No wonder we have chains......

Some of my RF friends may have noticed that it has been some time since I posted about a Roadfood restaurant. It is not for lack of desire. In the last month, I have visited several places with "potential", at least before I stepped into the door. So many places out there are not as good as the average chain, and when in a new (to you) area, a chain may be the safe bet. No, I am not going to give up, and I am not going to change my practice of talking about the good places, and being quiet about the rest, but up to the time where I find a new RF gem, I will be spending more time in the off topic section......

I think the real purpose of this forum is to put the word out on really good independently owned restaurants. At the same time, there are loads of terrible places out there. Lets not forget that just because a restaurant is independently owned does not make it a great place to eat.

my brother is a truck driver and from time to time i go with him to help lump a load etc. through these travels he would always pass a few places right off the inerstate and i'd be like where are you going....we end up 5-10 miles up the road at some little hole in the wall with rigs parked along the road etc. SOME OF THE BEST FOOD I HAVE EVER HAD WAS SERVED AT PLACES LIKE THIS.
so hate to sound like rachel ray but yes get off the beaten path.....
i remember this little place in georgia ..... little old black lady pan frying chicken....THE BEST DAMN CHICKEN I HAVE EVER ATE!!!!! sorry cant remember where its at.....i gave her a hug and a $20. tip and told her your the first person ive met that can fry chicken like my grandma rip gram i miss you.
when my grandmother passed in 93' she willed me all her iron skillets.....some were her mothers....and i still use them....
nuff said
ron

heres a tip if there is alot of 18 wheelers in the parking lot food is probally good cause them boys like to eat!!!!!

One of my jobs down through the years was over the road truck driver. #1 concern about where to eat is room to park the rig. Then comes "is it good?" I recall having to pass up some roadfood gems and settle for less because of that. But yes, there are many instances where parking and excellent food come together in happy matrimony.

You are one lucky man to have received grannie's skillets. I've already designated who's going to get mine, and she was tickled to learn that fact.

tmiles, I think you cut right to the heart of the matter.

My Dad spent some years in sales, clocking 100+K miles per year, and even after he started his own business we spent a lot of time in the car. He had been a believer in the "stop where the truckers eat" philosophy, but got burnt too often by bad food and worse (including the truck stops that advertised food, but sold bourbon and girls: he didn't try to explain that to an 8-year old). Lots of the old diners just lost interest, I remember one on Route 1 on the North Shore where they had to call someone to find out how to make pancakes.

He never gave up entirely on the local places, but as time went on, MacDonalds became something known and reliable. When in doubt, at least you knew what you were getting.

Maybe that is why we have chains.

quote:

Originally posted by Ashphalt
He never gave up entirely on the local places, but as time went on, MacDonalds became something known and reliable. When in doubt, at least you knew what you were getting.

Maybe that is why we have chains.

I agree with these thoughts. When I have time, I love to seek and find more unique places to stop and eat, but too often I am in a hurry, or don't want to venture too far off the road, and turn to a chain. The meal may be dull, but I know what I will get. There is nothing worse than taking a long detour only to not find anything worth while.

I'd rather eat at nine bad restaurants in search of that golden tenth one than eat at a chain. I don't fault those that do but you damn right I feel superior to the denizens of MickyD's. In a pinch in an unfamiliar area on a long trip I will find sustenance chowing down on a seafood Subway or a product I can't get at home like a jalapeno cheese White Castle or scattered, smothered and covered taters at WH. I used to stop at Bob Evans for some hard to find (in Milwaukee) country ham but the last two I stopped at didn't have it any longer, so I no longer stop at them. Like the corner tavern, bakery and meat market of my younger days we (a generic, not personal we) stop at Applebee's, Panera and upscale mall meat markets in search of places that still do exist but in shrinking numbers. God Bless Jane and Michael and those of us that do support the indy and a pox on chains and the stockholders, not diners, they are beholden to.

