There is something uniquely American about hitting the road in autumn. The summer heat begins to disappear, the air turns crisp, roadside farm stands fill with pumpkins and apples, and forests that were solid green just weeks earlier transform into brilliant landscapes of red, orange, yellow, gold, and even purple. While New England may receive much of the attention when fall foliage season arrives, spectacular autumn scenery can be found across a surprisingly large portion of the United States. Fall colors in Minneapolis - Photo: © RoadTour.Net From the hardwood forests of Maine to the mountains of North Carolina, the Great Lakes shoreline, Colorado's golden aspens, and the rugged landscapes of the Pacific Northwest, every region offers its own version of fall. The National Park Service highlights destinations across the country for autumn color, including the Blue Ridge Parkway, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Rocky Mountain National Park, Shenandoah National Park, Cedar Breaks National Monument, Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway, Guadalupe Mountains National Park, and Yosemite National Park. The key is timing. Fall color generally begins earlier in northern areas and at higher elevations before gradually moving south and downhill. Weather also matters. Temperature, rainfall, sunlight, elevation, and even individual tree species can affect when leaves change and how vivid they become. That means there is no single guaranteed "peak fall color weekend" that works every year. For travelers willing to follow autumn across America, however, the season can last for months. NEW ENGLAND Vermont If there is one place most closely associated with classic American fall foliage, Vermont deserves to be near the top of the conversation. The state's combination of mountains, forests, farms, covered bridges, winding two-lane highways, and historic villages creates almost the perfect autumn road-trip environment. Sugar maples produce brilliant shades of orange and red while birch, beech, and other hardwood species add yellow and gold. One of the great things about Vermont is that you don't necessarily need a specific destination. Simply driving the state's secondary highways can become the attraction. The Green Mountains provide a particularly beautiful backdrop. The area surrounding Stowe is among Vermont's most famous fall destinations, while routes through towns such as Woodstock, Manchester, Waitsfield, and Waterbury provide countless opportunities for scenic drives. Travelers who prefer exploring by car should consider Vermont Route 100. Running north-south through much of the state, Route 100 connects mountain communities, forests, rivers, farms, and small towns and is an excellent backbone for a multi-day Vermont foliage trip. Fall colors in Vermont New Hampshire and the White Mountains New Hampshire delivers a more mountainous version of the classic New England fall experience. The White Mountains become covered in reds, oranges, and yellows while exposed rock faces and evergreen trees create contrast throughout the landscape. Recreation.gov specifically identifies White Mountain National Forest as an outstanding fall-color destination. The legendary drive here is the Kancamagus Highway. The route crosses the White Mountains and provides overlooks, trailheads, river access, and mountain scenery without requiring travelers to venture far from their vehicles. That makes it particularly appealing for a driving-focused fall road trip. North Conway is another excellent base for exploring the region, especially for travelers who want restaurants, lodging, shops, and other attractions between scenic drives. Maine and Acadia National Park Maine combines two things that aren't always found together: spectacular fall foliage and dramatic Atlantic coastline. That combination makes Acadia National Park one of America's most distinctive autumn destinations. Bright hardwood forests surround granite mountains, lakes, rocky shoreline, and ocean views. Cadillac Mountain, Jordan Pond, Eagle Lake, and the park's carriage roads provide very different ways to experience the season. Farther inland, Maine becomes increasingly wild. Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument is another noteworthy destination; the National Park Service recommends September through mid-October as the general foliage season there, while emphasizing that weather can affect conditions. For travelers interested in experiencing a less-developed side of New England, northern and western Maine can provide enormous expanses of autumn forest with considerably fewer urban distractions. Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island Don't assume the fall show ends when you leave northern New England. Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island generally offer a somewhat later opportunity to experience autumn colors, particularly in southern and coastal areas. Western Massachusetts and the Berkshires are especially attractive. Rolling hills, historic towns, farms, lakes, and hardwood forests make this one of the Northeast's most enjoyable fall-driving regions. Connecticut's Litchfield Hills offer a similar combination of countryside and small-town New England scenery. Rhode Island may be America's smallest state, but tree-lined roads and historic communities provide plenty of fall atmosphere. Southern New England can also be useful for travelers who miss the earlier color farther north. Fall colors in Massachusetts - Photo: Mohan Nannapaneni MID-ATLANTIC New York's Adirondack Mountains New York is much more than New York City, and autumn makes that particularly obvious. The Adirondacks cover an enormous portion of northern New York and contain mountains, forests, rivers, lakes, and small communities spread across a huge landscape. Lake Placid makes an excellent base for exploring the region. The combination of mountain scenery and fall foliage surrounding the lakes can be spectacular. Travelers can also explore the Lake George area or simply follow the region's winding highways through the mountains. Because elevations vary considerably, foliage doesn't necessarily peak everywhere simultaneously. That can work in favor of road-trippers who are willing to explore. The Catskills and Hudson Valley Closer to New York City, the Catskill Mountains and Hudson Valley offer another outstanding autumn escape. Here the scenery changes from rugged mountain forests to rolling countryside, historic estates, farms, river overlooks, and charming communities. The Hudson River becomes an important part of the landscape, especially when surrounding hillsides begin changing color. This region is particularly convenient for travelers looking for spectacular foliage without traveling deep into northern New England. Fall colors in Long Pond, Pennsylvania - Photo: Craig Adderley Pennsylvania's Pocono Mountains Pennsylvania sometimes gets overlooked in national discussions about fall foliage, but much of the state is heavily forested. The Pocono Mountains are among the state's best-known autumn destinations. Lakes, rolling mountains, waterfalls, and dense forests create an impressive seasonal landscape. Pennsylvania's fall scenery extends well beyond the Poconos, however. The state's northern and central regions contain huge stretches of forest, including portions of the Allegheny Plateau. A Pennsylvania autumn road trip can also be combined with historic towns, state parks, scenic railroads, and rural highways. THE APPALACHIANS AND MID-SOUTH Shenandoah National Park, Virginia Few roads showcase eastern fall scenery as effectively as Skyline Drive through Shenandoah National Park. Running along the crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains, the road provides overlook after overlook across the Shenandoah Valley and surrounding mountains. The National Park Service describes Shenandoah's fall season as generally extending through late September, October, and November, although conditions can vary dramatically across the park because of elevation and weather. The park also warns that fall weekends can become extremely busy. For road travelers, Shenandoah has another major advantage: Skyline Drive eventually connects the traveler with another legendary American scenic route. The Blue Ridge Parkway. Fall colors in the Appalachian Mountains - Photo: Allie Wilfong The Blue Ridge Parkway — Virginia and North Carolina For a dedicated fall road trip, it is difficult to beat the Blue Ridge Parkway. The nearly 470-mile route crosses an enormous range of elevations. That variation helps create a moving wave of autumn color rather than one brief peak. According to the National Park Service, scattered color can sometimes begin at the highest elevations in late September, with most trees changing