Every time I am on a road trip, it is a constant struggle to find a restaurant that everyone can agree is worth stopping for. Finding a tasty road trip restaurant in the middle of nowhere during a long drive isn’t the easiest task. If you are lucky enough to come across one of these restaurants while road-tripping, do yourself a favor and go in.
1. Jimmy Johns
Jimmy Johns is the ultimate sandwich stop for any road trip. While you can often also find Subway on a road trip, I am a fan of Jimmy Johns. They are speedy and it tastes remotely fresh, which is difficult to find in most fast food chains. Plus, they sell the most delicious cookies to give you the motivation to keep driving.
2. Sonic
Sonic is my personal favorite fast food restaurant. They have several healthier options, but my go-to order is a Powerade slushy with nerds or popcorn. Even better, you can actually park and eat your food at their drive-ins. If you live in an area of the country that has Sonic, this is a must for any road trip.
3. Arby’s
Arby’s is also a delicious road trip restaurant. While they have most of the typical fast food restaurant options, their curly fries are probably the best fries around. Sometimes nothing sounds better than some greasy Arby’s, and there’s no better excuse to indulge than a cross-country road trip.
4. Starbucks
Starbucks is a must to fuel up for the long drive ahead of you. While Starbucks is known for their delicious caffeinated beverages, they also have all the food you could need for a road trip. Pro-tip: grab a few packs of the chocolate covered espresso beans to give you a sweet fix and some caffeine to keep you awake during the drive.
5. Smoothie King
Everyone knows the feeling of needing something refreshing after only eating greasy fast food during a road trip. They have some healthier options and a few even include chocolate. Surprisingly, Smoothie King can be found in many random towns during road trips and will be just the road trip restaurant you need after downing burgers and fries.
6. Chipotle
This is just an obvious choice. Everyone loves a good Chipotle and it’s a great road trip restaurant choice as well. You can often find a Chipotle at some point during your long drive and will certainly be agreed on by all the passengers in the car.
7. Taco Bell
In my opinion, Taco Bell is vastly underrated. It is the best Mexican fast food restaurant by far and will give you some variety in your road trip when you get sick of burgers or chicken strips. You honestly can’t beat queso after a long day of driving.
8. Dairy Queen
I might just make Dairy Queen the only destination on my next road trip. Dairy Queen ice cream is so delicious and you can almost guarantee that there will be one in every small town you pass through. Ice cream always sounds good, but it is even better after hours of being stuck in a car.
Good food during a road trip is an absolute necessity to entertain you and give you the fuel you need to finish your long drive. While some fast food restaurants might be questionable or immediately inflict food poisoning, these road trip restaurants will ensure a drive full of tasty eats to look forward to.