Gusto Mitaka

(3.5÷5 stars)
Beyond Unilocal 100 Challenge 2015 — 17/​?
You’ve seen I got to Gusto quite often, and like other Reviews for chain/​fast food places, I’m looking for things that make visiting not only a fair value, but features specific to location. Why? Because the menu and service model are pretty standardized across the chain, so the variables in location and service (staff) can make or break the experience.
There are several competing family restaurants in this area; in fact, another Gusto, closer to the JR station, also exists. I’ll cover why I actually prefer this location below.
Observations:
+ Features: ⁴⁄₅ stars overall
— Recently Remodeled — brighter, cleaner, more modern atmosphere
— Nice drink bar — full selection of soft drinks, coffees, teas; both hot and cold (no beers on tap though, ha, ha)
— Standard Gusto menu — highlights are the seasonal rotations featuring fresh items in season. Pretty good selection, taste and value
+ Amenities: 3.5÷5 (Free parking under the restaurant. Note that access into the parking area is kind of tricky. It’s best to approach the entrance while driving north on Mitaka Dori. It might be illegal to cross the center line if you’re approaching from the opposite direction!)
+ Service: 3.5÷5 (Standard, prompt, basically courteous «by the book»)
+ Seating: ³⁄₅ (Separate areas for smoking/​non-​smoking patrons; restricted smoking hours during peak hours on weekends)
OK, so you can depend on Gusto to be a consistent example of standardized but decently priced meals. Good place to chill if it’s not too crowded (weekday afternoons, late night). Some locations will have a lot of students cramming for tests too, but obviously not seated in the smoking area. Finally, ²⁴⁄₇ service certainly helps when you’re staggering home after a hard night of work (or drinking) — pop in for a dessert, light meal or one more for the road.
YMMV but they are good at hitting basic expectations. One rank above fast food — think of it as fast family food without the plastic, obnoxious background music or limited menus.