That's exactly why I prefer to try to frequent local places when I want a nice meal. Chains are only as good as their local employees and while many are great people working hard for a few $, some will also do anything to cover their tails and not have to explain tossing food they messed up or just don't even care to think. I've had a couple times in my life where I've actually asked the server if they'd eat what they just put in front of me and when they said no, I said they should ask the cook the same question (and knew better than to let them bring me any more food after asking that question).

All that being said, I have had decent to pretty good ribs at Chilis. A couple times I can think of even. But, now I'm thinking of the Nsync song, so thanks a lot Kristin and LSJ

I have actually had that tray of "bbq" a few times over the last few years at Chili's - ribs, chicken, jalapeno sausage, corn on the cob, etc.  It was good for the wife and I to get out of the house considering I work from home if I am not traveling.

Almost everything we cook at home in one of our pits is usually much better tasting than restaurant food..Then there is the question of the food itself.. A profit has to be made to run a business. Low cost restaurant food causes me to wonder about the food
 
quality..Then there is the price, tips included..Yes I may be considered cheap but paying so much more for the same meal doesn't sit well with me..When people rave about how good restaurant meals  are, I question in my mind their ability to savour good food.

Not to say the food in all eat-out establishments is bad. It's that lots of them are Plain-Jane.  I am not a hermit and we do eat out, just not as much as some.

My thoughts.

+1

I think it boil down to what folks are used to and that typically is a lower standard.  My son never liked tomatoes until I started growing them.  He was surprised that my tomatoes actually had flavor as compared to the artificially ripened stuff we get in the grocery stores.  I've actually caught him snacking on them with a salt shaker when he comes home from college.

Even Aaron Franklin admits that he doesn't remove the silver skin from ribs he makes in his restaurant.  He keeps drawing crowds though because he does everything else right.  He does remove the skin when cooking at home.

I've only been pellet grilling since May 2017.  We went through a bunch of ribs over the summer.  My wife had me prepare six racks of St Louis ribs for her sister's birthday around Labor Day.  We had about thirty people over at the house. I prepared the ribs using the 321 method and was kind of bummed out that nobody complimented me on them.  I used the brown sugar, honey, and Tiger Sauce mix for the braise.  Later in the day we were putting stuff away and I commented that folks seemed to be ok with the ribs.  My daughter piped up folks seemed to really like the ribs.  She said that one of my brothers-in-law said these were the best ribs he ever had.  A cousin at the same table said the ribs were amazing.  My wife commented that when she tried to pawn off the reminder of the Costco birthday cake on my other brother-in-law, he requested ribs instead.  My ribs are probably average in the barbecue world but a cut above what you can get in a restaurant.

Like I said it is what folks are used to.  I live in northern California where the barbecue standard is pretty low.           

What did you think about “Rib City”

we eat out about three times a week.  Even typing that is painful, it's just the reality of busy lives with kids.     We have a newish place, The Smokin Oak Vancouver WA.    Now I consider myself a great host, good cook, but not a chef.   I was however impressed with this place but not for the reasons one might expect.

Ribs.  St. Louis dry rub.   Tasty as I usually do baby back and sauced.
Pork.  Honestly kind of mushy, not to my liking. 
Brisket.  Again tasty, a tad inconsistent on the three times I've been there.  When it was fresh I'd call it very good.
Sides.  Meh, nothing memorable.
Cornbread.  WOW amazing.
Sausage.  Probably the best I've ever had.

You'd think the ribs, pork and brisket would be the headliner, but really nothing I couldn't exceed at home.   Cornbread and sausage are what keep us coming back, and the great ambiance. 

DK

I think I just needed to get that off my chest.  I agree with most of the comments on this thread.  I am by no means a 5 star chef but I do know my way around the kitchen so most of what comes out of there is pretty good.  We don’t go out often because I can produce very similar quality food for half the price (plus I enjoy being in the kitchen). 

I tend to be my own worst critic, but have learned over the years that my average ribs are probably better then 90% of people have ever had in their life.   Another thing I've learned over the years is that I'm most happy when I'm actually happy about how my food turned out,  I will feel bad if my food really did not turn out well for some reason, but if I even hit my average mark I know that most people would have nothing to complain about if they ate it.

  The one food item that I can pretty much always cook better than I can get at virtually any restaurant is steak.    I can go buy a $7 or $8 a pound steak and cook it to where I feel it's as good or better then the most expensive steak I've ever eaten in my life.  Every now and then I do get a cut of steak that just isn't that good, but even on those days I enjoy it at least as much as your typical restaurant would sever.  I do still eat steak a lot when I go out to eat, but If I can't get a steak dinner for under $20, I generally won't buy it, because I absolutely hate buying a expensive steak and then realize it's not as good as I could cook myself.

  Lasagna is another food item that I generally won't order at a restaurant.  I've come to enjoy the way I make Lasagna, and if I buy it at a restaurant and it doesn't taste similar to my own, I tend to just not enjoy it that much. 

Anyway, the curse of being a pretty good cook is having to be disappointed when you go out to eat some times...

LowSlowJoe,
I'm with you.  I feel that way about ribs and brisket.  On the other hand, pulled pork (simply called bbq in NC) is something that I cook very well.  But I grew up with eastern style NC bbq which is typically whole hog chopped all together with vinegar sauce.  I crave it sometimes and can't replicate it at home.

Side note: I'm friends with a couple that is 60ish in age.  They eat out at restaurants frequently but for decades, their method is to choose the meal they want rather than the restaurant.  Based on the specific meal they want, it leads them to the restaurant that cooks it best.  As a result, they never have to debate which restaurants to go to and rarely look at menus.  It works for them I guess.  I'm not disciplined enough to do that. 

Sider note:  Did ya'll know that in North Carolina, the term "BBQ" is synonymous with "pulled pork" specifically?  In NC, "BBQ" means pulled pork and nothing else.  BBQ means something different depending where you are in the country.  But in NC, BBQ is a noun and it simply means pulled pork (although it's typically chopped!).

What did you think about “Rib City”

Went once several years ago.  Zero ambiance. I think I was served microwaved sliced deli turkey.  I'll never be back.    Smokin' Oak has two huge stick burners out front.  I've spoken with the owner, seen the inside of his pits.  It's the real deal.  No ideal what is going on at Rib City. 

DK

 LSJ wins the prize so far. Just can't imagine how bad that must have been..


 I had some smoked ribs from a small variety store off the interstate in Kentucky. Had to wait about 15 minutes as the cooking cycle was not quite complete..Got a 1/2 rack. They looked good in the box. The taste was far from the looks: The smoke was so intense the ribs tasted like the smell of a burnt building. I have never tasted anything so smokey  before or since...Bad for sure, but LSJ is still in the lead.

People always made fun of me cuz I liked Tony Roma's...not sure if they are still in business?

People always made fun of me cuz I liked Tony Roma's...not sure if they are still in business?

I ate ribs there in Hawaii about 15 years ago before I met pellets.

Two Words.... “Carolina Honey’s” Even had them when I would go to Guam... Last time was Vegas 2014 

People always made fun of me cuz I liked Tony Roma's...not sure if they are still in business?

Haven't had Tony Roma in years, but I remember loving the blue ridge smokie sauce. Have made a few copycat recipes of that sauce that were pretty close.