Some Foods Just Taste Better When You're Miles From Home
There's something about a road trip that completely changes the way you eat. Foods you'd normally overlook suddenly become irresistible after hours behind the wheel, and stopping at a roadside diner or gas station becomes one of the most exciting parts of the journey. Whether it's a questionable hot dog that's been sitting under a heat lamp or an enormous breakfast you'd never consider ordering at home, road trips have a way of encouraging some pretty unusual food choices. Here are 20 foods that somehow always seem like a good idea when you're traveling.
1. Gas Station Hot Dogs
Under normal circumstances, you probably wouldn't consider buying a hot dog that's been rotating on a metal roller for who knows how long. However, after several hours on the highway, that same hot dog suddenly looks surprisingly appetizing. Add some questionable chili and a generous squeeze of mustard, and you've got yourself a perfectly acceptable roadside lunch.
2. Chicken Fried Steak
Few people wake up on an ordinary Tuesday craving an enormous piece of breaded beef smothered in white gravy, but road trips tend to change that. Chicken fried steak is a diner staple, particularly throughout the South, where it's often served with mashed potatoes and green beans. It's the kind of hearty meal that leaves you wondering whether getting right back behind the wheel is such a good idea.
3. Loaded Nachos
A roadside restaurant advertising loaded nachos can be hard to resist when you've been surviving on packaged snacks all afternoon. Suddenly, a massive plate piled high with melted cheese, ground beef, jalapeños, and sour cream seems like a perfectly reasonable meal for one person. You'll probably need several napkins and a little extra time at the table, but that's part of the appeal.
4. Biscuits & Gravy
If your travels take you through the American South, there's a good chance you'll find biscuits and gravy on practically every breakfast menu. This combination of fluffy biscuits and creamy sausage gravy isn't necessarily something everyone makes at home. However, if you're driving through certain parts of the U.S., ordering a generous helping at a small-town diner is practically a necessity.
5. Gas Station Taquitos
Those crispy, cylindrical snacks spinning beneath a gas station heat lamp have a way of catching the attention of hungry travelers. Whether they're stuffed with chicken, cheese, or some combination of the two, taquitos make for a quick meal that doesn't require sitting down. You probably wouldn't go out of your way to buy them at home, but they're surprisingly tempting when the next proper restaurant is 60 miles away.
6. A Giant Stack of Pancakes
Most people are perfectly happy with a modest breakfast before heading to work, but vacation mornings tend to bring out bigger appetites. At a highway diner, ordering five pancakes covered in butter and maple syrup suddenly seems like an excellent idea. Add some bacon and scrambled eggs, and you've got enough food to keep you satisfied well into the afternoon.
7. Fried Cheese Curds
Traveling through Wisconsin or other parts of the Midwest practically calls for a stop to try some fried cheese curds. These bite-sized pieces of battered cheese are usually served piping hot, with a crispy exterior and a deliciously gooey center. While they might not be part of your regular snack rotation, passing up a basket during a road trip would feel like a missed opportunity.
8. A Footlong Chili Cheese Dog
A regular hot dog apparently isn't quite exciting enough when you're traveling, which might explain the appeal of its oversized, chili-covered relative. Roadside diners and drive-ins often serve footlong versions topped with beef chili, shredded cheese, and chopped onions. Eating one without making an enormous mess is nearly impossible, so it requires a proper break instead of eating behind the wheel, which may be part of its appeal.
9. Waffle House Hash Browns
Anyone who's traveled through the South knows that a late-night Waffle House stop can easily become a highlight of the trip. The chain's famous hash browns can be ordered scattered, smothered, covered, and loaded with several other toppings. Even if you'd normally settle for plain potatoes, there's something appealing about ordering a completely customized breakfast at two in the morning.
10. Fried Pickles
Fried pickles probably aren't something you'd think to make in your own kitchen, although they're surprisingly common at roadside restaurants and Southern diners. These tangy pickle slices are coated in seasoned batter, fried until crispy, and typically served with ranch dressing. One basket is usually enough to convince everyone at the table that ordering a second round wouldn't be such a bad idea.
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11. Gas Station Breakfast Sandwiches
There's a certain desperation that comes with leaving home before sunrise and realizing you haven't had anything to eat. Luckily, plenty of gas stations sell premade breakfast sandwiches filled with eggs, sausage, and cheese. They might not compare to something freshly prepared at your favorite breakfast spot, but they're remarkably satisfying when you're hungry and trying to make good time.
12. A Big Slice of Roadside Pie
Small-town diners have a reputation for serving homemade pies, and it's worth taking advantage when you come across a particularly impressive dessert display. Whether you go for cherry, pecan, or apple, ordering a slice after an already substantial meal feels perfectly acceptable on vacation, as well as having one for breakfast. Some travelers even go out of their way to visit certain diners simply because they've heard the pie is that good.
13. Corn Dogs
Carnivals aren't the only places where you'll find corn dogs, especially when you're driving through areas with plenty of old-fashioned roadside stands. A hot dog coated in sweet cornmeal batter is particularly convenient when you're hungry but don't feel like stopping for a full meal. Dip it in mustard, grab a cold drink, and you're ready to continue your journey without spending too much time away from the highway.
14. A Plate of Country Ham
Country ham is a Southern specialty that many travelers don't encounter very often outside regional diners and breakfast restaurants. Its distinctive salty flavor makes it especially satisfying when paired with eggs, grits, and freshly baked biscuits. If you're used to ordinary breakfast ham, trying the country-cured version might end up being one of the more interesting food discoveries of your trip.
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15. Pulled Pork Sandwiches From a Roadside Stand
A small barbecue restaurant with a packed parking lot is difficult to ignore when you're passing through unfamiliar territory. Pulled pork sandwiches are especially popular throughout the South, although the sauces and preparation methods can vary quite a bit between regions. You might have a perfectly good barbecue restaurant back home, but trying a local specialty during a long drive is always worth considering.
16. Mozzarella Sticks
Mozzarella sticks somehow become an acceptable meal rather than just an appetizer when you're spending the day on the road. Most highway diners and casual chain restaurants serve them with marinara sauce, making them an easy option when nothing else on the menu sounds particularly appealing.
17. A Diner Milkshake
A thick milkshake served in a tall glass is one of those treats that feels especially appropriate at an old-fashioned roadside diner. Chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry are reliable choices, although some places offer more elaborate versions topped with whipped cream and candy. You might normally think twice about ordering such a substantial dessert in the middle of the afternoon, but vacation rules tend to be a little more relaxed.
18. Gas Station Pizza Slices
Buying pizza from a gas station might sound like a questionable decision until you've spent six hours driving without coming across a decent restaurant. Those oversized slices sitting beneath the warmer suddenly seem like a much better option than another bag of chips. The crust might be a little chewy and the cheese slightly overcooked, but convenience usually wins when you're hungry and eager to reach your destination.
19. Regional Fast-Food Burgers
Road trips give you the perfect excuse to visit fast-food chains you can't find in your hometown. Depending on where you're headed, you might finally get to try an In-N-Out Double-Double, a Whataburger Patty Melt, or a Culver's ButterBurger. Even people who rarely eat fast food at home tend to make exceptions when they've spent years hearing about a particular regional chain.
20. A Full Diner Breakfast at Midnight
There's no logical reason why scrambled eggs, bacon, toast, hash browns, and pancakes should sound so appealing in the middle of the night. Nevertheless, pulling into a 24-hour diner after a long day of driving often leads to a much bigger breakfast order than you'd normally consider. You could always choose something lighter, but after spending the past eight hours sitting in a car, an enormous plate of breakfast food feels completely justified.
