🌶️ Chili’s: They Started in a Post Office?? 🌶️

Chili’s. For nearly 50 years, it’s been slinging margaritas, sizzling skillets, and vibes that are somehow both flirty and corporate. In this episode, actress and podcast 3-timers guest club VyVy Nguyen is back to explore the surprisingly spicy history of this chain restaurant icon with me — from its post office origins to its entanglement with The Office, N*SYNC, and the internet’s horniest Vine.

Was Chili’s always this unhinged, just waiting for us to notice?

🌮 The “Fajita Effect”: Why One Order Sets the Whole Restaurant Off
🎶 Baby Back Ribs & the Jingle That Haunts Your Soul
📬 From Post Office to Powerhouse — How Chili’s Mailed It In and Still Won America Over
🍹 Margarita Madness: 13 Swimming Pools Worth a Year
🤖 The Vine That Chili's Declared One of its Most Important Moments Ever
📺 Jim & Pam’s First Kiss Was Where?!
😳 N*SYNC Gets Crushed by a Crate (But Harmonizes First)
🍽️ Chili’s Triple Dipper: A Flight of Fried Foods for the Indecisive Diner 🍽️

💬 COMMENT BELOW: What’s your favorite Chili’s menu item? Or is it all about the vibe (and the molten lava cake)?

📢 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
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⚡ Like, Subscribe & Share if you crave deep dives into food, freakiness & fried mediocrity!

Patreon Producers: Sue Ornelas & Joyce Van

👉 NEXT WEEK: We review a Saturday night at Chili’s. Chaos at Encino's hottest table to try and find the perfect 5.00 out of 10.

🦞 Joe’s Crab Shack (Part 2): Heavenly Shrimp, Sloppy Lob, & Dessert Scores 11 out of 10 🦞

After diving into the shady past of Joe’s Crab Shack, it was finally time to eat. In this episode, I head to the Disney-adjacent location with friend and podcast voiceover contributor Sandy Rose to see if the crab still holds up. From shockingly great coconut shrimp to a fish filet that straight-up betrayed us, we cover every bite, every bathroom handle, and every s’more-stained moment in our quest to determine if Joe’s is truly the perfectly mediocre restaurant.

Is Joe’s Crab Shack a crustacean celebration? Or just chaos in a cowboy hat?

🍤 Jumbo Coconut Shrimp That Changed Sandy’s Life

🐟 Fried Fish So Bad It Made Us Question Reality

🍰 Campfire S'mores Dessert – Sugar, Fire, and Too Much Cake

🧼 Bathroom Handles & Sauce-Covered Soap Dispensers

🧂 Captain’s Sauce: A Flavor Bomb or Suicide Mission?

🥔 The Cajun Platter That Made One of Us Cry (Almost)

🧃 Coleslaw, Cucumber Salad & My First-Ever Hard-Boiled Egg

👯‍♀️ Where Were the Dancing Servers?!

💬 COMMENT BELOW: Is Joe's the best seafood in chain restaurant dining?

📢 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

👉 NEXT WEEK: I’m hitting up the restaurant that started it all. Chili’s. Could it finally be the perfect 5.00? 🌶️

Joe’s Crab Shack has been serving seafood and sass since 1991 — but who is Joe? In this week’s episode, I dig deep into the murky origins of this kitschy crustacean-themed chain, uncovering mystery, missteps, and marketing that somehow works. From accidentally boozed-up babies to scandalous decorations and trans fat deception, Joe’s has made some serious waves. Plus, I’m joined by longtime friend and podcast voice Sandy Rose to question whether you can truly trust a restaurant that sells shirts saying “I’ve Got Crabs.”

Is Joe’s just a goofy seafood joint? Or a case study in chaotic chain dining gone rogue?

🦐 Who is Joe? And why can’t we find him?
🕺 Dancing Servers & Shark Mocktails Gone Horribly Wrong
🚫 The No-Tipping Policy That Sunk Morale
💀 The Lynching Photo That Sparked Outrage
🧈 Trans Fat Lies (and Why They Were So Tasty)
👕 Merch Madness: Peace, Love & Crabs
📉 From 130+ Locations to Just 20 Today
🏝️ Sandy Rose’s Holiday-Themed Restaurant Pitch

💬 COMMENT BELOW: Have you eaten at Joe’s Crab Shack? Did your waiter dance or just bring you trauma?

📢 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 deep dives into crabby chaos!

👉 NEXT WEEK: We ate at Joe’s. Was it all kitsch and crabs — or something much weirder? Stay tuned. 🪝