Truckstops vs Restaurants

[BigMattFromTexas]

When Im going on trips I usually like to stop at truckstops, but I mean it really depends on what you need. But I like Love's, Petro, T.A., ect

[WillWeaverRVA]

I try to stop at actual restaurants or conventional gas stations that have decent food (Wawa, Sheetz) or snack selections (Fas Mart, East Coast). I usually avoid truck stops and travel plazas as everything there tends to be overpriced. There is a TA travel center at the Lewistown Rd exit off I-95 that charges outrageous prices on everything inside it. It's a wonder the place is still in operation seeing as Virginia Center Commons in Glen Allen is just 3 miles to the south, and Ashland is 3 miles to the north. Both have plentiful services and food selections. The Davis Travel Plaza in Carson (between Petersburg and Stony Creek) overcharges by as much as 20% on various items because it's pretty much in the middle of nowhere. The Starbucks in it charges the same prices you would see in an airport, and the Subway in it did not have $5 footlongs last time I was there (they were also overpriced).

Stony Creek has very few services (one gas station), and not many people stop in Emporia - and rightly so, I'm not sure I'd stop there either although I'm due to take one trip there for photos at some point.

[Scott5114]

It really depends on what's available where I decide to get off the road and eat. If there's a truck stop with a Mickey D's inside and I'm in a mood partial to Mickey D's, I'll do that. I enjoy stopping at Love's because often I can get gas for a fair price and then there's usually a tiny Subway tucked in there too.

[corco]

Truck Stops, but only if they have a sitdown burger place. There's nothing like a big greasy burger with greasy french fries in the middle of a long road trip

[Michael]

^^ Second that!

I usually go to something along my trip route, fast-food or sit-down.  One truck stop I stopped at was Apple Creek in the TA in Pembroke just off of NY Thruway Exit 48A (Darien Lake).  They had good food and reasonable prices.  When I go to PA, I like to stop at a Sheetz.  I also like to go to the Country Cupboard in Lewisburg.

[cu2010]

I usually try to go without stopping.

But if I have to stop, it depends on what I need...and what's available. When I go home, there is a good Petro stop off of Exit 41 of the Thruway, but I rarely ever stop there because it's about 15 miles from home, so I'll just wait until I get home.

Not to mention that in order to get off the Thruway you gotta pay a toll.

[hbelkins]

Not to mention that in order to get off the Thruway you gotta pay a toll.

What's the difference between driving straight through, and getting off and then back on?

Kentucky's old toll roads didn't have a ticket system, but when there were toll booths at the exits, the cost for entry and exit was always half the through toll, with a few exceptions to account for discrepancies in traffic flow. For instance at the Slade toll booth on the Mountain Parkway, the one that was closest to me, it cost 50 cents to drive straight through but a quarter to enter or exit.

[Darkchylde]

Truckstops, but usually for a fountain drink. I don't eat on roadtrips.

[deathtopumpkins]

I usually prefer to get off at a random exit in a town to go find some actual fast food, such as in New Canaan, CT on the Merritt Pkwy, but on roads like the NJTP I will usually stop at a service plaza for food. Drinks, however, I never purchase at fast food places, so I will usually stop at either a random gas station to get gas and drinks, or if I just need drinks, and there's a convenient truck stop, etc. I'll go there (such as the T.A. on I-84 northeast of Hartford, CT).

[golden eagle]

I haven't had truck stop food in a long time, except in the convenience store part. I do, however, remember getting some really big pancakes at a truck stop.

[Scott5114]

Drinks, however, I never purchase at fast food places, so I will usually stop at either a random gas station to get gas and drinks, or if I just need drinks, and there's a convenient truck stop, etc. I'll go there (such as the T.A. on I-84 northeast of Hartford, CT).

Oh jeez, I worked at a fast food place once and their drinks were way, way overpriced. The drinks were cheap enough to us that employees could have them for free, yet we would charge $1 for only 16 ounces. Whereas the gas station next door would give you 42 ounces for something like 89 cents. Yet we still had people going through the drive through ordering only drinks... 

Kum and Go is especially good for getting drinks...not only do they have a low initial price but that will be further discounted if you are refilling a cup (be it from K&G, your house, or another gas station).

[jgb191]

I love to stop at both fast food and truck stops on my road trips.  QuikTrip is my favorite place to stop mainly for their drinks selection, so that is the place I look for to fuel up.  But for lunch, I favor McD's, Wendys, or BK.  I plan my trips head to time it right so that my lunch and fuel stops are at the same exit off the interstate.  Stopping at these places my favorite part of road trips.

[F350]

I don't stop at fast food chains like McDonald's or etc. The exception would be Sonic's or other GOOD regional fast food places that aren't available in my area like In-n-Out in CA/AZ.

I'll stop by a local independent greasy spoon once in a while, whether it be a truck stop or on its own.

I always prepare food for the road and bring my personal cooler. It's cheaper that way.

