🥩 Golden Corral's 100-Year Plan & Dumpster Drama 🗑️

This week, we dive into the sprawling buffet empire that is Golden Corral. From hygiene scandals to military youth camps, this chain has been through it all and somehow, it's still opening new locations.

Joining me is Ben Cassil, host of Live from the Big Apple, to help unravel the chain's bizarre history, including its long-standing relationship with the troops, a giant brawl over steak, and a game of hide-and-seek with their meat because of an impending health inspection.

Plus, Ben pitches a Discworld-themed restaurant, and we dig into some unhinged Yelp reviews from our local Golden Corral.

🏢 A CEO with a 100-Year Plan 🫡 Ties to the Military (We Support the Troops) 🎤 If You're Jeff Foxworthy...You Might Be a Buffet Spokesman 🍫 Goodbye, Chocolate Fountain (We Hardly Knew Ye) 🗑️ "Dumpster Gate" & a Protected Whistleblower 🎸 Why the Founder is NOT the Lead Singer of Tool 🪄 A Discworld Restaurant That Lives in Our Heads Now 🌟 Yelp Reviews That Made Us Question Reality

💬 COMMENT BELOW: What's the wildest thing you've ever seen at a buffet?

📢 SUPPORT THE SHOW & JOIN THE COMMUNITY: 🎉 Patreon (Bonus episodes, full Yelp segments & more): https://www.patreon.com/finediningpodcast 💬 Discord (Food talk, memes, cursed Yelp): https://discord.gg/6a2YqrtWV4 🎥 Watch full episodes: https://www.youtube.com/@finediningpodcast 🔗 All links: https://www.linktree.com/finediningpodcast 🎤 Ben on IG: @bencassil | Podcast: Live from the Big Apple

Patreon Producers: Sue Ornelas & Joyce Van

👉 NEXT WEEK: It's finally our turn to experience the buffet ourselves. We eat at this Golden Corral (that definitely used to be a Circuit City) and let's just say... it wasn't great.

🍑 Better Than Chili's? We Finally Taste Jollibee 🍗

This week, we're putting Jollibee through the Chili's Test. From sweet pies that taste like vacation to spaghetti that... didn't, we finally try the food and decide whether this beloved Filipino chain lives up to its reputation. With special guest Jason Patrick Galit (JPG) guiding the way, we get the full experience, even if we have to be Sweaty Little Boys in the process.

It's juicy fried chicken, a peach mango hand pie that has haunted my dreams (in a good way though), and one very loud iPad kid.

🍗 Fried Chicken That's "Better Than It Should Be" 🥭 A Hand Pie So Good It's Worth a Detour 🍝 Spaghetti That Scared Michael, Then Surprised Him 📱 iPad Kid & The Chuck E. Cheese Content FOMO 🇵🇭 Adobo Rice = The Ultimate Chicken Chaser 🪑 Why the Waiting Area Feels Like a Dermatologist's Office 🎮 Packing Bowls Like Filipino Babies 📊 Jollibee's Official Score: Is It Better Than Chili's?

💬 COMMENT BELOW: What's your Jollibee go-to order?

📢 SUPPORT THE SHOW & JOIN THE COMMUNITY: 🎉 Patreon (Bonus episodes, full Yelp segments & more): https://www.patreon.com/finediningpodcast 💬 Discord (Food talk, memes, AND NOW PET PHOTOS): https://discord.gg/6a2YqrtWV4 🎥 Watch full episodes: https://www.youtube.com/@finediningpodcast 🔗 All links: https://www.linktree.com/finediningpodcast 🎤 JPG on IG: @SpeakerJPG | Website: https://www.intermyth.org

Patreon Producers: Sue Ornelas & Joyce Van

👉 NEXT WEEK: I'm heading to Golden Corral to explore its history, legacy, and wild Yelp reviews with comedian Ben Cassil before reviewing it in Part 2.

🍗 Jollibee Is a Filipino Treasure 🍗

This week, we dive into the sweet, crunchy, culturally iconic legacy of Jollibee, the Filipino fast food chain with a bee mascot, a cult following, and a spaghetti recipe that would confuse most Americans. But to millions of Filipinos, it's more than just a restaurant—it's home.

