Varying Degress of Chinese Restaurants

Here I want to compare the architecture of the chain restaurant P.F. Chang's to the local Mandarin Palace on North Ave. It is important to acknowledge the difference in financial capital to explain these two different looks. P.F. Chang's, a phenomenally delicious national chain, has the kind of status and finances to result in a major mall placement. This particular P.F.'s is in Cumberland Mall, a suburban mall with high-end clientele. It also has a design to fit in with all other locations: big horsey statues and a modern, Asian flair. The entrance is framed in faux stone and red stained glass. The shape of the restaurant depends entirely on the space rented from the mall, so the exterior entrance is the space that must beckon in the passerby for crab rangoons from heaven. It works.
While these are both Chinese restaurants, the Mandarin Palace has an entirely different aesthetic. I don't know what on earth it was before, but its pointy, triangular roof is far from Asian style, though it does try to make up for it with a pagoda-style awning. Sans large statues and stained glass, this entrance beckons you with florescent "open" signs. Of course, a meal here will be decidedly cheaper, so the business has less capital to invest in its ambiance and architectural form. I will go out of my way to eat at P.F.'s if I'm in the mood for something special, but if I can find a closer, cheaper Chinese joint with decent food, that one will win out sometimes. As long as it doesn't taste like dog. While both structures strive to be Chinese in outward appearance, the difference between the chain and local restaurant is easily seen.