TA Lake City, Fl.

Plus the truck manufacturers started installing inverters powerful enough to use more than a mini-crock pot. Much cheaper to grill some burgers on the George Forman or in the air fryer. And food from Walmart or Aldi's is much cheaper than a restaurant plus a tip.

 

Apparently the owner is going to try something new but nothing is officially cast in stone yet.
At least the paid parking is cheap. Most places would charge double what this TA would.

 

Truck stops were gone long before covid

 

Anybody out here more than a year or two has to know we shouldn’t be eating at fast food restaurants. I can microwave chicken with brown rice and broccoli in about 5 minutes. Cleaning up takes about a minute to wipe down a plate and glass. I keep ham/turkey and cheese and tortilla wraps and mustard. Coffee and tea. I try not to have any unhealthy snacks in the truck but I like to have ice cream sandwiches for a snack.

I don’t know how anyone drives OTR and relies on truck stops for food. They must be a gluten for punishment.

 

New drivers vs old drivers. As the older guys leave and the younger crowd takes over, they are the fast food generation. I grew up sitting at a table with the family, eating food my mother cooked from scratch. When i got older, i cooked my own food at home and ate sensible meals in the restaurants while on the road.
The drivers that started in the 2000's grew up eating fast food, rarely sitting down for home cooking. And as time goes on, truck stops are going with the new crowd and offering just fast food.

 

I keep an eye out for Mexican food trucks and other food trucks. At least you can get a decent meal at a decent price.
Or if there’s a restaurant nearby I can walk to I will use it.

 

We used to call them "The Splatters" which always made me think it was a spoof Do-wop group staring Weird Al Yankovic.