Blog Challenge: Ride to Eat Mom & Pop Style

fuzzygalore blog challenegeOver on my Facebook page, I posted a photo of my bike at a Cracker Barrel restaurant. I was questioning whether or not it was worth my while to stop there ever again after being served the saddest stack of lightly burned blueberry pancakes.

For many Cracker Barrel is just another name in the chain-storification of America. Cracker Barrel seems to divide people into Love Its and Hate Its.

A few commenters made very good points noting that when you’re out on the road there are a million mom and pop eateries whose survival relies on the travelers that come waltzing through their doors.  And they were right.

And So – Here’s a Challenge for You:

Head out there on your bike and stop for a bite to eat in a non-chain eatery. Maybe try a diner, a restaurant, a roadside stand, a food truck – any place that is owned by a little guy just tryin’ to make a go of it. Then, if you liked it – head on back to your blog, your Facebook page, Twitter, Instagram of however you communicate with the world at large and tell us about it! Don’t forget to leave me a link to your post below!

Did you happen to incorporate some good riding or a great road into the trip? We’d love to hear about that too.

Happy Riding. And Eating!

Fuzzygalore

Rachael is the whimsical writer behind the 20+ year old Girlie Motorcycle Blog. As a freelance blogger, she is on a mission to inspire laughter, self-examination, curiosity, and human connection. Girlie Motorcycle Blog can be found on several Best Motorcycle Blog lists.

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7 Responses

  1. Shybiker says:

    Superb idea! I hate chains and their uniformly mediocre food. Plus, many of my best experiences happened in mom-and-pop places. Once, riding across country, my friend and I escaped torrential rainfall by stepping into a small café in a tiny town. The two women owners fawned on us as if we were family. What a fond memory.

  2. While I’ll eat at a chain if I must I always prefer the mom and pop joints. Had breakfast at a new place in Central Pennsylvania — The Naked Egg — and posted a quick review on Scooter in the Sticks. Here’s the link:

    Review of The Naked Egg Cafe

  3. I eat at non-chains on m/c rides frequently (PA has many diners), but rarely post anything about them (maybe I’ll change that in future.) Here’s one from last Fall: http://www.tiltedhorizons.com/2012/10/ride-to-eat-report-prospect-diner.html

  4. kp says:

    I completely agree with supporting your local eateries and have a tasty one for you. My husband and I had a great Labor Day Sunday lunch at Washington Cafe and Bakery in Concrete, WA. We were out for a 5-6 hour ride (back roads from Snohomish up to Rt. 530 into Darrington then up to Rt 20 and west). I had stopped in Concrete the weekend before on a solo ride and loved the small town Main Street, and decided we should go for lunch. We had a burger and fish and chips plus brownies to go. French fries with the skins were amazing. Delicious food and super nice service. And yes I Tweeted it 🙂 http://www.washingtoncafeandbakery.com

  5. Diane says:

    Seems like most of my post are about our dinner rides…Guess we are just that ride to eat group. LOL….Love your idea, and here is a link to one of the last Friday Night Dinner Ride we embarked on. http://tdhigdon.blogspot.com/2013/08/fndr-8-16-13-vamos-comer-algo-de-comida.html

  6. Kevin says:

    I’ve had my new Bonneville T100 for a year now and I just took my longest ride so far, a 240 mile round trip from Omaha to Sioux City, coming back on the Loess Hills Scenic Byway. That’s about as good of a route as I’ll find in my area, but it was awesome!
    While in Sioux City I had lunch at a family-owned and operated restaurant called Johnnie Mars. The service and food were great and several patrons even stopped to talk to me. That just doesn’t happen at chain places.
    I don’t blog, tweet, facebook, or instawhatever, so this comment will have to do.

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