What happened to "real" restaurants at truckstops? What stops still have them?

I would say flying J had the last of decent restaurants before pilot bought them out. There are some places here and there. Like buckners at exit 201 in Jackson GA. Or there was or maybe still is a restaurant with truck parking at exit 90 in gaffney sc past the pilot on the left. I forget the name of it.

 

A&A Truck Stop
80 Dixon Run Road
Jackson, OH 45640

Don't let the totally unpolished look of the place scare you off.

Decent store, nice restaurant. I recommend the double A burger.
Daily specials. Forget what day, the all you can eat fish fry packs in a lot of the locals. Can't personally vouch for it, but it seemed to be a crowd-pleaser.

Can't vouch for the showers, either. Only made deliveries there and stopped to eat.

I have one more. It's a little out of your lane, but they're a true fave of mine, and I'll wholeheartedly recommend them until they close, or I die, whichever comes first:

Scottie's Restaurant
Wilton Travel Plaza
I-87 Northway Exit 16 (Ballard Rd)
Gansevoort, NY

An old-style restaurant, complete with a trucker's counter, and a phone at every table, inside one of the last indie truckstops. The best value on the menu, IMO, is the three egg omlette, choose your filling, pile of potatoes and choice of toast. Free refills on coffee, ice tea, and hot tea.

....and just as a reminder, folks, the Northway is I-87 NORTH of Albany, NY. Coming from the south the numbers start over again north of Exit 23. I KNOW you all know that, just sayin.....

That's all I got.

 

Bills truck stop, I-85 exit 86 in Linwood, NC. It’s a pretty old, run down place, but it’s got some of the best food to offer on the 85 corridor.

 

Most TA still have a sit down restaurant.
Not cost effective anymore, most had subpar food, lack of customers.

Today's "steering wheel holders" don't want to spend the money, are content on jumbo bag of chips, 12,800oz soda and hot pockets. Comfort food they are used to while playing world of Warcraft in Mom's basement.

 

Yellowstone truck stop Livingston Montana King at Pasco Washington both are excellent places to eat Rapid City South Dakota they have a pretty good little mealhouse there

 

Rapid City South Dakota is at the Flying J at the 60 mile marker

 

I rattle off a few god one's still that exist..
, Starting with my favorite going back almost 30 years...
1. Arlene's Trucker stop I-94 exit 92- Battle creek,Mi- Great Food-Better Pie- Good Atmosphere.
2. Grovertown truck Plaza- US30 5 miles west of Plymouth,IN- Good Food,Old Fashioned Atnosphere
3K&H Truck Plaza- I-57 exit 283 Gilman,Il- Great Food,Good People- If Tyou Act like an ### with your Electronics- You'll be told to Leave By the Locals also.
4.R-Pace Truxckstop- !-80 exit 112-Morris,mIl- I Think the T&A has the Diesel Now- But the Restaurant Made appearances on Local TV- GREAT Portions- very Good, Nice atmosphere.
5.Emlenton Truck Plaza- I-80 Exit 42 Emlenton,Pa- Just After the 300 foot tall Bridge Heading West- JoJo's Restaurant- good Food- Decent Store-

 

what you say, not cost effective for the bottom line profits margins.

cheaper to lease out that space to some fast food joint, reap a lease payment over workman's comp, payroll, food costs, etc,etc.

 

From '96-'98, I started my week running Sarnia, Ontario to Cordova, Il. I'd take a meal break in Battle Creek.

I always saw the sign for Arlene's, but passed her by to get in "a couple more miles", and would stop at the Te-Khi truck stop at exit 103.

I went there for a month. The food was pretty good, then they started getting a lot of prefab foodservice crap, and I quit going there. Then I started leaving out later on Sunday night, and the meal break became a "thermos fill and Bama Pie stop" at the Speedway down the street from the truckstop.
Sure do wish someone told me about the pie back then....