To make Garten's weeknight Bolognese for 4-5, you'll need:

• 1 pound of dried pasta, such as orecchiette or small shells
• 1 pound of lean ground sirloin
• 1 28-ounce can of crushed tomatoes
• 1 ¼ cups of dry red wine, divided
• ¼ cup of heavy cream
• ¼ cup of chopped fresh basil leaves, lightly packed
• 4 cloves of minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons of tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon of dried oregano
• ¼ teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes
• ¼ teaspoon of nutmeg
• Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

When it comes to the canned tomatoes, it should be noted that Garten strongly recommends using the San Marzano variety. The "Barefoot Contessa" star is not a fan of plain canned tomatoes.

But Garten does allow for other adjustments. The point, after all, is for this recipe to be pantry-friendly.

You can substitute the sirloin for any ground meat or chopped mushrooms. Garten says it's also fine to "use any dried pasta that you like" for this dish, and that it's OK to skip the cream and basil if you don't have any on hand.

I minced my garlic and chopped my basil.

I heated 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat and added my meat to the pan.

I used a wooden spoon to crumble the meat, stirring it occasionally. Garten's recipe recommends cooking the meat for five to seven minutes, until it's no longer pink.

I threw in my minced garlic, along with the dried oregano and red pepper flakes.

After letting the seasoned meat cook for one minute, I poured 1 cup of red wine into the skillet.

Garten's recipe specifies using a dry red wine. A quick Google search showed that I could pick a cabernet sauvignon, pinot noir, or merlot — I went with a pinot.

After pouring the wine, I used my wooden spoon to stir everything together.

I couldn't find crushed San Marzano tomatoes at my local supermarket, so I had to get peeled ones instead. I ran the tomatoes through a food processor before I threw them into the pan, but you could easily use your hands.

After adding the tomato paste, I seasoned everything with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Once it began to bubble, I lowered the heat and allowed the pan to simmer for 10 minutes while I got a separate pot of water going for my pasta. (Don't forget to add salt!)

I added fresh basil leaves, along with the nutmeg and heavy cream.

The sauce smelled delicious and had turned into a comforting deep-red color.

After 10 minutes, the pasta was ready.

Per Garten's instructions, I made sure to save my pasta water.

Then, I started mixing everything together.

Bolognese is my favorite type of pasta, so I had some pretty high hopes going into this — and Garten delivered.

The "Barefoot Contessa" star has a knack for giving classic recipes a new twist, and her weeknight Bolognese is no exception. The shells are the perfect vehicle for this dish, catching all of the flavorful sauce so you can have some in every bite.

The nutmeg in the Bolognese nicely balances the kick from the red pepper flakes, and the freshly grated Parmesan cheese I added on top melted beautifully into the warm sauce.

My family, who helped me test the recipe, only had rave reviews.

"It's a very meaty, very hearty pasta," my dad said. "Perfect."

"I really enjoy how the pasta holds onto the sauce," my sister added. "With every spoonful, you get a good amount of meat and a good amount of pasta."

I'll definitely be adding Ina's weeknight Bolognese (along with her five-cheese penne pasta) to my comfort-food repertoire.

Unsurprisingly, Chili's was just as crowded around 6 p.m. on a Friday as it was the last time we visited. This time, though, there was no wait to be seated.

Within seconds of walking in the doors, we were at a table looking over the Chili's menu.

Truly, I find the menu at Chili's a little all over the place, with a variety of cuisines and options that almost feels overwhelming.

Things I'd expect to be on a neighborhood-grill-style menu are there, like burgers and chicken tenders, but there's also seafood, salads, quesadillas, steaks, and pasta dishes.

The drink menu feels pretty extensive with lots of colorful cocktails, themed margaritas, and beers.

Still, although it seems to me that Chili's is trying a little too hard to be everything to everyone, the crowd size during our visit indicates the chain's doing something right.

We're signed up for the Chili's My Rewards loyalty program, which costs nothing to join and includes perks like a free birthday dessert and special savings offers throughout the year.

My Rewards member can choose between a free non-alcoholic beverage or free chips and salsa at each visit. We chose the latter

The appetizer at Chili's is usually around $7, so it's a nice freebie to split across the table while waiting for entrees. It wasn't bad or super memorable.

While we snacked on our chips and salsa, we ordered a round of drinks — sodas ($3 each) for my son, his girlfriend, and I, and an $8 beer for my husband.

The restaurant was only getting busier by the time we'd ordered our meals.

I was surprised by the mix of clientele, from young women in their 20s who were dressed for a Friday night out to families with little kids to elderly patrons dining together in groups.

On a trip to the bathroom, I spotted lots of brightly-colored, giant-sized margaritas, too — a true sign you've landed at a Chili's.

TikTok loves the Chili's Triple Dipper. The dish has thousands of posts with millions of views on the platform, and people seem to love ordering it for its customizability.

It's meant to be an appetizer, but it contains enough food for a person to order as their meal. It consists of a pick-your-own selection of any three appetizers from the menu.

Earlier that day, my son was already anticipating his Triple Dipper, telling my husband he was "so hyped" to order one that night.

His choice of appetizers in the $18 platter? Big Mouth Bites cheeseburger sliders, fried mozzarella, and fries.

Although he loved everything in his Triple Dipper, he said he'd skip the fries next time since they cost less and aren't as filling as other appetizer options.

To get the most value for his money and add protein to the meal, he'd keep the sliders and mozzarella sticks but add chicken tenders as his third item.

My son's girlfriend chose a $15 platter with four Chicken Crisper chicken tenders, fries, and white-cheddar macaroni and cheese.

She enjoyed the meal, and since that's exactly what I ordered the last time I visited Chili's, I knew how delicious it was firsthand.

I'll give Chili's this: The chain serves really well-battered, crispy chicken tenders — probably some of my favorites from a chain restaurant.

Diners can also customize their tenders by having them tossed in sauces like honey chipotle or Nashville hot.

There are an impressive amount of options for dipping sauces to pair with them, too, from standards like honey mustard and ranch to unique-to-Chili's dips like Sweet Chili Zing and Buffalo Ranch.

