7 Terrible Restaurants That You Thought Were Good Growing Up

I'll take the Edison bulbs and mason jars of a hipster joint over these vestiges of suburban youth any day.

Olive Garden

The faux Italianate decor and smartly dressed wait staff seemed to ooze class and formality in era when restaurants on the periphery of mall parking lots were considered progress. When you grew up, you realized this was a place you took your grandma to shovel microwaved lasagna into her dentures.

Subway

Maybe your taste buds matured, or the age of $5 footlongs meant corporate bean counters optimized out any last remnant of real food... but does anybody actually like eating here anymore?

Jimmy John's

Once a rarity only found in a few select college neighborhoods, you can now find one in virtually every strip mall across the country. Maybe it was the novelty of the stoner staff or late night hours, but it seems the magic has long been gone from this now ubiquitous sub shop.

Red Lobster

What could be more authentic than seafood served in the environs of fake portholes, fishing nets, and nautical memorabilia? You could only hope the hot girls from your high school that worked here didn't end up serving your dysfunctional family on dad's birthday.

Panera Bread

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America's favorite meeting place for casual job interviews, homework sessions continually interrupted by text messages, and pyramid scheme pitches... it turns out the food isn't that good.

Don Pablo's

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Fake Mexican food served in a fake Mexican plaza... Because your suburban parents were too scared to drive to a Latino neighborhood

Perkins

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A former shelter for underage smokers