PF Chang's

[BlueSkyJaunte]

Ate dinner there today.

Salty and gross. But at least there was a lot of it.

Why do people like this place???

[allaircooled]

Never been, but read in Mens Health or some other mag that it was rated the unhealthiest place you can dine at.

[porsche4life]

Hmm... I liked it...

[Noah930]

I've gone once. No desire to go back.

[trekkor]

I'm thinking American's won't eat "real" Chinese food.


KT

[Embraer]

i think it's funny when people make a big deal about how "horrible" chains are. PF Changs, Olive Garden, Chili's, etc. what do you expect? is it really that horrible?

olive garden has $7 all you can eat soup and salad. i've eaten a lot worse for 7 bucks.

if it was fecal matter, served on a bed of maggots...then we might have a terrible dining experience on our hands.

[Noah930]

Originally Posted by Embraer

what do you expect? is it really that horrible?

From my one experience at PF Chang's, yes.

Olive Garden & Chili's I can tolerate and even like somewhat.

[trekkor]

Obviously, these big franchises are enjoyed by the masses.

They would not survive if they were bad.


KT

[a&j]

Originally Posted by BlueSkyJaunte

Ate dinner there today.

Salty and gross. But at least there was a lot of it.

Why do people like this place???

My very last visit to both PFChang & PeiWei in AZ were both a disaster...the sodium and sugar content on what we ordered made it inedible...I politely asked the server to inform the kitchen staff that there must have been a mixup on the prep...was given another batch and was still the same results...I found out that the "prepped" ingredients they have are to blame...can't blame the kitchen staff for the corporate snafu...

Originally Posted by Embraer

i think it's funny when people make a big deal about how "horrible" chains are. PF Changs, Olive Garden, Chili's, etc. what do you expect? is it really that horrible?

olive garden has $7 all you can eat soup and salad. i've eaten a lot worse for 7 bucks.

if it was fecal matter, served on a bed of maggots...then we might have a terrible dining experience on our hands.

Yes it is horrible now and it was decent some time ago...Have you visited PF Changs, Olive Garden, Chili's lately? After you have visited them, let us know if it has improved (or if you suffered some GI issues/hospitalized). Fast food does NOT have to equate to unhealthy and inedible food...I have been to several hole in the wall joints in AZ that will put them to shame...Tasty, healthy and inexpensive food on the go is a reality.

Originally Posted by trekkor

Obviously, these big franchises are enjoyed by the masses.

They would not survive if they were bad.


KT

Unfortunately, that might be why a vast majority of the US population is unhealthy and obese...the masses eat the unhealthiest food to address their satiety...The amusing part is everything is super-sized and top with "I'll wash it down with a diet pop..."

I am not a food snob or elitist...I just enjoy my food with same passion for porsche...I like it lean and mean

Remember you are what you eat...besides why bother lightening your track car when the best thing to make your car a lot faster is to lighten the excess fat on the driver/operator!

[porsche4life]

Funny on a recent trip, I was in a PF Changs and a Chilis on the same day. The PF Changs was about 10x better than the Chilis.....

[Embraer]

Originally Posted by a&j

My very last visit to both PFChang & PeiWei in AZ were both a disaster...the sodium and sugar content on what we ordered made it inedible...I politely asked the server to inform the kitchen staff that there must have been a mixup on the prep...was given another batch and was still the same results...I found out that the "prepped" ingredients they have are to blame...can't blame the kitchen staff for the corporate snafu...



Yes it is horrible now and it was decent some time ago...Have you visited PF Changs, Olive Garden, Chili's lately? After you have visited them, let us know if it has improved (or if you suffered some GI issues/hospitalized). Fast food does NOT have to equate to unhealthy and inedible food...I have been to several hole in the wall joints in AZ that will put them to shame...Tasty, healthy and inexpensive food on the go is a reality.



Unfortunately, that might be why a vast majority of the US population is unhealthy and obese...the masses eat the unhealthiest food to address their satiety...The amusing part is everything is super-sized and top with "I'll wash it down with a diet pop..."

I am not a food snob or elitist...I just enjoy my food with same passion for porsche...I like it lean and mean

Remember you are what you eat...besides why bother lightening your track car when the best thing to make your car a lot faster is to lighten the excess fat on the driver/operator!

i cook or prepare 99% of the food that goes into my body. the last time i ate at a chilis was probably 6 years ago. olive garden....probably 4 years ago. i took my parents to Famous Daves last summer...that was actually pretty good. if i go out to eat, it's usually a $50-100 a person kind of place. other than that, it's a small cafe-type place that serves middle eastern or mediterranean food. light and refreshing.

those chains are what they are. lots of people eat at them and don't suffer "hospitalization." for a cheap, convenient meal they aren't that bad. if they contain too much sodium (which most chinese restaurants do...even mom and pop places. i'm convinced there's a central distributer for chinese restaurant starter kits. they all have the same lighted menu with pictures of the food that looks nothing like what you get.) then don't eat there. it's only $10 to $15.

spend 3 weeks hiking and backpacking around sub-saharan africa, and let me know if those places are so horrible.

