Truck stops

[classB]

I remember truck stops having very good food. It was ma and pop style homecooked food and they served big portions. Mashed potatoes piled high, roast beef in gravy, country fried steak, it was all tastey and cheap. I remember the cost being in line with fast food, but the food being much better than anything a fast food restaurant would serve. I get sick of hot dogs and potato chips quickly. Sometimes I want something that reminds me of homecooked food, something that was in the oven for more than an hour, and not something that came from a can or was microwaved.

I also remember video acrades, showers for rent (I think I remember seeing a sign that said $2.50 showers with all the hot water anybody could want), and even a laundry.

Have truck stops changed much the past 10 years?

[matcat]

A few are still like that, but most of your truck stops such as pilot and loves just want you to do what you got to do and get out, and prices tend to be quite expensive.

[MartenDrvrCA]

A few are still like that, but most of your truck stops such as pilot and loves just want you to do what you got to do and get out, and prices tend to be quite expensive.

Come on now,how can you say that? Loves always has that delicious fried chicken thats been sitting under the heat lamps the better part of 2 days

[Crash935]

If you want a good "home cooked" style meal you need to find the smaller independent truckstops.

TA and Flying J still have arcades, showers are $8.00 (unless you buy 50 gallons or more of fuel then they are free with a drivers reward card). Many still have laundry facilites but bring a roll of quaters with you.

[matcat]

A few are still like that, but most of your truck stops such as pilot and loves just want you to do what you got to do and get out, and prices tend to be quite expensive.

Come on now,how can you say that? Loves always has that delicious fried chicken thats been sitting under the heat lamps the better part of 2 days

And them awesome corn dogs that are harder then concrete too!

[Uturn2001]

Most truck stops have showers. Many of your larger chain truck stops, Pilot, TA, Petro, etc have laundry facilities.

As far as food goes do not expect too much "home cooking" if you go to one of the major chains. Some of it is decent, but for some of the better food at a truck stop you have to search out the dying breed of the smaller independents.

[Jumbo]

Has anybody tried one of those big hot dog wrapped in dough things at a flying j? They look awful.

[MartenDrvrCA]

A few are still like that, but most of your truck stops such as pilot and loves just want you to do what you got to do and get out, and prices tend to be quite expensive.

Come on now,how can you say that? Loves always has that delicious fried chicken thats been sitting under the heat lamps the better part of 2 days

And them awesome corn dogs that are harder then concrete too!

Those are corn dogs?? I used them as tire thumpers

[classB]

A few are still like that, but most of your truck stops such as pilot and loves just want you to do what you got to do and get out, and prices tend to be quite expensive.

Come on now,how can you say that? Loves always has that delicious fried chicken thats been sitting under the heat lamps the better part of 2 days

And them awesome corn dogs that are harder then concrete too!

Those are corn dogs?? I used them as tire thumpers

I can enjoy a good corndog with mustard. But those sound awful.

When I make corndogs at home I pop them in a toster oven. They come out much better than from a microwave.

[WildK9]

Has anybody tried one of those big hot dog wrapped in dough things at a flying j? They look awful.

I've seen a few people buy them, but I could never get up the, whatever it takes, to get one. :shock:

[Roadhog]

Has anybody tried one of those big hot dog wrapped in dough things at a flying j? They look awful.

I've seen a few people buy them, but I could never get up the, whatever it takes, to get one. :shock:

marijuana munchies??? :? :P

[classB]

If you want a good "home cooked" style meal you need to find the smaller independent truckstops.

It is a shame the chain franchises are taking over. Most of the oasis rest areas are all McDonalds or some fast food franchise. I miss the days of the diner restaurant. It's a lot like what happened to milk shakes. I love a good milk shake. Diners waitress would scoop ice cream into the metal glass. They would add milk. As the blender spinned the outside of the metal glass would get icy. The waitress would then pour the milk shake from the metal glass into a real glass and leave the extra milk shake they made at the table. Then comes some real whipped cream on top. Compare that to McDonalds milkshake which is water and high fructose corn syrup and coloring and flavoring. McDonalds milkshake is everything except milk and ice cream.



versus...



I guess I should pack a ham sandwhich and stop looking for good home cooked meals.

[ct77]

Has anybody tried one of those big hot dog wrapped in dough things at a flying j? They look awful.

I did, tasted pretty good and was filling for awhile, later I was filling something else after it had taken the express route.

[Fredog]

If you want a good "home cooked" style meal you need to find the smaller independent truckstops.

It is a shame the chain franchises are taking over. Most of the oasis rest areas are all McDonalds or some fast food franchise. I miss the days of the diner restaurant. It's a lot like what happened to milk shakes. I love a good milk shake. Diners waitress would scoop ice cream into the metal glass. They would add milk. As the blender spinned the outside of the metal glass would get icy. The waitress would then pour the milk shake from the metal glass into a real glass and leave the extra milk shake they made at the table. Then comes some real whipped cream on top. Compare that to McDonalds milkshake which is water and high fructose corn syrup and coloring and flavoring. McDonalds milkshake is everything except milk and ice cream.



versus...



