As "good" is a subjective term, its obvious that many folks here are not going to agree on what constitutes "good" versus average or mediocre. For a perfect example of this, read all the opinions on the "best Chinese restaurant" thread. You have a huge range of what people consider to be good.
I think there's a difference between trying to go for the most esoteric dining experience possible (e.g. the foodie) and the folks wanting to try authentic or innovative things (e.g., adventurous).
I get your point. Most folks value convenience. That's why you see restaurants clustered together in certain spots and see large chain restaurants all over town. Folks who are uninitiated can easily know what to expect at each chain restaurant because they are always the same experience and usually have the same menu at each location.
For some of us, it is not worth our time to go to generic chain restaurants because we don't have a lot of time to spare. Personally, i would rather cook at home and skip that round of dining out for when i have time to go somewhere that is a more memorable experience. If it was a cost issue, i wouldn't be dining out in the first place, since i couldn't afford to do what i really wanted to do. Since I'm forced to dine out when on the road, i won't willing choose to do so when I'm at home, unless its somewhere unique and memorable.