Eager to wipe away the memories of the horrendous hotel in Moab, Dave and Tara venture out to not one but two National Parks: Arches and Mesa Verde. And they do NOT disappoint. The day takes them straight the hell up to some gigantic red rocks; up and down trails; into cliffside ruins; to impressive elevations; through four states and to Four Corners. Day 16 also features a heartfelt appreciation of the Rangers of the National Parks Service, and a request for information about two revered American fast food chains.
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June 27th, 2008 at 12:50 pm
The only really good thing about Sonic is the drinks. You can get all sorts of flavors added to soda, or fruit slushes (which are awesome when it’s 110 degrees out)…but the best part is the ice. It’s that tiny crushed kind that’s easy to eat. The food is only so-so. The fries are gross but the tater tots are okay (if you drown them in ketchup) and the onion rings are pretty good–the batter is kind of sweet. The salads are terrible, the corn dogs are all right, the burgers are pretty good compared to other fast food joints but the tomatoes are usually weird and stringy, and if they make them right the b.l.t. and grilled cheese are pretty tasty. The desserts are okay, but not as good as Dairy Queen, so don’t bother with those.
As for Waffle House…I think they’re more truck-stop type of places though I’ve never actually been. Usually we’ll throw out Waffle House as a joke when we’re deciding where to eat.
June 27th, 2008 at 1:23 pm
I can’t speak for Waffle House (which I hear is good), but Sonic has great fruit slushes/cheery limeades, good coneys (big ass hot dogs with chili), decent corn dogs and OK (not great) burgers. Pretty good tots.
I know they have tons of shakes and floats and other ice cream stuff, but I usually stick with the slushes and fruit drinks. My favorite is the Lemon-Berry slush, which has tons of strawberries and fresh lemons. You can also ask for extra cherries/strawberries if you’re going the limeade or fruit slush route.
June 27th, 2008 at 1:27 pm
I think that Waffle House just kind of…is what it is. It’s pancake-house food. It’s perfectly good pancake-house food, very worthy of its position as a very common roadside stop. I don’t think you’d go to Waffle House BECAUSE the food is so awesome, but it’s a good idea on an All-American road trip to hit a Waffle House, and you certainly don’t need to NOT go to Waffle House because of the food.
June 27th, 2008 at 4:50 pm
I would say if you have to choose between them, skip Waffle House but hit Sonic. Maybe it’s just because, to me, Waffle House is one of those hanging-out-with-your-cheap-ass-college-boyfriend-at-12 am places (ahem) or because we have them about every five miles around here - it just doesn’t seem iconic enough to me to make up for the lackluster experience. But, obviously, it’s NOT iconic to me, so take that for what it’s worth. Sonic, on the other hand, has yummy tater tots and drinks, and I actually really like the cheeseburgers. I don’t care for their breakfast food at all, though, so stick to the main menu.
BTW, to answer your question - we do have several of each in/around Knoxville (including a Sonic about a mile from my house, which is why I drink too many chocolate malts these days). Haha - I should make the tourism board put me on payroll.
June 27th, 2008 at 5:57 pm
Can’t vouch for Sonic breakfast, but the main menu is pretty good. Love the grilled cheese and corn dogs. Good fatty-fat food. The slushes are pretty yummy.
Waffle House is fine, but depending on local laws it can be a smoky place to eat (it’s so small that the “sections” are a joke). I kind of like it for its old-fashioned “locals go here” feel, but it is kind of a greasy diner even on a good day. I do LOVE their waffles, because they are much thinner than those at I-HOP - more like you would make on an old-fashioned waffle iron at home. Yum, yum.
June 27th, 2008 at 9:37 pm
Never eaten at Sonic, but there are a few of them here in Michigan, and I think they’ve “gone national” (for lack of a better term) in the past year. Their website lists 10 Sonics in the Memphis area alone, so I think you’ll have an easy enough time finding one outside of the Southwest.
As for Waffle House - have to agree with Linda in that it’s a good place to stop on an all-American road trip. Food’s nothing spectacular, kinda in the comfort food / greasy spoon / diner genre (LOVE the hashbrowns!), but definitely an appropriate place to eat on the tour.