throughout October as the progression moves from high peaks toward lower mountainsides and valleys. The parkway also contains roughly 100 native tree species, creating tremendous diversity in its autumn display. That makes the Blue Ridge Parkway almost tailor-made for leaf chasing. If the color isn't spectacular at one elevation, driving farther north, south, uphill, or downhill may produce completely different conditions. The Asheville area makes an excellent base for exploring the southern portion of the parkway, while Boone and Blowing Rock provide access to another beautiful section farther north. Great Smoky Mountains National Park — Tennessee and North Carolina The Great Smoky Mountains offer one of America's longest and most diverse fall-color experiences. The reason is elevation. The park ranges from relatively low valleys to peaks exceeding 6,000 feet. Higher elevations can begin changing as early as September, followed by a gradual progression down the mountains. The National Park Service says colors above roughly 4,000 feet typically develop from early to mid-October, while some of the strongest color at lower and middle elevations commonly occurs between mid-October and early November. More than 100 species of trees contribute to the display. Cades Cove is an obvious destination, combining fall foliage with historic buildings, open valleys, mountains, and wildlife. The Foothills Parkway is another excellent driving option, particularly for panoramic mountain views. The Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge areas provide extensive lodging and attractions, while Townsend offers access from the quieter western side of the park. Be prepared for traffic. October is the busiest month of the year in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and the National Park Service warns that congestion can significantly increase travel times. Fall colors in Great Smoky Mountains National Park - Photo: Bhargava Marripati THE MIDWEST AND GREAT LAKES Michigan's Upper Peninsula If New England is America's most famous fall-color region, Michigan's Upper Peninsula may be one of its strongest competitors. The U.P. combines enormous forests with Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, waterfalls, cliffs, rivers, and relatively small communities. The result is a fall road-trip landscape on a massive scale. The Porcupine Mountains are a standout destination, particularly the Lake of the Clouds area. Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore provides an entirely different experience, where colorful forests meet sandstone cliffs and the deep blue water of Lake Superior. The Keweenaw Peninsula is another excellent choice. Roads wind north through forests toward Copper Harbor, with Lake Superior appearing repeatedly along the journey. For travelers who enjoy long drives and relatively remote scenery, the Upper Peninsula belongs on the fall road-trip list. Northern Lower Michigan You don't have to cross the Mackinac Bridge to find great Michigan fall scenery. Northern Lower Michigan offers forests, rolling terrain, inland lakes, Lake Michigan shoreline, orchards, and resort towns. The Tunnel of Trees along M-119 is one of Michigan's classic fall drives. The road passes beneath a canopy of trees with occasional glimpses toward Lake Michigan. Traverse City and the surrounding region are also excellent during autumn, especially when combined with Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore and the Leelanau Peninsula. Wisconsin Wisconsin's fall landscape is particularly impressive in the northern half of the state and along its major waterways. Door County combines foliage with small communities and Lake Michigan shoreline. Northern Wisconsin offers a much more forested experience. The Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway along Wisconsin and Minnesota is specifically highlighted by the National Park Service as a fall-color destination. The Driftless Area of southwestern Wisconsin offers something different again. Rather than dense northern forests, travelers encounter rolling hills, valleys, farmland, river scenery, and winding highways. Minnesota's North Shore The North Shore of Lake Superior is one of the Midwest's premier fall road trips. Minnesota Highway 61 travels northeast from Duluth toward the Canadian border, with Lake Superior on one side and forested hills on the other. Numerous state parks, waterfalls, overlooks, and hiking areas line the route. The contrast can be remarkable: blue Lake Superior, dark evergreen forests, exposed rock, and brilliant yellow, orange, and red hardwoods. Travelers can use Duluth as the starting point before heading toward Two Harbors, Grand Marais, and eventually Grand Portage. Fall colors along I-35 in Minnesota - Photo: © RoadTour.Net Ohio's Cuyahoga Valley and Hocking Hills Ohio deserves more recognition as a fall destination. Cuyahoga Valley National Park between Cleveland and Akron contains forested hills, waterfalls, trails, historic structures, and the Cuyahoga River. Its location also makes it one of America's more accessible national parks for travelers living in major Midwestern cities. Farther south, Hocking Hills provides an entirely different landscape of cliffs, gorges, waterfalls, caves, and thick forests. When the hardwoods change color, the rock formations and deep valleys create an especially photogenic autumn environment. Indiana Indiana isn't usually the first state mentioned when discussing national fall destinations, but southern Indiana can be beautiful in October. Brown County State Park is the centerpiece. The rolling, heavily wooded hills surrounding Nashville, Indiana, can produce broad landscapes filled with reds, oranges, yellows, and lingering green. The surrounding highways make the area well suited for a day-long scenic drive. Travelers can also explore Hoosier National Forest and the Bloomington area, creating a larger southern Indiana fall road trip. THE SOUTH Northern Georgia Fall arrives later in Georgia than in many northern states, making the southern Appalachians useful for travelers hoping to extend foliage season. Blue Ridge, Dahlonega, Helen, Blairsville, Tallulah Falls, and the surrounding mountains offer a combination of hardwood forests, waterfalls, mountain roads, small towns, and seasonal attractions. Elevation makes a major difference here. Mountain areas can develop strong autumn color while lower parts of the state remain comparatively green. Georgia's mountain foliage can extend from October into early November depending on elevation and weather conditions. Arkansas and the Ozarks The Ozark Mountains provide some of the South-Central United States' best fall scenery. Northern Arkansas is filled with forests, cliffs, rivers, winding highways, and mountain overlooks. The Buffalo National River region is particularly attractive. Travelers can combine foliage viewing with overlooks, hiking, historic communities, and scenic drives. Arkansas Highway 7 is another road worth considering for a fall driving trip. The Ozarks don't have the extreme elevations of the Rockies or Appalachians, but the endless rolling hills create broad panoramas of autumn color. Eastern Tennessee Tennessee's portion of the Smokies receives most of the attention, but autumn scenery continues across much of eastern Tennessee. The Cherokee National Forest, Cumberland Plateau, and communities surrounding the Appalachian Mountains provide numerous alternatives to the busiest areas around Gatlinburg. Travelers willing to explore secondary highways may discover outstanding fall landscapes with substantially less traffic. THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN WEST Colorado Fall looks completely different in Colorado. Instead of the dense mixture of red, orange, and yellow hardwoods associated with New England, Colorado's autumn signature is gold. Huge stands of aspen trees turn bright yellow against dark evergreen forests, rocky mountain slopes, and snow-dusted peaks. Rocky Mountain National Park is one of the most recognizable destinations. The National Park Service specifically highlights the park's aspens and notes that autumn color progresses downward from higher elevations. But Colorado's fall experience extends far beyond one national park. The mountains surrounding Aspen are an obvious destination, particularly the Maroon Bells area. Telluride provides another dramatic setting, where golden aspens surround towering mountain scenery. Other excellent areas include Crested Butte, the San Juan Mountains, Vail, Breckenridge, and sections of the Peak to Peak Scenic Byway. Colorado's fall season can arrive surprisingly early compared with eastern destinations. Elevation matters enormously, so travelers should closely monitor conditions before making a long-distance