Submitted by ThrowRA32192000 t3_zcr5j9 in springfieldMO
Absolutely no complaints whatsoever, this place is severely underrated. My dad and I were just wondering how the dishes are so cheap compared to other restaurants in the areas with subpar/below average food (i.e. Big Whiskey’s).
This 100%. There goes getting a table this weekend now.
People meat. FDs is people!
Edit: sorry couldn’t help it.
If you hadn't, I would have.
beat me to it
This is a new place to me but looking at the Yelp reviews I'll have to try it out. (They had me at firecracker chicken tacos.)
i’ve eaten here for over 5 years, it’s delicious. that and firecracker shrimp are awesome
One time I was working in that kitchen and I dropped an order of firecracker chicken on the floor and I went to make a new order and the kitchen manager I shit you not made me put it back in the fryer and reuse it.
That was probably my order. I go there all the time and only order firecracker chicken tacos and old fashioneds. 10/10 would order again.
100% believe it! I worked in kitchens for 20 years and have similar stories. That dip shit manager ought to be ashamed of himself. This is why I cook at home and rarely go out to eat.
Dipshit manager owner*
better said
Gene?
Sure. Whoever the collective that owns FD’s and Cheddars in Springfield. Pretty sure they own a couple of restaurants outside Springfield as well. They are unable to keep pace with those restaurants which leaves short-sighted business decisions, like hiring staff they know is doing this shit yet they turn a blind eye to it because profits. It leaves kitchens filthy and disgusting and FD’s and Cheddars are no strangers to filthy fucking kitchens.
They aren't owned by the same people, and haven't ever been. FD's was started by the same family, but the owner of the franchise in Springfield is Gene Marsh. Additionally, Cheddar's sold to Darden Restaurants in 2017.
Sources all over this page, and now I know way more than I ever wanted to about a couple of restaurateur families in Springfield.
Thanks did not know that. Just a fly on the wall through some conversations thrown around about FD’s. It’s been since before 2017 that I worked for FD’s, my experience in the few months working in that kitchen would never draw me in as a customer, though. That’s just my personal anecdote, and one of many awful experiences I had in that restaurant.
Edit: might have been 2017 I don’t fucking remember.
That's a damn shame. I had a fantastic steak there, and it didn't cost me much more than a night out at Amigos.
If it makes you feel any better, that kitchen manager I referenced is in prison now. Not sure what it’s like there now, however Gene would set the tone… for what it’s worth.
Well alrighty then. Not sure how that makes me feel to be honest.
There's OP's answer. They save money by "recycling."
Update: yes, very good. Thanks for the recommendation everyone!
I call them fire crack tacos, because they're so damn good.
Big whiskeys is disgusting. We love FD’s!
Every time someone wants to eat there (big w) w me, I'm always like why the f does anyone even want to eat here.... the best day at bw is mediocre
They are a large chain and I’m assuming based on consistency that they pay the kitchen well.
Aren't they owned by the same company as Cheddar's? Also another relatively cheap restaurant with food I enjoy (those chicken tenders).
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I believe they are owned by Cheddar's
They are not owned by Cheddar’s. The menu is almost an exact replica in some aspects, and some previous managers from Cheddar’s work there now.. but not the same company at all. Cheddar’s is owned by Darden. Darden owns Longhorn and Olive Garden as well. FDs is a small chain restaurant owned by someone who also used to work for Cheddar’s.. hence the menu similarities.
Source: I’m a Cheddar’s manager.
Thank you for the info :-) Sorry I was mistaken
I love cheddars, but it has gone downhill since Darden bought it
I feel ya.
Your boss also owns FDs.
I would think the managers would know better than you...and they do.
Same family started the franchise, but it's a different franchisee.
Edit: not to mention Cheddar's was sold to Darden Restaurants (Olive Garden) in 2017. Explains why their quality has gone waaaaay downhill.
Except Gene is like family to me. And his ex-wife is the one who owns them. But I wouldn't expect you to know all of that or how their divorce shook out.
Oh yeah‽ my uncle works for Nintendo.
So then you should know Greg is the member of the Cheddar's family, who provided the license to Gene Marsh, who is the majority owner of FD's. All easily verified public information.
Edit to add: Lmao. Cheddar's has been owned by Olive Garden (Darden Restaurants) since 2017.
She owns the franchise and he owns the land. All part of the separation. Argue all you want.
...I don't care what your friend says. Public records show that he is the majority owner. Period. Your other statement of "your boss also owns FD's" is also completely inaccurate, since Cheddar's sold in 2017.
Edit: Jared Enterprises owns the land, unless they sold it.
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I haven't been in over a year but I'm so glad to know that they are still cheap.
I had an absurdly good ribeye there awhile back when I had craving for steak, and luckily the other places I was going to go were full. I paid less than $50, maybe even closer to $30, including a whiskey (a good one and a double pour, I was celebrating) and left very satisfied.
Love FDs.
Its extremely busy basically every day of the week because its reasonable price wise and the food is pretty good. So how do they do it?
A small limited menu. Seriously.
Whenever you see that at a restaurant, its usually a good thing. It means the food will likely be fresh and the ingredients of a better quality because they arent worried about wasting a ton of money on daily food waste for a large massive menu.
If you ever have watched Kitchen Nightmares, you'll notice the restaurants often lost alot of money on food waste of already crappy frozen and premade ingredients because their menus were so big. The food already wasnt good, so they would get into a kind of doom spiral. (Bad food quality, less customers, less money for any quality ingredients, repeat.)
FDs keeps cost down by buying enough of what they need, making alot of it on the same day of order, and no more. If they run out, they run out. I noticed this with their fish fry. I'm not sure how fresh the food actually is, but the quality of ingredients is far better than most places around and often compares to your much more expensive restaurants in the area.
They end up with a very loyal and expanding customer base that fills up the place constantly and havent had to adjust their prices as high for inflation as others. It's a winning recipe that keeps people coming back for something thats hard to find around here: Quality food at a very reasonable price.
that makes so much sense! thank you!
Finally! An answer to the question! Kinda like the Aldi philosophy, then.
Cheddars used to be the same way but then it went downhill.
The portions are massive as well!
fresh caught Lake Springfield
It’s somehow related to Cheddars
They bet on enough customers coming in to offset higher prices?
I’ve wondered this too but whatever. I hope they don’t stop. One of the few decent healthy choices for dinner I order when I’m lazy.
only complaint i’ve ever had was a waiter dropping an entire tray of drinks on my infant but other than that it has been good!
Wow. I cannot imagine how shitty that waiter felt. Damn.
I guess I'm going to have to give FD's another shot. I've eaten there 3 times and had awful experiences each time. But ppl keep recommending it to me so I kept trying but finally after 3 bad experiences I gave up on it. However, it has been a few years so maybe I'll try again.
AnEmptyBookcase t1_iyygbpw wrote
Please don’t talk about this place. I love it too much to share and I’m afraid it’ll end up like everything else (too expensive for what it try’s to be).
In seriousness OP, it is a great mystery to me how they can consistently make good food in a nice atmosphere, and inexpensive to boot!