Restaurant Review: Ruby Tuesdays, Douglasville, Georgia

As far as chain restaurants go, Ruby Tuesdays is generally consistent regardless of the location. I've never had less than superior service and the food is usually good, and always fresh.

I went to Ruby Tuesdays last week with a couple of friends. We enjoyed the meal and the atmosphere, so I wanted to share a good report for my friends and neighbors in Douglas and Paulding County, Georgia.

Ruby Tuesdays is just outside the strip of popular restaurants near Arbor Place Mall, in Douglasville. This is beneficial when you don't want to wait thirty minutes to an hour for seating. Population outnumbers restaurants around here and the wait can get long.

We went for an 11:30 lunch and were seated immediately. We were asked seating preference between booth and table. This may is a small thing, but I like to have input. I prefer the intimacy of booths. I appreciated that the host took a minute to ask, and then asked if the table where he sat us was okay.

It was nice of him to ask, but the table was not okay. It was near the door and too chilly. He gladly moved us to another seat. We were greeted within seconds by a cheerful waiter who offered to take our drink orders. Two sweet teas and a Ruby T, a tall glass of unsweetened tea mixed with pomegranate juice were brought promptly.

By the time he came back with our drinks we had moved again. The seat under a vent was also too cold. They adjusted the temperature and didn't appear bothered that we had moved again. I found it professional that neither the host nor the waiter seemed to mind that we were playing musical chairs. I suppose they would have followed us all over the restaurant. If it bothered them, they didn't show it and it's customer service that matters.

Ruby Tuesdays has an incredible salad bar. Everything was fresh and crisp. No lettuce, tomatoes, or cucumbers sitting in a pool of water as if they had been there for days. They had the best germ guard I have ever seen. It squared out over the food, actually protecting it and you could see through it to pick your food.

A friend ordered chicken chili and salad and enjoyed the fresh greens and a Waldorf Salad from the bar.

While she munched healthy greens I dug into spinach and artichoke dip. It's on Ruby Tuesday's menu as an appetizer, but it was a meal for me. The dip was deliciously creamy and perfectly blended. The portion was generous. Yes, I shared but with one stipulation: No double dipping!

The chicken chili with white beans was the only part of the meal that didn't live up to expectations. It was too thin for chili and more beans than chicken. It would be better described on Ruby Tuesday's menus as a white bean soup with a dash of chicken and a double dash of pepper.

Another friend ordered a Penne Pasta. The presentation was beautiful and appetizing to everyone at the table. It was a simple dish of penne pasta, tomatoes, and spices served with a slice of fresh grain bread. Judging by how much she ate, the pasta must have been good.

I tried a piece of the whole grain bread, who wouldn't? It was warm, lightly buttered and had a full grain flavor. It was delicious.

The service was exceptional and prompt. The food was good, especially for a chain food restaurant, with the exception of the chicken chili.

Ruby Tuesdays, Douglasville, Georgia gets a four out of five stars. It's a good place to stop for a quick bite. Prices are reasonable. The atmosphere is quiet and the staff exceptional.