trip. Utah Utah may be famous for red-rock deserts, but its mountains can produce spectacular fall color. Cedar Breaks National Monument is one of the most visually unusual autumn destinations in the country because colorful foliage sits alongside dramatic red and orange geological formations. The National Park Service includes Cedar Breaks among its recommended national fall-color destinations. The Wasatch Mountains near Salt Lake City also provide easy access to autumn scenery. Park City, Big Cottonwood Canyon, Little Cottonwood Canyon, and the Alpine Loop Scenic Byway can provide excellent combinations of mountain terrain and fall foliage. Montana Montana's fall season can be short, but the scenery can be spectacular. Glacier National Park takes on an entirely different personality after summer. Autumn colors appear beneath some of the most dramatic mountain scenery in the Lower 48. The National Park Service notes that foliage can begin changing around mid-September in Glacier because of its colder climate. Travelers should remember that mountain weather can change rapidly this time of year and seasonal road or facility closures can affect a trip. THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST Washington's Cascade Mountains Washington is dominated by evergreens, but that doesn't mean the state lacks fall color. The Cascades provide brilliant pockets of yellow, orange, and red mixed among dark green conifers. Mountain ash, vine maple, larch, and other vegetation can produce an autumn landscape unlike anything found in the eastern United States. Mount Rainier National Park can be especially impressive. Fall colors spread across meadows and mountain slopes beneath the massive snow-and-ice-covered volcano. The North Cascades offer an even wilder experience. One particularly unusual attraction is the western larch. Unlike most conifers, larches change color and drop their needles. Entire mountainsides can briefly glow gold before winter. Fall colors in Washington State - Photo: Frank Cone Oregon Oregon offers tremendous variety. The Columbia River Gorge combines waterfalls, cliffs, forests, and the Columbia River. Autumn color adds another layer to an already dramatic landscape. The Mount Hood area can also provide beautiful combinations of foliage, evergreen forest, and snow-covered mountain scenery. Central Oregon provides yet another type of autumn experience, with high-desert vegetation and mountain forests creating a much different palette than the lush western side of the Cascades. CALIFORNIA AND THE SIERRA NEVADA California isn't normally associated with fall foliage, but portions of the state offer surprisingly impressive autumn scenery. The Eastern Sierra is the standout. Aspen groves turn yellow and gold beneath enormous granite peaks, creating scenes that can look more like Colorado than California. Areas around Bishop, Mammoth Lakes, June Lake, and the mountain passes of the Eastern Sierra are worth exploring. Yosemite National Park also offers autumn color. While Yosemite isn't covered in deciduous forests like the Smokies or Vermont, pockets of oak, dogwood, maple, and aspen add color to the valley and higher elevations. The National Park Service specifically recommends areas near the old road between Badger Pass and Bridalveil Creek Campground for viewing glowing aspen groves. THE SOUTHWEST AND TEXAS New Mexico New Mexico's mountains can produce beautiful golden aspen displays. The Sangre de Cristo Mountains surrounding Santa Fe and Taos are particularly impressive. Here, autumn foliage combines with high-desert landscapes and mountain scenery. The Enchanted Circle Scenic Byway near Taos is an excellent option for road travelers. The combination of golden aspens, evergreens, rocky peaks, desert terrain, and brilliant blue skies creates an autumn experience completely different from the eastern United States. Guadalupe Mountains, Texas Yes, you can even go leaf peeping in Texas. Guadalupe Mountains National Park contains one of the Southwest's more unusual fall displays. The National Park Service notes that leaves there generally begin changing from mid-October through mid-November, making it one of the later destinations on an American fall-color road trip. McKittrick Canyon is particularly famous for its fall foliage. Against the surrounding Chihuahuan Desert, colorful deciduous trees create an unexpected autumn landscape that demonstrates just how geographically diverse America's fall season can be. Perhaps the best way to experience fall foliage isn't to choose a single destination at all. Autumn generally begins revealing itself first across northern latitudes and high mountain elevations. As September progresses into October, color spreads through New England, the Great Lakes, the Rocky Mountains

Panera Bread has a price problem, and at some point the company needs to ask whether it is becoming increasingly out of touch with the customers it is trying to attract. Panera has long positioned itself as an alternative to traditional fast food, a place where customers can grab a sandwich, soup, salad or bakery item without going to a full-service restaurant. But when a basic lunch starts approaching the price of a meal at a sit-down restaurant, the value proposition becomes much harder to understand. Outside a Panera Bread in North Carolina - Photo: © 2026 RoadTour.Net On a recent visit, one cold sandwich, a small bag of processed potato chips and a large soda came to $17.58. Let that sink in. There was no appetizer, no side of fries, no dessert and no table service. It was a cold sandwich, a small bag of chips and a fountain drink for nearly $18. That is absurd. Of course, the immediate response from some people will be, “You don't have to eat at Panera.” That's absolutely true, and that is exactly the problem Panera should be worried about. Customers don't have to eat there. They have countless alternatives, and when people begin feeling that a restaurant simply isn't worth the money anymore, they can take their business somewhere else. The bigger question is why Panera would want to narrow its potential customer base by allowing its prices to reach a point where more consumers may think twice before walking through the door. There is a difference between charging a premium for a better product and reaching a price point where customers start questioning the entire value of the experience. Nearly $18 for a sandwich, chips and soda puts Panera dangerously close to that territory. Receipt from Panera Bread (includes $1 tip, $18.58) - Photo: © 2026 RoadTour.Net Panera needs to seriously examine its cost structure, including how it procures ingredients, manages its supply chain and operates its restaurants. If ingredients can be sourced more efficiently without sacrificing quality, those savings should help bring menu prices back down to earth. Restaurants obviously have expenses beyond the ingredients on the plate: labor, rent, utilities, transportation, equipment and countless other operating costs, but customers ultimately judge value based on what they receive for the money they hand over. And that is where Panera has a problem. There is nothing inherently wrong with being more expensive than traditional fast food. Panera doesn't have to compete dollar-for-dollar with every burger chain in America. But there still needs to be a reasonable relationship between the product, the experience and the final price. When a customer looks down at a cold sandwich and a little bag of chips after spending almost $18, Panera should not be surprised when that customer starts wondering whether there was a better place to spend the money. The restaurant industry is intensely competitive. Consumers have fast-food restaurants, fast-casual chains, grocery-store prepared foods, convenience stores, local restaurants and full-service dining options competing for the same lunch and dinner dollars. Panera cannot assume customers will simply accept higher and higher prices because they like the brand. At some point, price becomes part of the brand. If enough consumers begin associating Panera with “too expensive,” that perception could become difficult to reverse. A restaurant can have good food, attractive cafés and a recognizable name, but none of that completely eliminates the importance of value. Customers want to leave feeling satisfied with both the meal and what they paid for it. Panera should take a serious look at its pricing before more customers decide that the easiest way to save money at Panera is simply not to go. We don't believe these prices are sustainable over the long term. Panera needs to find ways to lower its costs, improve the value customers receive and make the brand accessible to a wider range of consumers again. You heard it here first: Panera Bread has a price problem.