Joining me is Jason Patrick Galit (JPG) from InterMyth, who grew up with Jollibee and has the love to prove it. From his first spaghetti to a fried chicken hand towel, this episode is deeply personal as he offers a lot of amazing insights into Jollibee's cultural significance.

🍝 Sweet Spaghetti with Hot Dogs: Where It Came From 🇵🇭 Jollibee = Cultural Ownership & Diaspora Pride 💃 A Bee Mascot That's Slightly H*rny 🎤 The Chicken Outage That Brought a Country to Its Knees 💥 A Deep-Fried Hand Towel Can't Ruin Jollibee's Image 🍞 Michael's Garlic Bread Spaghetti Sandwich Recipe (!!!) 📱 Benny Blanco Got Dragged for Disrespecting the Bee 🤝 How Jollibee Connects Families Across Generations

💬 COMMENT BELOW: What was your first Jollibee experience?

📢 SUPPORT THE SHOW & JOIN THE COMMUNITY: 🎉 Patreon (Bonus episodes, full Yelp segments & more): https://www.patreon.com/finediningpodcast 💬 Discord (Food talk, memes, cursed Yelp): https://discord.gg/6a2YqrtWV4 🎥 Watch full episodes: https://www.youtube.com/@finediningpodcast 🔗 All links: https://www.linktree.com/finediningpodcast 🎤 JPG on IG: @SpeakerJPG | Website: https://www.intermyth.org

Patreon Producers: Sue Ornelas & Joyce Van

👉 NEXT WEEK: We taste the real deal—fried chicken, spaghetti, palabok, and more—as we visit Jollibee in-person to see how it stacks up to Chili's.

🌭 Nathan's Famous: One Glorious Glizzy Soars Above the Rest of the Menu 🌭

We went to the original Nathan's Famous in Coney Island to find out: is this historic wiener mecca actually good, or are we just chasing a bump from a bygone era? Comedian Marty Cunnie returns as my hot dog soulmate to break down every last bite — from snappy glizzies to horrifying frog legs that still haunt my digestive system.

We did not eat 76 hot dogs in 10 minutes, but our bodies definitely thought we did.

🍋 The Coney Island Shandy (Beer + Lemonade = Perfection) 🥵 Nathan's Is Serving Boyfriend D*** 🦴 Frog Legs = Bone-Filled Betrayal 🥹 The Milkshake Was... Kinda Warm? 🍟 Crinkle-Cut Fries: Very Potato-Forward 🎶 "Now That's What I Call Hot Dogs" Plays on Loop 🏖️ Beach Vibes, Soft Rock, & Absolutely Weak Wi-Fi 🍔 The Burger Had the Texture of Wet Cat Food

💬 COMMENT BELOW: Would you order frog legs at a hot dog stand?

📢 SUPPORT THE SHOW & JOIN THE COMMUNITY: 🎉 Patreon (Bonus episodes, full Yelp segments & more): https://www.patreon.com/finediningpodcast 💬 Discord (Food talk, memes, cursed Yelp): https://discord.gg/6a2YqrtWV4 🎥 Watch full episodes: https://www.youtube.com/@finediningpodcast 🔗 All links: https://www.linktree.com/finediningpodcast 🎤 Marty Cunnie on IG: @martycunniecomedy

Patreon Producers: Sue Ornelas & Joyce Van

👉 NEXT WEEK: Sweet spaghetti, fried chicken joy, and chaotic mascots — we're headed to Jollibee.

🌭 Nathan's Famous: The Hot Dog Empire with a Big Secret 🌭

This week, we dive mouth-first into the greasy, glorious history of Nathan's Famous, the iconic hot dog brand that gave us Al Capone's favorite beach snack, a gluttonous holiday tradition, and the most American sporting event of all time: the Nathan's Famous International Hot Dog Eating Contest.

From shady police bribes to feeding royalty to Joey Chestnut's triumphant return after an Impossible controversy, this episode covers over a century of beef, buns, and barfing-for-glory. Joining me is comedian Marty Cunnie (who saw Chestnut live in action!! I'm fangirling).

