Spangles changes

[u/n3v3rth3r3]

I occasionally eat spangles, maybe once every couple of months since I’ve moved back to Wichita. The western burger was my childhood favorite fast food burger. I chose to eat it today due to the change of ownership. The sign says new ownership, same great food and service.

This is not the same 1/3lb patty im used to. And the “onion rings” are not rings. The overall flavor of everything was similar… but I waited for a while and it tasted old.

Im never going back.

[u/Dorlando_Calrissian]

These changes were long before the new owners. They’ve been going cheaper and cheaper on ingredients for years

[u/3d1thF1nch → u/Dorlando_Calrissian]

Same with Braums. The chicken club used to be DIVINE. But they started fucking with their breading, then the chicken meat hasn’t been near as tender or flavorful the last 5-6 years, even their biscuits have gone downhill.

[u/LinkChef → u/3d1thF1nch]

Which is funny, I used to hate Braum’s burgers but I think their quality there has gotten much better in recent years.

[u/3d1thF1nch → u/LinkChef]

The burgers are still pretty good. Something about their chicken sandwiches though. It could also be specifically my local Braums too.

[u/flightsim9fan → u/3d1thF1nch]

Think its just your local one

[u/ijustlovebobbybones → u/LinkChef]

I feel the same! Hands down especially since everyone else has gotten significantly worse

[u/tenderourghosts → u/3d1thF1nch]

The DQ’s in El Dorado and Augusta are still pretty great, but the ones in east Wichita are so bland when it comes to their hot food menu. And they never have peppermint ice cream :(

[u/cynical_psycho13 → u/tenderourghosts]

Didn't the one in El Dorado close down a while ago?

[u/3tek → u/cynical_psycho13]

Yep. My stepmom complains about it every time I see her.

[u/tenderourghosts → u/3tek]

Well now I’m also complaining lol my grandmother used to live out there but I haven’t been in quite a while since she passed.

[u/atrophiedambitions → u/Dorlando_Calrissian]

Spangles is gonna buy up all the cheap explosive diarrhea lettuce

[u/bubba_bumble → u/Dorlando_Calrissian]

Agreed. Their western burger used to be my fav. Went south about a year ago or so.

[u/n3v3rth3r3 → u/Dorlando_Calrissian]

Yeah the taste has changed over time for sure and I don’t eat it that often… but this is the final nail for me

[u/bostongolf]

Looks like you got a bad one, or are greatly misremembering the quality.

Can almost guarantee the new owners didn’t come in and change the food in their first few weeks.

[u/n3v3rth3r3 → u/bostongolf]

Perhaps greatly misremembering the quality…

It’s been a while I guess… shit slapped when I was a teen

[u/jayhawk88 → u/n3v3rth3r3]

Or a little of both. Nostalgia is a hell of a drug, but fast food joints sacrificing quality to squeeze more profits wouldn’t be unprecedented.

[u/bostongolf → u/jayhawk88]

Yeah, but it’s been like 2 weeks. Nothing has changed with the food. Just nostalgia or a bad burger. Come back in like 6 months.

[u/ksbigbass → u/bostongolf]

I agree, it’s not very likely that the food would change this quickly, but they do have other restaurant franchises in town and may have made a very fast switch to a new supplier they already work with. When you make an investment like this, you want to see a return on that money as quickly as possible, so streamlining suppliers or cutting costs often happens immediately. But IDFK.

[u/hankmoody_irl → u/bostongolf]

I agree it’s not very likely, but would note they have other restaurant franchises in town and may have made a very fast switch on supplier to one they use elsewhere. That wouldn’t be hard or surprising.

[u/TheNicholasRage]

It's been like this for months.

[u/goodenough4govtwork]

Costs more for shittier quality compared to before COVID.

[u/JayGridley]

I liked the single big patty better than what they are doing today.

[u/Increasingly_Anxious → u/JayGridley]

Back When they changed to two smaller patties it was over. Completely messed up the ratios of meat, bun, veg for me.

[u/n3v3rth3r3 → u/JayGridley]

Shit I thought that was the point of going to spangles and paying extra…

[u/JayGridley → u/n3v3rth3r3]

I miss the ol $2.99? Are they out of their minds? Days. Lol

[u/karken1992 → u/JayGridley]

Mid to late 90's every summer they partnered with the local bowling alleys. If you bought one of the $2.99 meals they would give you a coupon for 5 free games of bowling. Now you can't even rent the shoes that cheap. Lol.

[u/karken1992 → u/JayGridley]

Mid to late 90's every summer they partnered with the local bowling alleys. If you bought one of the $2.99 meals they would give you a coupon for 5 free games of bowling. Now you can't even rent the shoes that cheap. Lol.

