Fast Food Thread: Not just about assholes anymore

govmentchedda · Post by **govmentchedda** » Sun Jul 23, 2023 7:51 pm

Amazing

Post by **brian** » Sun Dec 03, 2023 10:08 pm

Zaxby’s is just a Garbage Pail Kids version of Raising Cane’s.

The Sybian · Post by **The Sybian** » Mon Dec 04, 2023 11:06 am

brian wrote: ↑Sun Dec 03, 2023 10:08 pm Zaxby’s is just a Garbage Pail Kids version of Raising Cane’s.

My sister likes Zaxby's, so that tracks.

Johnnie · Post by **Johnnie** » Mon Dec 04, 2023 11:08 am

I went to one of the most downtrodden and depressed Wendy's last night. It just didn't feel safe in there at all.

Nonlinear FC · Post by **Nonlinear FC** » Mon Dec 04, 2023 11:12 am

We stopped at a Zaxby's many years ago on a trip up 95... I wasn't impressed.

sancarlos · Post by **sancarlos** » Mon Dec 04, 2023 12:10 pm

Are those a Southeastern thing? I’ve never actually seen a Zaxby’s in the wild.

Nonlinear FC · Post by **Nonlinear FC** » Mon Dec 04, 2023 12:20 pm

I think it started in Georgia and spread out from there. I do think they've headed out west a bit, but yes, primarily clustered in the SE.

Steve of phpBB · Post by **Steve of phpBB** » Mon Dec 04, 2023 12:25 pm

There's a few around here. I think I ate at one once, and it was basically fine but nothing special.

Raising Cane's has just moved into the area in the past few months and I haven't eaten there yet. We have a local upscale fried chicken place so I haven't felt the need to check out the new chain versions.

Post by **brian** » Mon Dec 04, 2023 12:39 pm

Steve of phpBB wrote: ↑Mon Dec 04, 2023 12:25 pm There's a few around here. I think I ate at one once, and it was basically fine but nothing special.

Raising Cane's has just moved into the area in the past few months and I haven't eaten there yet. We have a local upscale fried chicken place so I haven't felt the need to check out the new chain versions.

Yeah the one I ate at was walking distance from our SLC terminal. Cane’s is the gold standard for chicken because that’s the only thing on the menu. At that point you better be doing something right.

DSafetyGuy · Post by **DSafetyGuy** » Mon Dec 04, 2023 1:55 pm

sancarlos wrote: ↑Mon Dec 04, 2023 12:10 pm Are those a Southeastern thing? I’ve never actually seen a Zaxby’s in the wild.

They are a frequent advertiser during ACC sporting events.

tennbengal · Post by **tennbengal** » Mon Dec 04, 2023 2:12 pm

Steve of phpBB wrote: ↑Mon Dec 04, 2023 12:25 pm There's a few around here. I think I ate at one once, and it was basically fine but nothing special.

Raising Cane's has just moved into the area in the past few months and I haven't eaten there yet. We have a local upscale fried chicken place so I haven't felt the need to check out the new chain versions.

Cane's is excellent, imo.

Giff · Post by **Giff** » Mon Dec 04, 2023 2:24 pm

Brian have you had an Allsups burrito yet?!

Johnnie · Post by **Johnnie** » Mon Dec 04, 2023 6:46 pm

Giff wrote: ↑Mon Dec 04, 2023 2:24 pm Brian have you had an Allsups burrito yet?!

.....aaaand I miss New Mexico again for the umpteenth time.

Rush2112 · Post by **Rush2112** » Wed Dec 06, 2023 1:46 am

Johnnie wrote: ↑Mon Dec 04, 2023 6:46 pm
Giff wrote: ↑Mon Dec 04, 2023 2:24 pm Brian have you had an Allsups burrito yet?!
.....aaaand I miss New Mexico again for the umpteenth time.

Funny, I lived there for 10 years and I don't recall ever having one.

