America's Most Over-Rated!

[BTTap]

Hello all,
In this thread we discuss those products, companies, services, etc. which receive outrageously overblown reviews and provide mediocre (at best!) results.

Today . . . Five Guys Hamburgers.

The meat was dry, the lettuce limp and the music was Bob Dylan making his usual feeble attempts to sing with the volume turned up to ten. The fries were decent, though.

In all, no better than 3 out of a possible 10. An adequate refueling stop, but not a place to eat.

My experience has been different, and not at all disappointing. Granted, not the juiciest burger, but lettuce, tomato, and other toppings were spot-on and fresh. Especially like the variety of toppings (fried green peppers!), and the fries. It's no In-and-Out Burger, but still a good junk-food nosh.

 

[mcguinness]

Ah, another comic geek.

Well, I'll just come out and say this. No one can touch Alan Moore. Period.

Right there with you. I've heard people say Moore is overrated, that usually tanks their credibility with me when it comes to comics.

Also on the overrated list, at least lately, Frank Miller. Yes, Dark Knight Returns was brilliant. But then he drank the Crazy-Aid.

 

[bashfullyshameless]

Also on the overrated list, at least lately, Frank Miller. Yes, Dark Knight Returns was brilliant. But then he drank the Crazy-Aid.

YEAH, he did.

 

[kimbalee]

So I see some of the people in VA have a different opinion on the 5 Guys, and I just had a discussion with a friend there this week about the same thing. The friend says that theirs is awesome. I maintain that the one in my area is much like the Bear's. Not somewhere I want to go again. Maybe I need to go to Virginia to check out the 5 Guys there.

 

[PennLady]

So I see some of the people in VA have a different opinion on the 5 Guys, and I just had a discussion with a friend there this week about the same thing. The friend says that theirs is awesome. I maintain that the one in my area is much like the Bear's. Not somewhere I want to go again. Maybe I need to go to Virginia to check out the 5 Guys there.

I think Five Guys started in VA, so perhaps it's the original restaurants are the better ones. There's actually one near me here in PA but I haven't tried it yet. I will be eating at a Red Robin later today. It was good last time.

 

[kimbalee]

I think Five Guys started in VA, so perhaps it's the original restaurants are the better ones. There's actually one near me here in PA but I haven't tried it yet. I will be eating at a Red Robin later today. It was good last time.

I'm in PA too... so I hope you are closer to VA than I am and that it has a lot more similarities to the originals than mine does.

 

[voluptuary_manque]

For a burger chain we have yet to find one that matches Red Robin. Even the much respected In-and-Out comes up short by comparison. Now for the best burger around, Wood Ranch's Buckeye Burger is tops so far. However, I am always open to suggestions . . .

 

[desertslave]

Fuddruckers is a chain. I haven't tried it, so no comment.

Comment: "I may get slammed, but I'd add John Lennon, too."--SA Penn Lady.

SA Penn Lady, I admire you too much ever to slam you, but you are wrong about John Lennon. Yes, LC he was a druggie burnout; and That Woman destroyed him. But he was an original, powerful voice, and his best work will live.

I'll always love George best, but for his work after the Beatles. I wasn't much of a Beatles fan back in the day, much preferred the Stones. Lennon's stuff was always 'meh' to me.

I think the iPod is terribly overrated. I've had friends (or friends of kids) who can't seem to keep one alive for more than 6 months without some sort of problem. OTOH, I've had a modest little Creative Muvo (a meager 2 GB, granted) that's survived bumping, dropping, living in a 110+ car for a few days (I apologized profusely to it), and keeps on going--5 years now. It even speaks to my car, which is iPod ready, through the USB, and keeps my playlists intact. And it's barely larger than an old-school pack of gum.

 

[Boxlicker101]

The Red Red Robin does bob bob bobalong quite well, alright, but I never think of it as a fast food place. They do specialize in hamburgers, but I always thik of them as a sit-down restaurant.

 

[KinkyMichigan]

Maybe I'm missing something, but last time I checked John Lennon (and the rest of The Beatles) were from England...which is not in America. So how does he qualify as one of "America's Most Over-Rated"?

 

[desertslave]

The Red Red Robin does bob bob bobalong quite well, alright, but I never think of it as a fast food place. They do specialize in hamburgers, but I always thik of them as a sit-down restaurant.

I think of them as sit-down burgers, too. Oddly enough I rarely order a burger, though. I love their chicken sammie on ciabatta with pesto and their French dip. I love onion rings, but theirs always give me heartburn.

 

[soflabbwlvr]

Right there with you. I've heard people say Moore is overrated, that usually tanks their credibility with me when it comes to comics.

Also on the overrated list, at least lately, Frank Miller. Yes, Dark Knight Returns was brilliant. But then he drank the Crazy-Aid.

I have to disagree with you on Frank Miller. His Daredevil stories were excellent. Elektra was outstanding. Ronin, Dark Knight Returns, Batman Year One--all classics. Then he branched out with Hard Boiled and Sin City--all brilliant. There are few writers/artists with a resume as varied and exceptional as his.

