Of more value to people who do actually go to eat at chain restaurants more often than I do, but still interesting enough that I'll hang on to it for a while. The best parts are the matrixes, shopping guides, and other addendum. The second best are the photos - delicious close-ups. I will look for others in the series. ( )

I learned some things from this fun little book. Lushly illustrated, full of what I think of as "sound bites" even though they are text. Lots of delicious-looking recipes and plenty of interesting facts. Truth compels me to point out some inconsistencies- where one recipe states categorically "you wouldn't want high fructose corn syrup in your breakfast, would you?" another calls for a two liter bottle of Dr. Pepper.

Still, a fun book. ( )

Fun, interesting, and very likely I'll cook as many things in here as I can, since they all look delicious. Not only do they look good, they're easasy to shop for and prepare. Good idea well executed. ( )

These guides are for a very specific audience -- people who regularly eat chain food and do not cook. If you're already a health-oriented home cook, the book will be useless and probably outrageous, but you don't need the help either.

If you're trying to wean yourself (or someone else) off of chain food in a gradual, sustainable way, this is a great start because it's healthy, inexpensive variations on standard menu items. Crucially, the recipes are also fast and easy for a novice.

Along with the recipes, the book is jammed with general advice. The standard "I don't have time" to cook argument is attacked right in the beginning. There are pantry guides and great visual 'scorecards' on the relative merits of different cuts of meat, types of dairy, etc. Many recipes include variations, substitutions, and ideas for leftovers. Single-use gadgets are discouraged.

A few dishes could use clearer explanations or photos (you'll never learn to make an omelet from their recipe) and the quick breakfast dishes really are not, although they also list the healthiest cereals. Somehow they think apricots are as large as peaches, and I'm not convinced that the salt and sugar in meat brines has a negligible effect.

The 'ethnic foods' chapter is another where you need to remember the focus. These are what you find at popular chain restaurants, not what people in those countries actually eat. And the range of cuisines represented by those chains is very limited.

You will not deprive yourself by eating this food. Baby back ribs marinated in Dr. Pepper. Ice cream sandwiches made with Pepperidge Farm Genevas. Bacon everywhere. Although no way is granita "every bit as satisfying as ice cream," even when layered with whipped cream. ( )