๐ฎ๐ฅ๐น On the Border: Bankruptcy, Bottomless Calories, and Marky Marg Madness ๐น๐ฅ๐ฎ
This week, Trent Tucker (@thegotspod) from the Geek Off the Street podcast joins me to break down the chaotic history of On the Border Mexican Grill & Cantina, a chain that once lived under the Chili's corporate umbrella at Brinker International before getting unceremoniously left behind. On the Border has had a rollercoaster run. We unpack the Mark Wahlberg-backed Marky Marg (where he didn't even show up for the toast), and celebrate the undeniable appeal of Guacamole Live prepared tableside. Plus, Trent pitches a zero-gravity ramen restaurant, and we read Yelp reviews in the style of a late-night local TV lawyer commercial.
๐ฏ Formerly a Brinker International Sibling to Chili's
๐ "Worst Mexican Chain" According to Men's Health
๐ธ Chapter 11 Bankruptcy and 40 Sudden Closures
๐น The Marky Marg Featuring Flecha Azul Tequila
๐บ "Why? Because You Can" is the Most American Slogan Ever
๐ฅ Guacamole Live Steals the Spotlight
๐ Trent's Zero-Gravity Ramen Restaurant Pitch
โ๏ธ A Yelper Who Sounds Like a Personal Injury Attorney
๐ฌ COMMENT BELOW: Is tableside guac enough to save a struggling chain?
๐ข SUPPORT THE SHOW & JOIN THE COMMUNITY:
๐ Patreon (Bonus episodes, extended Yelp segments & more): patreon.com/finediningpodcast
๐ฌ Discord (Food talk, memes, cursed Yelp): discord.gg/6a2YqrtWV4
๐ฅ Watch full episodes: youtube.com/channel/UCLbraNhL6KhDPkdSWt2yiuw
๐ All links: linktree.com/finediningpodcast
๐ค Guest: Trent Tucker | IG: @thegotspod
Patreon Producers:
Sue Ornelas & Joyce Van
Patreon Subscribers:
David Ornelas, Kellie Baldwin, Jeremy Horwitz, Herbert Amaya, Simone Davalos, Scott Bennett, Amy Reinhart, Josef Castaneda-Liles, & Travis Langley
Free Patreon Followers:
Joe Warszalek, Lauren Cummings, Grace Krainak, Keri Estes, Robert Duran, Patrick Elliott, Michelle Elmer, Dave Plummer, Nicholas Volney, Michael Gerard, Tracy Molino, Phuong Duong, Tyler Robinson, Brandon Gully, Mason Cruz, Michael Milito, Mez, Aaron Hubbard, Steff, Robert McLaughlin, Jewell Hermann, Renae Michael
๐ NEXT WEEK: We actually eat at On the Border and put it through the Chili's Test to see if it can hang with its former corporate sibling.