Out of curiosity — and because we're focusing on a low-gluten, high-protein diet — my husband and I ordered the most expensive dish on the Chili's menu to share.

Chili's Fajitas For Two comes with four meat portions (we chose two portions of steak, and one each of chicken and shrimp), rice, black beans, tortillas, and fixings like sour cream, cheese, and pico de gallo.

The $40 entree came out hot and sizzling, and the fajita meats and grilled bell peppers and onions were delicious. The roasted jalapeño on top was flavorful and spicy, a nice contrast to the cool sour cream and shredded cheese.

Overall, we liked our meal, but I'd feel better about spending my money on fajitas at one of the mom-and-pop Mexican restaurants in our town rather than a chain restaurant.

Our meal, which cost just under $100 before tip, felt reasonably priced.

However, there are plenty of other spots (including other chains) where I'd prefer to spend the same amount on dinner for a Friday night out.

Both times I've eaten at Chili's, I felt the food was tasty enough, but not super memorable (aside from those yummy chicken tenders, of course).

I wish I could say I fully understand the Chili's hype, but it's still just not my favorite chain restaurant.

Still, Chili's is popular with teenagers these days, and I love getting to share a meal with my son and his girlfriend and just talk.

As parents of two teens, my husband and I are always trying to find little ways to understand what they enjoy, so if hitting a crowded Chili's on a Friday night and bonding over Triple Dippers and sizzling fajitas is what they want to do, we're only too happy to oblige.

Highroller may have started out as a simple hot-dog cart, but it has since grown into an institution in the heart of Portland. In its Best of 2024 Awards, Portland Old Port named Highroller Lobster Co. the best lobster roll in the city, making it a must-try spot on my list.

Located on Exchange Street, the building's exterior beckoned me with its can't-miss-it red branding and playful sidewalk sign.

In addition to indoor and outdoor dining, guests can also order takeout or grab some merch at the restaurant's adjoining gift shop.

The restaurant had an ordering stand where you could place orders with an employee, as well as QR codes on every table that allowed you to place orders online and have them delivered to your table.

The design style of the dining room reminded me of a '50s diner, with a modern twist thanks to the black wood floors and glittering disco ball overhead. It was a warm day, so I decided to sit out on the back patio to eat my lunch.

The Highroller Lobster Co. was unique in that practically every element of the lobster roll was customizable, from the amount of lobster meat to different flavors of mayonnaise and other sauces, such as mango habanero mayo, garlic mayo, and lobster ghee.

However, for the sake of this ranking, I decided to keep it classic.

I ordered the 4-ounce lobster roll with regular mayonnaise. The lobster roll cost $30, excluding tax and tip.

While I do like mayonnaise, and don't really have a preference when it comes to Maine-style versus Connecticut-style lobster rolls, I thought there was just a touch too much mayonnaise on this roll.

It also veered on the thick-and-gloopy side, rather than simply dressing the lobster meat.

I thought the mayonnaise covered up a lot of the flavor of the lobster meat itself, which was a shame considering the meat was juicy and thick. However, the toasted bun had a delightful crispiness to it and held the roll together perfectly.

Overall, it was a solid lobster roll, just not quite my favorite.

Portland Lobster Company has been nominated multiple times by Portland Old Port for the best lobster roll category. It has won multiple "Best in Portland" awards in the past, including best lobster roll and best place to take out-of-towners.

Centrally located to many of Portland's biggest attractions, from dockside dining to boat tours, the restaurant was right on the water.

I could imagine this was a very popular spot for tourists to grab lunch since it was right on the pier on one of the busiest streets in the city.

A live band was playing on the outdoor deck. By far, this spot had the most classic New England atmosphere, from the casual seating to the ordering counter and tables overlooking the Portland pier.

The menu said the lobster roll was made with meat from a one-pound lobster brushed with sweet butter. The lobster meat came on a classic roll with lettuce, lemon wedges, and fries on the side.

It was labeled on the menu as market price, but I got it for $29.99, excluding tax.

No other ingredients, like the mayonnaise in the last roll, were competing with the lobster to be the star of the show. I liked the warm butter, which coated the bun and enhanced its flavor.

However, while the lobster meat did have a nice flavor, I thought the texture was just a touch on the rubbery side.

This lobster roll was a good, classic sandwich I could see myself getting again the next time I'm in Portland. It hit many of the marks, especially when it came to price and the restaurant's ambiance.

However, there wasn't anything especially unique about this lobster roll. While Highroller wasn't my favorite either, I at least appreciated that they were taking some risks with their flavor offerings. At Portland Lobster Company, there was only one way to order this roll — and it wasn't even served in the classic Maine style with mayonnaise.

To me, the best part of choosing this spot was the location. From the convenience of being located right downtown to the waterside seating and seagulls cawing overhead, I couldn't imagine a better spot to grab a lobster roll.

Named by Food & Wine as offering the best sandwich in Maine, Bite Into Maine has multiple locations in the area, including a food truck near Portland Head Light, the oldest lighthouse in Maine, in Cape Elizabeth.

We stopped by the location in Munjoy Hill, the restaurant's only brick-and-mortar location.

The restaurant looked like a shipping container and was located next to other businesses. The overall vibe of this part of town felt industrial, rather than the historic, classic New England feel I got downtown.

I ordered at the counter and waited at a nearby table for my name to be called. The restaurant was bright and clean.

However, I missed some of that classic seaside feel I got at Portland Lobster Company and the other locations. I could have been anywhere in the country, from Ohio to Maine, inside this restaurant.

I ordered the 6-ounce Maine lobster roll for $31.95, plus tax.

Even though the Maine-style roll is served with mayonnaise, all the buns at Bite Into Maine are butter-grilled, which I thought gave me the best of both worlds.

It came topped with green onion, which made the lobster roll beautiful to look at. The lobster meat was perfectly dressed with mayonnaise — it was light and fresh and enhanced the flavor rather than detracting from it.

I thought the extra-large size was definitely enough to feed two people.