ETA looks like you can mailorder them.

sancarlos · Post by **sancarlos** » Wed Dec 06, 2023 1:48 am

Rush2112 wrote: ↑Wed Dec 06, 2023 1:46 am
Johnnie wrote: ↑Mon Dec 04, 2023 6:46 pm
Giff wrote: ↑Mon Dec 04, 2023 2:24 pm Brian have you had an Allsups burrito yet?!
.....aaaand I miss New Mexico again for the umpteenth time.
Funny, I lived there for 10 years and I don't recall ever having one.

ETA looks like you can mailorder them.

I never had one either. But, then, again, I rarely buy food at gas stations.

A_B · Post by **A_B** » Wed Dec 06, 2023 8:17 am

sancarlos wrote: ↑Wed Dec 06, 2023 1:48 am
I never had one either. But, then, again, I rarely buy food at gas stations.

So this brings up a point that my wife and I discussed a lot when we first were together and in the road trip portion before kids or really even before marriage. First time we head out on a road trip I stop at a gas station to fill up and then asked if she wanted anything from inside. She looked at me like I had three heads. For her, gas stations were for gas and restroom. You did not under any circumstances get any snacks or drinks. I, however, grew up stopping for those things So yes, I have had my fair share of gas station food. My hometown was a bit of a food desert and the gas stations were usually manned by families and they always made food.

Nonlinear FC · Post by **Nonlinear FC** » Wed Dec 06, 2023 9:54 am

I feel like that "food desert" thing is a pretty good tell. We're up and down 95 and out 70 a lot and it would never occur to us to seek out a gas station for food. Like, ever.

We get our food and then go find the cheapest gas station. To the point that even if they have, like, a Wendy's inside of a gas station, I'm probably not going to eat there.

I was raised with the notion that gas stations are dirty/grimy and you only buy packaged snacks and soda from those spots. My wife is even more adamant on this front.

With that said, there's a Taqueria inside of Shell station that we were told is good and... It's fantastic! So, at this stage, if we get a tip off about a certain place, we'll try it out.

Brontoburglar · Post by **Brontoburglar** » Wed Dec 06, 2023 10:04 am

don't you live in wawa country?

Nonlinear FC · Post by **Nonlinear FC** » Wed Dec 06, 2023 10:14 am

Brontoburglar wrote: ↑Wed Dec 06, 2023 10:04 am don't you live in wawa country?

Sorta. And I was introduced to that in B'more in college where it was a stand alone 7-eleven type deal without a gas station. That place made great sandwiches. Wawa is growing its footprint in MD, but it's not as omnipresent as it is in, say, PA. At any rate, it's not a spot we would choose to grab a meal from.

Slightly more prevalent around here is Royal Farms, which purports to have great fried chicken. We got that once from a recommendation and... Meh. The other big food-forward gas station is Sheetz and... nope, not gonna do it.

I'm not saying this is rational, btw. It's not even something we discuss. We just don't consider grabbing a meal from an establishment attached to a gas station while on road trips.

HaulCitgo · Post by **HaulCitgo** » Wed Dec 06, 2023 10:18 am

Ye of little faith in the roller grill

A_B · Post by **A_B** » Wed Dec 06, 2023 10:20 am

To be clear, I don't genearlly get meals when on road trips at the gas station. But I do get chips and drinks and candy. And I will go to gas station here next to office because they have a good mexican food there.

mister d · Post by **mister d** » Wed Dec 06, 2023 10:21 am

Northeasterner so grew up the same where anything you'd eat at a gas station was prepackaged but watching food and travel shows has made me really jealous of gas station takeout culture. Every once in a while you'll see BBQ pit setups further south into NJ or DE, but those are outside and seem independent of the gas station themselves.

mister d · Post by **mister d** » Wed Dec 06, 2023 10:21 am

A_B wrote: ↑Wed Dec 06, 2023 10:20 am To be clear, I don't genearlly get meals when on road trips at the gas station. But I do get chips and drinks and candy. And I will go to gas station here next to office because they have a good mexican food there.

Which one is the good food?

HaulCitgo · Post by **HaulCitgo** » Wed Dec 06, 2023 10:28 am

Some gas stations around here rent a corner to guys who use a trailer to haul a big drum grill and sell various meats. Quality varies but I can't head wrapped around huge open fire maybe 100 ft from a pump. City needs to dead that.

