a restaurant meal.

Cracker Barrel: It was once a beacon of deliciousness on long road trips through the South, a sit-down restaurant you could pull over at and indulge in various Southern-style classics, from breakfast favorites to lunch and dinner staples. But if you haven't been to a Cracker Barrel in a while, you may not realize that the quality seems to have declined exponentially from what it tasted like back in the day. One Redditor says that since the food quality is so low now, they regret it every time they decide to eat there. Another says that since COVID, the food there hasn't been very good, citing a lot of pre-cooked dishes that taste anything but fresh. This dip in quality has been so noticeable that it's become newsworthy — outlets are reporting how frustrated Cracker Barrel fans are with the food at the chain in recent years.

But it's not just the food at Cracker Barrel that seems to be in decline. Customers also complain about the service at Cracker Barrel restaurants as well. If you're not getting good food and you're receiving bad service to boot, what's even the point of going out to eat in the first place?

When you go to a restaurant like Quiznos, you're probably expecting pretty decent portion sizes. But these days, you might be disappointed on that front when you go to the sub sandwich chain. Customers say that, like many of the other restaurants on this list, that the quality at Quiznos have declined. But to make things even worse, portion sizes are also allegedly considerably smaller than they used to be, with one patron saying that the sandwiches are skinnier than those you'd find at Subway. In fact, back in the day, customers say, the quality at Quiznos was way better than that of Subway, and the prices were only slightly more expensive than that chain. These days, though? Not so much.

According to sources, Quiznos' decline had a lot to do with a bad business model — corporate made it difficult for franchisees to conduct business as they see fit. Regardless of the reasons for Quiznos' decline, though, it's probably not a chain we'll revisit anytime soon.

Panera used to be the place to go if you wanted a massive bowl of soup served in a literal bowl made out of bread. But now? It's definitely not the best place to go if you're trying to get the most bang for your buck possible. Customers have taken to the internet to complain about the shrinking portion sizes, with one Redditor mentioning how much smaller the blueberry scones are now versus years ago. Another says that the prices are so high that you could easily make enough soup and sandwiches to last a week with the amount you're going to spend on one meal at the chain.

In fact, some even say that the chain has been "aggressive" with how quickly and how dramatically they are increasing their prices. The fact that the food is purportedly not that good these days, either, adds insult to injury. For fast casual food, customers say, Panera's prices just aren't justified anymore.

Starbucks has had its fair share of controversy over the past few years, from its egregious union-busting tactics to credible claims of racism. These controversies, among many others, have resulted in boycotts against the company. But even beyond those controversies, Starbucks isn't exactly inspiring loyalty from its customers. Redditors have taken to the forum to express their belief that the chain's coffee is no longer worth what it's charging, citing upcharges for just about everything, including pumps of flavoring that were once offered for free.

To make things even worse, it seems like the quality is declining too, with customers complaining of lower-quality drinks despite the higher prices. Some say that the coffee itself is mediocre, with the only appeal really being the various flavor add-ins, which usually end up making the coffee relatively high-calorie and unhealthy. One person who claimed to be an employee said that they wouldn't even drink Starbucks drinks if they weren't getting them for free. Generally speaking, you're going to be better off going to a local coffee shop if you're looking for a specialty coffee. Otherwise, just make your coffee at home to save yourself some of your hard-earned cash.

Chili's, like Applebee's, is another classic American chain that's been a beloved choice of families for years. But recently, some customers say that the quality at the chain is much lower than it once was. One patron who visited a location of the chain recently said that the burger they ordered came out "crumbly raw" and "underseasoned." That was just one of many comments that complained of poorly cooked burgers and meat. Others say that the food is okay, but considering how much you pay for it, it's ultimately not worth visiting.

Some claim that the quality of the food you get at Chili's is location-dependent, which means you might luck out if your local Chili's knows what they're doing. But when you're paying the price for a sit-down meal at a well-known chain, you're probably expecting that you're going to get a decent quality meal every time. That spotty quality doesn't bode well for the future of this once-iconic chain restaurant.