What's the best road food?

You’re the road, you’re hungry, and you didn’t pack a BB&J.

Whatcha eating?

Food through a window or more of a sit-down meal?

Trusted chain or something local?

And any road food tips to share with the rest of the class?

Read the rest of the story

on a long tow - Denny's or Waffle House.

I always look for something local where I can sit down and get good refills and probably has a clean restroom.  I also avoid things that might upset my stomach.  My best stops were between Dallas and San Antonio where my parents live like the Monument Cafe in Georgetown.  I need to find new stops now that we moved.  Local, good food, good service, clean restrooms and real food are my decision points.  I avoid fast food at almost all costs.

I took the lead photo, so you can maybe guess my reply here.

My parents live in more rural part of the country, and my dad likes to ride his motorcycle. He made a book of breakfasts that he has eaten while out for rides. Always the same order, too: omelette, grits, biscuit and coffee. 

 Beef jerky.

beef jerky if I'm pre-packing and trying to avoid stops

popeyes or Burger King if it's delivered through the window

waffle House if I'm sitting down and so blessed as to have one on my route

Whataburger or Taco Casa are the usual places I eat when away from home. 

Both of those are probably mostly pertinent to Texas folks.

Applebee's.  You can get a weak, de-stressing beer while stuffing your face and being out of the car.  It's also usually good to sneak in a salad when you can on a trip of any determined length . . .

Chik fil a is reliable. Always good bathrooms. 
 

"cook out" when in GA/SC for the oddly affordable tasty junkfood

Taco bell rocks EXCEPT its absolutely impossible to eat it in a vehicle and not have it look like someone busted a taco bell pinata in my lap. 

Gotta have a party size bag of Doritos in the car for between stops.

Don't forget Buc-ee's for clean bathrooms and gas. . . Pretty decent food too!!

lagunamike said:

Don't forget Buc-ee's for clean bathrooms and gas. . . Pretty decent food too!!

You must be in a certain geography. I think Loves is probably the best nation wide for clean restrooms and good gas. 
 

I can't stand Waffle House due to numerous bad experiences but I'll do Bob EVANS/village inn/etc depending on where I am.

For clean bathrooms, check out Publix, too. 

In reply to chandler :

Buc-ee's is still regional but growing.  I think they started in Texas and just got into Kentucky.  I counted 3 between Cincinnati and Naples, Florida.

Generally, nuts/trail mix, beef jerky, and black coffee. Big, carb heavy foods make me sleepy which doesn't mix for long trips for me. 

Love the regional fast food joints that I can't get at home.  Bojangles in the south and Culver's in the midwest are always things to look forward to whilst on the road.  Looks like I need to hit up Cookout next time I'm in the Carolinas though. 

20 years ago, we went down to Atlanta to pick up an Alfa GT Jr chassis.  For that trip (which included two nights), we only ate at Waffle House.  I guess you can say our truck didn't smell all that pleasant.  

Buccee's breakfast tacos and burritos are the business.  While typically crowded the potties are always clean and any manner of roadfood or beverage seems to be available.

Every road trip through the South has to have a breakfast stop at a Waffle House for "smothered and covered Hash Browns" and a breakfast visit to a Bojangles drive-thru for their "Ham Biscuits."

In the last few years the addition in Georgia, Florida, and Alabama of Buc-ee's has become a must stop for the fun food and its preparation, the huge clean bathrooms and shopping. A friend calls the shopping part of them "Cracker Barrel on Steroids" for their huge selection of down home county types of products.  

In-n-Out

Buc-ees is solid

Culvers is a real winner

Chick-fil-a is good but always super busy so the juice has to be worth the squeeze

Dodge's Southern Style has real good fried chicken and biscuits and gravy and a chicken fried steak biscuit sandwich.  Not always in the nicest parts of town though.

I have heard good things about Cook Out but never been to one.  Wanna check it out next time I am in the south.  

If I can swing it I will do local, even if its a taco truck on the side of the road or a fried E36 M3 counter at a corner gas station.  At least its always an adventure.  

I wont do an Applebees/Cracker Barrel.  If I am gonna do sitdown, its gotta be local.

Whataburger doesnt do it for me - too close to Burger King.  I have been told by born and bred Texans that it is the best though.

If I'm just trying to get somewhere, and especially if I'm alone, fast food. If I have a little more time, and there's someone else in the car to look stuff up, I can try a locally-owned place. Eating in my cars is not allowed, so I always stop and eat.

Good "let's try this place" memories include the Asylum Restaurant, Jerome, AZ, a hole-in-the-wall Mexican place in Connorsville, IN, Trego Dinner Bell, Trego, WI (different name now), and Wildberry Restaurant (Tibetan) in Ashford, WA.

I ate at a Waffle House once, in 1990. It is not yet time to give them a second chance.

Before I answer the question, I'll say that it's very rare for me or my family to be on the road without carrying food. Buying restaurant or even fast food is expensive, and I can be confident that I am unlikely to get sick. Also, my preferred food choices don't align with fast food options.
 

David mentioned Publix, often we will stop at a grocery store to pick up food. Wendy's used to be a reliable stop for us, many years ago, but went downhill after Dave died. Our standard meal there was a baked potato and Caesar salad. 
 

For fast food, I guess our go to would be Chick-fil-A most of the time. I haven't been in a Buccees yet, even though there's one in Daytona. Waffle house would be way down on my list. For sit down fast food, probably Applebee's or something similar. I do like trying to hunt up local non-chain restaurants.

For local places, Chickin' Lickin'–I-95 in Hardeeville, South Carolina–is worth a stop. 

Plus you can buy fireworks across the parking lot at the gas station.