Damn, I love me some Steak 'n' Shake. But not enough to drive all the way over to Turkey Creek. I wish we had one over here in our neck of Sprawlville.

My family is intimidating enough to make the most seasoned restaurant personnel swear off food, but we have never been treated anything but wonderful at the Turkey Creek "Steak 'n' Shake". I love their shakes and their fries are fun but I'm not a fan of the rest of their food. The children love it though.

I realize that not everyone can be sufficiently morally evolved to be a vegetarian, so I'm not going to hassle you about the steak, but the shaking thing has got to stop!  The butterfly wing / hurricane causality has long been documented, so what do you think all the natural air currents disturbed by all that shaking are going to do?  You just caused the next Katrina, asshole.   I hope you can sleep at night!

I think Oren is on to something here.

It appears strip-mall restaruant reviews are the universal prime vector for discussion of any topic, and generate the most, uh, thoughtful and insightful conversations.

Therefore, I think we need a new rule at KnoxViews that all blog posts must be framed in the context of a strip-mall restaurant review, using Oren's post here as a guideline.

how you got there? Was it the Hummer H2 or Hummer H3?

Good stuff, Oren.

And, hey, even when the food's bad it's always good to take a Trip to Turkey Creek. 

Hey, Les, why don't we just call each other assholes and get it over with. - Somebody on the old Southknoxbubba.net (if that was you, claim your quote and win net.fame!)

I dislike sprawl as much as the next guy but I have a Turkey Creek fetish, especially for the new Pinacle, it has an outside of Knoxville feel with all the fountains and music. You can actually buy some cheap goods out there. You can't beat Ross for Less for discounted namebrand clothes. I went in the Mast today. Didn't look at prices but the atmosphere is great, the place was packed and Haslam was greating folks, seriously a great vibe and no sprawl. Stacey

Cathy and Stacey: It's a joke.  But I agree about the new KP Hardee's, it rules.

Me: It was an old military-issue Hummer, and I left the snow chains on the tires ("Woo-Hoo!  Look at that pavement fly!")

Here are some restaurant review-framed posts I anticipate writing soon:

-- Litton's (the overlooked sprawl up Broadway, and early Knoxville
annexation issues)

-- Taco Bell on Cumberland (immigration)

-- Mandarin House (import/export regulations and China's human rights
record)

-- Chik-fil-A (religion in American life) 

"I thought I saw the light at the end of the tunnel, but it turned out to be a bastard with a torch, bringing me more work." - The Office

I'd be interested to see people's comments on what constitutes "incompetent" or simply "bad" service. Where do you draw the line, what straw breaks the camel's back, what tips you over the cliche border from "good" or "decent" to "hostile" and "idiotic"?

Whew!  I thought I'd never get through all those comments.  I need to run out for a dozen Krystal gut bombs.

As a side note . . . did you know that Mike Hammer always ate in diners because Mickey Spillane had trouble spelling restaurant?

"How c-could you?" she gasped.
I only had a moment before talking to a corpse, but I got it in.
"It was easy," I said.

Nothing is good or bad but thinking makes it so - Willie the Barde

For my money and taste, Bone Fish has the greatest food there. Top rated service, appetizers, entries, and cold brew!

The Bang-Bang Shrimp is a wonderful way to start out.

My approval of your Steak 'n' Shake review depends on how much you spent shopping at Wal*M*rt afterwards.   JIMHFO.

A couple of years ago, on our way to purchase a used car, my wife and I drove past that Steak and Shake. We weren't planning to stop and eat, and when we saw their readerboard, which read, "It's a meal" we weren't impressed.

Steak 'n' Shake is not to impress, it is. Smashed burger, Cincinnatti chili, good shakes. I'm there.

I love this place!! Happy hour from 2-4 means 1/2 price milkshakes for me now. Even better!

I try to support locally-owned restaurants.

Tomato Head (in Maryville too, if you get stranded there)
Sunspot (good burgers, too)
Creamery (Fountain City)
Glowing Bowl (liquid meal in a cup)
China City (Asheville Pike, especially for the Mu-Shu and dumplings)
I Love NY Pizza (Chapman Highway)
Elidio's (Callahan Drive)
Holy Land (falafel sandwich)

After years of eating in mostly chain restaurants I was reassigned to the Pentagon where chain restaurants are difficult to find. I was forced to eat in the mom and pop restaurants and love it! Today I eat in chain restaurants less than once a month.