There is nothing groundbreaking in what we want to do here. But we are hoping to provide a service, a place you can count on to get quality advice on where to sit down for (or take out) your next meal.
The idea for this site came about because there isn't a place where the professional traveler can see where to get good food from fellow professional travelers - up to date, real information on the best hideaway restaurants in the thousands of small towns across this country. And if there is, we haven't heard of it, and if we haven't heard about it, it must not be that good.
So we've decided to put together a resource where traveling salesman and women, territory managers, truckers, and anyone else who spends time in those little towns off the interstate can find a good place to eat without having to rely on the marketing budgets of the chain restaurants or the whims of network executives in L.A. and Manhattan.
Because the fact is, what most of us are looking for is a good meal at a fair price; and a lot of small, unknown diners, luncheonettes, and sandwich shops can't afford a billboard, or interstate friendly location - and they won't be featured on any of the myriad food programs on TV anytime soon since their focus is on serving meals and paying the bills, not making the biggest, baddest, most atmospherically stimulating burrito ever.
With that in mind, we're focusing on seeking out and suggesting the best hideaways, local gems, and take out joints - not the tourist attractions.
We're also not in the business of slamming people either, so unless there is a real dive that must be avoided, we'll ignore the mediocre and stick with the places that are worth visiting, based on a simple scale:
1 fork: Stop in if you are nearby.
2 forks: Find this place if you are in town.
3 forks: Plan your trip around this meal.
We'll also separate places by cost, with the '$' system for one person's meal:
$ - under 10 bucks.
$$ - between 10 and 20 bucks.
$$$ - you should probably find a way to expense it.
Additionally, we'll make sure that the address and any important payment information is provided clearly, so you can plug the info into your GPS of choice and hit the ATM if necessary (because some places still don't take cards).
Our reviews will be based on visits within a month of their posting, so that our information is timely, and not based on some nostalgic memory of meals long passed.
We've got plans for expansion, but for now feel free to comment, suggest places we should visit, and in a while, apply for a spot on our roster of trusted palettes.
Thanks,
'the Board'