Clean restrooms are not a luxury at a gas station or travel center. They are a fundamental part of the customer experience. More importantly, restroom cleanliness is a sanitation and public health concern that deserves far more attention than it receives. That brings us to RaceTrac. Road Tour has repeatedly raised cleanliness concerns with RaceTrac — particularly involving a location in Indianapolis, Indiana — and we have reached the point where enough is enough. This isn't about one dirty restroom on one bad day. Businesses have bad days. Employees get busy. A restroom can become dirty quickly. This is about a pattern. It is also about what happens when a customer repeatedly brings that pattern to a company's attention and seemingly little changes. RaceTrac was ranked number nine in the Road Tour 10 Rankings for Best Gas Stations in America for 2025–2026. We now believe that was a mistake. We regret putting RaceTrac on that list. RaceTrac is currently delisted from the active 2026–2027 Road Tour 10 Rankings for Best Gas Stations in America. Our rankings are supposed to help road travelers decide where to stop. If our experiences no longer support a recommendation, we have a responsibility to say so. And we can no longer confidently recommend RaceTrac based on what we have experienced. Outside a RaceTrac Location - Photo: © RoadTour.Net We spend a tremendous amount of time on America's highways. Gas stations and travel centers are an important part of that experience, and the Indianapolis RaceTrac in question happens to be conveniently located for us when we're hitting the road. Unfortunately, convenience doesn't outweigh cleanliness. Consider the history of concerns we have communicated to RaceTrac - Corporate, not the location: August 5, 2025 — Indiana: We reported dirty restroom floors and a dirty cashier counter. August 15, 2025 — Indiana: We again raised concerns about filthy floors and provided RaceTrac with a photograph. We also noted that the employees were friendly. September 1, 2025 — Indiana: We reported dirty restrooms, dirty floors and problems with the condition of the outside grounds. September 26, 2025 Indiana: We reported restrooms dirty again, used the term "gross". February 17, 2026: We essentially suggested RaceTrac take some cleanliness lessons from Sheetz. February 23, 2026: We reminded RaceTrac that restrooms need to be routinely checked. February 24, 2026 — Florida: We reported a dirty gas-pump area during another RaceTrac stop. March 1, 2026 — Indiana: We reported dirty restrooms, including what appeared to be urine puddles on the floor and dirty sinks. June 8, 2026: We told RaceTrac that its restroom cleanliness problems were pushing us toward increasing our visits to Wawa. June 15, 2026 — Indiana: We again reported persistent cleaning issues. RaceTrac responded that the matter would be escalated to an "Operations Supervisor." September 4, 2026 — Indiana: We once again encountered restroom cleanliness problems. We brought the matter to the attention of a cashier and, in our view, received a lackluster response. At that point, we told RaceTrac we intended to stop patronizing the company. This goes back more than a year. How many notifications does RaceTrac need? And that raises an obvious question: Why is it that Buc-ee’s, with restrooms that are often significantly larger and serve enormous volumes of travelers, can generally maintain a high level of cleanliness, while we continue to encounter cleanliness problems in RaceTrac restrooms that are a fraction of the size? We understand that no gas station restroom will be spotless every minute of every day. But if a much larger, heavily trafficked restroom can be routinely monitored and maintained, what is preventing RaceTrac from doing the same? To us, this isn't a question of restroom size. It's a question of operational priorities, routine inspections, employee accountability and management. There is a major difference between encountering a dirty restroom and encountering repeated cleanliness problems after repeatedly notifying the company. That distinction matters. If a company doesn't know there is a problem, you give it an opportunity to correct it. RaceTrac has been given opportunities. Again. And again. And again. We have reported dirty floors. We have reported dirty sinks. We have reported restroom problems. We have reported dirty exterior areas. We have provided photographic evidence. We have directly discussed the importance of routinely checking restrooms. We were even told the concerns would be escalated. Yet here we are. At some point, Road Tour has to judge RaceTrac based not on what the company says, but on what we repeatedly experience. From our perspective, RaceTrac's response to these concerns has been unacceptable. Gas stations aren't simply places to buy gasoline anymore. They are roadside service centers. Families stop there. Professional drivers stop there. Tourists stop there. Children stop there. Elderly travelers stop there. People driving hundreds of miles may choose a gas station specifically because they need a clean, safe place to use the restroom. Maintaining those facilities should therefore be one of the most basic operational responsibilities of a gas station chain. Customers should not have to repeatedly ask a major company to keep its restrooms clean. And customers certainly shouldn't have to repeatedly notify the same company about similar problems for more than a year. It is disrespectful to customers who spend their money at these businesses. Interior RaceTrac Floors - Photo: © RoadTour.Net RaceTrac has expanded its footprint into new markets, including Indiana. Expansion is great — if a company can properly operate the locations it already has. Opening stores is the easy part. Maintaining them is what builds a reputation. If RaceTrac wants to compete for road travelers in this part of the country, it is competing against companies that have built strong reputations around the customer experience. That means RaceTrac needs to take cleanliness seriously. If a company cannot consistently maintain basic cleanliness standards, perhaps expansion should not be the priority. Operations should be. After this many complaints, our patience is gone. RaceTrac should be embarrassed that a customer has felt compelled to raise variations of the same cleanliness concern repeatedly for more than a year. We don't enjoy writing that. But we aren't going to sugarcoat what we have experienced either. We have given RaceTrac numerous opportunities to address our concerns. Based on our subsequent visits, we do not believe those concerns have been adequately addressed. From where we sit, the repeated problems and ineffective follow-through communicate something very troubling: our concerns do not appear to be receiving the seriousness they deserve. That is unacceptable. Outside a RaceTrac Next to a Pump - Photo: © RoadTour.Net Road Tour is an advocate for the road-trip consumer experience. That's one of the reasons the Road Tour 10 Rankings exist. They aren't supposed to be participation trophies for corporations. They are intended to help travelers decide where they should spend their money while on the road. When a company does well, we'll say so. When a company disappoints us, we'll say so. And when we believe we got a ranking wrong, we'll admit it. We got RaceTrac wrong. RaceTrac's ninth placement in our 2025–2026 Best Gas Stations in America ranking is one we now regret. For 2026–2027, RaceTrac is delisted. We are awaiting an apology from RaceTrac. More importantly, we want to see meaningful action: stronger restroom inspection procedures, better accountability, better follow-through when customers report problems, and evidence that cleanliness is being treated as an operational priority. RaceTrac doesn't need another notification from us telling them that clean restrooms matter. They've already received plenty. The question now is whether anyone at RaceTrac is finally going to listen or continue to mismanage the matter or play games, whatever they are doing. Interestingly, RaceTrac is planning a significantly larger gas station concept in the Atlanta area. Although we've made the decision to stop regularly patronizing RaceTrac, this location will be an exception. Once it opens, we intend to visit and see firsthand what the company has created. Road Tour is, after all, about the road-trip experience, and this project appears to be far more ambitious than a typical RaceTrac. If this is intended to be a flagship or showcase for what the company can offer travelers, we're interested in seeing whether the customer experience matches that ambition. And given everything we've documented over the past year, you can absolutely count on us checking the restrooms. RaceTrac, you must do better. Your customers deserve clean facilities, consistent standards and concerns that are actually taken seriously. We’ve said it repeatedly. Now it’s time for action. We hope RaceTrac CEO Natalie Morhous reads this article because we have reached that point.