I had no complaints about the lobster roll and thought the price was worth the amount of meat it contained.

However, I couldn't get over the fast-food feel of the restaurant, even though I know this was just my personal preference. When I'm in Maine, eating a classic lobster roll, I want to really feel that vibe.

The next time I come back to Maine, I'll stop by one of the chain's food trucks, especially the one near Portland Head Light. I think that would dramatically improve my experience, and could even take this lobster roll all the way to the top of my ranking.

Cousins Maine Lobster is one of the most recognizable lobster brands in the country, with more than 50 locations across 28 states. The only Maine location is a food truck located in Fort Williams State Park, a popular site for Portland visitors and the location of the oldest lighthouse in Maine.

The Maine location is temporarily closed as of the time of this story's publication, but you can still grab a roll at Cousins Maine locations across the country.

In addition to lobster rolls, the food truck offers other menu items, such as lobster tacos and lobster tater tots, which appeared to be popular options for families wanting to split something.

Situated right at the base of the lighthouse, the food truck was in proximity to walking trails and spots to look out over Portland Harbor and Maine's rugged coastline. It didn't get any more New England than this.

The lobster roll came with a lemon wedge and was served chilled on a roll with a "touch of mayo," the menu on the side of the food truck stated. It cost $23.99, excluding tax.

To me, this lobster roll exemplified the best of what makes a classic lobster roll good, as well as an excellent location and price.

The large pieces of lobster meat practically melted in my mouth, and I thought the light smearing of mayonnaise inside the roll brought it all together.

From the prime seaside location to the price and the classic nature of this lobster roll, it truly did hit all of the marks.

My only complaint, however, was with the roll. I think I preferred the butteriness of some of the other rolls, and while this one was adequate, it wasn't my favorite.

The Portland Pier location is Luke's Lobster's flagship location, though the chain actually started in New York City with a tiny lobster shack.

There are now restaurants all across the northeast, but the Portland restaurant is well known for its dockside location with panoramic views of the harbor.

It's also gained quite a reputation around town. In 2023, local residents voted it the best lobster roll in Portland.

When I told locals I would be trying different lobster rolls and determining the best one, nearly all of them had the same question: "Have you been to Luke's yet?"

This certainly set the stage for what I hoped would be a memorable lobster roll.

There was lots of seating inside and outside the restaurant when I went on a weekend, so I think it's pretty easy to get a table — something that's valuable when it comes to peak tourism season in Portland.

Inside the restaurant was clean, modern, and bright, but warm wooden accents and views of the water prevented the space from feeling clinical.

It came with chips and a pickle on the side and was available in two different sizes.

Like the other places I tried, I ordered the largest size available, which was the 6-ounce roll. It cost $39, excluding tax, making it the most expensive roll I tried, but I thought it was worth it. Succulent lobster meat was practically spilling out of the bun.

Luke's signature seasoning is made with celery seed powder, sea salt, and garlic powder.

The seasoning on top of the roll really amplified the salty, briny flavor, giving this lobster roll a unique taste.

The meat was succulent and plentiful, and though there was a light mayonnaise dressing holding the meat together, the lobster really spoke for itself. The bun was crispy, and I thought the chips also had a delightful crispy texture that complemented the roll.

From the location to the price to the roll itself, Luke's Lobster really impressed me. It was classic with a unique twist, and the harbor views made me feel like a Mainer.

They are priced at $2.99, excluding tax.

The paper wrapper showed what kind of wrap was inside, either the spicy version or the ranch version.

Both the spicy and ranch Snack Wraps are made with McDonald's new chicken tenders, shredded lettuce, and shredded cheese.

This time, however, it's made with the chain's new chicken tenders, which launched in May.

The ranch sauce was rich and flavorful, and coated every inch of the chicken tender, tortilla, and toppings.

The creamy ranch balanced out the fresh-tasting lettuce and the crispy chicken tender, while the tortilla held it all together for easy snacking on the go.

This is the newest iteration of the Snack Wrap. When Snack Wraps first left the menu in 2016, they were available with a ranch or honey-mustard sauce.

When I opened this wrap, a pretty generous amount of sauce was slathered on the chicken tenders, shredded cheese, and shredded lettuce.

I was impressed by the size of these wraps. Despite being snack-sized, I found one of the wraps filling enough for a quick and easy lunch.

The spicy sauce did pack a punch — it didn't leave my mouth tingling from the heat, but it had enough kick to justify the spicy name.

That said, I wish there had been more sauce. Some bites were completely dry and lacked any of the spicy, savory sauce.

For a quick, reasonably healthy lunch, these wraps deliver. Crispy chicken, bold flavors, and a budget-friendly price — no wonder fans have been demanding their comeback for years.

The wraps are priced at $3.99, excluding tax. They're available in three different flavors: classic, spicy, and honey mustard.

Popeyes doesn't have custom wrappings for each kind of wrap. Instead, the different flavors were written in pen on the paper wrapping.

While the McDonald's tortilla was thick and held the wraps together perfectly, the wraps I got from Popeyes were made a bit more haphazardly.

I was worried that if I were truly on the go, they might fall apart.

The wrap is made with one of Popeyes' chicken tenders, mayonnaise, shredded cheese, lettuce, and pickles.

The classic wrap's flavor profile, thanks to the mayonnaise and crunchy pickle slices, somewhat reminded me of the chain's famous chicken sandwich.

While I thought the chicken tender was crunchy and juicy, and I loved the addition of the pickles, the mayonnaise lacked flavor compared to McDonald's ranch-smothered wrap.

McDonald's used to sell a honey-mustard version of its Snack Wrap, but that flavor didn't make its way back onto menus this time around.

The pickles and tangy honey mustard packed a lot of flavor into this wrap, while the chicken tender was thick and filling.

I would love to see McDonald's bring back a honey mustard version of its Snack Wrap to compare the two.

While the McDonald's tortilla was thick and had a wheaty flavor, the Popeyes tortilla tasted noticeably dry and bland.

However, when it came to the other elements of the spicy wraps — from the lettuce to the amount of sauce — I thought Popeyes far surpassed McDonald's.

