Chain restaurants.
OK, that's a blatant lie. But Americans do love chain restaurants, otherwise the damn things wouldn't sprout in every shopping mall, strip mall and big-box-store parking lot like mushrooms after a hard spring rain.
Industry publication Nation's Restaurant News (via Eater) has ranked the fifteen most popular casual-dining chain restaurants, based on a survey of 5,000 mystery shoppers.
The winner? The Cheesecake Factory. Respondents cited the long waits for a table, which means it must be good.
Kidding! The full list after the jump.
2. Texas Roadhouse
3. Red Robin Gourmet Burgers
4. Olive Garden
5. Ruby Tuesday
6. Red Lobster
7. P.F. Chang's China Bistro
8. Longhorn Steakhouse
9. Outback Steakhouse
10. A landfill off the interstate Cracker Barrel
11. T.G.I. Friday's
12. Golden Corral
13. Applebee's Neighborhood Grill & Bar
14. Chili's
15. IHOP
