Latest news with #Applebees
Buzz Feed
3 days ago
- General
- Buzz Feed
What Millennials Believe Will Disappear With Boomers
Every generation brings with it its own unique cultural contributions that help shape society, even if they don't last forever. I mean, Duck Lips™ might be dated now, but they had a deathgrip on an entire generation before Gen Z rightfully rejected them (RIP). Following this train of thought, Reddit user Soup_stew_supremacy recently posed this question to the r/Millennials subreddit: "There is always discourse about Millennials 'killing' things (Applebees, newspapers, church, etc.). What are some things you think will 'die' once the older generations go?" The answers ranged from obvious to "Oh wow, I hadn't even considered a world in which THAT would be gone." Here's what people had to say: "Checks. As an adult, I've never used a check. The closest I've gotten is a money order back in my early 20s for a rental deposit on a house." "Clubs. Not nightclubs, but community groups like the Rotary or Masons. I'd love to be involved in such a thing, but the current members are so damn hostile to any young person who shows up while also bitching about how young people don't get involved." "Hopefully fax machines. Scan that shit and send it as a PDF." "'Company rooms' or formal living rooms — those rooms in your grandparents' houses that are kept pristine and saved for important guests or special events only. 'Don't go in there and mess things up!' I always thought it was SO WEIRD to have an entire room you only use a few times a year?!" "Broadcast TV. Everything will eventually roll over to streaming, no more OTA signal." "All the schools. We are already closing schools in my area due to declining enrollment. A lot of services for children are contracting too. I don't think we will ever see birthrates like they were previously. Same with colleges. Our local community college just closed due to lack of enrollment." "Funerals — how am I going to handle planning an event like this??? Also, I don't want one for myself and wouldn't want my husband or kids to have to deal with any of that." "The china industry. I don't know anyone under the age of 70 with fancy plates they keep locked up in a cupboard they bought just to house those plates they never eat off. A hutch, it might be called?" "All the churches. I don't think we will ever fully stop going to church as a society, but there are so many churches (especially in rural areas) that barely have a patronage under the age of 50. There are also so many denominations that are shrinking rapidly, including Seventh Day Adventists, Christian Scientists, and Jehovah's Witnesses, to name a few." "Can we kill the obligation to verbally acknowledge when someone has sneezed? Why? Why are you blessing me? I just had a reaction to some dust. It's not a big deal. Just ignore it and move on. I don't need your blessings." "Timeshares. What's really wild is that they have been understood to be predatory and a scam for at least 50 years now. There are pop culture references to that going back to the early '70s, at least. Timeshares and cigarettes are still somehow catching new victims even though literal children know exactly what is wrong with them." "I wonder how much longer we will still have in-person banks, or at least see them dramatically reduce personnel since most of us use online banking." "Never apologizing to your children." "'Jokes' about hating your spouse. And good riddance." "Small museums. There's a small one in my town about local history, and there are no members under 50, and most are over 60. Last I knew, they were down to about 15 members because several have passed away over the last couple of years." "'Classic' car shows. Although I do know of younger people into classic or specialty cars, I have attended these car shows with my parents, and the crowd is mostly older people (especially for 'classic' cars from the 50s, 60s, and 70s). I think most of us don't have the money for a new car, much less an expensive hobby car." "Rural hospitals. It's a financial thing. Rural hospitals already find it very difficult to stay open. Factor in decreased Medicaid funding, and it's guaranteed to happen." –u/lysistrata3000 "Dryer sheets and plastic flowers. Good riddance." "Cards. For birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, etc. Other than Christmas cards, I don't know anyone under 50 who sends cards. Though thank you cards should still be a thing for major events like weddings and baby showers." "I hope being forced to keep a grass lawn will go away. Too many cities have laws about keeping your lawn under 6 inches or 4 inches or whatever. It's a barrier for people who want to segue their property to a more natural, lower maintenance form." "Cooking and housekeeping knowledge. The older generations were trained in household management, cooking, and cleaning by the generation that went through the Great Depression. Some of them still have a lot of institutional knowledge and skills from that time. If you still can, call your grandma and ask her how she makes those amazing dinner rolls!" "Excessive holiday decor/gift giving. I really hope that dies soon. I help people clean out their junk, and so much of it is brand-new 'gifts' that were never even opened. I really believe people would be happy without all the 'stuff.'" "The housing shortage. I know that houses are scarce and expensive now, but as the population declines, we may end up with more houses than people to buy them at some point. I see this as a good thing for future generations (this will more than likely happen to our kids or grandkids, or even great-grandkids, not to us)." What do you think? Are there any things you think should be added to this list? Let me know in the comments!