It packed enough heat to be both flavorful and manageable, and the pickles added the perfect balance of texture.

Out of all five wraps I tried from both chains, this is the one I'm dying to order again.

While I'm still dreaming about Popeyes' spicy chicken wrap, the chain overall fell short compared to McDonald's in terms of value and the quality of the tortilla used in the wraps.

Popeyes' chicken wraps cost $1 more than the Snack Wraps, but they're pretty comparable in terms of size and ingredients.

I liked the addition of pickles in the Popeyes wraps and the sheer amount of sauce used in the spicy wrap, but it wasn't enough to justify the higher price tag.

While I'll definitely order both chains' chicken wraps again, I walked away thinking that the Snack Wrap is iconic for a reason. Other chains' attempts to replicate its magic are in for an uphill battle.

From left to right (in descending size order), I tried lemonades from Wendy's, Burger King, Chick-fil-A, McDonald's, Sonic, and Panera.

I opted for a medium or regular size from each location. When chains offered different flavors of lemonade, I went for the classic option.

Wendy's actually has an entire lemonade menu, called Dave's Craft Lemonade Menu, which offers four kinds of lemonade: Tangerine Twist (new this summer), Pineapple Mango, Strawberry, and All-Natural, which is what I ordered.

A medium lemonade at my local Wendy's on Long Island cost $3.69. At 32 fluid ounces, it was the largest drink of the six, and technically the best value.

This didn't taste bad, exactly, just bland. Fans of seltzers like La Croix and Spindrift might prefer this lemonade, since it wasn't overly sweet — it just tasted very watery.

This might also be a result of the cup's size. It required a lot of ice to fill up, which could've watered my drink down a bit.

Wendy's did not respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.

I ordered a regular Agave Lemonade from Panera, which cost $3.29. It was one of the smallest cups of lemonade I bought, at 20 fluid ounces.

According to Panera's menu, its lemonade contains "lemon juice, sugar, agave nectar, and water " — and no artificial sweeteners.

Maybe I've just had one too many margaritas, but the agave taste was not for me, and the aftertaste was even worse. It was so sugary that I felt like a cavity spontaneously formed in one of my molars.

Between its sweetness and relatively small size, I can't recommend this lemonade, but maybe agave lovers would enjoy it.

Panera did not respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.

Sonic has a ton of lemonades and limeades to try, including cherry, strawberry, cranberry, blueberry lavender, dragonberry, and more.

I paid $4.29 for a medium All Natural Lemonade at Sonic, which is 20 fluid ounces. That made this the most expensive and one of the smallest lemonades I tried.

I think this was one of the sweetest lemonades I tried, but I didn't hate it.

What really puts this at No. 4, though, is the value. It was more money for less liquid.

Sonic did not respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.

As a kind of control group, I wanted to add a chain that doesn't have a proprietary lemonade recipe and instead uses a mass-produced brand like Minute Maid.

A medium lemonade at Burger King cost me $2.59 for 30 fluid ounces, making it the cheapest one on this list.

This was a perfectly average cup of fast-food lemonade. It was a bit sweet and artificial tasting, but it was essentially what I expected from Minute Maid and Burger King.

The value is what bumped this up to No. 3.

Burger King did not respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.

A medium lemonade at Chick-fil-A set me back $3.42 for 20 fluid ounces.

Typically, I'm not a pulp person. However, it surprised me to have some lemon pulp in my lemonade, and it made me feel like I was drinking a freshly squeezed cup of lemonade — it tasted like it, too.

Besides the texture, my other complaint about Chick-fil-A's lemonade was that my ice melted way too quickly. It was almost entirely gone by the time I got home — and it wasn't just because it was a hot day; all the other lemonades I had remained full of ice.

Chick-fil-A uses nugget ice, which is essentially small, chewable pellets of ice. Sonic uses that ice too, but for some reason — maybe the cup? — its ice stayed intact. The other chains used normal cubes or crushed ice, which also did not melt as quickly.

Chick-fil-A did not respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.

In April, McDonald's replaced the Minute Maid lemonade it had been using with a new offering called Premium Lemonade.

The Premium Lemonade has "lemon juice, lemon pulp, and cane sugar" in it, the chain said at the time.

I paid $2.89 for a medium, which is 21 fluid ounces.

I took a sip of this and immediately thought to myself, "This is what lemonade should taste like."

It was crisp, not too sweet, not too bitter, had the perfect amount of ice, and tasted like a sip of summertime.

And at $2.89, it was the second-cheapest lemonade I tried. You can't go wrong with this option.

McDonald's did not respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.

All these lemonades have something to offer, whether it's a cheap price, varied levels of sweetness, different types of ice, or different types of sweetener.

But, if I had to pick one, McDonald's would be my recommendation for anyone in search of a cool glass of lemonade on a hot summer's day.

The restaurant I went to is located in Newcastle upon Tyne, which I was visiting to see my parents at Easter.

Newcastle is in the north east of England, about 250 miles north of London as the crow flies.

There are two other Hooters in the UK: one in Nottingham, and one in Liverpool.

Alongside a folksy faux "wanted" sign appealing for customers was a framed photo of some staff posing with a gaggle of young children.

I was also struck by the wide array of merch available. I'm a big fan of the tendency of pretty much every business in the US to sell some kind of branded apparel, and promptly bought myself a T-shirt. Even more promptly, my partner prohibited me from ever leaving the house wearing it.

While lots of restaurants offer similar deals, it was nice to see Hooters embrace being family-friendly. It certainly seemed to be working when I visited at around 8 p.m., with two families with preteen kids eating dinner.

Located a three-minute walk from Newcastle's cathedral, Hooters couldn't be any more central.

Newcastle is a city renowned for lots of things: its history of shipbuilding, producing globally successful musicians like Sting — and its soccer club, Newcastle United.

It's possibly most famous within the UK, however, for its nightlife. The city has a reputation as a great location for stag and hen parties — the UK equivalent of bachelor and bachelorettes — thanks to its abundance of cheap and hospitable late-night bars.