And Zaxby's is average and overpriced.

For some reason three race trac gas stations within 3 miles of me. QT is better.

A_B · Post by **A_B** » Wed Dec 06, 2023 10:32 am

mister d wrote: ↑Wed Dec 06, 2023 10:21 am
A_B wrote: ↑Wed Dec 06, 2023 10:20 am To be clear, I don't genearlly get meals when on road trips at the gas station. But I do get chips and drinks and candy. And I will go to gas station here next to office because they have a good mexican food there.
Which one is the good food?

Clever girl.

Giff · Post by **Giff** » Wed Dec 06, 2023 11:10 am

mister d wrote: ↑Wed Dec 06, 2023 10:21 am Northeasterner so grew up the same where anything you'd eat at a gas station was prepackaged but watching food and travel shows has made me really jealous of gas station takeout culture. Every once in a while you'll see BBQ pit setups further south into NJ or DE, but those are outside and seem independent of the gas station themselves.

Yeah, I'll add awesome gas station spots to the tour when you Swampers meet in Houston.

The Sybian · Post by **The Sybian** » Wed Dec 06, 2023 11:26 am

Giff wrote: ↑Wed Dec 06, 2023 11:10 am
mister d wrote: ↑Wed Dec 06, 2023 10:21 am Northeasterner so grew up the same where anything you'd eat at a gas station was prepackaged but watching food and travel shows has made me really jealous of gas station takeout culture. Every once in a while you'll see BBQ pit setups further south into NJ or DE, but those are outside and seem independent of the gas station themselves.
Yeah, I'll add awesome gas station spots to the tour when you Swampers meet in Houston.

I'm generally in the Nonlinear camp here, but after seeing a video of two Brits trying everything in a Buc-ees, I'm intrigued. I have gotten food at WaWa's in a pinch, but I picture them more as a convenience store that sometimes has gas pumps. Maybe they all do, not really sure. "Gas station snacks" has become a recent tradition with my wife and daughter. We were at an away soccer tournament and she lost in the finals in overtime to a team coached by a former coach she wanted badly to beat. She was devastated, so as I filled up for the ride home, my wife let her go on a junk food shopping spree. Now my daughter will occasionally ask for gas station snacks on a road trip.

L-Jam3 · Post by **L-Jam3** » Wed Dec 06, 2023 11:31 am

Wawa shouldn't be in this discussion. Wawa was a convenience store/dairy/hoagie shop for decades before they put gas pumps in.

mister d · Post by **mister d** » Wed Dec 06, 2023 11:42 am

Yeah, I want the non-chain stuff. "This family runs the gas station and also they serve the best tamales you'll ever have" or whatever.

(Also wawa subs suck shit. The bread is better than subway so they aren't the basement, but its awful and there's almost no excuse for eating one.)

Giff · Post by **Giff** » Wed Dec 06, 2023 12:03 pm

The Sybian wrote: ↑Wed Dec 06, 2023 11:26 am
Giff wrote: ↑Wed Dec 06, 2023 11:10 am
mister d wrote: ↑Wed Dec 06, 2023 10:21 am Northeasterner so grew up the same where anything you'd eat at a gas station was prepackaged but watching food and travel shows has made me really jealous of gas station takeout culture. Every once in a while you'll see BBQ pit setups further south into NJ or DE, but those are outside and seem independent of the gas station themselves.
Yeah, I'll add awesome gas station spots to the tour when you Swampers meet in Houston.
I'm generally in the Nonlinear camp here, but after seeing a video of two Brits trying everything in a Buc-ees, I'm intrigued. I have gotten food at WaWa's in a pinch, but I picture them more as a convenience store that sometimes has gas pumps. Maybe they all do, not really sure. "Gas station snacks" has become a recent tradition with my wife and daughter. We were at an away soccer tournament and she lost in the finals in overtime to a team coached by a former coach she wanted badly to beat. She was devastated, so as I filled up for the ride home, my wife let her go on a junk food shopping spree. Now my daughter will occasionally ask for gas station snacks on a road trip.