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Al Was The Unluckiest Man I've Ever Known. Or Was He?
Alfred Nobel created the Nobel Prize near the end of his life as a public relations move. He had invented dynamite for mining and construction and did so with good intentions. Unfortunately, people used it as a weapon, killing thousands, and earning him the label, 'The Merchant of Death'. There was Alfred Binet, who invented the IQ test, with the intention of classifying children who need assistance. His test unintentionally fueled the eugenics movement and was a key tool for discrimination. There was Alfred Vanderbilt, who was one of the world's wealthiest young men and most eligible bachelor. He narrowly avoided boarding the Titanic, canceling his trip at the last moment. Unfortunately, three years later, he boarded the Lusitania, which was sunk by German U-boats. And then there was my friend, Al. Al was a fellow swimmer. He was 6'3", easygoing, and per my female friend 'handsome enough'. He had a good sense of humor and straw-like brown hair that was ravaged by chlorine. Al squeaked through high school and landed an athletic scholarship to our university. His father was a volatile alcoholic, the type who sings karaoke and is everyone's best friend in the first hour of drinking, and a belligerent monster for the remaining six. I saw it first hand when he came to town for a swim meet, which he overslept and missed. Al invited me to dinner, which was a bit unusual for 'parent's weekend'. In hindsight, I suspect he didn't want to endure it alone. Sure enough, his dad showed up at Applebees at 6 PM and was already blitzed, full of stupid ideas, and making inane, brutally awkward attempts to flirt with our waitress. He was a walking meme, stopping just short of wearing a varsity jacket and bragging about his high school touchdowns. It was a long two-hour dinner. I walked through the parking lot, exhausted, and immediately knew why Al had never touched alcohol. Then I winced, remembering the scene of me holding a cup of beer up to his face, playfully saying, 'Just one sip … c'mon.' As we walked to the car, I asked, with a bit of hesitation, 'So is your mom…more…normal?' 'She was. Yes.' 'Was?' I instinctively asked, thinking she'd become an alcoholic too. 'She died when I was 9. Ovarian cancer.' I nodded and got quiet, realizing this ridiculously nice guy had probably endured a terrible childhood. I knew his sister had left home at 12 to live with his grandmother for reasons unnamed. Al noticed me looking bummed out and gave me a half smile, 'Hey. It is OK. I'm all good.' I suppose he didn't want my pity. He'd probably gotten enough of that already. One month later Our college swim team was doing a mixer party with the women's lacrosse team. It was fun — your typical party scene, with lots of laughing, talking, and loud music. It looked just like those American parties you've seen in movies. A few girls were walking around in lacrosse pads. One teammate was shamelessly walking around in a Speedo and goggles, with a beer bong poised at the ready. Eventually, the night turned south as it often does with so much drinking. A couple of the lacrosse girls' boyfriends had become jealous of this mixer. They showed up to start trouble, trying to push through the front door. There was a bunch of shouting. No fists were thrown thankfully. But a few girls began crying and fighting with their partners. It was a total vibe kill. We decided to get out of there before things got worse. Two of us left with Al around midnight, who was the DD as always. He dropped us both off that night and I thought nothing of it. The next morning, I got an ominous text, 'Did you hear about Al?' Al had been hit by a drunk driver on the way back to his house. He'd been T-boned at high speed on his driver-side door. He was in the hospital with a broken leg, collar bone, shoulder, and two broken ribs. He was alive. He'd walk fine. But his shoulder was never right again and his swimming career was over. I stopped by to see him and he looked like a shell of himself on the hospital bed. His eyes were sunken, hair disheveled, and hanging over his swollen face. We hung out and talked for a bit. He was out of it from the pain meds and fell asleep mid-conversation. I saw his dad at the hospital that day, sober for once. The good news