🍺 A President Served Nathan's to the Queen of England 💵 Bribing Cops Was Just Good Business 📉 The Hot Dog Eating Contest Origins Are a Complete Lie 🏆 Joey Chestnut vs. Kobayashi: Wrestling Vibes & Wet Buns 🇺🇸 Chestnut Returns for His 17th Mustard Belt 📺 Netflix's "Unfinished Beef" Wasn't Canon 😬 Coney Island: Hot Dogs, Broken Glass, & Weird Tits 🏠 Marty's Dream Restaurant Is Just His 3AM Apartment

💬 COMMENT BELOW: How many hot dogs is too many?

📢 SUPPORT THE SHOW & JOIN THE COMMUNITY: 🎉 Patreon (Bonus episodes, full Yelp segments & more): https://www.patreon.com/finediningpodcast 💬 Discord (Food talk, memes, cursed Yelp): https://discord.gg/6a2YqrtWV4 🎥 Watch full episodes: https://www.youtube.com/@finediningpodcast 🔗 All links: https://www.linktree.com/finediningpodcast 🎤 Marty Cunnie on IG: @martycunniecomedy

Patreon Producers: Sue Ornelas & Joyce Van

👉 NEXT WEEK: We review the original Nathan's Famous location in Coney Island to see if the dogs are still worth the pilgrimage — or if the legend should stay in the history books.

🍗 Gus's World Famous Fried Chicken: Nothing Was Bad?! 🍗

We went to Gus's World Famous Fried Chicken—and literally nothing made it into the "Not Good" category. Nothing!

Comedian and improviser Dave Theune (St. Denis Medical, NBC/Peacock) joins me to talk about his first foray into eating dark meat, crispy fried okra, spicy batter, and the kind of service that borders on too attentive (but we loved it). The waiter even coaxed out my Star Wars hot take.

Is Gus's better than Chili's? That's the question. But when a fried pickle almost takes me out in the opening minutes, it's going to be a wild ride to the answer.

🍗 Juicy, Spicy, Championship Chicken 😇 Service So Good It's Practically Flirting 🥒 A Scalding Pickle 🥧 Dessert: Chocolate Chess vs. Pecan Pie 🎵 Steely Dan Energy Without Steely Dan 🚽 The Most Secure Bathroom in LA ☕️ Unsweetened Tea… a 10/10?! 📈 Did Gus's pass the Chili's test?

💬 COMMENT BELOW: Is Gus's your go-to for fried chicken? Or does your loyalty lie elsewhere in the Southern fried pantheon?

📢 SUPPORT THE SHOW & JOIN THE COMMUNITY: 🔥 Patreon (Bonus reviews & exclusive content!): https://www.patreon.com/finediningpodcast 💬 Discord (Food talk, cursed Yelp reviews, Star Wars hot takes): https://discord.gg/6a2YqrtWV4 🎥 Watch full episodes on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@finediningpodcast 🔗 All links: https://www.linktree.com/finediningpodcast 🎭 Dave Theune's series St. Denis Medical – now streaming on Peacock

Patreon Producers: Sue Ornelas & Joyce Van

👉 NEXT WEEK: I head to Nathan's Famous to learn the history of their fabled hot dog eating contest.

🐔 Gus's World Famous Fried Chicken (Part 1): Gus's Parents, the Superfan, and Chicken Championships 🐔

Before Gus's was world famous, it was just spicy chicken sold out the back of a bar in the segregated South. But that secret recipe grew into a Southern staple, complete with 40+ locations, a chicken-loving superfan turned CEO, and even a rogue rooster who hangs out outside one of their Memphis spots.

In this episode, I'm joined by improvisor, actor, and all-around delight Dave Theune (NBC's St. Denis Medical) to go deep on the wild rise of Gus's World Famous Fried Chicken, the hearse they use for advertising, and why you'll never know what's in their spice blend. Plus, Dave pitches a double-restaurant concept where Italian comfort meets a dessert diner, and it's all Rocky-themed.

Is Gus's really chicken to die for? Or just another chain in a hearse-shaped hat?