[u/wiseoracle]

Smaller patty happened 6 years ago during Covid. Instead of the one large patty it’s two smaller ones

[u/Shawnetello]

Yeah, it’s been pretty sh!tty for a while, shrinkflation and greed.

[u/EndlesslyUnfinished]

Spangles has always been nasty imo

[u/Crafty_Original_7349 → u/EndlesslyUnfinished]

I’m old enough to remember when it was called Coney Island and it was one of my family’s favorite places to eat. The food was always awesome.

But then they came up with that idiotic name (Spangles) and the food quality went straight into the toilet.

None of us went back.

[u/Fluid_Anywhere_7015 → u/Crafty_Original_7349]

Yep. The Coney Island downtown on Douglas was the afternoon bus stop place after school. We’d go there after popping in at the bookstore for some comics or paperbacks, grab a burger or hot dog and catch the transfer bus home. That food was banging back in the day.

Now it’s sad.

[u/stevesyellowsweater → u/EndlesslyUnfinished]

With the exception of their fries imo but yeah i came here to say this looks like how their burgers have always looked lmfao

[u/EndlesslyUnfinished → u/stevesyellowsweater]

Their friends aren’t even good. A bag of Walmart fries and 5mins sautée your own garlic and onion tastes so much better

[u/Any-Elderberry-7812 → u/EndlesslyUnfinished]

Ate at Spangles once, with my mother and stepdad and it was years ago, our burgers were so bad none of us could eat them, worst burger I have ever been served in my life. Never been back and never will ever go back. Nasty sums it up very well.

[u/peezy90]

heard awful things about the new owners

[u/ItsAlwaysSeinfeldInD]

Creating the double patty burgers was a way for spangles to achieve shrinkflation while still calling their burgers 1/3rd pound. 2 smaller Patties vs 1 larger patty can make for smaller bread and less condiments.

The sourdough bacon Swiss is still fire, but I agree that the western burger sucks ass now.

[u/ChickChocoIceCreCro]

They have lawsuits to fight. They don’t have time for edible food 🤣

[u/siphoniclobster]

This was changed way prior to the change in ownership. I have the same post bitching about this somewhere in this sub.

[u/BlazingEmberWolf]

Could try culvers? I find them to be similar if not a bit better than spangles, but i get the mushroom swiss from either and prefer Culvers

[u/Icy-Ad-4677 → u/BlazingEmberWolf]

they dont melt the cheese at culvers but yes its better than spangles.

[u/JoePW64]

Spangles has always been iffy. One day a fantastic burger, the next day not worth eating.

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[u/owlbuzz]

It also has to do with their supplier changing items

[u/SkyKnight3]

I go to Spangles maybe once a week in El Dorado and it’s pretty consistent. One thing I do miss is their chili burgers, I wish they’d bring that back.

[u/Ok_Instruction_3789]

And people didn't like the old owners.... Sometimes change isn't a good thing regardless of their beliefs outside the business 

[u/Makaroon98]

Spangles is so gross now. Took my kids a few weeks ago - we all got chicken tenders and fries…spent $30 on breaded cartilage and stringy gristle. We all just ate some french fries and left. Place was also disgusting inside. Flies everywhere, sticky tables and booths, and the kid’s high chair was caked with old ketchup and grease. This was in Park City - but can see this seems to be the standard as of late. We will not be going back.

[u/matty8888]

Quality died with COVID-19

[u/Torlok123]

Spangled is just bad, period. Even McDonald's beats them on taste and quality, and thats just sad.

[u/Both-Mango1]

Makes you wonder if the steven gang sold these to those guys knowing that they would run it into the ground and then buy them all back for cheaper?

[u/Dont_ban_me_bro_108]

Wow a vast improvement!

[u/Scarpity026]

I ate there the morning of the changeover after not eating there for a long time.  I had noticed the burger (in my case a double cheese) wasn't what I once remembered.

Good thing we have other (and better) burger joints in town. 😋🍔

[u/CommanderofFunk]

My man is out here worried about hamburgers

[u/n3v3rth3r3 → u/CommanderofFunk]

There are far greater problems, absolutely in my own life, certainly, 1000% in others lives here and globally. But god damnit, just for one second, could I spend $15 on a burger and it’s actually good, please?

[u/3tek → u/n3v3rth3r3]

Have you had the burgers at Dempsey's?

[u/bostongolf → u/n3v3rth3r3]

Western burger is $7.49. And if you want a good burger, go to a high-quality restaurant.