O' Charleys disappoints us

We went to O' Charley's tonight on Old fort Parkway in Murfreesboro. The bread was hot and wonderful. The salad was great. The fries were delicious. The chicken tenders...not so much.

First, let me say that for a long time, we would get bread that seemed old, in contrast to last night when we got hot, soft rolls. Also, for a while, it seemed like the fries were always soggy and soaked in the juices from the steak or grilled chicken I'd usually order. None of that deterred us from returning. However...last night was it.

The kids got Chicken O' Tenders. They each got one small normal tender and two tiny oddly-shaped pieces that looked like scraps. I got the pretzel coated tenders. They tasted good...but they were all different shapes and sizes, with some nugget sized pieces, two normal strips and one flat piece. It was just a random mix. Then I ate some. Grissel. Ahhhhhh! Mine were so grissely that I only ate part of two and got too grossed out to continue. The last bite had to be discreetly spit into a bev nap. There was no way I could keep chewing something that was popping between my teeth but never breaking down. GROSS.

Perhaps I am wrong, but it seemed clear that they are trying to save money by getting their chicken from somewhere else. That really stinks for them, though, because the chicken tenders are what they are famous for. It seems like a huge mistake to go changing the chicken tenders. I mean, they bore no resemblance to the Chicken O' Tenders everyone has come to expect. Usually you get an entree of chicken strips. Not last night.

We will not be back to O' Charley's for a lonnnnng time. Strange, considering that this has been one of our very regular choices for eating out for the past eight years that Phillip and I have been together.