ninetreats.com

I have found in my eating, traveling and other experiences that there are just certain places to which you should never return. But, trying to keep an open mind and give every place a second chance, I decided sometime ago that my list of bad places is not permanent. I always believe that someone can improve, do better, and make changes.

Thus, I have created the Six Year List. This is in essence my banned list, but in the spirit of forgiveness, I put a limitation on my ban. If a restaurant or other place is so bad that I decide not to patronize them anymore, then they have six years to improve and change their ways. But only under duress will I return again in less than six years.

I figure that six years is enough time for them to complete the entire process of denial, acceptance and change and if they survive all of that and are still in business then they will merit my attention again. It also makes for easier conversation among friends. If you have a mutual understanding and respect for each other then, when a friend suggests a place you do not like to eat, your only response needs to be, "Sorry, itâ??s on my six year list." No further explanation needed.

Anytime you come across something in my Six Year Banned List category it means they are a place I won't be returning to for some time. The only caveat to the six year rule is in group or family settings where standing firm on the six year rule would cause discord or be considered impolite, as not everyone understands what it means to be on the Six Year List.

Carl's Jr. is the restaurant that inspired the list. Two major reasons it's on the list:

1) Their TV commercials, which more often than not I find offensive and which never create any kind of desire on my part to visit Carl's Jr.
2) After several visits in the last year or so the food has been so poor tasting and so poorly prepared that they are the inaugural member of the list.

Technically they were put on the list in 2006, so my next visit will be sometime in 2012.