Some restaurant chains change so much over the years that they become almost unrecognizable. The Old Spaghetti Factory is different. Decades later, it still manages to deliver much of the charm, hospitality, and comfort food that made it memorable in the first place. Full disclosure: We have been going to The Old Spaghetti Factory since the 1980s. So, when we walk into one today, we're not just judging it as another restaurant. We have decades of memories to compare it to. And we're happy to say that The Old Spaghetti Factory still has its old-school charm. Outside a Spaghetti Factory Location - Photo: © 2026 RoadTour.Net One of the things we've always enjoyed about The Old Spaghetti Factory is the atmosphere. There is something refreshingly traditional about it. In an era when many restaurant chains seem determined to modernize themselves into generic-looking spaces, The Old Spaghetti Factory still feels like a place with history and personality. That nostalgia is part of the experience, especially for those of us who remember eating there decades ago. But nostalgia alone won't keep us coming back. The food and service still have to deliver. On our recent visit, they did. Inside a Spaghetti Factory Location - Photo: © 2026 RoadTour.Net The customer service was awesome. The staff was friendly, accommodating, and welcoming throughout our visit. That's exactly how we remember The Old Spaghetti Factory from decades ago. Good customer service can completely change the perception of a restaurant. You can have great food, but if customers don't feel welcome, they may not return. The Old Spaghetti Factory got this part right. Before our meal arrived, we were served French bread, and it was delicious. If our memory serves us correctly, The Old Spaghetti Factory served sourdough bread back in the day. While we have fond memories of that, we thought the French bread was a good change. It was a simple but satisfying way to start the meal. Meals also come with a choice of salad or soup, giving the experience more of that traditional full-service Italian restaurant feel. It's somewhat reminiscent of the approach that has helped make Olive Garden popular over the years: you're getting more than simply an entrée dropped onto the table. Spaghetti Factory French Bread - Photo: © 2026 RoadTour.Net Of course, when you put "Spaghetti" in the name of your restaurant, the sauce had better be good. Thankfully, it is. The Old Spaghetti Factory makes its sauces from scratch, and you can taste the difference. The sauce we had was meaty with just a hint of sweetness. It wasn't overwhelmingly sweet, and it wasn't bland. For our taste, it was perfect. There's a richness to a good meat sauce that bottled or overly processed sauces simply don't replicate. When you're serving pasta, the sauce is the star of the show, and The Old Spaghetti Factory understands that. Spaghetti Dinner at Old Spaghetti Factory - Photo: © 2026 RoadTour.Net Then came the lasagna. Simply put: the lasagna was perfect. Lasagna can go wrong surprisingly easily. Too dry, too watery, too much cheese, not enough sauce, or simply lacking flavor. This one hit the right balance. Combined with the bread, salad or soup, homemade-style sauce, and good service, it reminded us why we've continued to have a soft spot for this restaurant after all these years. The Old Spaghetti Factory has never grown into a massive restaurant chain with locations on seemingly every corner, and that's not necessarily a bad thing. It has built a recognizable brand while maintaining something distinctive about the experience. The chain has closed some locations in recent years, and we always hate seeing long-running restaurant locations disappear. Restaurants face enormous competition today, and customers have more choices than ever. The answer isn't necessarily to reinvent everything that made a restaurant successful in the first place. Sometimes the answer is much simpler: serve good food, maintain quality, keep the restaurant inviting, and treat customers well. That's what we experienced at The Old Spaghetti Factory. After going since the 1980s, there's something pretty remarkable about being able to return decades later and still recognize the experience. If The Old Spaghetti Factory continues providing quality food, friendly service, and the old-school charm that has made it unique for generations, we expect — and certainly hope — that it will be around for decades to come. Find an Old Spaghetti Factory location near you at their official website.

America, and the world, lost a beloved icon on August 25, 2026, with the passing of Dolly Rebecca Parton at the age of 80. Dolly was far more than a country music superstar. She was a songwriter, actress, entertainer, philanthropist and savvy businesswoman whose influence reached well beyond the music industry. Perhaps most importantly, she was someone who seemed to connect with just about everybody. In an increasingly divided world, Dolly Parton was one of those rare public figures who appeared to be almost universally loved. Her warmth, humor, generosity and unmistakable personality crossed generations, geographic boundaries and political divides. For us at RoadTour.Net, there is another part of Dolly's story that stands out: travel, tourism and entertainment. She just opened a travel center in Tennessee a few weeks ago. Concept Rendering © 2026 RoadTour.Net. Created with AI. Dolly never forgot where she came from. Her connection to East Tennessee became a major part of her legacy, particularly through Dollywood in Pigeon Forge. What grew around Dolly's vision became far more than a theme park. Dollywood helped make the Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg and Great Smoky Mountains region an even bigger national tourism destination. Dollywood opened under its current name in 1986, and Dolly's involvement helped transform both the attraction and the surrounding tourism economy. Today, the Dollywood operation is one of Tennessee's signature destinations and a major economic force in Sevier County. That's something we can especially appreciate at Road Tour. We love traveling America, exploring destinations and documenting the places that make different parts of this country special. If you've never experienced Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg and the Great Smoky Mountains, check out our Road Tour videos from the area. It's one of America's great road trip destinations, and Dolly Parton's fingerprints can be found throughout the region. As enormous as Dolly's entertainment career was, her humanitarian work may ultimately be an equally important part of her legacy. When devastating wildfires struck Sevier County in 2016, Dolly helped establish the My People Fund, which provided financial assistance to families whose homes were destroyed or left uninhabitable. She later contributed to other disaster-relief efforts, including assistance following Hurricane Helene. Then there is Dolly Parton's Imagination Library. What began in East Tennessee in 1995 grew into an international literacy program providing free books to young children. More than 300 million books have been distributed through the program over its lifetime. Think about the impact of that. Millions of children have grown up with books in their homes because Dolly Parton decided she wanted to do something to help. That's a legacy considerably bigger than record sales, awards or celebrity. Following Dolly's death, a movement to rename Nashville International Airport (BNA) in her honor has exploded in popularity. The Change.org petition to rename the airport Dolly Parton International Airport actually dates back to January 2025. Following her passing, however, support surged. When Road Tour checked the petition at approximately 3:21 p.m. ET on August 25, it had 54,268 signatures. Just two days later, when we checked again at approximately 10:07 a.m. ET on August 27, the number displayed had climbed to 128,292. That's an extraordinary increase in roughly 43 hours. And this may not remain simply an online petition. Tennessee State Representative Todd Warner has publicly indicated his intention to pursue the idea legislatively. In a comment posted to the petition, Warner wrote: “Yes I will definitely introduce legislation to rename the BNA airport Dolly Parton International Airport! Thanks, TW” Having an elected member of the Tennessee House of Representatives publicly state that he intends to introduce legislation gives the movement another level of significance. What began as an online campaign could potentially become a real proposal before Tennessee lawmakers. RoadTour.Net strongly supports naming BNA in honor of Dolly Parton. However, we think there's an even better name: Dolly Parton-Nashville International Airport. Keeping Nashville in the name matters. Nashville is an internationally recognized city and one of America's most important tourism and entertainment destinations. Travelers around the world immediately associate Nashville with Tennessee, country music, entertainment and American culture. Removing the city's name entirely from its airport would unnecessarily weaken that geographic connection. Dolly Parton-Nashville International Airport accomplishes both goals. It honors one of Tennessee's most beloved and internationally recognized figures while preserving Nashville's identity in the name of its primary commercial airport. And frankly, it has a nice to ring to it. Downtown Nashville - Photo: © RoadTour.Net Dolly represented Tennessee around the world. She helped build tourism in her home state. She created jobs and businesses. She entertained generations. She helped families recover from disasters. She put books into the hands of millions of children. And perhaps most importantly, she represented Tennessee with kindness. Airports are gateways to cities and regions. For millions of visitors, BNA is their first introduction to Middle Tennessee and their last glimpse of it before flying home. Dolly Parton-Nashville International Airport would tell travelers exactly where they are while simultaneously honoring someone whose name is recognized around the world. The name would also create a symbolic connection between two of Tennessee's greatest tourism regions. Nashville represents the state's enormous music and entertainment industry, while Dolly's legacy is forever intertwined with East Tennessee, Pigeon Forge, Sevierville and the Great Smoky Mountains. She belonged to Tennessee, but her influence belonged to the world. There will never be another Dolly Parton. Her music will continue playing. Dollywood will continue welcoming families. Children will continue opening books from the Imagination Library. Travelers will continue visiting the Tennessee mountains she loved so much. Dolly spent a lifetime entertaining people, building businesses, helping others and giving back to the place she called home. Renaming BNA to Dolly Parton-Nashville International Airport wouldn't encompass everything she accomplished. No airport name possibly could. But imagine generations from now. Someone books a flight to Tennessee and sees Dolly Parton-Nashville International Airport on the itinerary. A pilot welcomes passengers to Dolly Parton-Nashville International Airport. A child asks a parent, “Who was Dolly Parton?” And another generation gets to hear her story. For someone whose life inspired millions to dream bigger, that's a pretty fitting way to keep her name traveling. Dolly Parton-Nashville International Airport (BNA). We think Tennessee should make it happen sooner than later!

