My little Italian deli always gives my youngest a free cookie when we go pick up meats and what not.

A local restaurant gave her a free appetizer today because she’s a picky eater.

There is a McDonald’s, wal-mart, Taco Bell, etc. but they are outnumbered 20-1 with mom and pop places.

I feel like that’s a midwestern and more so Wisconsin vibe. I think they like their little places too much to let em die.

I’m in a “city” but it feels like a little country town almost.

Sounds nice, like what I recall as a kid in WNY in the 1970’s/80’s. ( well they were disappearing by the 80’s)

My current location ( so called quad cities of Prescott,Prescott Valley, Chino Valley and Dewey Humboldt of north central Arizona) has a lot of nice local owned places, and we try to use then whenever we can over chains.
The developers/ real estate people though are popping chain stores and restaurants in everywhere on what seems like a weekly basis. I live in Dewey which is just east of Prescott Valley ( the largest of the 4 population wise)
But really do you need 4 fast food chicken restaurants within a mile of each other!?
We had a chick fil-a which is one of my preferred places if we end up at a chain. The. They throw a Popeyes up across the street, a churches a mile down. The newest is a canes, and they built it right next door to chick fil-a

I'm similarly blessed.

I haven't eaten fast food in a couple decades.

For the coat of a mediocre fast food meal, I can have a fantastic meal from any number of mom and pop places around here.

Otto have you tried Spotted Cow yet?
Oh, and fried cheese curds. I was probably 50 before I discovered those.

Sounds like you might be near Kenosha. If so, if you haven't discovered it yet, you will love Tenuta's Deli.

quote:

Originally posted by CoolRich59:
Sounds like you might be near Kenosha. If so, if you haven't discovered it yet, you will love Tenuta's Deli.

My “little Italian deli” is Tenuta’s. It’s .9 miles from the house.

quote:

Originally posted by 400m:
Otto have you tried Spotted Cow yet?

Indeed we have, New Glarus is pretty good, my wife prefers to “totally naked” over the spotted cow.

I like the spotted cow, very smooth, but a little low on ABV for me. I like their IPA and lately been enjoying their Oktoberfest.

Be careful with Spotted Cow, check the owner’s political leanings. She’s been extremely hard left. Unless I have a free one placed in front of me, hard pass. Even without that, spotted cow isn’t that great.

The one you want in WI is Central Waters Brewery.

https://centralwaters.com/

quote:

Originally posted by OttoSig:

My “little Italian deli” is Tenuta’s.

Not what I would call “little”. I love that place!

Gotta love good Mom and Pop stores or restaurants and I prefer to give them my money over somewhere else any day.

I basically refuse to eat at national chains, it's one of the best choices I've ever made.

quote:

Originally posted by FenderBender:
I basically refuse to eat at national chains, it's one of the best choices I've ever made.

A whole lotta this!
I can do Chik-fil-a if I’m *really* hungry and need to eat but a mom n pop place is so much better than any chain.
Cooking at home though means I’m sure of the ingredients and it’s naturally cooked to our preferences.
And I need more propane for the grill…

I literally cannot remember the last time that I ate a national or syndicated restaurant. It was probably at a Raising Canes about five years ago with one of my sons when he was in town. He loved it as a kid and wanted to go to one while he was home.

Louisiana is well known for its great food, but I always make the point that nearly every city has some good restaurants. The difference here is how good the food is everywhere. You can get great food at gas stations in these parts.

Always. Those businesses take care of their own town, and all the money stays right there. I grew up with a pop that opened and successfully ran a small business, married a guy where we run our own business, shop local as much as possible.
Amazon exists, but if I can find it here in town, I’m shopping local. Eating out goes without question. Even when we go out of town, I search up local eatery shops.
Interesting thing I discovered the first time I went to nyc; the neighborhoods were all local “microclimates” of their own!
I was young and expecting “big city chain” type offerings, boy was I a happy camper to find out how wrong I was there!

quote:

Originally posted by CoolRich59:

you will love Tenuta's Deli.

Sadly, there is nothing like this near me. It would do really well in this area.

OttoSig,

Glad to hear you are finding your neighborhood friendly. My GF and I frequent a breakfast place TailSpin in New Berlin. And a few others around town. Most are inviting you in like you are family (part of our Midwest values).

We have a few good locals, not many. Mostly we have chicken fast food. One busy intersection has one chicken place on each of four corners. I don't know how they stay in business. And yeah, one of them is fully automated.

There aren’t many mom and pop places left where I am. A lot of people try to start a restaurant but it rarely lasts more than a year or two. I guess most people are content with bland corporate food.

Always try to shop at small local shops.
A part of America that is slowly
fading away

The local small food places were one of the few things we loved about being up there. Being in base housing my wife would pick me up dinner and bring it by when I had the division on evenings.

Pissed off at your recruits? Sit at your desk in the RDC office and eat BBQ while you have them on evening routine. With the door open.

I love the mom and pop. My rural land, the small town that is close, it’s all that way. They don’t allow subdivisions and don’t want corporate chains so 90+% is mom and pop restaurants, coffee place, burger/tots place. It’s awesome. They all stick you on a card so you just bring cash. Cash = 3-5% less expensive. And after you go a few times, as already been said, they really take care of you. Portions get bigger or they know what you want without a menu altogether. This is definitely my preferred way of life vs. corporate chains. And that goes for groceries, gas, anything.