As well as being extremely central, the restaurant is also located on a street called the Bigg Market, an area with a reputation for attracting the worst of the city's drunken revellers.

The location, twinned with the forefronting of the family-friendly ethos, struck me as slightly odd and a little contradictory. Why open your restaurant right in the heart of partyland, a place where few families are likely to visit, while also very visibly trying to attract families?

This question intensified late on in my visit when, during a particularly exciting moment in a Manchester United soccer match being shown, one customer — perhaps intoxicated by both booze and sporting loyalty — sprinted round the restaurant screaming in support of his team.

As my colleague Alex Bitter noted when he visited a US Hooters recently, Neil Kiefer, the chief executive of Hooters' founding group, HMC Hospitality Group, has recently placed an emphasis on being more family-friendly.

While the Hooters in Newcastle is not operated by HMC, this could explain the confused messaging.

Not only was it spacious, airy, and very clean, but the staff were — as expected for a business that prides itself on its friendly servers — absolutely delightful.

Plenty of TVs showing an array of sports dotted the walls, as did lots and lots of "fun" signs, including mottos such as "Tans fade, but wings are forever," and a cartoon of Marge Simpson dressed in a Hooters uniform.

I'd taken the precaution of booking a table, something that seemed to slightly throw the waitress who greeted us given the 200-seat location only had about 25 customers in it when we arrived.

Michelle, clad in Hooters' famous tank top and orange hot pants, immediately delivered us pint glasses filled with iced water, something you get in virtually every restaurant in the US, but is fairly rare in Britain.

She briefly explained the menu to us, before leaving us to our own devices … for roughly three minutes.

If you're looking for discreet and quiet service, Hooters is not the place for you. Our server came to our table every few minutes to check how we were doing and asked if we'd like to order no less than four times in the first 15 minutes after we sat down.

We Brits are used to a certain cool disinterest from our waiters, in contrast to the exuberant friendliness of American servers.

This is largely down to the difference in tipping culture between our two nations. While tipping and service charges are becoming much more common in the UK, unlike in the US, our service staff don't rely on tips to ensure a livable income.

I'm skeptical of Hooters in the UK for this very reason. Because servers aren't working for tips, there's simply less incentive for the staff to be overtly friendly and engaging, possibly undermining one of its key selling points. That said, it didn't seem to be the case with our server.

A pitcher of beer arrived ice-cold in just a couple of minutes, and our food order was taken very promptly.

From burgers to ribs to loaded nachos and even shrimp, there's something for everyone, and prices are pretty reasonable.

While wings are certainly a thing in the UK, they're nowhere near as popular here as they are in the States.

Hooters wings in the UK come with a choice of nine sauces and four rubs of varying spice levels, running the gamut from Parmesan garlic to spicy garlic, which carried a warning of being "really, really hot."

This reminded me a little of the heat options at Britain's legendary chicken chain, Nando's.

For our 20 bone-in wings, which cost us £16.99 (roughly $22.50), we opted for the medium.

Costing £10.99 ($14.50) we got them tossed in a cajun honey sauce.

It was my first time trying boneless wings — which aren't actually wings, but glorified chicken nuggets. They were delicious: tender, juicy, and with a nice sweet and spicy kick from the Cajun honey.

The regular wings were pretty darn good too. I've eaten my fair share of wings in both the UK and US, and these were a fine example. Crispy on the outside but with soft, yielding flesh on the inside, and importantly, generously sauced.

Tater tots don't really exist in the UK, so there was a definite novelty to ordering what the menu called "Lots-A-Tots."

The tots for £7.99 (about $10.60) were very good, topped with melted American cheese, sour cream, scallions, and bacon bits. I'm sure if you've had tater tots before, these would have been nothing special, but they scored big points on novelty alone.

All in all, the food at Hooters was substantially better than I expected. Would I tell all my friends to rush down there? Probably not. But would I happily go back for some wings and a couple of beers? Absolutely.

For the sake of testing every part of the menu, I asked my dining companions to order a couple of cocktails. They opted for a classic margarita and a Sea Breeze, which featured vodka, cranberry juice, grapefruit juice, and lime.

The verdict? Too sweet, and not nearly boozy enough.

I just couldn't really work out the target market. The location and the general concept of the restaurant seemed to be geared toward straight, sports-loving men, but the signage and promotions seemed geared to attracting families.

Sure, these two demographics can probably coexist, but do groups of men want small children hanging around while they watch soccer, and do parents want drunk, rowdy men swearing and drinking near their kids? Probably not.

I don't doubt that the Hooters location in Newcastle, which opened earlier this year, will be a success. "Geordies" love eating and drinking, and its prime location sets it up well for success.

Beyond that, however, it's not hard to see why the mixed messaging at the heart of the brand's modern identity has confused some customers, and left some pundits questioning where Hooters fits in modern dining.

Hooters didn't respond to a request for comment.

Pizza Pizza is a quick-service pizza joint that has been around since 1967. According to the company's website, there are more than 750 locations across Canada.

I stopped by a location in Vancouver's West Point Grey neighborhood on a sunny early evening. Inside, the store was decorated with orange accents, from ceiling beams to strip lighting.

I didn't see any other customers during my visit.

I live in New York City, so I wasn't expecting to be blown away by a slice from a fast-food chain.

The mozzarella on the slice, sourced from Canadian farmers, tasted fresh. However, the sauce was a bit too sweet for me, the crust was thicker and chewier than I like, and I thought it lacked crispiness and flavor.

I ate about 75% of this slice before tossing the rest on my way out. Although it was a good deal, I wouldn't eat at Pizza Pizza again.

Mary Brown's Chicken was established in 1969 and has more than 270 locations in Canada, according to the company's website.

I had lunch at the fried chicken chain's East Vancouver location and spotted 50-pound sacks of locally sourced potatoes, which are hand-cut and fried in-store.

Some customers stopped in to pick up orders, while others ordered at the counter and dined in, like I did.

