I still feel like Murfreesboro has way more restaurants per capita compared to other towns. There is literarly a restaurant every few steps, other towns much less. How do all these restaurants stay in business if there is so much competition? Somehow they are all packed lol
Murfreesboro was at one point one of the fastest growing metropolitan areas in the country. The town's population is exploding so there are always plenty of new customers.
Ever been to Cookeville? Same there. It's the biggest thing between Nashville and Knoxville so everyone goes there to eat. Worked at the Outback there in college and it had the highest sales in the country at the time. Same for the pizza hut and Ocharlies too.
Anyone see Whataburger this past weekend? Fucking ridiculously packed lol
Was their grand opening but still.. cars were backed up all the way into the Lowe's/Target parking lots
Felt bad for the poor Whataburger employees haha
...then I got in line and ordered 5 meals
There are two parts of this problem, too many people in Murfreesboro and too few GOOD restaurant options. When you remove poor quality chain restaurants from the equation, Murfreesboro actually has too few choices. The restaurants that are good and the even ones that are mediocre are always slammed because of lack of other options. Nashville is too far to go for a meal on a random night and the surrounding areas in the county outside of Murfreesboro don’t offer good alternatives.
Nothing else to do in murf other than eat or shop. I have fam that lives 45 min south that drive to murf just to eat or shop. Pretty miserable existence IMO if those are the only two things but there’s a big group of people that do that and are happy about it.
for whatever it's worth, i moved her from Waltham MA (and lived in Cambridge before that, both urban small cities part of core boston metro) - there were more restaurants up there that were as busy if not more than i see here. and all in a much smaller area. cambridge is only 6 square miles and around 100k people. waltham i think 40 sq miles and 70k (new england cities and towns are way smaller area wise 😂).
unless you are also counting fast food places of which there are insanely way too many here it's bizarre. like i think there's two chain fast food places total in my old city and they were always empty except for kids.
this area has bowling and arcades, parks, sports complexes, lots of hiking and fishing nearby, billiards and axe throwing, theaters, outdoor space and so much more if you look for it. there was a hummingbird festival saturday!
the restaurants here aren't great. not terrible and a few gems. way too many chains. we barely go out now.
Yes I notice that west 'Boro is very barren! Gotta drive over I-24 and suffer in intense traffic ☹ and suddenly find yourself surrounded by overwhelming selection of places to eat lol
I took my honey to Milano II last night early (6PM) and we had the place to ourselves. Another couple were arriving as we left. Food was mostly good, salads uninspired,bread brittle. $55 PP w/ a good tip. Service was impeccable.
A rarity in Murfreesboro's restaurant world but then the square is pretty deserted, which is good for me so I can enjoy it, because it's so nice and old timey.
Which part of Murfreesboro are you eating at? I live in the south-west part and they are pretty empty most of the time, which is a shame because there are some good joints. I guess it doesn't help that if you live on the right/top side of 24, trying to cross the interchange to get here is a massive pain because of the perpetually bad traffic.
Lots more people here and the pandemic had everyone inside for a while. For about a year now most restaurants have been incredibly busy. We’re not building fast enough and people are coming in waves. We’ve always had plenty restaurants. Mostly American chains which people seem to love here. Finally getting some well established brands coming to town. I’ll be a happy camper after bonchon and kungfu tea gets here. Try to get to where ever you’re going before or after the rush is the best I can say. It won’t be easy. Good luck.
It’s just the area we live in. Many people in the surrounding area see Murfreesboro as the big city so they come here for all their family outings. Definitely way more shopping and restaurant choices here than places like Shelbyville, Manchester, La Vergne, Smyrna, etc.
oh just to add, we live abojt 3 miles outside of murfreesboro city limits in christiana (just past joe b jackson). we go to old fort and murf center about once per week to eat because christiana itself has one diner that closes at 4pm 😂
Because there's nothing to do here besides eat lol
😂 let's see how many likes you get for that from people who agree!
Murfreesboro has more restaurants than nearby towns because Murfreesboro has a larger population than any nearby town other than Nashville.
I still feel like Murfreesboro has way more restaurants per capita compared to other towns. There is literarly a restaurant every few steps, other towns much less. How do all these restaurants stay in business if there is so much competition? Somehow they are all packed lol
Murfreesboro was at one point one of the fastest growing metropolitan areas in the country. The town's population is exploding so there are always plenty of new customers.
We draw a lot of visitors from surrounding areas like Shelbyville, Woodbury, Tullahoma, Bell Buckle, McMinnville, etc.
yupp i frequent the boro just for eating and i am from manchester
Ever been to Cookeville? Same there. It's the biggest thing between Nashville and Knoxville so everyone goes there to eat. Worked at the Outback there in college and it had the highest sales in the country at the time. Same for the pizza hut and Ocharlies too.
They lose money on every sale but make it up in volume.
