I can still remember my first fast food experience quite vividly. It’s one of the few pleasant experiences of my childhood, one that my mind has spared from locking away in the vast depths of the horrors it holds. I think that this memory is why I’m really so fond of and drawn to hamburgers. I don’t think there will ever be a day when I’m not excited to go try a new burger joint.
Sometimes though, it’s nice to visit an old burger joint – even if it’s a chain restaurant. There were several years in my life when I used to drive to Las Vegas quite often. The drive is only three and half to four hours long (without traffic) and I liked go non-stop. I was by myself 95% of the time and the drive got really boring, so I just wanted to get there. Of course, I used to have to get up before 5 am to get to work and didn’t get to hit the road until 7 pm, after I got off of work. Naturally, I’d hit up Starbucks and get a giant size coffee for the road to keep my eyes open. Since caffeine is a diuretic, I’d counteract the effects by eating junk food from a fast food joint before I went.
The ride home was pretty much the same, but instead of a fast food joint, I’d hit up a Red Robin. Yeah, it’s a chain restaurant and there are a ton of good restaurants in the Vegas/Henderson area, but I wasn’t making much money then and unlimited fries is really quite an attractive offer when you don’t have much. And regardless of the french fries, Red Robin is good place to go to get a consistently good burger. Service is reliable and I’m a big fan of their Campfire Sauce.
A big plus from me is that they are a big supporter of the military and our nations veterans. Every year for Veterans Day they give a free meal to veterans and active military personnel with no strings attached. I’ve taken advantage of the offer two years in a row now and I’m really appreciative that the restaurant puts profit aside to feed me. It’s really quite generous of them and I always thank them through social media and leave an extra big tip for the wait staff. Efforts like this really garner strong loyalty from people like me.
Just a note, the pictures below aren’t from Veterans Day. They’re from a lunch visit my wife and I took during a trip to the mall.
Red Robin – Brea
The O-Ring Shorty. A half stack of onion rings – perfect for two to three people when you don’t want to get overstuffed with appetizers. Crispy golden goodness!
I usually just get the Gourmet Cheeseburger, but I opted for the Bacon Cheeseburger this time. What can I say? Perfectly cooked with a little pink in the middle, fresh condiments, and (endless) delicious steak fries.
Talk to me, Goose.