🔥 Backdoor Fried Chicken in 1950s Tennessee 🐓 The Secret Recipe That Not Even Marrying into the Family Can Teach You 👑 How a Superfan Became the CEO of the Whole Company 👻 Hearses, Roosters & Other Bizarre Gus's Lore 🏆 Two-Time Winner of the National Fried Chicken Festival 🧻 Yelp Reviewers vs. Chicken Gremlins 🪑 Dave Theune's Dream Restaurant: Rocky & Apollo's

💬 COMMENT BELOW: Have you tried Gus's? Did it make you say "goddamn"? Or just "meh"?

📢 SUPPORT THE SHOW & JOIN THE COMMUNITY: 🔥 Patreon (Bonus reviews & exclusive content!): https://www.patreon.com/finediningpodcast 💬 Discord (Share horror stories & chat chains): https://discord.gg/6a2YqrtWV4 📸 Instagram/TikTok: @finediningpodcast and @davetheune 🎧 Full episodes & video: https://www.youtube.com/@finediningpodcast 🔗 All links: www.linktree.com/finediningpodcast

⚡ Like, Subscribe & Share if you believe fried chicken is a spiritual experience!

Patreon Producers: Sue Ornelas & Joyce Van

👉 NEXT WEEK: We actually eat the chicken at Gus's. Is it "chicken to die for"? Or just fried food with a strong brand? Find out in Part 2.

🎲 Dunkin' & Donuts: The D&D Crossover You Never Knew You Needed 🎲

This week on the "Fine Dining Podcast," we trade the drive-thru for dungeons. After covering a long, bizarre history — from handled donuts and Fred the Baker to the rise of Munchkins and Dunkaccinos — it's time for part two: an original Dungeons & Dragons one-shot adventure, played in a world where every NPC runs on Dunkin'.

Featuring writer, improviser, and TTRPG icon Amy Vorpahl, this special actual-play episode turns our fast-food trip into a fantasy quest. Expect laughs, intrigue, and a surprising amount of edible world-building.

Will our hero survive The Glaze? Or will her journey end in deep-fried defeat?

☕ Amy Rolls a 0 and Becomes a Puddle of Coffee Trying to Impress Leonardo DeCaffio ⚔️ A Delicious Battle Against Donuts Come to Life 📚 Leonardo DeCaffio Schools Naz on The Glaze 🎭 Amy Vorpahl as Naz Baudelaire: Peanut Farmer and Chosen One 🥑 The BBEG Toolio (Voiced by Ify Nwadiwe) is Guarded by an Avocado Toast Homunculus 🎲 Real Dice Rolls, Real D&D Rules, Fantastical Dunkin' Lore

💬 COMMENT BELOW: Would you play a whole campaign in the world of Dunkin'?

💥Real actual custom character artwork by BitterBats: 🎨 @Bitter.Bats – https://bitterbats.carrd.co/

🗺️ And the Map of Ammereeka by Cameron McCarthy: 🎨 @mythweaverart – https://mythweaverart.artstation.com/

VFX: Steven Zurita Original Music: James McEnelly Playtesters: Terral Wells, Jess Parks, Steven Zurita, Luke Doyle, & Nick Adams Opening Theme Song: Gabe Alvarez

📢 SUPPORT THE SHOW & JOIN THE COMMUNITY: 🔥 Patreon (Bonus reviews & exclusive content!): https://www.patreon.com/finediningpodcast 💬 Discord (Chat chains & share horror stories!): https://discord.gg/6a2YqrtWV4 🎥 Watch full episodes on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@finediningpodcast 🔗 All links: www.linktree.com/finediningpodcast

⚡ Like, Subscribe & Share if you love chaotic chain-restaurant content — now with dice!

Patreon Producers: Sue Ornelas & Joyce Van

👉 NEXT WEEK: We return to our regularly scheduled programming with a look into the history of Gus's World Famous Fried Chicken with special guest Dave Theune!