is that life went on as normal. He eventually returned to class and hung out with us. But not without great cost to him. Al didn't have the prestigious accolades of history's famous Alfreds. In fact, his background was mostly the opposite: absent of wealth, stability, and the type of love a kid needs. He inherited and then endured great misfortune. There was a time when I thought Al was the most unlucky guy I'd ever met. I was sure he'd break at any moment. How couldn't he? Yet, he's gone on to be quite successful. He has kids and a loving wife. And despite all the hardship, he's always had a great attitude. He has lived in defiance of the groundwork for so much sorrow. I know many others, who are born into relative privilege and spared of major tragedies, myself included, who have struggled to appreciate their lives at times. My father-in-law is one of the happiest men I know, despite having a troubled and turbulent childhood. He's a big storyteller and relays everything interesting from his life. Yet he has a DMZ line drawn on his childhood. We know nothing. That's how bad it was. People forget that luck, good or bad, is all a construct. It isn't actually a proven thing — in the sense of a mystical universe choosing favorites among us. Luck is just probability playing out in real time. It's more accurately defined as how humans choose to describe their lives. It's also a decent proxy for how people frame their problems. For example, those who believe in good or bad luck tend to be more cynical and less happy. The name Alfred isn't intrinsically unlucky. I just looked up a bunch of Alfreds from history and cherry-picked those who'd had the most bad luck. It was a whimsical way of framing a narrative, just as people do with their own life stories. I've heard from many readers over the years, who had horrible childhoods and lives —going through unimaginable trauma and disappointment. Yet many have gone on to be quite happy. I've also heard from people with lives you'd give anything for. I've tended to downgrade my definition of problems as life has improved. It's another pesky byproduct of hedonic adaptation. Yesterday, I caught myself cursing up a storm while setting up a new soundbar. You'd have thought I just caught someone cheating on me. I'd lost sight of how first-world, and truly spoiled I sounded. It is in the quieter moments, when sleep is elusive that the mind can wander and wallow in misery and egregious mistakes. I am reminded that happiness and contentment require intent. Life is messy and complicated, and one cannot feel better simply by comparing themselves to those less fortunate. It takes more work. It is a sense of presence in the moment, gratitude, perspective, lifestyle, community, and purpose that I have found the most happiness, as my unlucky friend Al did. But he'll be the first to tell you how lucky he is. Solve the daily Crossword
The Verge
20-06-2025
- Business
- The Verge
Applebee's and IHOP have plans for AI
Applebee's and IHOP plan to launch an AI-powered 'personalization engine' that could help its restaurants provide recommendations and customized deals, according to a report from The Wall Street Journal. The personalization engine would use a customer's past purchases — or the orders of customers similar to them — to make recommendations. Justin Skelton, the chief information officer at the restaurants' parent company, Dine Brands, tells the Journal that an AI-powered personalization system would be designed to boost customer loyalty, as well as serve as a way to upsell products. As noted by the Journal, IHOP already has some information about its customers' ordering habits through its rewards program. Instead of chasing viral trends like Chili's, other restaurant franchises have hopped on the AI bandwagon as well, with Wendy's deploying an AI chatbot at its drive-thrus that can take orders and even upsell menu items. McDonald's also recently resumed plans to put AI at the drive-thru and inside its restaurants, while Taco Bell revealed plans to put 'Voice AI' technology at more than 100 of its drive-thrus across the US. As noted by the Journal, Dine Brands is considering rolling out AI tools designed for staff members as well. Along with exploring the use of AI-powered cameras to detect when a table needs cleaning, it's also testing an AI app for managers.