[simguy228]

I stop at Truckstops. Usually I stop at the Piliot Truckstops with great covienence but sometimes I may stop at BP, Sheetz, or Turkey Hill

[lamsalfl]

There is something about stopping at a Pilot, Love 's, TA, etc that makes you feel like you're on an oasis in the middle of nowhere yet have access to everything.  You can buy pretty much anything you need there, and you feel like you're on a major artery with "everyone else".  Maybe it's the 18 wheelers getting gas or the truckers showering. 

[agentsteel53]

if those two are the options I am weighing, then the implication is that I'm on a speed run and am not looking to sit on eat.

so, in that case, whatever is at the exit where I'm running low on gas. 

when I'm actually exploring, then I'll stop at a restaurant at a small town that isn't part of a chain, just for some (literally) local flavor.

[ZLoth]

On my recent road trip, I deliberately avoided the chain restaurants save for two: Carl's Jr. because nature called, and Boston Pizza in Canada (a Pizzaburger? I had to try THAT!). The rest of the time, I relied on Yelp for local places. Three came closely in mind: Samoa Cookhouse in Eureka, CA, Pancake Mill in North Bend, OR, and Rodeo Steakhouse in Roseburg, OR.

Heres the thing: There are chain restaurants. And, most of the time, they are bland. Why am I traveling over 2,000 miles just to go to a Dennys?

[NE2]

Why am I traveling over 2,000 miles just to go to a Dennys?

Same reason most people use toilet paper on vacation rather than seeking out a bathroom with a bidet.

[realjd]

I usually do find a fast food or quick service chain for lunch because I'm in a hurry (Chipotle and Chick-fil-A are favorites, as are Publux chicken and sandwich counters). For dinner? I always yelp someplace local. I usually try to choose a hotel in an area with interesting restaurants nearby, usually in the downtown area of wherever I'm stopping for the night.

[jeffandnicole]

Even if it's fast food or a chain, I'll try to find things that aren't around my local area.  There are a few favorites that we MUST hit up while traveling (Sonny's BBQ, for example). 

[US81]

It depends.

I try to avoid convenience food, so on most trips I'll bring a small cooler with my own food and a great insulated mug that fits well in my cup-holder.  If it's just me traveling alone, and I don't need gas, I like to stop at a "Safety Rest Area" when one is available. If not, or if I need gas, I may stop at Love's or Pilot. There's usually no wait for the restroom, gas is reasonable, ice is free or cheap in my own cup (occasionally I get charged less than a dollar), a vast selection of food for the picky family members I usually travel with, and even a selection of kitsch-y gifts for extended family members.

On the other hand, if I am taking an actual road-geeking expedition, I love to have a restaurant destination as an intermediate stop. I love to find the local colour, small-town, mom-and-pop independent eatery....

[roadman]

Like US81, I tend to pack my own food and drinks for a trip whenever possible, and will pull over in a rest area to eat.

If I find myself in a situation where I must buy food when I'm on the road, I'll usually try to combine my food and gas stops.  This is because I'll get fast food at a place like McD's or Wendy's, but will buy my drinks at the gas station convenience store.  This is not only because of the better drink prices at the convenience store for the volume of drinkable soda you actually get, but also because I've found that FF soda containers are a horrible fit for the cupholders in my car.

Also, if I'm staying at my destination for more than an overnight, I tend to avoid restaurants (unless I'm in the mood for a full meal).  Instead, I'll go to the local grocery store and buy bread and fixings for sandwiches, some fruit, a box of crackers and the like.  I carry a cooler with me, and always try to book hotel rooms that include a refrigerator, so spoilage of meats and fruit has never been a problem.

[Lytton]

Usually, I would stop at a service/travel plaza if I was on a toll road (like the Garden State Parkway and NJ Turnpike etc.), especially since there are long gaps between exits.

If I wasn't on a turnpike, I'd usually stop at the nearest town and eat at one of the local restaurants, or in rarer cases, fast food restaurants like BK.

[Indyroads]

The best eating on the road... "Iron Stomach" ... ohhh yeah.

[Duke87]

Not to mention that in order to get off the Thruway you gotta pay a toll.

What's the difference between driving straight through, and getting off and then back on?

On the closed ticket sections (most of the Thruway), getting off and back on usually costs you 5 cents. But if you get off and back on at exit 25A (I-88) it actually saves you 52 cents since traffic exiting and entering there is allowed to use the section between exits 24 and 26 for free. This is the terms of a deal that was cut to end I-88 at the Thruway rather than build a parallel free route all the way to Albany as was originally planned.


I've gotten into the habit of grabbing food to go and eating it while I drive as a way to save time. Although for breakfast this tends to be impractical so I will sit down for that. I am agnostic as to whether the source of my food is in a truck stop or standalone, although if I'm doing freeway driving I do prefer to get food and fuel at the same exit if I can. If I'm driving local roads this doesn't matter since there is minimal time cost for two short stops instead of one longer one.

I tend to stick to recognized brands for food when on the road, simply because I need "fast food" in order for it to be, well, fast. I do sometimes like to check out local flavor but only if I'm meeting up with someone. My attitude towards food when I'm traveling alone is "shove sustenance in my face". I'm not going to take the time for anything else unless it's a shared experience.