Addict Recommends: (Restaurant) Travel Centers of America, Redding, CA

It began three weekends back, when I was returning from my fishing trip to Dunsmuir, California. I was in Redding, running low on gas and getting hungry when I saw the sign on the side of Interstate Highway 5 calling me to the "Country Pride" restaurant. I don't know, I guess I just liked the name "Country Pride:" it sounded like a place that would have cheap, hearty food. I pulled in and saw that the restaurant was attached to a Travel Center of America. I was pleased to see that both birds would be killed by one stone.

My funds were running low: there was twenty-five dollars in my pocket and I was hoping that would get me fed and get me home. I sat down at the counter, began to watch the football game that was on television and ordered the biscuits, gravy and eggs and a cup of coffee.

The food was pretty darn good, though the coffee was swill. But the real revelation came when the waitress returned and picked up my plate.

"You want another, hun?"
"Uh, no thanks," I replied.
"You sure? It's all you can eat."
"Huh?"

She proceeded to inform me that, at this particular Travel Centers of America, the Country Pride offered unlimited quantities of food for the hungry diner. You order your plate, finish it, and are then allowed to order yet another...and if need be another and another - all for the same price. It doesn't matter if you are having a Denver Omelet or Fried Chicken, you get to keep eating until you are no longer hungry. This is not a buffet - this is hot, fresh, prepared food cooked, plated and served to you by a waiter or waitress. Unfortunately, I was not hungry enough for a second plate at the time, but I filed this experience away in the back of my mind and saved it for this past weekend.

Now, nobody - and I mean nobody - loves unlimited quantities of food like Rick. The buffet is his stock in trade and there are few individuals out there who can surpass him in his domination of the buffet line. (He at one point seriously considered a career in competitive eating.) So it was with great glee that I told him about the Travel Centers of America offer and we agreed that we would stop in on our recent trip north to Eugene, Oregon, where we were going to witness our alma mater demolish the hapless University of Southern California Trojans. (Go Ducks - Fuck the BCS)

We ordered the "smothered" sirloin steak dinner. It came with unlimited soup and salad, as well as potatoes, vegetables and a couple of slices of Texas toast. The twelve ounce steak was more than palatable, but admittedly the sauteed mushrooms, onions and a generous coating of A-1 sauce helped. At the end of our meal our server, a fairly nice young man, came to us with the bill in tow. We looked at him disparagingly.

"Um, we'll take another," Rick said.
"Both of you?" he asked incredulously.
"Of course," I retorted. "What do you think we're doing here?"

And, without question, he left the table and we sidled outside for a smoke. When we returned, two more plates awaited us. Yes, this time the steak was an eight ouncer. But it still satisfied. Upon easily completing our second plate, Rick and I pondered ordering a third but stopped short, knowing that our point had already been made. But God damnit, we would have finished that third plate without any great difficulty. Our server brought us the bill: thirty one dollars and change - and that was with drinks. And it leaves me with only this to say: what an incredible, almost unbelievable bargain for the compulsive eater.

FYI: the TA has a few rules that go with the all you can eat meal, and it is only offered in some TA locations, so check on your location in advance. The rules for this amazing offer are provided below:

Rules:

1. Menu pricing has remained the same.
2. Please - no sharing a single entree.
3. Re-order item must be the same as original item.
4. Soups, salads, breads and sides can be re-ordered at any time in the meal.
5. Re-order will be placed after consumption of the original menu item.
6. All beverages are auto-refills.
7. No doggie bags - all food must be consumed in the restaurant.
8. Management reserves the right to terminate meals that are being stretched for an unreasonable time.

PS: Wouldn't you love to be that guy who forces the management to invoke rule #8!