I guess I should pack a ham sandwhich and stop looking for good home cooked meals.

The waitress would then pour the milk shake from the metal glass into a real glass and leave the extra milk shake they made at the table.

this you could take out and feed to your horse before he pulled your wagon to the next stop

[Jumbo]

If you want a good "home cooked" style meal you need to find the smaller independent truckstops.

It is a shame the chain franchises are taking over. Most of the oasis rest areas are all McDonalds or some fast food franchise. I miss the days of the diner restaurant. It's a lot like what happened to milk shakes. I love a good milk shake. Diners waitress would scoop ice cream into the metal glass. They would add milk. As the blender spinned the outside of the metal glass would get icy. The waitress would then pour the milk shake from the metal glass into a real glass and leave the extra milk shake they made at the table. Then comes some real whipped cream on top. Compare that to McDonalds milkshake which is water and high fructose corn syrup and coloring and flavoring. McDonalds milkshake is everything except milk and ice cream.



versus...



I guess I should pack a ham sandwhich and stop looking for good home cooked meals.

The waitress would then pour the milk shake from the metal glass into a real glass and leave the extra milk shake they made at the table.

this you could take out and feed to your horse before he pulled your wagon to the next stop

When I finally found one I bought a malt maker just like they had at the soda fountain when I was a kid. Dollar bill green in color and holds 3 of the metal cups. I love using that thing to this day.

[Fredog]

If you want a good "home cooked" style meal you need to find the smaller independent truckstops.

It is a shame the chain franchises are taking over. Most of the oasis rest areas are all McDonalds or some fast food franchise. I miss the days of the diner restaurant. It's a lot like what happened to milk shakes. I love a good milk shake. Diners waitress would scoop ice cream into the metal glass. They would add milk. As the blender spinned the outside of the metal glass would get icy. The waitress would then pour the milk shake from the metal glass into a real glass and leave the extra milk shake they made at the table. Then comes some real whipped cream on top. Compare that to McDonalds milkshake which is water and high fructose corn syrup and coloring and flavoring. McDonalds milkshake is everything except milk and ice cream.



versus...



I guess I should pack a ham sandwhich and stop looking for good home cooked meals.

The waitress would then pour the milk shake from the metal glass into a real glass and leave the extra milk shake they made at the table.

this you could take out and feed to your horse before he pulled your wagon to the next stop

When I finally found one I bought a malt maker just like they had at the soda fountain when I was a kid. Dollar bill green in color and holds 3 of the metal cups. I love using that thing to this day.

I'll be right over, make mine strawberry please.. no... banana... wait.. oh just surprise me

[Blind Driver]

Has anybody tried one of those big hot dog wrapped in dough things at a flying j? They look awful.

OMG, those Big dogs are delicious
It's a Johnsonville hotdog inside there. I can only eat 3/4 of it at a time :wink:

[PA]

$9.09 for the buffet breakfast at FJ. Plus tip and you gotta beg for coffee.
$5.99 at a restuarant buys a better meal, coffee refills and clean dishes.

[classB]

$9.09 for the buffet breakfast at FJ. Plus tip and you gotta beg for coffee.
$5.99 at a restuarant buys a better meal, coffee refills and clean dishes.

$9 bucks is on the expensive side for breakfast. How much does an egg and toast cost? I've had breakfast at Dennys for $5 and the waitresses are good with refills. Denny's has good hash browns covered in gravy and they custom cook eggs to each order. I have a friend who loves sunny side up and runny so he can dip his toast in the egg yolks, and Denny's makes it right. Add bacon and sausage, and a plate of pancakes and it's a good start to the day. My only complaint is sometimes the amount of food is low. The pancakes are small. They only give 2 strips of bacon. But it's good.

[bigtimba]

I can't complain about truck stops. When I need a place to park and I don't have the time or energy to search for an alternative, a truck stop is a pretty good default.

As for truck stop quality and prices? What's the parking spot worth? What's the convenience worth? What's the truck specific engineering worth? If I deduct the value of the parking spot from the cost of anything I buy, pretty much every truck stop is a good value. The less I buy, the better the value.

I'm 100% reimbursed for showers, even if I use one just to avoid a filthy mensroom. I rarely buy packaged food unless my onboard inventory is low and it's a brand I know and trust. Hot food is always a crapshoot (literally and figuratively), breakfast is the safest bet . . but not the buffet. I love coffee and I have no idea why. On the rare days I can't get it, I don't really miss it but if I'm near a Pilot, I'll run over Grandma to get it.

The worst thing about an F-ing J is the hot (blech) food case. I can't fuel at a J, so whatever I'm there for, I'm trying to make it quick and the one thing that's sure to slow me down is the freakin' cashier trying to sell that crap to everyone in line.

I bought an aircard for my laptop. I should have done it long ago. $150 for the card and $60/month for the service . . I no longer need a truck stop to get online to search for things I don't want to buy at a truck stop. Long live COSTCO or a Walmart Supercenter.