So, I love chain restaurants and think just about any story you can think of can be set in a chain restaurant. I'm writing a new short story. It's a zombie attack at a chain restaurant. Which one would you go with for my story or for any other story and why? I look forward to your responses.
Best according to what parameters? There are thousands of chain restaurants all around the world and they would all bring something different to the story. I'm not sure any one would be definitively the best, but the choice would certainly influence the story. The characters would be of a certain demographic according to the type of restaurant, so I would start off by deciding which characters you want, and then choose a restaurant to match their demographics.
I just thought posting this could be a fun discussion. Of course, I can just write my own story. But aren't we here to talk shop and things like this. I thought it could be interesting to see what people say. Feel free to not participate or feel free to call me out for starting a stupid thread. Your call. I see the latter is off to an early read.
Um, ok. I misunderstood your intention, and thought you were asking for advice about the story you were writing, so I tried to offer some input. I'm not sure that really warranted this reaction, but ok
Or maybe Chick Fil A... aren't they the ones that are closed on Sundays for religious observations? Might be able to conflate the resurrection of Jesus with the rise of the undead or something. Of course, they don't serve alcohol there, which might limit some of the gags you can use when zombies invade a restaurant.
McBurger Fried Way. Can't be sued for using trademarks if people have to fight over who's stuff you've taken.
Sure, people can sue anyone for anything, but using a real chain restaurant in my fiction isn't going to be something that gets me in trouble, and I do speak from experience on this. But thanks for your suggestion. I want to use a chain, though. I like that it's familiar to people already. That's sort of the appeal.
What kind of setting are you going for? If we're talking down n dirty, Burger King or McDonalds. A Beacon of light and hope for humanity? In-N-out. Something for a political satire? Subway. Flamboyant? Taco Bell. Big cast? TGI Friday's. Classy? Olive Garden or Red Lobster...
Mmmm... I want chain food. So, I've started the story. Thanks for all the suggestions. I haven't named the place yet. Still trying to figure out which place would work best. I have made it a restaurant attached to a shopping mall. I could scratch that, but the idea of tired shoppers throwing back those frozen drinks is somewhat appealing. Man, this is going to be my best story ever. Should it be something in the food that makes people zombies? Like maybe that onion thing that is quite popular?
Costco food court. Because then you would get the rest of Costco. Imagine the mayhem you could cause with traps with all the things you have access to. Plus like five years worth of frozen foods.
I actually muse to myself every time I'm in Costco that it's where I would try to get to during a zombie outbreak.
Depends on what purpose the chain restaurant has in the story. This one is a real restaurant but not one many not from the South will recognize: Coon Chicken Inn. It's no longer in business. I have a plate with their logo
Sorry, @Spencer1990, but this stories going to you. You would be surprised how many people are not a fan of zombie stories. But I like to think new life for the undead. LOL. Thanks so much!
I'd go with someplace beloved in a local area. "Taco Johns" in Chicago is my pick, partly because it is delicious, and partly because the name is funny.
Interestingly enough, we've talked about fighting a zombie apocalypse in just about every restaurant I've worked at. Mainly because a horde of zombies would seem easy to fend off in comparison to the normal crowd of hoopleheads. I always figured we would stand back to back, stun ongoing with the pepper mill, and then stab them in the eye with the ticket spindle for the kill shot. Plus we'd have plenty of food and booze to survive for a few weeks, though we'd likely need to use some of the booze for flame based weapons. The other popular discussion is who among us we would kill and eat first if we ran out of food. Invariably we would all agree on the laziest member of the crew.
Would that be a giant, Rubirosa pepper mill? If so, that'd knock them out pretty well! If zombies can be knocked out, that is. Not sure... Eww! I love the ticket spindle to the eye!
Should they order that onion thing? I'm in the restaurant ready to place the order. What's the best food to eat before a zombie attack? Drinks too?
Good question... and not a lot of data to work with. Pizza? It would probably be wise to try the safest, most universally appealing foods first and then gradually branch into the exotic. ETA: thinking about it more, pizza might make you sluggish, whereas something more healthy might give you more energy. But then you might get hungry faster and that would slow my ass down for sure.
