My siblings and I went to Sizzler last weekend. Ever since the company went bankrupt, leaving the franchises to carry the Sizzler name, they've been slowly trying to bring it back to respectability. But my brother noticed it has become the anti-restaurant in the process. First, what's the first thing you see when you walk in? The bathrooms. Who would put bathrooms at the entrance? After you pass them, you're confronted by a line in front of the menus. You want your own menu? Tough. It's on the wall. Before you even get your first bite, you must choose and pay within minutes of stepping through the door. Once you're done, you have to carry your drinks and find your own table. What kind of dining is this? If it was a buffet, I'd understand but they promote that they are a restaurant, because after all, you get more than what you pay for.

Before things get normal, they get weirder. The salad bar is supposed to be its pride and joy. Yet they serve chicken wings and tacos in the salad bar? Find that at Fresh Choice! Remember that receipt you got documenting what you ordered? Say bye-bye. The server needs it to know what you ordered. Once this happens, food is actually served to you! You would think you'd have to cook it yourself or at the very least, pick it up yourself but no. Then it's on to dessert. What dessert? There's only one option. The non-dairy lactose-free soft serve ice cream with your choice of toppings of course. They don't even have real M&M's, they're fake ones.

Yes, Sizzler has been doing this for years. It's just that I hadn't noticed until now. I'm not complaining either. The food's pretty good.