[Rick Lee]

I have to chime in because Mrs. Lee works at PF Chang's corp. HQ in Scottsdale and gets a $1500 per year debit card for the chain and Pei Wei. We use it to take friends out or when we're too lazy to cook, which isn't often. I've been to all the stores in the Phoenix area. Some are better than others and we only get recognized as insiders at the one in Scottsdale. I don't think we get any special treatment or service. I've had excellent and poor meals there. Mrs. Lee grew up in China and we know where to get the real stuff (going to LA next week for the real stuff). So we're under no illusions that PF Chang's is real Chinese food. They have a few dishes that resemble it and once or twice I've been pretty impressed. But it's usually mediocre at best. Still, the restaurants are usually packed with a wait list on weekends, so they have to be doing something right. I want so badly to pull the managers aside sometimes and tell them how to fix some things, but can't do it because it could make things awkward for my wife at work. A few times they've screwed something up and then comped the dish or dessert or drinks. But we can't make a fuss.

[BlueSkyJaunte]

This wasn't a rant against chains in general...just PFC's. Hell, I could eat at In 'n' Out every day without complaint. I didn't go expecting "fine Asian fusion cuisine" either. But by the same token I expected better than what we ended up with.

I will say the service was very good. No complaints there!

Man, I have so much gas right now I would fail an emissions test. Must've been the pepper steak (which, sadly, was about as spicy as vanilla ice cream--despite the red mark next to it on the menu).

[JavaBrewer]

Last year for Christmas we received a $50 PF Changs card. We re-gifted it to other friends. Ate there 2x - never again...but then I hate eating out unless it's Sushi. Everything else we can make better and much cheaper at home. That's what working 10+ years in the service industry does to you. LOL.

[porsche4life]

Damn you city boys are picky. Move to a small town, PF changs is fancy by our standards.

[a&j]

Originally Posted by Embraer

i cook or prepare 99% of the food that goes into my body. the last time i ate at a chilis was probably 6 years ago. olive garden....probably 4 years ago. i took my parents to Famous Daves last summer...that was actually pretty good. if i go out to eat, it's usually a $50-100 a person kind of place. other than that, it's a small cafe-type place that serves middle eastern or mediterranean food. light and refreshing.

those chains are what they are. lots of people eat at them and don't suffer "hospitalization." for a cheap, convenient meal they aren't that bad. if they contain too much sodium (which most chinese restaurants do...even mom and pop places. i'm convinced there's a central distributer for chinese restaurant starter kits. they all have the same lighted menu with pictures of the food that looks nothing like what you get.) then don't eat there. it's only $10 to $15.

spend 3 weeks hiking and backpacking around sub-saharan africa, and let me know if those places are so horrible.

You are the only person I have run across to date that have cooked and prepped 99% of the food and consumed...Good for you!!! We need to emulate your healthy eating hygiene

Mike, since you claim that you do not dine often and do not have a more recent "dining out" experience...then is it safe to assume that you have not been to PF Chang/PeiWei to date? We cannot lump "those chains are what they are..." With all due respect, most chinese restaurants are a lot better than PF Chang in my own experience...(btw PF Chang is NOT a chinese restaurant...just like Olive Garden is NOT an Italian restaurant)

You ask, what do you expect? A patron can and should reasonably expect to be served edible food...plain and simple...Of all folks, you and I know that again...Tasty, healthy and inexpensive food on the go is a reality not a fantasy...

"spend 3 weeks hiking and backpacking around sub-saharan africa, and let me know if those places are so horrible." Well at least the they have edible food... ugali or posho (gnocchi or dumpling like texture)...tried it and will not kill you...

Back to the OP's thread... discussing PF Chang/PeiWei unfortunate unsavory experience...

Originally Posted by BlueSkyJaunte

This wasn't a rant against chains in general...just PFC's. Hell, I could eat at In 'n' Out every day without complaint. I didn't go expecting "fine Asian fusion cuisine" either. But by the same token I expected better than what we ended up with.

I will say the service was very good. No complaints there!

Man, I have so much gas right now I would fail an emissions test. Must've been the pepper steak (which, sadly, was about as spicy as vanilla ice cream--despite the red mark next to it on the menu).

Maalox or Pepto might help brother...Hope you feel better soon...smell you later

Originally Posted by porsche4life

Damn you city boys are picky. Move to a small town, PF changs is fancy by our standards.

Dude, we live in very small rural town...Ya'll come visit in August during motorweek...I'll buy you coffee and we can share tall tales and lies

[porsche4life]

Define small time. My hometown, 700 at the last count...

[a&j]

Wow! Definitely my town is not as small and as cozy as your hometown ...

Here...hmmm...ballpark 3,500...more than half property are second/third homes...so many part time/seasonal residents...We have more dogs than people in the streets...specially Ocean avenue...

[vonsmog]

Ate there once, never again! The rice was like mashed potatoes. Food was just crap. My wife and I don't go out an eat very often, as we see it as unhealthy and too expensive for what you get. We grow many of our own veggies, and freeze them. As well as eating a lot of venison that we freeze. There is no fat on our asses! Live active lives and put most Americans who are 10-20 years younger to shame!

[Joeaksa]

Have eaten there on and off for years. Its not the best but we like it and what is nice is that its pretty consistant from town to town.

You guys who do not like it, head on over to KFC and enjoy!