I think there's a second market: familiarity. Think of the Cracker Barrels all across the country. Always right next to a major highway, look exactly the same

I think there's a second market: familiarity. Think of the Cracker Barrels all across the country. Always right next to a major highway, look exactly the same, food's exactly the same. Always packed pre-pandemic. If you've just traveled 8 hours and don't want to fight with dueling blog reviews or having to decide "do I want 'the best Thai food in Provo' or 'the best cheesesteak I ever had'", a Cracker Barrel or Applebee's has a "basically fulfills purpose" charm. They can slide a bit downmarket and survive, but a place like Planet Hollywood can't go truly upmarket without actual work on the food.