☕ Dunkin' Donuts: Handled Donuts, Munchkin Origins & Al Pacino's Dunkaccino ☕

Dunkin' may be a coffee giant now, but its journey started with donuts — one in particular with a literal handle. In this week's episode, I break down the entire rise of the chain formerly known as Dunkin' Donuts, from its humble beginnings in Quincy, Massachusetts, to becoming the fast-casual coffee behemoth we know today. Plus, I'm joined by writer and performer Amy Vorpahl to unravel some of the weirdest moments in Dunkin' history — including public domain mascots, airport nostalgia, and the most cursed commercial Al Pacino ever agreed to do.

Is Dunkin' still the heart of New England? Or has it become just another burnt bean in the breakfast wars?

🍩 Why Dunkin' Used to Serve Donuts with Handles 🥣 The Real Story Behind Munchkins (and Why They're Not Holes Anymore) 🕯️ Chocolate Donut Deodorant – Yes, Really 🎭 Fred the Baker – The Exhausted Mascot We Didn't Deserve 📉 When Dunkin' Stopped Making Donuts Fresh In-House ✂️ Dropping "Donuts" – Was the Name Change Worth It? 🎬 Jack & Jill's Dunkaccino – A Meme, A Curse, A Cultural Landmark 🌍 Pork & Seaweed Donuts? Global Dunkin' Menus You Won't Believe

💬 COMMENT BELOW: Do you still call it Dunkin' Donuts? Or are you ride-or-die for the coffee now?

📢 SUPPORT THE SHOW & JOIN THE COMMUNITY: 🔥 Patreon (Bonus reviews & exclusive content!): https://www.patreon.com/finediningpodcast 💬 Discord (Chat chains & share horror stories!): https://discord.gg/6a2YqrtWV4 🎥 Watch full episodes on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@finediningpodcast 🔗 All links: www.linktree.com/finediningpodcast

⚡ Like, Subscribe & Share if you love chaotic deep dives into fast-casual dining!

Patreon Producers: Sue Ornelas & Joyce Van

Follow Amy on Instagram @vorpahlsword

👉 NEXT WEEK: We're reviewing Dunkin' in real time… through a Dungeons & Dragons campaign. See you in "Dunkin & Donuts." 🎲

🍕 Papa Johns: The Pizza Review That Gave Us Indigestion 🍕

We reviewed Papa Johns… in the lobby. One item at a time. On plastic chairs they dug out from the back.

Make no mistake, this branch of Papa Johns rules, but at the end of the day: it's still Papa Johns. After learning the ingredients now arrive in prepackaged plastic bags from an employee literally covered in something the company calls "dust," we had to ask the big question: is Papa Johns objectively as good as Chili's?

Joining me is comedian Nick Stargu, whose multimedia stand-up special "Why Won't You Dance with Me?" is on YouTube. We talk pizza, dipping sauces, employee transparency, and we mess around with his electronic saxophone to blur my voice, whatever that means.

🪑 Eating Papa John's in a Chairless Lobby (But Management Accommodated Us!)

📦 Ingredients Shipping in Plastic Bags Instead of Fresh

👻 The Employee Covered in "Dust"

🍕 Pepperoni Pizza That Made Me Sad

😬 Wings That Were Just… Sweaty?

😳 Workers Said They Prefer Pizza Hut & Dominos

🥐 At Least the Cinnamon Pull Aparts Were Tasty

📉 Did Papa John's fail the Chili's test?

💬 COMMENT BELOW: Does Papa Johns still hit for you? Or have you also lost your faith in the brand?

📢 SUPPORT THE SHOW & JOIN THE COMMUNITY:

🔥 Patreon (Bonus reviews & exclusive content!): https://www.patreon.com/finediningpodcast

💬 Discord (Food talk, memes, cursed Yelp reviews): https://discord.gg/6a2YqrtWV4

🎥 Watch full episodes on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@finediningpodcast

🔗 All links: https://www.linktree.com/finediningpodcast

🎤 Nick Stargu's Special: Why Won't You Dance with Me? – https://youtu.be/kZJnpDMhbR0

Patreon Producers: Sue Ornelas & Joyce Van

👉 NEXT WEEK: I head to Dunkin' Donuts (or is it just Dunkin' now?) to learn their history.