The Raving Idiots Are At It Again, Uncle Fatty's Coming Soon

Atlanta-based Raving Brand's, famous for their successful Moe's Southwest Grill and Planet Smoothie concepts, and more recently for a class-action lawsuit brought against them by franchisees, is launching a new concept. Now yes, all charges were dismissed even before the trial could begin, something I'll never make sense of, considering the legitimacy of a number of the charges. Either way, Raving's President Martin Sprock has finally announced their new concept to be "Uncle Fatty's". Its initial location will not be located in Atlanta as with all prior concept launches, but instead Raleigh, NC, though future locations are said to include Atlanta and other southern cities. With a menu consisting of burgers, fries and pizza, the restaurant already seems like the most unoriginal of all their concepts. I think they could have done better on the name as well. Perhaps call the place "Obesity City" or "Heart attack à la carte." These names are not already taken like Uncle Fatty's, which has been in Chicago for years. Repeat Atlanta!

Ann's Snack Bar: Far From The Death Watch

Repeat Atlanta readers have voted Ann's Snack Bar as having "The Best Burger In Atlanta!"

These were the final votes:

1. Ann's Snack Bar [39%]
2. Vortex [30%]
3. Holeman & Finch [16%]
4. Houston's [6%]
5. The Earl [4%]
6. Buckhead Diner [1%]

Please accept our apologies for not including every burger joint in Atlanta but it seems we omitted a few great places. Repeat Atlanta reader Matt A. made clear his favorites, "The best burger in town is at George's in the Highlands. The second best burger is at Canyons in Brookhaven, and the third place goes to Five Guys." FLIP is also a great place to try a few unique creations.

Make sure and place your vote on Repeat's Death Watch for the Death Watch member which you think will be next to go!

Repeat Atlanta!

Repeat Atlanta's Stimulus Plan : Save You Money!

Repeat Atlanta has again partnered with Restaurant.com to offer our readers another great offer. Now though March 15, purchase $25 gift certificates to some of Atlanta's favorite restaurants for only $2!!! That is not a typo, only $2 for a $25 gift certificate!

Save 80% Off with every order of $25 Gift Certificates. Use code MENU and pay $2 thru 3/15/09! Click HERE for this offer!

Repeat Atlanta!

eBay and PayPal Horror Story, Support Local Merchants

Though yes, this is not exactly about the Retail, Properties or Eateries of Atlanta, I felt this story should be repeated as much as possible, as what eBay and PayPal get away with online is outrageous. The story I'm speaking of is one that appeared in the AJC this past Sunday and details the ordeal Lisa Wright of Atlanta went through as a result of her eBay sale of a Louis Vuitton handbag. A former eBay merchant myself, I had a very similar experience where I was basically "kicked when down" by eBay and later PayPal. Selling an item I personally purchased from Nordstrom, the seller claimed that it was counterfeit. I offered a full refund if documentation was provided to prove with her claim that it was a fake, she refused. After almost two months of battling and filing claims and counterclaims with both eBay and PayPal, the same result occurred as Ms. Wright. PayPal took the funds from my account and instructed the buyer to send the item, in this case a pair of UGG's to that same "returns" department in Dallas, leaving me without my product, without my funds and without recourse. Something tells me, somewhere out there, PayPal employees are enjoying their Louis Vuitton bags, UGG shoes and whatever else is falsely and wrongly deemed "counterfeit". Sites like "PayPalSucks.com" with so many complaints only show why PayPal representatives refuse to disclose the number of times buyers seek charge-backs from their credit card companies or how often sellers lose in such disputes, because it occurs often. It is unfortunate everyone can't get their story to the masses, otherwise there may be enough attention to enact a change in policies.

The sad part being, this actually does relate to retail, as many consumers have shifted to online merchants in an attempt to save time and money. A recent poll on Repeat Atlanta showed 50% of respondents are doing most of their shopping online rather than in a "bricks and mortar" store. Many merchants also believe a lot of the merchandise that was stolen from assorted Atlanta area boutiques last summer ended up on sites like eBay. I say, in this time of economic uncertainly, support local businesses as much as possible. You know them, you see them, and you can trust them. Repeat Atlanta!

Evos Enters Atlanta With Two Locations

Evos, a Tampa Bay based eatery is set to make its [minimal] mark on Atlanta. I say minimal as the eatery is known for being both healthy to customers and to the planet. Serving a menu that includes airbaked "Airfries" and healthier versions of some of your favorites like milkshakes and burgers. Honestly I cant wait to try all of it! I always say I'm going to eat healthier and this concept seems to be the answer to these promises to myself. The two locations that have been announced are at Novare's Viewpoint condos on Peachtree and Sembler's The Prado shopping center on Roswell Rd. Both locations are said to be on track for summer openings. I cant figure out what it is, but virtually every new, existing or emerging restaurant concept that has come to Atlanta has ties to central or southern Florida in some way. Evos is the most recent to enter the peach state but other examples are Urban Flats (Orlando), Seasons 52 (Darden-Orlando) Bonefish Grill (OSI - Tampa Bay) and Pizza Fusion (Ft. Lauderdale). While some have performed better than others, Evos definitely caught my eye and I'm eager to see how they fare.

Repeat Atlanta!

Have you tried any of the concepts mentioned above? If so, leave a comment, share your experiences, and let us know what you thought.

St. Regis Atlanta Delays Its Opening

As I recently drove by the St. Regis Hotel Atlanta, I wondered to myself how this property would be ready to open so soon. Then came the answer, it wont! The St. Regis Hotel Atlanta has announced it will not open till April 11, pushing for a third scheduled opening. Pano's, their signature restaurant is behind as well, now on track for a late fall opening. Repeat Atlanta!

FIGO Finally Makes Its Move In Vinings

FIGO Pasta has now made its anticipated move from their location in Vinings, next door to the recently closed Starbucks. I'm unsure what the size difference is but it was rumored to be a sought after property by a number of establishments. Repeat Atlanta!