There's a restaurant in the portland, Oregon area that offers a LC special daily for lunch and dinner. They are usually very good and very filling. If they only had the desserts covered, I'd be happy!

I would love to see something like this. Everyone's got really great ideas (especially the one about having posters of hot guys lifting weights :D )

You've pointed out some great advantages to having a LC restaurant. My thoughts: Let's face it-- even though a LOT of people follow LC plans, LC still has a stigma attached to it. Most people aren't informed about the specifics of plans like Atkins, PP, and the like. A LC restaurant would prove to people that LCing is not about eating meat, bacon, eggs, and grease all day long. This could incite a revolution :D

You're kidding me right? That is/was my husbands favorite of all time fast food place.. is this something new? hmmm his birthday is coming.. I will have to check this out!! Any carb info on it?

it's true, it's true!!
 

and according to this nutritional guide from the official In-N-Out site.... a cheese burger, protein style is only 11 carbs!! can I believe that? Is this one of those... it's too good to be true things?

http://www.in-n-out.com/html/frm_b3a.html

Hey CC!

What resturant was that in Orlando? I didn't know we had one that served Buffalo. That is kind of out of the way for me (I'm in Altamonte Springs) but may be worth the trip. Please tell! :)

It was the restraunt in the hotel on the Northwest Corner of Alafaya (SR434) and Colonial (SR50). Last time I ate there was Aug. 1999, so I'm not sure if they are still around.

Is it just me or does 11 carbs seem a lot for a hamburger wrapped in lettuce? I'm not familiar with In-N-Out, does this include ketchup, pickles, some sweet sauce?

Just curious.

Yes they come with a thick slice of tomato, onion, pickles and I am not sure of the sauce. Ketchup and mayo I think. It's doesn't taste like fast food chain burgers either.

My dh's birthday is coming and we are going to Disneyland, maybe if there's an In-N-Out down there we can splurge and go to his ex fav place to eat a burger!

If it's going to be LC fast food my choices would be: salads with Romaine and spinach, grilled chicken, fish, beef or pork in low-carb tortilla, crustless quiche, low-carb pizza by the slice, soup specials. The food will cost more - fresh food without fillers, MSG and other crap will be more expensive to purchase and that cost will have to be supported by the customers. This will be a dis-incentive to folks who don't understand low-carb.

It sounds like an interesting but challenging venture.
Cindy

Great idea....one I've had myself recently! While I love to cook, there are nights when I'm just beat and don't have the time. My s/o and I like going out to eat on those nights, but one of the drawbacks is limited selection in most restaurants...it turns out that nearly all the selections are either breaded/floured/sugared, and we are left with only one or two choices.

I think you'd be better off pursuing the sit-down market instead of fast food. Most fast-food places already have a few LC choices (we get whole chickens from Boston Market all the time and supplement at home w/spinach salad, etc.) Also, the nature of fast-food, I think, opens the possibility for more waste, which drives costs up.

I'd go more toward a bistro/specialty cafe type place. Things to concentrate on:

5-7 appetizer selections of different foods (not all seafood, for
example)

Same with entrees, 3-5 chicken dishes, 3-5 beef/pork/lamb dishes, 3-5 seafood entrees. Give some variety in sauces on these....like a pork stroganoff which has a sauce that doesn't contain sugar. (One of our biggest gripes now is that we almost always get stuck with "undressed" food....hard to find sauces that don't contain sugar.)

Low-carb sides, i.e. cauliflower mashed faux-tatoes, steamed veggies, green beans dressed w/bacon & walnuts, etc.

A few dessert selections......jello, individual muffin-tin cheesecake, etc.

Beverage selection: Crystal light teas, Slenda soft drinks, decaf coffee, etc.

Feature a few specials depending on what's in season and what you need to do to push food to keep waste to a minimum. (If asparagus in season, perhaps a pork-rind crumbed "breaded" veal w/ lemon sauce topped w/cheese & baby asparagus....and the next day, perhaps a shrimp/asparagus bake to kill off the remaining asparagus, for example).

We've discussed this a few times, and I think there's a real market for this. Here in North shore/Boston region, nearly every low-carb place around us is continually out of things (ketone strips, bake mix, etc.), so I know there are a wealth of people doing LC. This area also has a high disposable income factor, and many of us would absolutely pay a bit more to eat at a place like I've described. The truth is, we're paying just as much NOW because we pay full price for a meal and can't eat half of the accompaniments!

Great idea.....let us know if it develops for you.

To me, 'fast food' and 'restaurant' are contradictions. Restaurants I go there and sit down and food is delivered, 'fast food' I drive through or go there and order and get food at the counter. I suppose nowdays everybody uses the term 'restaurant'.

Well the biggest deal is that it cater to more than low-carb, if you want to get investors.

It could cater to vegetarians, also, providing several spicy soy foods that fit that bill.

It could cater to diabetics, also, and a little research would show you a *massive* audience in THAT crowd for any city -- much higher than the low carb and vegans combined.

With those three focuses I think you could build a case for some investment money.

As for the food, basically it just needs to be tasty and fast and not super expensive (though a little higher than normal is fine, we know it hasn't got the billions in bulk McD has for lowballing prices).

And if it's a genuine restaurant, then it needs to provide seating that large people can be comfortable in, and some degree of privacy (simple screens between tables or whatever).

PJ

JF3: Would this be a possibility? I ask this because, most LCers can "make do" at most fast food places as well as sit-down restaurants. But, the real draw to a sit-down restaurant would be LC desserts (Splenda-sweetened). It's very rare that I can have dessert while having a meal out while my non-LCing husband dives into his dessert. Good luck on your LC journey!!!

SOUNDS GREAT
 

I live in greenwich ct, and i am close to nyc, id love to see a lc restaurant, devoted to "our people" actually, if u had someone calculate the point factor im sure the ww people would come to, as a busy working mom, id love to go out once or twice a week, with the family and be able to keep on my atkins. good luck and dont forget us here on the east coast.

Hello
 

Well i would like to see a sit down type restarant with good steaks or course but also low carb dishes that I don't make at home like breaded foods with low carb legal breading of course and I really would like to see some vegi selection on the menu. I am tired of the sides being rice, potato or corn. How about soem broccoli with or without some awesome cheese sauce, green beans, zucinni and let the patons have a choice of like 4 low carb vegis not jut one vegi per day.

And of couse awesome fresh salads with great full fat low carb dressings. Lots of low carb vegis to pick from for your salad would be great

And I would love to try low carb cheesecake or other low carb dessert to end a great meal.

Offer several low carb drink choice not just diet COKe/pepsi or iced tea!!!

Great idea!!!
 

I'm going to me moving to Colorado, and this is an idea I've had for a while. Am interested to know how you're making out? I've had the idea of doing a similiar thing in Denver. Would love to hear about your progress...have you found your investors? Let's chat.

Ang