You Could Buy a Set of Truck Wheels for Your Whole Family for All We Care

If you have been reading our posts, then you know we have written a few about what to do with the money you are getting back from the government. We discussed cool things you could buy, like a riding lawnmower or a 150-gallon fish tank and we suggested a few smart choices including opening a savings account and investing in home improvements.

We really don’t care how you spend your tax return money, that is totally up to you. You could buy a set of truck wheels for your whole family for all we care. But we will tell you this, it is a good bet that you will take the family out to dinner with some of the money you are getting back.

We know this because since you spent all of that money over the holidays, you have been eating a lot of leftovers and fast food. You have been craving a nice steak or lobster platter for a few months now. Well, if you live in any typical city or town in America, there is bound to be at least a few chain restaurants in your area.

Now, not everyone is a fan of chain restaurants, and for good reasons. But if you can stomach it, here are some chain restaurants you could take your family.

Cheesecake Factory

We don’t care that it’s the place where the characters on The Big Bang Theory hang out, there is no telling how much damage this place has done to palettes all over America. We can’t paint you a pretty picture, many of the dishes exceed 1,000 calories, some as many as 2,000 calories.

MMMMMM, the miso salmon looks healthy but it clocks in at more than 1,700 calories. Just because a restaurant serves salmon does not mean it’s healthy, or good for that matter.

Applebee’s

Applebee’s has been the butt of bad chain restaurant jokes for a very long time, you would think they might want to do something about that. Yet, they still serve cheeseburger egg rolls and Butcher's meat and potatoes plate. They also claim to serve “hand-battered” fish and chips. You betcha.

Olive Garden

Trader Joe’s has tastier pasta dishes in their frozen section. Seriously, if you want to die from a heart attack at an early age, perch yourself at a table at Olive Garden every week.

Chili’s

Even if you share your Texas Cheese Fries appetizer with a friend, you will still clog 30 percent of your arteries.

Denny’s

The amount of processed ingredients in dishes like the Red Velvet Pancake Puppies reads like your obituary, long and scary. The Slam Burger is one of this chain’s signature burgers and is topped with eggs, hash browns and bacon. Why yes, it also comes with fries.

Waffle House

Just don’t.

Why don't you take our advice and take your family to a nice mom and pop shop, preferably a place that has been visited by Guy Fieri. If he gives it a thumbs up, it has to be good. Welcome to Flavortown.