I still have gift cards from two years ago for Olive Garden. Every time we try to go, it's about a two hour wait so we drive to somewhere else. Inexplicable. I am underwhelmed with Olive Garden and would only go because I have a gift card and if there is no wait outside.
Red Lobster - couldn't even get me in there with a gift card. I'd give the card to somebody else.
I will wait for the Texas Roadhouse. At least you can munch on free peanuts from a barrel while you are waiting - and they encourage you to toss the shells to the floor! So nice gimmick. Plus the steaks aren't all that bad.
Funny, I gave a couple of Christmas gift cards away to my sister. I know I won’t use them and she will. Pretty sure one of them was a re-gift from my friend to me. As we get older all that stuff matters less.
After working in the food biz from Denny’s up to fine dining there’s not much magic left in eating out. Home cooking is the best.