The 10 Best Chain Restaurants For a Date

Image via Complex Original

Locations: 148
Website: bjsbrewhouse.com

BJ's isn't really the place to take a first date. Rare is the flower that wants to see a relationship blossom in a chain sports bar. But, if you're dating the kind of girl whose idea of romance is something experienced bathed in the warming glow of Monday Night Football, then BJ's might be your spot. It isn't dingy like Buffalo Wild Wings; it isn't painfully lame like Ruby Tuesday's and T.G.I. Friday's. BJ's is built to remind you of the sports bars that may well run out of business. They even have their own microbrews. Don't go to BJ's for your anniversary, but if you're ever thinking about dining on another overpriced Ruby Tuesday's entrée, hit up BJ's instead.

Locations: 142
Website: meltingpot.com

It's safe to say that The Melting Pot has cornered the American chain fondue market, and if you want to try something different in a neighborhood that doesn't offer many different things, this might be the spot for you. Be warned: Just because you are dipping your food in cheeses and sauces doesn't mean that this is going to be cheap. You could end up paying $50 a person for the pleasure of sharing a cheese cauldron. For that price you couldn't have gotten a really nice steak dipped in nothing. If you do spring for the Melting Pot, you should really get one of their decadent desserts. Hell, you've already spent this much; might as well get a bucket of steaming chocolate as well, you know?

Locations: 400
Website: texasroadhouse.com

Some mega-chain steakhouses try to make you feel a little bit fancy with cloth napkins and proper glasses. Let's not kid ourselves: You're not going Peter Luger, so let's not act like it. If your date has a sense of humor and likes a good rib-eye, first put a ring on it, then take her to Texas Roadhouse. CEO Kent Taylor says, "If your employees are having fun, they are going to have fun with the guests." This manifests itself through peanut shells on the floor and mandatory line-dancing. Come for the food actually made from scratch, but stay for the shrine to Willie Nelson. If you simply want to enjoy that fact that you live in an America of glorious, gluttonous pre-packaged culture, head over to Texas Roadhouse...pardner.

Locations: 200 (across 17 countries)
Website: lepainquotidien.com

Though Starbucks and Panera try to ape aspects of the urban coffee shop bistro thing, Le Pain Quotidien is the only national chain that comes close to fitting into the neighborhoods it aspires to evoke. From the quiches to the Belgian brews, Le Pain wants oh so very badly to remind you of that hole in the wall fresh bread and French press spot your friend took you to last time you visited Brooklyn. There will probably be someone reading the New Yorker or fiddling with their scarf as they down a mimosa whether you're at a Philly, LA, or D.C. location. In the spirit of the bohemian coffee shop, there is also no room to move around thanks to the large communal dining tables, so make sure you like being close to your date and several other dates as well.

Locations: 61
Website: daveandbusters.com

Most of the restaurants on this list made the cut because they don't have the cheesy commercial feel of most national chains, or at least they do their best to minimize it. Of course, you could always go in the opposite direction. It's hard not to have fun at Dave and Busters, the Chuck E. Cheese for numb, drunk adults. There's nothing quite like spending an evening playing skeeball in a sea of white-collar work excursions and frat bros. There's nothing quite as American as eating a "Mountain O' Nachos" and drinking a "Lava Flow" as you bask in the neon lights of classic arcade games.

Locations: 158
Website: bonefishgrill.com

You won't quite feel like you're at a beachfront seafood spot dining at Bonefish Grill, but you won't get the kitschy nautical chain experience you've had before either. Bonefish offers solid seafood at a solid price, ideal for those who can only experience the ocean on summer vacations and while watching Baywatch re-runs. Generally, the food and the service get high marks, especially considering the price point. You still get a little bit of the chain restaurant schmaltz with "Happiness Hours" featuring discounts on "Bang Bang Shrimp" at Bonefish, but thankfully there are no fisherman's nets or anchors used to accent the décor. That fact alone is enough to put it firmly above the average national seafood chain.

Locations: 92
Website: bucadibeppo.com

You may be a huge fan of the unlimited bread sticks, but that is no reason to continue eating at the Olive Garden. If your Midwestern or Southern hamlet doesn't exactly have a Little Italy of its own, you could do worse than dining at Buca di Beppo. Though you'll pay a little more than you would at the Olive Garden and its clones, it feels a bit homier than what's offered by the chintzy plaster and mundane fare of larger Italian chains. They may go a bit far with their "authentic" photos and "Pope Table," but at least they're trying. And of course, with a bump in price comes a bump in the quality of the cuisine, which is kind of the reason you go out to eat in the first place.

Locations: 40
Website: abuelos.com

Though the competition among national Mexican restaurant chains isn't exactly stiff, Abuelo's consistently ranks as the top contender. There's a bit more of an upscale atmosphere here than you'll get at Chi-Chis. Unlike most other Mexican chains, you won't spend half of your date apologizing for the decor. In fact, your date may be impressed by it. Many locations feature hand-painted murals, which is definitely something we've never seen at El Pollo Loco unless you count the graffiti behind the dumpster. Even customers in West Texas, where Abuelo's was founded, have good things to say about the food. If you're too far north and east to get the real deal, Abuelo's might be the spot for you.

Locations: 50
Website: maggianos.com

Of the big Italian restaurant chains, Maggiano's may be the best date spot. Be warned, you would probably pay less at any authentic family-owned restaurant, so make sure you've got a good portion of your paycheck on hand. Steak and veal are centerpieces of the menu here, and I'm pretty sure they don't offer unlimited bread sticks. If you're looking for something a bit more laid back, Buca di Beppo is probably more your speed. If you're looking to listen to only Sinatra as you drop a good chunk of change to dine in a cavernous dining room, head over to Maggiano's.

Locations: 31
Website: legalseafoods.com

"Chain Seafood Restaurant" isn't exactly a phrase that warms the heart. Red Lobster has become America's preeminent destination for trashy anniversary dinners. Even if everything about the Red Lobster dining experience besides the cheesy biscuits has scarred you for life, Legal Seafood could still change your tune. This place is serious about providing the quality you expect from the best mom-and-pop seafood joints on a national scale. Their "waterfront purity labs" inspect deliveries for each location. From their legendary clam chowder to their crab combo, their menu tends to impress even the most discerning seafood customers. Unfortunately, their commitment to quality means that you'll only find Legal Sea Foods near a coastline, so the rest of you can continue to look forward to those soul-crushing trips to Red Lobster.