Arby’s has been around for decades. It has thousands of locations, a recognizable name, and one of the most distinctive menus in fast food. People absolutely still go to Arby’s. But there’s a bigger question the company should be asking: How often is Arby’s actually someone’s first choice? That’s where we think the brand has a problem. Arby’s doesn’t suffer from a lack of locations or brand awareness. Most people know exactly what Arby’s is. The issue is creating enough excitement and delivering a consistently good enough experience to make customers want to choose it over Wendy’s, McDonald’s, Culver’s, Chick-fil-A, Taco Bell, or dozens of other options. And some relatively simple problems aren’t helping. Outside an Arby's Location - Photo: © 2026 RoadTour.Net Arby’s curly fries should be one of the chain’s biggest strengths, but it's their weakness. They’re distinctive, recognizable, and something you can’t get at every fast-food restaurant. So why does it seem so difficult to get a good order of them? Too often, our experience has been cold curly fries or a container filled with small broken bits and pieces instead of actual curly fries. That might sound like a minor complaint, but it matters. When a restaurant has a signature item, that item should be consistently excellent. Customers shouldn’t have to wonder whether their fries are going to be hot and crispy or whether they’re getting whatever was left sitting at the bottom of the fry station. Fresh, hot curly fries could actually be a reason to visit Arby’s. Cold scraps can be a reason not to return. Another recurring issue in our experiences has been lackluster customer service. Fast food doesn’t require white-tablecloth hospitality, but customers should still feel welcomed. Employees should be friendly, orders should be handled accurately, and the overall experience should make you feel like the restaurant actually wants your business. When customers aren’t already excited about visiting a brand, mediocre service makes the problem even worse. Arby’s needs to put more emphasis on hiring, training, retaining, and rewarding employees who provide good customer service. A restaurant can spend millions advertising its food, but the person behind the counter or at the drive-thru window ultimately represents the brand. If that interaction isn’t good, the advertising doesn’t mean much. Closed Arby's Location - Photo: © 2026 RoadTour.Net Then there’s something seemingly small that can leave a surprisingly big impression: drink sizes. Order a large strawberry lemonade at Arby’s and it can feel surprisingly small compared with what customers may expect from competing fast-food restaurants. For comparison, a large strawberry lemonade at Wendy’s appears substantially larger. Based on our estimates, Wendy’s large is around 32 ounces while the Arby’s version appears closer to 21 ounces. Exact sizes can vary by product and location, but the larger issue is customer perception of value. When someone orders a large, they expect it to feel large. When it doesn’t, customers can walk away feeling like they didn’t receive much for their money. That’s especially dangerous in an era when fast-food prices have risen and consumers are paying much closer attention to value. You don’t want customers leaving your restaurant wondering, “That’s the large?” Another issue Arby’s needs to address is freshness — or at least the perception of freshness. When you look at many of Arby’s signature sandwiches, they can come across as heavy and processed rather than fresh and inviting. You see plenty of meat, cheese, sauces, and buns, but you don’t necessarily see much that gives the sandwich a fresh appearance. Where’s the lettuce? Where are the tomatoes? Where’s the color? Of course, not every sandwich needs lettuce and tomato. A classic roast beef sandwich is a classic for a reason. But across the broader menu, it would be nice to see more options that actually look fresh. Fresh lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and other vegetables add more than flavor. They add color, texture, and visual appeal. They can make a sandwich look like something that was freshly assembled rather than simply meat, cheese, and sauce piled onto a bun. And perception matters. If customers look at the menu and the food doesn’t appear particularly fresh, that can influence whether they choose Arby’s in the first place. This also ties directly into the company’s marketing. Instead of constantly emphasizing how much meat can be stacked onto a sandwich, Arby’s could show more food that looks fresh, colorful, balanced, and appetizing. Freshness should be something customers can see. Arby’s built its identity around roast beef, and there’s nothing wrong with keeping that heritage. But let’s face it: roast beef isn’t exactly the hottest product in fast food today. Sometimes you might crave an Arby’s roast beef sandwich. But how often is roast beef the first thing the average person thinks about when deciding where to grab lunch or dinner? That’s the challenge. Arby’s has expanded well beyond roast beef over the years, and that’s smart. The company needs to continue developing menu items that can attract people who aren’t specifically looking for a roast beef sandwich. The roast beef sandwich can remain an Arby’s classic without having to carry the entire identity of the company. Arby’s famous “We Have the Meats” campaign certainly gave the company a memorable identity. There’s no question about that. But we think Arby’s sometimes pushes the meat-heavy image too aggressively. Look at promotional images for some of the chain’s sandwiches and you’ll often see enormous piles of meat practically spilling out of the bun. The intention is obvious: abundance. Arby’s wants customers to see a substantial sandwich loaded with meat. But bigger doesn’t automatically mean more appetizing. Sometimes the photos cross the line from generous to excessive. A giant mound of meat overflowing from a sandwich can actually make the food look less appealing. There’s nothing wrong with having plenty of meat. That’s part of Arby’s identity. But the presentation could be more balanced. Show the roast beef alongside fresh lettuce and tomato. Show a sandwich that someone can comfortably pick up and eat. Show crispy, hot curly fries next to it. Show a cold drink that actually looks like a large. In other words, sell the entire meal instead of just the pile of meat. Arby’s might benefit from more modest food photography: neatly constructed sandwiches, balanced portions, fresh-looking ingredients, and presentations that make you think, “That looks delicious,” rather than simply, “That’s a lot of meat.” There’s a difference. They leaned into this way too hard. Arby's Marketing at an Arby's Drive Thru - Photo: © RoadTour.Net The frustrating thing is that Arby’s has many of the ingredients needed to be a stronger fast-food brand. It has name recognition. It has locations across the country. It has signature products. It has curly fries. It has decades of history. And it occupies a somewhat unique position in an industry dominated by hamburgers and chicken. The opportunity is there. But Arby’s needs to concentrate more heavily on the complete customer experience: hot and fresh food, better customer service, stronger perceived value, more fresh-looking menu choices, appealing new products, and marketing that makes the food look delicious instead of excessive. Most importantly, Arby’s needs to ask why someone driving down a commercial strip filled with fast-food restaurants would turn into an Arby’s instead of passing it for the next restaurant. The biggest problem facing Arby’s may not be convincing people to try it. Most of us have already tried it. The challenge is making us think of Arby’s first the next time we’re hungry. And right now, for too many customers, it simply isn’t the first choice. You can do much better Arby's!

