Restaurant Review: Ruby Tuesday in Lynchburg, VA

I've eaten three times at the Ruby Tuesday in Lynchburg, VA. The first time I ate there was in July, a few years ago. I told the waitress that it was so hot that I felt sick at the thought of eating. She said that only a manager was allowed to adjust the thermostat and that there wasn't one there. I really wanted to leave. However, since I was there with other people and hadn't driven myself, I couldn't leave.

We ordered the bacon cheese fries for an appetizer. We thought that they would be like Outback's Aussie chips, but they weren't even similar. I didn't eat them. What I ordered for an entree, I'm not sure if they still have it on the menu. It was a sampler of ribs, shrimp, etc., and it wasn't good either.

Considering this awful meal cost me $30, I contacted the manager the following day. After telling him what had happened, he offered me a refund. He admitted that they don't want a lot of the employees messing with the temperature controls, but that the waitress should have done something if it was that hot in the restaurant. He tried to get me to come in for another meal, so he could show me that they are a decent restaurant, but I declined. He was very pleasant when I picked up the refund too.

A couple of years after this happened, I made a new friend whose favorite restaurant happened to be Ruby Tuesday. He told me that I had to give them another chance. Reluctantly, I agreed.

On my second trip to Ruby Tuesday, I ordered the 9 oz peppercorn mushroom sirloin. It was rather good, but I've never eaten at a restaurant that had such small steaks. Most places have the option to order a 12 oz steak. Perhaps part of the idea of the small portions is so you will order the salad bar? However, I do not go to a sit down restaurant and pay those kinds of prices to have to get my own salad. While the steak was good, the specialty steaks are much better at T.G.I. Fridays and Applebee's.

With hesitation, I let my friend drag me to Ruby Tuesday again. My nickname for this place is the over-priced hamburger joint. So, I finally ordered a hamburger there. Their hamburgers aren't as good as they are at similar restaurants. I feel that I have given this restaurant a fair chance by going there three times and always ordering something different. The food is awful, it's always hot in there... I just don't understand why some people like this place.