A Breath Of Fresh Air From The Usual Pilot/Flying J BS

I ate at Iowa 80 once, about 12 years ago. Mediocre food, poor service. Never went back.

 

Hope it got better. I stopped and ate there twice over the years. Couldn't figure out what the big fuss was about. Ordered the country ham and eggs. Ham was dry and the wait staff focused their attention on the tourists, pretty much ignoring me. Was done after I gave it a second chance.

 

Their acquisition of Wilco Hess has been nothing short of an absolute disaster. South Boston VA can burn down tonight, and nothing of value would be lost.

 

The difference between The Tennessean is the owner chose to rebuild and not throw in the towel. Hopefully when his time comes he won't sell out to Pilot or some Punjabi. I haven't been to the new Tennessean but I'm going next week. The pics of the new place look like a really nice truck stop.

 

I haven't been OTR in a couple years, but is that Grandma's place still across the street? Great food and service (and good company in the bar) the last time I was there. Iowa 80 is a tourist trap. The trucking museum is cool though.

When did this fire happen?!

This is the place with the smoked bologna sandwiches, right?

 

Last time I was there it just so happened to be on the weekend and they had a breakfast buffet. Again this was a few years ago though. At that time they only did that on weekends.

 

I guess they got a little TOO smoked......

BTW, is anybody else amused at the irony of a thread about truckstops starting with the heading "A breath of FRESH AIR"?