There has been a growing level of hatred that I feel towards Applebees [note to self: try and find that multiple page letter i wrote them], but their non stop advertising campaign that they are part of the neighborhood is driving me crazy.

Their latest commercial is how the local football team comes to them after they lost the big game. Even though it's past closing time, applebees decides to stay open for them b/c "they care". Applebees, you see, cares about the local area despite the fact that they are a huge chain of identical franchises.

I have very very very little faith in the american consumer (mainly b/c they are american). But come on, do they really buy into this? What's more "local"? a mom-pop shop that's been around the neighborhood for 3 generations, or this corporate franchise that just steamrolls in? Putting some posters of the local team on your wall doesn't make you local.

If anyone goes to applebees to support local authenticity, they should be shot.