 

[BTTap]

I think all of you who put John Lennon on this list are crazy.
I will put U2 on it, though. Everything after Rattle & Hum has been bleh, as far as I'm concerned. That said, everything in the 80's and earliest 90's was exceptional.

 

[oggbashan]

Buddy Holly as a rocker. When he was alive, he was okay, but nothing special. Since his death, he has been elevated to super star, on a par with Elvis and the Beatles.

At the time, Buddy Holly's sound was unique and instantly recognisable. He deserved comparison with Elvis - then.

What he might have become but for the plane crash? Who knows?

Whether he would have been so important if he had come on the scene twenty years later, I'm not so sure, but he influenced many, including the Beatles because his sound was so different.

 

[oggbashan]

Over-rated?

Most US News Anchors. They don't deserve super-star status or salaries.

 

[voluptuary_manque]

Shoot! American commercial television in general is overrated. That's one reason why it's dying from competition from the 'Net.

 

[mcguinness]

I have to disagree with you on Frank Miller. His Daredevil stories were excellent. Elektra was outstanding. Ronin, Dark Knight Returns, Batman Year One--all classics. Then he branched out with Hard Boiled and Sin City--all brilliant. There are few writers/artists with a resume as varied and exceptional as his.

I'm not sure how much we actually disagree, most of the stuff you mentioned is great, it's also all 20+ years old. The stuff he's doing now, like Holy Terror, is racist garbage.

 

[TheeGoatPig]

Fuddruckers makes my favorite burgers ever. EVAR!!! And I have never seen one that serves breakfast so I have no idea what that one person was talking about...

The Jedi Knight video games from Outcast and on were completely overrated. I couldn't stand the gameplay in them. They finally give you the lightsaber almost halfway through the game, and then drop you in a level filled with snipers... What the fuck?

 

[cloudy]

Steinbeck as a writer.

I've only attempted three of his novels, so maybe I just haven't found the 'right' one yet.

Couldn't get into GoW,
Could only muster halfway through East of Eden
Could barely start The Pearl


However, Of Mice and Men is still one of my favorite novels of all time. Funny how these things work, eh?

Try Cannery Row, it's not nearly as dark as his other stuff, although it does have it's heartbreaking moments.

Steinbeck was the subject of my senior thesis. I believe that (how shall I put this delicately....) you need a certain amount of life experience - including tragedy - to truly appreciate what he wrote. If I'm not mistaken, you're very young - that could be one reason you didn't really appreciate his efforts.

 

[Typo Fu Master]

Over-rated?

Most US News Anchors. They don't deserve super-star status or salaries.

Allow me to add all sports players with 6 figure salaries.

The Jedi Knight video games from Outcast and on were completely overrated. I couldn't stand the gameplay in them. They finally give you the lightsaber almost halfway through the game, and then drop you in a level filled with snipers... What the fuck?

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.

Glitchy. Some would say dumbed down. Linear quests with no real choice involved in spite of the fact that it's a sand boxy game. Very playable and was a time sink for over 5 months. However, GoTY it's not.

 

[jomar]

My experience has been different, and not at all disappointing. Granted, not the juiciest burger, but lettuce, tomato, and other toppings were spot-on and fresh. Especially like the variety of toppings (fried green peppers!), and the fries. It's no In-and-Out Burger, but still a good junk-food nosh.

Like you, my Five Guys experience has been very good. But maybe they're expanding to fast and not monitoring the quality of their franchises close enough.

In-and-Out Burger was a disappointment to me (had it in Venice Beach area).

Cook Out makes a really great burger...and shake.

For a burger chain we have yet to find one that matches Red Robin. Even the much respected In-and-Out comes up short by comparison. Now for the best burger around, Wood Ranch's Buckeye Burger is tops so far. However, I am always open to suggestions . . .

My Red Robin burger experience was less than meh...seemed pricey for a mediocre burger.

So a pattern is emerging...

 

[Cruel2BKind]

Try Cannery Row, it's not nearly as dark as his other stuff, although it does have it's heartbreaking moments.

Steinbeck was the subject of my senior thesis. I believe that (how shall I put this delicately....) you need a certain amount of life experience - including tragedy - to truly appreciate what he wrote. If I'm not mistaken, you're very young - that could be one reason you didn't really appreciate his efforts.

Quite possible... And you're right. Nineteen just a month ago.

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.

Glitchy. Some would say dumbed down. Linear quests with no real choice involved in spite of the fact that it's a sand boxy game. Very playable and was a time sink for over 5 months. However, GoTY it's not.

...
You and I are now enemies.

 

[Boxlicker101]

Try Cannery Row, it's not nearly as dark as his other stuff, although it does have it's heartbreaking moments.

Steinbeck was the subject of my senior thesis. I believe that (how shall I put this delicately....) you need a certain amount of life experience - including tragedy - to truly appreciate what he wrote. If I'm not mistaken, you're very young - that could be one reason you didn't really appreciate his efforts.

I did enjoy "Cannery Row" and its sequel, and Tortilla Flats.

 

[Hubs_in_hose]

My Red Robin burger experience was less than meh...seemed pricey for a mediocre burger.

So a pattern is emerging...

I agree 100% with your thoughts about Red Robin.

 

[kromen]

Anything in 3D.