Self-checkout can be convenient. If you have only a few items, want to get in and out quickly, and prefer handling the transaction yourself, it can make sense. But somewhere along the way, self-checkout stopped being just a convenience and started becoming a staffing strategy. Walk into many grocery stores or big-box retailers and look at the checkout lanes. You may see one or two traditional cashiers working while a much larger area is dedicated to self-checkout. And when those few staffed lanes have long lines, customers can feel as though they are being pushed toward the self-checkout machines. That raises a simple question: Why are customers doing the work? Self Checkout Photo - Stock Photo When you shop for a cart full of groceries, you're already spending your money with the store. You shouldn't also have to become the cashier, scan every item, bag your groceries, deal with produce codes, resolve unexpected prompts, and wait for an employee when the machine inevitably decides something needs assistance. That's work. And if the store is saving payroll because customers are performing tasks that used to be handled by employees, shouldn't customers receive some of that savings? Exterior of a Charlotte NC Area Walmart - Photo: © 2026 RoadTour.Net This may sound controversial, but there is something backwards about a retail model where the customer is increasingly responsible for completing the retailer's side of the transaction. Imagine going to a restaurant and being told to cook your own meal because the restaurant wanted to reduce its kitchen staff. Or going to a car dealership and being expected to complete the paperwork, inspect the vehicle, and process the financing yourself while the dealership charged you the same price. We would question that immediately. So why have we accepted the idea that checking out our own groceries is simply something customers are expected to do? Self-checkout itself isn't the problem. The problem is when it stops being an option and becomes the expectation. If a customer wants to use self-checkout, great. Give them that choice. But stores should also maintain enough staffed checkout lanes to provide genuine customer service — especially during busy periods. And if retailers truly believe self-checkout provides customers with a faster, more convenient experience, then let the customer choose it voluntarily. Better yet, consider offering an incentive. If I'm scanning and bagging my own groceries, perhaps I should receive a small discount. Even a modest percentage off the transaction would acknowledge that I am performing a task that previously required an employee. That wouldn't be unreasonable. Exterior of an Indiana Kroger - Photo: © 2026 RoadTour.Net Retailers benefit from automation. They reduce labor costs, increase the number of transactions that can potentially be processed, and shift some responsibilities from employees to customers. There is nothing inherently wrong with using technology to improve efficiency. But efficiency for whom? That's the question customers should be asking. Because from the customer's perspective, walking into a store, buying a large number of groceries, standing in a long line, and then being expected to scan and bag everything ourselves doesn't necessarily feel like improved customer service. It feels like we're doing a job we didn't apply for. Exterior of a Charlotte NC Target - Photo: © 2026 RoadTour.Net The retail industry needs to remember something fundamental: customers are not just transactions. Customer service matters. Having an employee available to help matters. Having enough staffed lanes during busy periods matters. And giving customers a genuine choice matters. Self-checkout should be a convenience—not a way to quietly transfer labor from the company's payroll onto the customer's shoulders. It's time to rethink the model. If stores want customers to do the work, they should at least acknowledge the value of that work. And if they don't want to compensate customers for it, then perhaps they should start putting more employees back at the registers. Because when a customer walks into a store to spend their hard-earned money, the least they should be able to expect is that the store will actually provide the service they're paying for.

Some restaurants are memorable because of a single meal. Others become memorable because they consistently deliver an experience that keeps you coming back. For us at RoadTour.Net, Ted’s Montana Grill falls into the second category. And before we even get to the food, we have to mention the man behind the name: Ted Turner. We are big fans of Ted Turner and what he accomplished as an entrepreneur and media pioneer. Turner helped create CNN, changing television news forever with the concept of a 24-hour cable news network. His media empire would also launch Cartoon Network, TNT, TBS, and numerous other influential television properties. He has always been someone willing to think differently, take chances and build things that didn't necessarily follow the conventional formula. That entrepreneurial spirit is one of the reasons we've always appreciated Ted’s Montana Grill. The restaurant has its own personality. It doesn't feel like a concept created simply to imitate every other casual-dining chain in America. Ted’s is Ted’s. And that's a good thing. Our memories of Ted’s Montana Grill go all the way back to 2006, when we visited a location in the northern suburbs of Chicago. From those early visits, one thing immediately stood out: the customer service. And nearly two decades later, that is still what we remember most. Ted's Montana Grill Exterior Signage - Photo: © 2026 RoadTour.Net There are plenty of restaurants with good burgers and steaks. There are far fewer that consistently make you feel genuinely welcome. Ted’s Montana Grill has had some of the friendliest restaurant employees we have encountered over the years. It wasn't something we experienced at just one lucky location, either. We've visited Ted’s in several markets over the years, including its former locations in the Chicago area, including Schaumburg, as well as locations in the Charlotte, North Carolina area and elsewhere. Again and again, the service stood out. Friendly. Welcoming. Attentive. Professional. That kind of consistency across different locations says something about a restaurant company. Great customer service doesn't happen by accident. It comes from hiring the right people, training them properly and creating a culture where hospitality actually matters. In an era when customer service seems to be slipping at too many businesses, Ted’s Montana Grill deserves recognition for getting it right. Our experience at the Indianapolis-area Ted’s was no exception. We received good customer service there as well, continuing the positive experiences we've associated with the brand for years. But there was one thing we noticed that we weren't nearly as enthusiastic about. Ted’s, we have a request: Can we go back to the old buns? Changing a hamburger bun might seem like a minor adjustment on paper. It isn't. A bun is more than a convenient way to hold the ingredients together. The bun is part of the burger. Change the bun and you change the entire experience. The texture matters. The flavor matters. The thickness matters. The way it absorbs the juices from the burger matters. Even the bun-to-meat ratio can completely change how a hamburger tastes. A great burger is a combination of ingredients working together. You can have excellent beef, fresh toppings and good cheese, but put everything on the wrong bun and suddenly the burger isn't quite the same. Restaurants sometimes seem tempted to change things simply because they can. New recipes. New suppliers. New buns. New packaging. Sometimes those changes are improvements. Other times, customers are left asking a simple question: Why change something that was already working? When customers have been eating a particular burger for years, the bun becomes part of what they expect when they return. Consistency matters. The burger was delicious as well as the steak. The steak was very juicy and cooked to perfection. The mashed potatoes taste like what grandma would make at home. Ted's Bacon Cheeseburger - Photo: © 2026 RoadTour.Net Something else we want to add. There was something else missing from our burger. Where was the little American flag toothpick sticking out of it? It may seem like a tiny detail, but that's exactly the point. Little details help give a restaurant its identity. Ted’s Montana Grill has long embraced a distinctly American identity. Its Western-inspired atmosphere, bison offerings and classic American menu have helped make the restaurant feel different from the countless interchangeable casual-dining chains across the country. That little American flag sticking out of the burger fit the restaurant. Did it make the burger taste better? Of course not. Did it add a little personality to the experience? Absolutely. Sometimes businesses underestimate how much customers notice these small touches. Individually, they may seem insignificant. Together, they create the experience people remember. And after visiting Ted’s Montana Grill for roughly 20 years, we remember those details. We hope Ted’s Montana Grill remains successful for many years to come because there really isn't another restaurant brand quite like it. The bison. This speciific style of a Western-inspired atmosphere. The classic American food. The hospitality. The history behind the name. Even small touches such as that American flag on the burger contribute to an identity that is uniquely Ted’s. That's something worth protecting. Restaurant companies sometimes make the mistake of chasing trends until they slowly remove the very things that made customers love them in the first place. Modernization can be good, but a strong brand should never modernize away its personality. Ted’s Montana Grill already has something valuable: a distinctive brand and a loyal customer experience. Build on it rather than changing what already works. Interior Ted's Montana Grill Exterior Dining Room - Photo: © 2026 RoadTour.Net Despite our complaint about the bun—and our search for that missing American flag—there should be no confusion about how we feel about Ted’s Montana Grill. We will keep coming back. We've been visiting Ted’s since 2006, across different cities and different locations, and the consistently friendly customer service has given us plenty of reasons to return. We want Ted’s Montana Grill to succeed. We hope the company continues growing, remains a strong restaurant brand and preserves the characteristics that have made it memorable. Keep hiring friendly people. Keep delivering great customer service. Keep the bison. Keep the distinctive atmosphere. Keep the personality. And while we're at it, Ted’s, bring back that little American flag. Some traditions—and some restaurant brands—are worth rooting for.

