To make finding a chain restaurant easier, consider a restaurant guide, such as The ADA Guide to Health Restaurant Eating by Hope S. Warshaw. If your dietitian says it's okay, shift some of your Exchanges from breakfast or lunch to supper. Then you can splurge a little without taking in any more calories than usual. Keep restaurant eating in perspective. Don't be afraid to ask what's in the dishes and how they're prepared.
Menus sometimes omit important facts, such as that the broiled fish was marinated in oil first.
Ask the server whether the kitchen can handle special orders. Order before your dining companions. You won't then be tempted to order the same foods. Remember the food pyramid. Choose a lettuce-based salad instead of coleslaw, potato salad, tuna salad, or chicken salad.