Another good Truck Stop bites the dust to the Monster

All the years I have been driving I keep a list of all the small diners and places to stop that will allow and fit a truck. Even if I see a place while driving I write it down. Trust me, these little hole in the walls are the best. Good food, good prices and good people. The only time a use a big truckstop is only for fuel and a shower or if I have to lay over and unload/load close by.

 

Pilot wouldn't buy them, if they weren't for sale!

 

Everyone just keeps trying to hold on to that "mom and pop feel" .

Get over it. This is not the 70's and 80's anymore. Its not a real life version of smokey and the bandit..

Why complain about the restaurants? So more drivers can stuff their face with the buffet? Pilot played it smart and making it harder for drivers to become obese. I bet I could open a restaurant and serve dog #### but as long as I called it a mom and pop, you people would think it tasted good.

Why complain about prices? They are in business to make money, not save you money. just a little hint to why "mom and pop" isn't in business anymore. If these places were so great, they wouldn't be selling out and closing.

Why do you care about the cashiers attitude? You leave the store and they are gone from your life. Are you that lonely to wether the cashier is nice or not makes or breaks your day? And when she does smile, its generic and she forgets about you soon as you walk away. They dont give a #### about you... sorry drivers.

 

You've never managed a business, have you?

Have you forgotten that "lonely" truckers are not the only ones patronizing that location? There's a hell of a lot of competition for the consumer dollar nowadays (as evidenced by the disappearance of the Mom and Pop operations). So attitude IS important.

It's just as important as the attitude you present at your shippers and receivers. Or, do they not matter either?

 

anj8848 you are wrong for several reasons. The first is about the food. The quality does matter,as well quantiy. The second is it gets tiresome to go into a Petro,TA,Denny's or whatever chain T/S restraunt and see the same menu. The second price does matter. The places stated above know they have a captive audience and charge accordingly. The third is not loneliness. Good customener service brings in the locals as well as truckers. The majority of these mom and pop places are supported by the locals. The best example I can think of is JJ's place in Morris,Il. TA runs the T/S side and JJ's is a separate entity. As far as the Mom and Pop T/S's selling out its mostly due to the owners retiring and the kids not wanting to runing the place.

 

yes great customer service is a big plus.
Prime example, R Place Restruant in Morris,Ill inside the TA. That place is always full of locals.

 

If your on I-24, exit 127 heading west on Highway 64, Belvidere,Tn has Ashley's market. They have diesel and a place to park for the night. Also serve breakfast. They have homemade biscuits etc. And real nice friendly folks.

 

pilot made it harder to become obese....oh that's right fast food not the problem.

 

We live in a Capitalist nation. Get over. I actually prefer a Pilot to an AmBest/mom&pop. Cleaner, have what I need, etc. I don't need customer service with a smile. It's not an Olive Garden
I just need to get in/out.

 

I know this is a months-old post, but I think I can address your curiosity in a way that I have not seen mentioned here. Pilot offers fuel discounts to volume purchasers (IE mega-carriers) that far outstrip those of the competition. One reason many large fleets give drivers specific 'fuel solutions' is to ensure that drivers are fueling the company trucks with the most discounted product. Since Pilot (typically) has the deepest discounts, they see a steady stream of drivers from big outfits pretty much 24/7/365.