Hello All,
I seek roadfood places as a personal treat for myself and
as a gift to those I love when I can discover a really good
one.
It is also an adventure to seek out and find them.
What I find disappointing is often the prices are high
while the quality of the food is often equal or sub-par
to fast food places.
Unfortunately, many places have the atmosphere of roadfood
or independently owned establishments, but the food quality
is lacking.
I visit fast food for price and taste consistency.
Roadfood establishments are like a holiday for me, and
it is disappointing when they use basically the same products
and methods that fast food places do, but charge so much more.
Take Care,
Fieldthistle

No, I understand the convenience and consistency arguments, I really do. I've started thinking of those places as public facilities--I don't feel bad going into a McDonald's to use the bathroom and not buying anything. They're getting enough of my money other ways.

The bugaboo for me is like when the local alternaweekly has its annual 'best of' poll and places like Red Lobster, Pizza Hut make the list, just because people are honestly too scared of the unknown to go try something else, and they think that the frozen shellfish you're getting that was really caught who knows where is the best you can do around here. 100 miles from the actual ocean. Come on people.

I started this as a new thread but it has been an on going issue for me. I have the RF book and I visit this site all the time. I know the good places, but I want to find a new place to post aboutI tried again today. The place was promising.....lots of cars.....dirt parking lot, but in the end it turns out that most people stop for coffee only. The "and" was stale. I'll keep trying!!!! I have a few trips planned for the summer

It's almost like wildlife, tmiles, you have to enjoy the excellence you find while it's there, because a million different things could make it go away. And then you're stuck on the side of the road going 'come back, yummy (whatever), I loved you!'

quote:

Originally posted by unabashed

my brother is a truck driver and from time to time i go with him to help lump a load etc. through these travels he would always pass a few places right off the inerstate and i'd be like where are you going....we end up 5-10 miles up the road at some little hole in the wall with rigs parked along the road etc. SOME OF THE BEST FOOD I HAVE EVER HAD WAS SERVED AT PLACES LIKE THIS.
so hate to sound like rachel ray but yes get off the beaten path.....
i remember this little place in georgia ..... little old black lady pan frying chicken....THE BEST DAMN CHICKEN I HAVE EVER ATE!!!!! sorry cant remember where its at.....i gave her a hug and a $20. tip and told her your the first person ive met that can fry chicken like my grandma rip gram i miss you.
when my grandmother passed in 93' she willed me all her iron skillets.....some were her mothers....and i still use them....
nuff said
ron

heres a tip if there is alot of 18 wheelers in the parking lot food is probally good cause them boys like to eat!!!!!

i feel id should add a little more to this post....i forgot to mention the cb...so my brother was well informed over the years where was a good place to eat or what has changed and why it wouldnt be a good stop....kinda like this place.....in a way.......ill have to make a new thread its a new breed of trucker now....laptops and all get truckers to post to this sight.....my brother quit trucking now and lives at myrtle beach sc......so he wouldn't be much help on the trucking end......ill work on it abit.....see what i can come up with....

Funny, Micheal Savidge a syndicated talk show host touched on this subject a couple of nights ago. He basicly said the same thing.
He has found more enjoyment better service and quality and value at some of the chains he visits. I normally take this guy with a grain of salt, but much of what he said is true.
He alluded to the fact that because he was a regular at some mom and pop operations that he felt he was being taken advantage of. So so service medicore food offerings and high prices. As he also said the chains were striveing to compete with the competitors for the dinning dollar, always trying to improve across the board.
I have a great number of local operations {mom and Pop} in my area that are very good so I don't have to resort to chin food. But on the other hand I wouldn't turn away from them either.
Some of the places that I frequent haven't changed their menus in years, they just use white out on the price side. All in all I like the chain option, it keeps other diners from takeing up a seat at some of my favorites. Chow Jim

quote:

Originally posted by tmiles

Some of my RF friends may have noticed that it has been some time since I posted about a Roadfood restaurant. It is not for lack of desire. In the last month, I have visited several places with "potential", at least before I stepped into the door. So many places out there are not as good as the average chain, and when in a new (to you) area, a chain may be the safe bet. No, I am not going to give up, and I am not going to change my practice of talking about the good places, and being quiet about the rest, but up to the time where I find a new RF gem, I will be spending more time in the off topic section......

Hi, I see that you are in Millbury MA...here is a tiny place in Worcester that I happened upon...I only had a breakfast sandwich there but their menu looked amazing, for a little place with maybe eight tables and a counter with stools...I wish that I had been hungrier because their omelette selection was vast and creative.

Murphy's Grill
171 Stafford Street
Worcester