My meal included three pieces of bone-in chicken breaded with an over-50-year-old recipe, a side of "taters" (potato wedges), and a small coleslaw.

The chicken was everything I hoped it would be — moist and flavorful with a crispy outer shell. I liked the seasoning on the taters, but they tasted a bit dry to me. I'm not a fan of coleslaw, so I skipped it.

Although the sides didn't satisfy me, the chicken was so good that I would definitely return. So Mary Brown's Chicken takes the middle slot in my ranking.

Owned by White Spot Hospitality, Triple O's opened in Vancouver in 1997, according to the company's website. Today, the fast-food chain — which serves burgers, breakfast, sandwiches, and shakes — has 70 locations across British Columbia, Alberta, and Ontario.

I had an early lunch at the Triple O's in Vancouver's Kitsilano neighborhood, where many customers shuffled in and out throughout my visit.

My meal included a cheeseburger with iceberg lettuce, tomatoes, and a secret sauce. It also came with a long pickle slice that I stuffed inside the sandwich, fries with a side of gravy, and a soda.

The burger was juicy and flavorful, complemented by the tangy sauce, crispy lettuce, and fresh-tasting tomatoes. Unlike many fast-food burgers, the bread didn't feel like an afterthought. The thick bun was chewy inside, and the toasted exterior protected it from sogginess.

I thought the fries, made from locally sourced potatoes, were the best in the fast-food game. They were thick and soft inside with a crispy outer layer, and the gravy made them taste like Thanksgiving dinner.

I savored every bit of this meal. By the end, I was fairly certain it was the best fast-food meal I'd ever had. I'll return to Triple O's whenever I visit the Canadian provinces it serves.

The sauce is made with ingredients like tomato, molasses, and hickory smoke.

It cost $4.19 for an 18-ounce bottle at my local Key Food supermarket in Brooklyn, New York.

The texture was more watery and ketchup-like compared to the thicker, more molasses-heavy varieties.

Compared to the other brands, I thought this barbecue sauce was lacking. I typically go for a thick, smoky barbecue sauce, and this was much lighter. I think I would struggle to fully coat chicken or ribs in this more viscous sauce, though I did enjoy the flavor.

It was tangy and slightly sweet, with a honey-like flavor, but reminded me more of a sweet-and-sour sauce than a true barbecue sauce.

The sauce is made from molasses, onions, and spices to deliver an authentic Kansas City-style barbecue sauce.

Aside from any store discounts, this barbecue sauce was the cheapest I tried. An 18-ounce bottle cost $2.89 at my local Key Food supermarket in Brooklyn, New York.

It clung to the chicken nugget and had a dark, buttery, molasses-like consistency.

The sauce had a robust, smoky flavor and a consistency that easily clung to the chicken nugget, making for a balanced bite that overtook my tastebuds.

It was really sweet, very much tasting of molasses. However, I was missing that slight tangy flavor that would have really taken this sauce over the edge and provided a more dynamic flavor profile.

Before this taste test, I was already familiar with Sweet Baby Ray's barbecue sauce.

The brand has been cited as the top-selling barbecue sauce in the US, so this sauce had a lot to live up to, especially since it had no added sugar, which I worried would weaken the flavor.

An 18.5-ounce bottle cost $4.89 at my local Key Food, making it the most expensive sauce I tried.

The sauce easily coated the chicken nugget, without being too thick or gloopy.

Overall, this sauce nailed it for me. It was tangy but not sickly sweet, and it had a balanced consistency in terms of texture. I definitely got the smoky flavor without the overpowering molasses flavor I tasted in the KC Masterpiece barbecue sauce.

It was also the lowest-calorie sauce of the ones I tried, with 15 calories per serving.

However, when it came down to price, it was beaten out by the original version.

It perhaps comes as no surprise that this sauce was my favorite. After all, the brand has won awards at various barbecue competitions for its sauce.

An 18-ounce bottle cost $2 at my local Key Food after a markdown of $1.89, making it the least expensive barbecue sauce I tried.

It was just a touch less thick than the other sauce from Sweet Baby Ray's, but it still managed to coat the chicken nugget easily. In my opinion, this was the best sauce for dipping.

The sauce had a slightly acidic, tart flavor that balanced out the sweet notes and an undercurrent of earthy flavor that made me feel like I was at a backyard barbecue.

Next time I'm firing up the grill for some barbecue ribs or just need a dipping sauce for my nuggets or chicken tenders, I know exactly which barbecue sauce I'm grabbing.

Smashburger, a Colorado-based chain now found across 34 states, sells a BBQ bacon smash burger for $10.86, excluding tax and fees, at my nearest location in Brooklyn, New York. It was the cheapest of the three burgers I tried.

The burger came topped with cheddar cheese, applewood smoked bacon, crispy fried onions, and barbecue sauce.

Beneath a pile of crispy onion bits, I could clearly see the barbecue sauce, although overall, the burger looked and felt a little dry when I picked it up.

The crispy onions seemed to soak up a lot of the moisture from the beef patty and the sauce in my mouth, leaving a dry bite.

I'm not a fan of any burger cooked past medium, so this well-done patty simply wasn't doing it for me, but how a burger is cooked is a matter of personal preference.

The cheese on the burger I tried also wasn't melted enough to provide enough moisture to counteract the dryness of the burger.

However, the bacon on this burger blew me away. It was smoky and perfectly cooked.

I ordered the BBQ bacon Whopper Jr. and added cheese. It cost $11.09, excluding tax and fees, which I thought was a little pricey for a junior-sized burger.

The burger was served on a sesame seed bun and topped with barbecue sauce, mayonnaise, pickles, and strips of crispy bacon.

There was a generous amount of all the toppings, creating a balanced bite.

The bacon was crispy, though not as flavorful as the bacon from the other two burgers I tried. However, I thought this was a great classic cheeseburger. The onions, lettuce, and tomato were fresh, and the beef was juicy while still retaining a smoky, chargrilled flavor.

However, it tasted similarly to a classic Whopper, and I didn't get a strong barbecue flavor from it. It was a classic cheeseburger, but I was looking for more barbecue flavor.

