For vacation travel after a long day driving a sit down meal late in the day can make or break our outlook from the day.
It depends soooo much on where you are and what is available.
Recently noticed that if we are traveling, say a coastal area with nice motels, it makes sense to spend a little more on a great room with a view or water access and then just get take out to eat in the room. The cost evens out. Often we are tired after the days drive anyway.
That is not everyplace and sometimes that is reversed.
Some parts of the country are known for the food offerings but maybe not the accommodations (Texas, and inland Wisconsin and Minnesota come to mind). In places like that it is worth it to check TripAdvisor and seek out best food recommendations.
If I'm alone hunting Kansas, Oklahoma, NM, Colorado, then it depends on the town. A good meal after a tough day hunting is important. Some of those small towns there is no chance for that but there are a few hidden gems in some of those small towns.
Maybe one of the most amazing discoveries in the past few years - food trucks in the West Texas gas fields. Some good stuff there.
