I went to a TGIfridays last night for the first time in probably 3 years or so. I don't eat at Chain restaurants (except for Hooters and only on Ladies Night) normally. I once made an argument maybe even here that I would rather eat a crappy meal than a mediocre meal. Here is the thing though is I can understand why TGIFridays works. The food is reasonably priced and they have a lot of mixtures of flavors that if I were to be on the Family Feud and the category was "Foods that the typical American likes" I would guess. Then the wait staff is filled with the kind of kids who if the drama club put on a performance of Grease wouldn't play Sandy or Danny, but would have been the attractive members of their crews. It creates this nice illusion of fun. It creates a feeling of satisfaction. If TGIFridays was a TV show it would be King of Queens. There may be over the course of the duration one or two highlights, one or two lowlights, but most of it is on the good side of mediocrity.

I think that says something about America, especially when every other chain including 3 or 4 that I have never heard of are within a 5 minute drive from where we were. As someone who struggles with capital "C" Corporations on a daily basis, I think when I eat at TGIFriday's I am not part of the solution, I am part of the problem. I could never get that far because I was distracted by music I think I like, by 85 menu items, Free refills, by a waitress that looked like Katie Holmes before she got weird. And here is my grand point, thats what the best corporations do, they overload your senses. At Fridays' they give you food that is just good enough, mixed with alcohol, prices just reasonable enough, seats that are comfortable, etc,etc. And your employers do the same. They pay you just enough, they give you benefits that are just enough, work that is challenging just enough, bullshit that is just enough, Then they mix in enough fear and blame.

And don't even get me started on Quizno's.