I love food almost as much as I love writing and playing music, so I figured I would write about it every now and then. Today I wanted to talk to you about what could be my favorite meal of the day – breakfast.

It is something that I, along with a majority of my family and friends, take very seriously.  Why? Its simple. Having a crappy breakfast is about as annoying as the damn alarm clock buzzer that wakes your ass up.

The No Chain Rule

When we are in our home town and we feel like going out for breakfast, its easy to pick a place. After years of trial and error, we know a few restaurants to trust our morning appetites with, BUT when we are on the road it is difficult.

But, not any more.

Over the years we’ve come up with a simple rule; No Chain Restaurants. Sorry Perkins, Denny’s, iHOP, McDonalds, etc but my bet is with the locals.

6 Reasons

Here’s are 6 reasons why I think that your odds of getting a good breakfast are substantially increased by walking into a local cafe or restaurant:

1) Better Service And Friendlier - Not to say that the chain restaurants can’t be friendly, but there is something about the atmosphere that is present when all the locals are hanging out in a place that is owned and operated by one of their own rather than from some board room in a big city.

2) Cheaper – Maybe its because they don’t have to pay a franchise fee or maybe it is because they just want an honest days pay for and honest days work – I don’t know. But 9 times out of 10 your wallet will be “less” lighter when you walk out of one of these places.

3) Better Quality – I worked at a McDonald’s back in the earlier 90’s and everything came on a truck from some far away processing plant (hmmm…processing plant, makes the mouth water doesn’t it?). You are more likely to get something that is grown and/or raised nearby when you go local. Also, I think there is a pride factor that is more prevalent at a local restaurant. Typically it is an owner or family member cooking the food and their reputation and livelihood is on the line.

4) Local Flavor – I am not just talking about how the food taste here but the whole experience. I mean, if you’ve see one Perkins, you’ve seen them all right? Why not get a feel for the soul of the town you are in? Life is all about about moments and there is a greater chance you find one at a local joint.

5) More Food – 9 times out of 10 you are gonna get bigger portions at a smaller restaurant. Maybe its the pride factor at work or maybe it just that the place is more likely to think of you as a guest as opposed to a dollar sign.

6) Its Just Exciting – To me it is just exciting to break out of the same old, same old. You could meet new people, learn something new or just discover a new take on a ham and cheese omelet. Besides, I don’t jump out of airplanes so I have to get me excitement somewhere right?

What Do You Think?

So there you have it. Next time you are out of town and looking for a good solid breakfast, try the “No Chain Rule” – and then stop back and tell us about it.

Now, do you agree or disagree? Did I miss anything? Do you have any recommendations? If so, please jot down your thoughts in the comments below.

OH, and before I forget, be on the look out for some future posts on this very subject. I will try to blog about some of the places I come across and share them with you. You could just sign up to my fanlist (look to your right when you visit PlanetCorey.com now).  I will deliver the article right to your email inbox and I’ll even give 3 free mp3 downloads right now just to say thanks.

I wanted to take time out to thank some a few people for interviewing me and reviewing and playing my music. Make sure you click on their links and check out what they have to offer.

Big thanks to…
… Chris over at Criss Cross Radio for having me on the show. I had a lot of fun and even had the chance to play a few tunes live over the phone. Listen to my interview on Criss Cross Radio.

… Thanks to Valsam at Rootstime.be over in Belgium for what could be it my first review. You can read a reviews of Never Too late here.

… Felicia Ceballos-Marroquin over at RecordSpeak.com a review of my CD. You can read another review of Never Too Late here.

… Eric over at Double Shot Radio for playing “Change The World” and “One Step At A Time”. Listen to the Double Shot Radio podcast here.

And as always thanks to everyone who has bought a cd, came to a show or shared my music. I appreciate it all more than you know.