Buc-ees has great snacks and the restrooms are always immaculate, but the food isn't all that great IMO. It's fine and not expensive, but others swear on the tacos and bbq sandwiches for the price.

HaulCitgo · Post by **HaulCitgo** » Wed Dec 06, 2023 12:29 pm

I thought it expensive. Worth a stop and they have great tire pumps but everything about 1.5x what I would expect. Not exorbitant but pricey enough not to stop with the kids. OK bbq sandwiches. Great selection for a road trip.

GoodKarma · Post by **GoodKarma** » Wed Dec 06, 2023 12:31 pm

Was in FL over the weekend/early part of the week and had my first Buc-ees experience. Have to say the sandwich I had was pretty good and their brand of diet soda I thought tasted better than Diet Coke.

duff · Post by **duff** » Wed Dec 06, 2023 1:16 pm

Love's hotdogs.

There is a Marathon station in my little town that sells the best fucking Chinese food. So damn good.

Post by **brian** » Wed Dec 06, 2023 3:53 pm

Giff wrote: ↑Mon Dec 04, 2023 2:24 pm Brian have you had an Allsups burrito yet?!

No but we passed about 50 Alksups. I’ll have to try next time I’m through NM.

Johnnie · Post by **Johnnie** » Wed Dec 06, 2023 6:13 pm

There was an Allsups near Kirtland in the heart of the 'Warzone'. (The several blocks around the base, but south of Central Ave in ABQ.) Gassed up there once and grabbed a burrito. Really good, but I never went back because it was wicked unsafe.

In Deming, NM where I'd gas up on my trips between Tucson and ABQ, I'd stop at this Valero with really delicious tacos. So it's a suitable substitute.

Not sure if this gas station brand is everywhere, but QuikTrip typically has the cleanest convenient stores and decent food as well.

A_B · Post by **A_B** » Thu Dec 07, 2023 1:37 pm

https://bittersoutherner.com/feature/20 ... ation-food

The Sybian · Post by **The Sybian** » Thu Dec 14, 2023 3:39 pm

tennbengal wrote: ↑Mon Dec 04, 2023 2:12 pm
Steve of phpBB wrote: ↑Mon Dec 04, 2023 12:25 pm There's a few around here. I think I ate at one once, and it was basically fine but nothing special.

Raising Cane's has just moved into the area in the past few months and I haven't eaten there yet. We have a local upscale fried chicken place so I haven't felt the need to check out the new chain versions.
Cane's is excellent, imo.

Finally made it down to Cane's for lunch. Mostly to taunt my daughter who is still obsessed with trying it. Definitely not worth walking the 28 block round trip. Huge props for their efficiency in handling a long line and getting the food out quick, but with a 2-item menu (chicken fingers or chicken sandwich) it shouldn't be difficult. Chicken was average, not much flavor. Fries were crap but saved by a ton of salt. Sauce was ok, basically mayo, ketchup and black pepper, and I'm not big on mayo.

Sent my daughter a pic of the outside of the store and the food. She responded an hour after I finished eating asking me to bring some home for her. I told her I'm going to my firm's holiday party and I'm not carrying around a container of chicken and fries for 3 hours. She responded with, "that sounds like a you problem." Gotta love kids.

Brontoburglar · Post by **Brontoburglar** » Thu Dec 14, 2023 3:59 pm

about our review of it after trying it later this summer after we got home from colorado. there's one five minutes away. it was the first time we went and we haven't been back

Giff · Post by **Giff** » Thu Dec 14, 2023 4:03 pm

It's my daughter's latest obsession.

The Sybian · Post by **The Sybian** » Thu Dec 14, 2023 4:12 pm

Giff wrote: ↑Thu Dec 14, 2023 4:03 pm It's my daughter's latest obsession.

I may have said this already, but it was either a TikTok or Instagram thing. She was showing me a couple months ago that half of the things that popped into her feed were Cane's related. Curious how much they paid for that, but it's clearly working.