Shake Shack, which has US locations in 30 states and Washington, DC, offers two different kinds of barbecue burgers: the Smoky Classic BBQ burger and the Carolina BBQ burger with fried pickles.

I ordered the classic version, which is topped with fried onions and bacon. It cost $13.29, excluding tax and fees, making it the most expensive burger of the bunch.

The barbecue sauce evenly coated the soft, fluffy bun and all of the toppings.

I was impressed by the size and thickness of the pickle slices, as well as the amount of crispy onions and bacon stacked on top of the burger patty.

The cheese was evenly coated on every inch of the thin, crispy patty, and the bun held everything together while still retaining its softness.

Though thin and crispy, the burger was still perfectly cooked at a medium temperature, and the onions, though crispy, weren't hard, crunchy, and dry like the onions on the Smashburger cheeseburger I tried.

Rather than bits of cut-up onions that didn't have much flavor, these onions were more similar to onion rings, and instantly transported me back to summer carnivals and roadside stands.

The pickles added a tart, crunchy flavor, and this was the only burger where I really tasted the barbecue sauce. It was smoky yet light and had a slight vinegar taste that balanced out the richer flavors of the cheese, beef, and bacon.

Though it was the most expensive burger, I thought it was well worth the slightly higher price.

The Italian-American restaurant chain opened its first location in Orlando in 1982. It's owned by Darden — the same company that owns brands like Longhorn Steakhouse, Ruth's Chris, and Yard House.

Today, there are nearly 900 Olive Garden restaurants around the world. However, my son and I visited a busy location in Long Island, New York.

Since I hadn't been to an Olive Garden location in nearly 20 years, my son and I decided to order four different "create your own" pasta dishes to get a feel for the chain's offerings.

Each meal came with the chain's signature "never-ending" soup or salad and breadsticks. To try a bit of everything, we asked for two servings of salad and two soups — pasta e fagioli and chicken and gnocchi.

I wouldn't call the Olive Garden breadsticks memorable, but they were definitely bountiful.

We were able to have as many as we wanted, which would have been great if we didn't have so much food coming.

Although we enjoyed the bread, I found other parts of the first course to be more memorable. The salad was a bit overdressed and heavy on lettuce, but the croutons were tasty.

Both soups, however, were better than I expected them to be. The chicken and gnocchi soup was rich, creamy, and loaded with an excellent balance of meat, gnocchi, and spinach.

I also thought the pasta e fagioli was savory and balanced without being overly salty.

After sampling each, my son and I agreed that the latter was the better of the two.

I make a decent homemade marinara sauce from scratch using a can of tomato sauce, chopped onions and garlic, salt, sugar, and a basic blend of herbs. The process, not counting the slow simmer, takes less than 10 minutes and is anything but a challenge.

So, getting a dull marinara sauce from an Italian-themed restaurant was disappointing.

I thought the marinara ($14) tasted like it was poured right from a can, without any additional handiwork by a chef. It was salty and tasted like — well, tomato sauce.

The addition of freshly-grated Parmesan, black pepper, and red-pepper flakes helped some, but frankly, I'd choose my own marinara sauce any day of the week.

Olive Garden's meat sauce ($14) tasted just like the marinara, but included ground beef and Italian sausage.

The sauce was a bit too thin for my linking (it wasn't watery, but it wasn't thick, either) and the beef was a bit on the tough side. Without the tomato sauce, I'm willing to bet the meat would have been quite dry.

Unless the chain changed up its marinara recipe, I likely wouldn't order either of these dishes again.

I typically detest mushrooms, but in the name of honest journalism, I ate several of the noodles that came in the creamy mushroom sauce ($14).

I was pleasantly surprised at how good the taste was, even though I didn't eat any of the sliced mushrooms in the bowl.

My son did, however, and said the dish was superb. My tasting of the noodles revealed a rich, creamy, flavor you'd expect from a classic Alfredo sauce, and I can see how anyone who enjoys mushrooms would've found the dish a pleasure.

The five-cheese ziti al forno was more expensive than the other "create your own" pastas we ordered, but it was well worth the $19.30 price tag.

It was heavy on cheese but didn't feel overwhelming. Overall, the dish had a flavor that reminded me of vodka sauce, and I loved the fact that it was baked. The fresh parsley sprinkled atop the pasta also added a nice herbal profile.

Of the four meals we tried, we took home the least leftovers from this one.

If you go to an Olive Garden expecting a Michelin-starred experience, you'll leave disappointed.

However, if you come expecting food that will be filling, satisfying, and priced fairly, I'll wager that more times than not, you'll be happy with your meal.

I never had a strong opinion about Olive Garden, but after visiting for the first time in almost 20 years, I'd definitely consider it on my list of places to return to.

Chick-fil-A's family-style meals include items and prices that vary by location, but they usually include a combination of mains, sides, and desserts.

The meals were prominently displayed on Chick-fil-A's online menu when I checked, but when I tried to order one at the counter, I was told I could not.

Instead, I had to download the app to order the 10-count Chick-fil-A Chick-n-Strips family-style meal, which was a little annoying. I already have plenty of apps on my phone, and this step felt unnecessary since I was prepared to order in person.

The meal I ordered cost $47.99 and came with 10 chicken strips, two orders of waffle fries, two orders of mac and cheese, two chocolate chip cookies, and two brownies.

It was ready in just a few minutes. We were dining in, but because I ordered on the app, it came packed up to go, sturdily packaged in a manageable-sized bag.

When you've got little kids, you can wind up eating a lot of stray chicken tenders.

In many cases, the breading is caked on and the chicken is overcooked to the point of chewiness. That was not the case at Chick-fil-A.

The strips were nicely salty and mildly seasoned, with a hint of crispiness in the breading and moist meat that tasted freshly cooked.

By the standards of fast-food chicken tenders, Chick-fil-A's get five out of five stars. My wife and I both thought the chicken strips were the best part of the meal.

Family meals at Chick-fil-A are available with sides in multiple configurations. We chose two orders of waffle fries and two orders of mac and cheese, but we could've switched up those ratios or swapped in a fruit cup.

