I stop at McDonald’s twice a year on road trips. Love it and look forward to it.

I just can't get on board with McDonald's. Wendy's is amazing though!

Anonymous wrote:McDonalds breakfast!

I love me a McD breakfast, and chicken nuggets and french fries. My absolute favorite!

Anonymous wrote:

The Olive Garden treated us freaking RIGHT. Breadsticks and salad on point, and plentiful. All the entrees and kids meals were good.

I like the breadsticks, soups and salads there. The entrees are ok but not actively good. The one we go to near my in-laws will let us order the breadsticks, soup, and salad thing at dinner (it is supposed to be only a lunch thing), so I like going there.

Olive Garden Fettucini Alfredo still sets the standard of perfection for me. A million calories and so worth it! Pair that with breadsticks and it is my most enjoyable lower-middle-class indulgence.

Anonymous wrote:Hampton Inn and Holiday Inn still seem fancy to me compared to the places we stayed when I was a kid lol

I laughed at the mention of Embassy Suites. When I was a kid that was like the height of luxury. We thought three were so lucky to stay at one. A suite!

McDonald's is still one of my favorites. I go hard on a 10-piece chicken nugget meal with a crispy diet Coke.

Also, there's a chain restaurant called Cheddar's Scratch Kitchen that's in a few WV cities where I have relatives. It is so good for a chain restaurant! I love it and make sure to visit each time I'm there.

And on top of that, I secretly love stopping at a Cracker Barrel during a road trip. The bathrooms are always so clean and I love browsing all the crazy knickknacks that are for sale. Did I need a platter that told me to have a Holly Dolly Christmas? No, but did I buy it this past weekend? Yes!

Southwest Airlines is always better than I think it will be. Especially from DCA, with the dedicated terminal so no TSA wait. Two free bags, no surcharges, very cheap tickets. For any flight under about 4 hrs, Southwest is it.

I can’t believe nobody has mentioned Target and Ikea! Walking their aisles—even if I buy nothing—always soothes me.

Delivery pizza is another one. Sometimes I want DOC Neapolitan with flawless simplicity. Sometimes I want the overloaded, sugary, gooey food bombs I was raised on. To everything there is a season, a time for Dominos.

This past week-
Holiday Inn Express - clean, coffee 24/7, and breakfast, and there’s one at every exit!
Waffle House- I want to work at one when I grow up
Buc ee’s - not sure how to describe it, went to one for the first time last week and still trying to absorb everything in there 😀
One downer- Moon Pies from the gas stations aren’t nearly as good as the ones I remember growing up.

Anonymous wrote:DCUM is my lowbrow favorite.

lllllllol

Anonymous wrote:Hampton Inn and Holiday Inn still seem fancy to me compared to the places we stayed when I was a kid lol

+1 we stayed in some SKETCHAYYYYY motels. If we road tripped anywhere, my parents usually got a vacation rental condo and then we had to spend a bunch of time grocery shopping and cooking in the condo or wherever.

Bertucci's pizza is so good!

Hampton Inn and Holiday Inn still seem fancy to me compared to the places we stayed when I was a kid lol

McDonald’s egg McMuffin- so much better than some of the breakfast sandwiches I’ve ordered from fancy cafes I’ve eaten at lately. I also love the McDonald’s coffee

I just returned from Dollar Tree with a few 2 for $1.25 gift bags, holiday theme Sour Patch Kids for DC’s stocking and a 2-pack of Scotch tape, also $1.25.

I had lunch at Panera (tomato soup and Asian sesame chicken salad, which I was excited to see has rejoined the menu) and it was yummy.

Thanks to the OP who started this thread.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Chik-fil-a is a family fave. I really like their Market Salad and my kids could live on their nuggets.

I treat myself to CFA breakfast once a month. Chicken biscuit and a vanilla iced coffee. YUM.

CFA peppermint milk shake is back. I like to get one when we drive around the area looking at Christmas Lights.