Restaurants
“They’re chill, they’ve got consistent food, and they’re cheap.”
The post-COVID landscape has mostly made dining out worse — from slower service to underwhelming quality food at a higher cost — that it’s made it more important than ever to cling to and support consistent favorites.
For one Redditor, that meant singing the praises of regional chain Ninety Nine Restaurants and describing it as “underrated.”
“Idk if it’s just the ones near me, but there’s something about [Ninety Nine],” posted user Spinelli-Wuz-My-Idol. “They’re chill, they’ve got consistent food, and they’re cheap.”
Other positive notes the Reddit user shared about this Woburn-based eatery: The music is never too loud, diners can hang out without feeling pressured to purchase more food or drinks, the meal portions are fair, it’s relatively affordable, and diners can take advantage of deals during game days.
Many commenters seemed to agree with the original poster, or at least they said Ninety Nine is better than comparable restaurant chains Chili’s and Applebee’s.
“Light years better than stuff like Chili’s and Applebee’s,” said Reddit user WickyWickyWhack. “It’s top tier for chains.”
Boston.com readers also said Ninety Nine was their favorite food chain in a 2020 survey, beating out Massachusetts-born institution Dunkin’ and popular outsiders Chick-fil-A and Chipotle.
Ninety Nine, which has been around Massachusetts and New England since its founding in 1952, was not immune to pandemic-related problems faced by the restaurant industry. The chain had to close restaurants, they struggled to hire back staff, and those steak tips are priced slightly higher than they once cost.
But apparently to online Bay Staters, those troubling times didn’t impact the experience much. There’s still complimentary, bottomless popcorn, and when there’s a Red Sox win, there’s still a free kid’s meal to be had.
Boston.com wants to know if readers agree with the Reddit user’s assessment. Is Ninety Nine truly “underrated?” If so, what about the restaurant makes it so? What are your favorite dishes, and why do you return to your nearby Ninety Nine after all these years?Fill out the form below, or e-mail [email protected] with your answers, which could be featured in an upcoming article.
Is Ninety Nine underrated?
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