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8 Chain Restaurants That Are No Longer Worth the Wait or the Money

If they made it affordable, customers would return.

By Amanda Machado , Edited by Calista Headrick

Updated June 9, 2026

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It's always a bad economic sign when people are worried about the price of food. Americans are adjusting their expectations of restaurants to meet tighter budgets, and many chain restaurants aren't hitting the mark.

People want to go out to eat more often without worrying about the cost so much. Quality is another factor that makes customers hesitate — good food shouldn't be a luxury. Convenience is a quieter motivation, but restaurants fill an important role in workers' lives. Cooking three meals a day may be an unreasonable expectation for many, so dine-in and delivery can really be a lifesaver for some, if price and taste are worth it.

See which restaurant chains are failing to understand the assignment.

Editor's note: Prices and availability are subject to change and may vary by location

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Outback Steakhouse

A steak dinner lives in public perception as an expensive treat, and Outback can be more expensive than the competition without a higher quality.

Their signature Bloomin' Onion is $10.99, while Texas Roadhouse offers an identical appetizer for $8.99. A 6-ounce sirloin with two sides is $17.99 from the Aussie-inspired chain, but only $14.99 from the competition.

Outback's quality is being questioned by customers, too. One Redditor asked, "What happened to Outback steaks?" and said, "Went there 3 weeks ago and the steak was the worst I've ever had. Tried it again a few days ago at a further one away and same thing, the steak is like rubber."

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Olive Garden

Pasta is cheap and easy to make at home, which is a problem for chains like Olive Garden because customers are doing just that, rather than paying the extremely inflated prices. A family-sized spaghetti with meat sauce from Olive Garden costs nearly $45, which is much higher than the easily repeatable dish would cost if made at home.

One Reddit user said, "I don't know about anyone else, but it's because I can make better quality food at home for a fifth of the price."

Ruby Tuesday

The casual dining chain, once known for a strong presence in shopping malls, is overpriced, and customers aren't pleased. Reddit user Revolutionary-Call65 recently posted a picture of a Ruby Tuesday's steak that was ordered medium rare, but shows a steak that is likely raw. "Ordered it medium rare. I'm pretty sure they put it in the microwave, as there's not even a bit of a sear on it."

A New York strip with shrimp costs $28.99, making it more expensive than Steakhouses like Texas Roadhouse while also inedible. Plus, some entrees only come with one side, and extra sauce comes at an additional charge, little things that leave customers feeling nickel-and-dimed when it's time to pay the bill.

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Panera Bread

A bakery that doesn't actually bake its own bread sounds like a joke, but here we are with Panera. The now-struggling chain rose to prominence by offering free wi-fi, fresh food, a wide selection of beverages, and space for students, remote workers, friends, and families to hang out without the constant pressure of a server.

Now it's expensive, the "clean" ingredients have been rolled back to what everybody else uses, and free wi-fi isn't a differentiating factor. Panera is really out there expecting people to pay $8 for a grilled cheese sandwich made with two slices of bread they didn't make themselves and a couple slices of American cheese — and customers aren't having it.

A Reddit user posted with outrage that they remembered Panera fondly and were sorely disappointed with the current reality. "We got some sandwiches, soups, and drinks, and it was almost $70!!! And the quality has gone down on top of that." That sentiment registered with 17,000 upvotes from other Redditors.

TGI Friday's

The original home of the Happy Hour is struggling to find consumer relevance these days. TGI Friday's has lost 55% of their locations since 2008, and being overpriced for a typical Americana cuisine isn't doing them any favors now as consumers face financial strain and are paring back on non-essentials.

Private equity crippled TGI Friday's long-term viability, and they were slow to embrace third-party delivery options. Pricing items like a Philly cheesesteak at over $18 isn't winning customers back, either. A Redditor took to a food subreddit to ask for opinions on the dwindling chain, and the top response was "They still exist?" – not great for a brand that relies on name recognition.

Denny's

Nobody expects a late-night diner-style restaurant to have a high-end menu. The expectation for Denny's is cheap food served at any hour that can be ordered by pointing to pictures on the menu.

That being said, a $15 burger is too far out of line with customer expectations. Comparatively, Waffle House offers a quarter-pound bacon cheeseburger for less than $8. Denny's agreed to a sale to private equity in 2026, and consumers have come to associate this with impending doom for a restaurant chain. "Sell the buildings, then lease them back, then declare bankruptcy. Apparently, an infinite money glitch does exist for some people," commented one Reddit user after seeing the acquisition news.

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Applebee's

The Neighborhood Grill & Bar is desperately trying to win back customer sentiment with deals, but it may not be enough to overcome the hard feelings about their "ghost kitchens". Public sentiment about Applebee's was so low that they shifted strategy to tricking customers. They create new business names (like Cosmic Wings) on third-party delivery apps, leaving customers disappointed to discover they are really getting Applebee's.

Even the newest (May 11) all-you-can-eat deal is falling short with customers, who are unhappy with the long wait time in between refills — a mandatory 20 minutes between plates. TikToker Christopher (@christophergambin46) explained, "The problem with the all-you-can-eat right now is that you have to wait 15 to 20 minutes in between each one that you order," and left him with only two plates in an hour.

Cheesecake Factory

In 2025, Chatmeter analyzed over a million customer reviews of 10 major dining chains, and customers ranked Cheesecake Factory near the very bottom in terms of value and experience. It ranks at the top with the menu, but as budgets for frivolities shrink, the price point becomes an even bigger factor for customers.

A Classic Burger is nearly $20, and over if you add cheese. A fettuccini Alfredo with chicken is nearly $30 and doesn't include any sides. That's a hard sell when customers are looking to lower their restaurant budget and eat at home more. One Redditor described the problem as "They have like 1200 menu items. Every single one is mediocre."

Bottom line

Value-driven choices in dining are increasing due to financial pressure as consumers struggle to cope with increasing bills and basic costs of living.

Chain restaurants have largely been supported by a full and blossoming middle class. As wealth inequality and wage disparity decimate the middle-income earners, we see the real "trickle-down" economics that leads businesses to shut down because people can't afford them anymore.

The new normal is to be more selective with where you spend your money. Demanding fair prices, quality ingredients, and good service shouldn't be such an issue.

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