The waffle fries were a hit with my kids, probably because they tend to like the saltiest part of any meal.

I was underwhelmed. I didn't think they had much flavor besides salt, and they weren't really crispy at all.

The mac and cheese was a pleasant surprise.

It looked and tasted like it had been baked as a casserole — a homestyle mac and cheese with nice texture and flavor from the creamy sauce and chunks of browned baked cheese.

All Chick-fil-A family meals available on the app come with two brownies and two chocolate chip cookies.

There's a nostalgic appeal to the desserts at Chick-fil-A, especially when you compare them to the garish, enormous sweets sold at popular cookie chains.

These treats seemed like something you might find at a school bake sale: Moderate portions and classic flavors.

My kids loved the fudgy gooeyness of the brownie, but my wife thought it just seemed a little underdone.

The cookies had big chunks of melty chocolate and a nice combination of outer crunch and interior softness.

I didn't detect any of the artificial chewiness you can sometimes find in mass-produced cookies. Both desserts were huge hits with my kids.

I didn't think this meal was an especially good value.

Adding up the individual components — $23.49 for a 10-piece Chick-n-Strips, $3.85 each for medium waffle fries, $5.35 each for mac and cheese, $2.19 each for the cookies, $2.99 each for the brownies — comes to $52.25.

So, I saved less than $5 by going with a family meal.

Plus, this choice locks everyone in the family into the same meal (I would've preferred a spicy chicken sandwich).

After we added in two drinks (iced tea/lemonades) and a fruit cup (for our 7-year-old dabbling in vegetarianism), we spent about $65 on our dinner.

That's almost twice as much as it'd cost us to eat at a local pizzeria, and about exactly the same as we'd pay to eat our fill from a broader variety of options at a nearby Shake Shack, our usual go-to for quick, casual meals.

Even adjusting my expectations for the location in Midtown Manhattan (which tends to be expensive), the price felt high for what we got.

Although the Monin syrup bottle was plastic, the elegant-looking label made it feel more high-end to me.

I paid $18.69 for the 33.8-ounce bottle, or $0.55 an ounce.

The ingredients list is short: pure cane sugar, water, natural flavors, natural vanilla extract, and fruit/vegetable juice for coloring.

Of the syrups I tried, this one had the highest calories (100) and sugar (23 grams) per serving, which was 1 ounce, or 2 tablespoons.

The syrup had a thin consistency and a nice, natural vanilla scent.

When I added it to the coffee, the vanilla flavor wasn't as strong as it had smelled in the bottle, but it still came through.

Because of the higher sugar content, I expected this syrup to be too sweet. Instead, I found it was the perfect level of sweetness with a more complex, rich aftertaste that kind of reminded me of caramel.

Although I was familiar with brands like Monin or Torani, I had never come across DaVinci Gourmet in stores or online before.

This 25.4-ounce bottle of syrup cost me $6.88. It had the lowest cost per ounce at $0.27.

The ingredients list includes water, cane sugar, citric acid, preservatives, natural flavors, and added caramel color. Each 2-tablespoon serving contains 18 grams of sugar and 70 calories.

The syrup was very thin, and it had an alcohol scent that reminded me of opening a bottle of vanilla extract. It was quite dark from the added coloring.

As for flavor, this tasted very sweet with a really faint vanilla flavor. I didn't love the aftertaste, which seemed somewhat bitter and artificial to me.

I was the most familiar with Torani, which is oftentimes the only coffee syrup I see on shelves at my local grocery stores.

The 25.4-ounce bottle I purchased came with a pump for convenience and cost me $14.99, or $0.59 an ounce.

The ingredients include pure cane sugar, water, citric acid, preservatives, and natural flavors, but no additives for color.

Each 2-tablespoon serving contains 20 grams of sugar and 80 calories.

The syrup was very light in color and slightly thicker in consistency than the others (although still thin enough to stir easily into cold coffee).

I didn't smell much of anything when I opened the bottle.

Although I've used Torani syrups before, I was surprised by how subtle the vanilla flavor seemed when comparing this side-by-side with other options.

The sweetness level was ideal, but I wished the vanilla flavor were stronger.

The next syrup I tried is from Portland Syrups, a small business based in Portland, Oregon.

I loved that it came in a chic glass bottle with a metal cap. Notably, it was the only syrup to require refrigeration after opening.

This 12-fluid-ounce bottle cost $14.99, or $1.25 an ounce.

Despite the higher price, this syrup still contains the same number of servings as the others I tried, since it's more concentrated. The serving size is 1 tablespoon (half of the others).

The ingredients seemed simple — filtered water, organic cane sugar, brown sugar, vanilla extract, vanilla concentrate, lactic acid, and organic vanilla fleck.

It has 25 calories and 6 grams of sugar per serving.

Upon opening this syrup, I strangely thought it smelled like vanilla and bananas.

Given the simple ingredient list, I expected a really strong vanilla flavor. In reality, I only got a hint of vanilla, and instead got a lot more richness and depth from the brown sugar.

This syrup was delicious with coffee, but it tasted much different from how I'd expect a vanilla syrup to taste.

All in all, I think Monin's syrup gave my coffee the best classic vanilla flavor.

I felt it had the strongest vanilla taste and I appreciated its fairly simple list of ingredients — even though it was a bit higher in sugar than I'd typically like.

The Portland Syrups option was a close second for me. It fell short because it didn't have the classic vanilla taste I expected, but the deeper, more complex flavor notes made it enjoyable.

I wasn't wowed by the Torani syrup, but I'd buy it again in the future simply because it's the easiest for me to find in grocery stores. I liked the level of sweetness in it, but I wanted a stronger vanilla flavor.

Torani also sells French-vanilla and vanilla-bean syrups, so I may try those in the future to see if the vanilla flavor is more prominent.

Although the DaVinci syrup was technically the cheapest per ounce, I'd rather pay a little more for a different syrup on this list.

The good thing about all of these, though, is that you can use as much of each as you want to create your perfect cup of coffee.