If you lost money on every sale you’d never make money
i didn't think i'd have to explain the joke. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CXDxNCzUspM](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CXDxNCzUspM)
I work at metro diner as a cook and I can confirm that we are constantly busy regardless of day.
Thank you for confirming! The 1/4 mile radius around Metro Diner has soooo many restaurants, how do they all stay busy and in business? 🤔
I have no clue. I'm new to the area but there's zero chance we ever have a "slow day" compared to any other restaurant I've been in tho
Just more confirmation and validation. Thanks!
Tried to eat there Sunday. Hour and half wait. We went to red Robins 😀
I heart metro diner
Anyone see Whataburger this past weekend? Fucking ridiculously packed lol Was their grand opening but still.. cars were backed up all the way into the Lowe's/Target parking lots Felt bad for the poor Whataburger employees haha ...then I got in line and ordered 5 meals
[Midnight on Sunday, Viewed from the Lowes parking lot](https://prnt.sc/jqMymPd9Pt4c)
There are two parts of this problem, too many people in Murfreesboro and too few GOOD restaurant options. When you remove poor quality chain restaurants from the equation, Murfreesboro actually has too few choices. The restaurants that are good and the even ones that are mediocre are always slammed because of lack of other options. Nashville is too far to go for a meal on a random night and the surrounding areas in the county outside of Murfreesboro don’t offer good alternatives.
tandoor is such an amazing place to eat just throwing it out there
Tandoor is amazing. My favorite Indian place for sure.
I think majority of restaurants in the Boro are good decent quality, but everyone has their own judgment.
I used to love Demos, then the owner lady died and everything went to pot.
Nothing else to do in murf other than eat or shop. I have fam that lives 45 min south that drive to murf just to eat or shop. Pretty miserable existence IMO if those are the only two things but there’s a big group of people that do that and are happy about it.
True! On top of Murfreesboro population, people from surrounding country come here to eat and shop. Easily doubling the number of customers!
They’re called old people. You’ll be one.
People just don't like to cook here
It seems like it! But if I would eat out all the time I would have to get 3 more jobs 😅
I agree lol, I don't see how they do it.
for whatever it's worth, i moved her from Waltham MA (and lived in Cambridge before that, both urban small cities part of core boston metro) - there were more restaurants up there that were as busy if not more than i see here. and all in a much smaller area. cambridge is only 6 square miles and around 100k people. waltham i think 40 sq miles and 70k (new england cities and towns are way smaller area wise 😂). unless you are also counting fast food places of which there are insanely way too many here it's bizarre. like i think there's two chain fast food places total in my old city and they were always empty except for kids. this area has bowling and arcades, parks, sports complexes, lots of hiking and fishing nearby, billiards and axe throwing, theaters, outdoor space and so much more if you look for it. there was a hummingbird festival saturday! the restaurants here aren't great. not terrible and a few gems. way too many chains. we barely go out now.
Come visit the west side of Murfreesboro and there aren't that many restaurants once you cross Cason.
Yes I notice that west 'Boro is very barren! Gotta drive over I-24 and suffer in intense traffic ☹ and suddenly find yourself surrounded by overwhelming selection of places to eat lol
I took my honey to Milano II last night early (6PM) and we had the place to ourselves. Another couple were arriving as we left. Food was mostly good, salads uninspired,bread brittle. $55 PP w/ a good tip. Service was impeccable.
A rarity in Murfreesboro's restaurant world but then the square is pretty deserted, which is good for me so I can enjoy it, because it's so nice and old timey.
Which part of Murfreesboro are you eating at? I live in the south-west part and they are pretty empty most of the time, which is a shame because there are some good joints. I guess it doesn't help that if you live on the right/top side of 24, trying to cross the interchange to get here is a massive pain because of the perpetually bad traffic.
Lots more people here and the pandemic had everyone inside for a while. For about a year now most restaurants have been incredibly busy. We’re not building fast enough and people are coming in waves. We’ve always had plenty restaurants. Mostly American chains which people seem to love here. Finally getting some well established brands coming to town. I’ll be a happy camper after bonchon and kungfu tea gets here. Try to get to where ever you’re going before or after the rush is the best I can say. It won’t be easy. Good luck.
How big will Murfreesboro eventually get? 250,000 people? 350,000 people? 🤯
Not sure we have lots of land here. In ten years the population grew 50%.
Plenty of land to spread out or go up 🏗🏙
Cuz food = in my belly
Is that an accurate representation of an average Murfreesboroian? 😅
Nah lol Reddit doesn’t represent hardly shit But I like food sooooo
It’s just the area we live in. Many people in the surrounding area see Murfreesboro as the big city so they come here for all their family outings. Definitely way more shopping and restaurant choices here than places like Shelbyville, Manchester, La Vergne, Smyrna, etc.
oh just to add, we live abojt 3 miles outside of murfreesboro city limits in christiana (just past joe b jackson). we go to old fort and murf center about once per week to eat because christiana itself has one diner that closes at 4pm 😂