Buzz Feed
15-06-2025
- Politics
- Buzz Feed
The Internet Is Truly Losing It Over This Squeaky Tank At Trump's Military Parade
As you all know, Trump's military parade was on Saturday. A lot of the discourse has centered around crowd size. The comments are very funny. "Fourteen people and a squeaky tank I'm crying," this person commented. "The silence with the wheels squeaking is SENDING ME," another person wrote. This person compared the audio to a SpongeBob meme. Another person called it the "military version of the screeching sneakers." And this person said, "This is like something out of the Simpsons." Then there are these type of jokes: "More people showed up to the Jack Schlossberg lookalike contest than this hahahahahah." "The Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World has 1-2 parades a day, every day, that are more well-attended than this sad little belly flop." "I had more people at my Bar Mitzvah party." And lastly, "I've seen more people at Applebees on a Tuesday."
Daily Mail
06-06-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
The new 'zebra-striping' trend that's changing your favorite restaurants' menus
Young Americans are going wild for the 'zebra-striping' trend, and restaurants and bars are having to adapt their menus. Popular among Gen Z, the trend involves alternating between alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages - hence the name inspired by the black and white pattern of a zebra's stripes. Chains like Applebee's and Buffalo Wild Wings are known for offering can't-miss drink deals, and Chili's has been dubbed by some as America's margarita king. However, an abundance of beer and cocktails has slowly become a thing of the past in the eyes of restaurant goers. About 48 percent of alcohol drinkers are actively choosing to drink less, according to IWSR, a global leader in beverage alcohol data. And a study conducted by Restaurant Business' sister brand Technomic showed that among guests who had recently ordered a drink from a bar, 30 percent reported they'd also ordered a non-alcoholic alternative. Restaurants are taking note. Mentions of mocktails on menus are up 37.4 percent since 2019, including a 9.6 percent jump last year alone, according to Technomic. Participants ages 18 to 34 were the ones who were most interested in drinks with zero alcohol, but older consumers were not far behind them. Drinkers may occasionally enjoy Bloody Marys or Mimosas during brunch. Daytime hours are usually when people can find diners paring their alcohol with regular drinks. 'Gen Z and younger millennials are most likely to engage in both alcohol and non-alcohol bar drinks during the same restaurant occasion — to a significant degree — and mocktails/alcohol-free cocktails are the top items paired with beverage alcohol,' said Robert Byrne, senior director, consumer research at Technomic. 'Everything is expensive in the current inflationary environment, but that is likely a small part of the reason behind the trend.' 'I would suggest it is a combination of increased interest in moderation as an important component of an overall healthy lifestyle and experience-seeking behavior,' Byrne added. Barry Thomas, senior global thought leader for Kantar, believes cultural shifts leaning towards a 'sober-curious mindset' is the biggest reason for the change. 'In my generation, Gen X, you'd often say you were going out for a night to forget. Well, not Gen Z. It's about having a night to remember,' Thomas told The Food Institute. Places famous for drink deals like On The Border Mexican Grill & Cantina and Hooters filed for bankruptcy this year. However, significant menu shakeups could increase their chances of restaurants' survival. Gen Z restaurant goers may appreciate a new drinks menu that include various non-alcoholic beverages. Mocktails, designed to mimic alcoholic drinks, can help provide a shakeup to a menu suitable for guests looking to enjoy their night. Businesses can also offer different brunch, lunch, and happy hour deals at certain times during the day, with a twist. A possible drink special restaurants can offer would require guests to purchase a mocktail or hand-pressed juice to get an alcoholic beverage for 50 percent off. Both of those beverages could also be paired with food, making it easier for customers to be aware of their surroundings. Diners can also skip the restaurant and mix alcohol and non-alcoholic beverages on flights. According to Byrne, travelers who pair beer and non-alcoholic beer together can have a unique experience while capitalizing on the current trend.