Remember when you could walk into a grocery store at 1:00 a.m., 3:00 a.m., or 5:00 a.m. and actually buy groceries? We do. Before the pandemic, 24-hour grocery stores were common in many American cities. Walmart, Meijer, Kroger and other major retailers operated numerous locations around the clock. If you worked overnight, got off work late, had an early-morning schedule, were traveling, or simply needed something unexpectedly, there was usually somewhere to go. Then the pandemic happened. We understood why 24-hour operations disappeared. Stores were dealing with staffing shortages, supply-chain problems, cleaning requirements, unpredictable customer traffic and an unprecedented disruption to normal business. But the pandemic is over. So we have a simple question: Where is the 24-hour grocery store? Neon 24 Hours Store Sign - Photo Credit: Erik Mclean What are we waiting for? Walmart was once practically synonymous with being open 24 hours. Many Meijer locations also provided around-the-clock shopping. Kroger operated numerous 24-hour stores as well. Today, finding a major grocery store open at 2:00 or 3:00 in the morning can be surprisingly difficult. Why? The emergency circumstances that originally helped justify eliminating 24-hour operations are long behind us. Yet the reduced hours have largely remained. From a customer's perspective, it feels like retailers discovered during the pandemic that they could reduce their operating hours — and simply never brought them back. That may be convenient for the companies, but it isn't necessarily convenient for their customers. Not everyone lives on a normal daytime schedule. There seems to be an assumption that everyone can conveniently shop during the daytime or early evening. That simply isn't reality. Millions of Americans work second shift, third shift and other unconventional schedules. Nurses, police officers, firefighters, factory employees, truck drivers, warehouse workers, airport employees, hospitality workers, people traveling, and countless others may be working while everyone else is doing their grocery shopping. Then there are travelers. Someone arriving in a city late at night may need groceries, toiletries, medicine, diapers, bottled water or other basic necessities. A family can discover at midnight that it needs something for the next morning. A 24-hour grocery store wasn't merely a novelty. It provided a useful service. Inside a Kroger - Photo: © 2026 RoadTour.Net Retailers constantly talk about improving the customer experience. Well, accessibility is part of the customer experience. Closing at 10:00 or 11:00 p.m. might make operations easier, but it removes an option customers had for years. When companies reduce a service and never restore it, customers have every right to ask why. And no, we haven't forgotten. We remember pulling into Walmart or Meijer in the middle of the night and knowing the doors would be open. We remember being able to make a late-night grocery run without checking closing times first. That convenience mattered. Bring back the 24 hour store. We're not suggesting that every grocery store in America needs to operate around the clock. Obviously, some locations may not generate enough overnight business to justify it. But major metropolitan areas should have options. Walmart, Meijer, Kroger and other large retailers could designate certain high-volume locations as 24-hour stores. Even having one strategically located 24-hour supermarket in a market would provide an important service for customers who don't live according to a traditional schedule. If staffing is the concern, companies have had years to develop new staffing models. If overnight demand is the concern, test selected locations and see what happens. But simply accepting that the 24-hour grocery store disappeared during the pandemic and should never return isn't good enough. Customers lost a valuable convenience, and years later, it still hasn't been restored. Walmart, Meijer, Kroger — where are the 24-hour stores? You may have moved on from 24-hour shopping. Your customers have not. Not having 24-hour stores is unacceptable. Fix this.

Road Tour recently made a visit to BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse, a chain we’re certainly no stranger to. Unfortunately, this particular visit fell short of what we’ve experienced from BJ’s in the past. The first thing that stood out wasn’t the food — it was the noise. The restaurant was loud. Instead of feeling like a comfortable casual restaurant, the atmosphere reminded us more of a crowded cafeteria. Conversations, dishes, voices and general restaurant noise seemed to bounce throughout the dining room. Some people may enjoy a busy, energetic atmosphere, but we don’t. There’s a difference between a restaurant having energy and a restaurant being so noisy that the ambience suffers. Hopefully they can take this into consideration in future location building designs (the exterior design is pretty good). Outside a BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse - Photo: © 2026 RoadTour.Net One thing BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse does have going for it is a decent selection of American favorites. The menu is extensive enough that most people should be able to find something they like, whether they’re looking for burgers, pizza, pasta, sandwiches or other casual American dishes. For this visit, we ordered the Spaghetti and Meatballs. Unfortunately, it was disappointing. The meatballs had a mushy texture that we didn’t particularly care for, while the spaghetti itself arrived cold. Pasta and meatballs is a pretty straightforward dish, and serving the spaghetti cold simply shouldn’t happen. It also left us wondering about how some of the food is being prepared and reheated. We certainly hope BJ’s isn’t going down the heavy microwave-reheating road that chains such as Applebee’s have long been associated with. Whatever happened with our pasta, it wasn’t the quality we expected, though the sauce is pretty good. Thankfully, everything wasn’t disappointing. The pepperoni pizza was delicious and easily one of the highlights of the visit. It was the kind of item we would absolutely order again. Our waitress was also friendly and pleasant, which deserves recognition. Even when there are problems with the food or atmosphere, good customer service can make a significant difference in the overall experience. Spaghetti & Meatballs Dinner - Photo: © 2026 RoadTour.Net For the record, Road Tour has visited BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse locations in several markets, including Charlotte, Seattle/Tukwila, Indianapolis/Noblesville, Dayton/Miamisburg and Fort Worth. Our experiences have generally been better than this particular visit. That history matters when reviewing a restaurant chain. One disappointing meal doesn’t necessarily mean every location is bad, nor does it erase better experiences we’ve had elsewhere. That’s why we’re not writing BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse off. This visit had some obvious problems. The cafeteria-like noise level hurt the atmosphere a bit, the spaghetti was cold (warm in places), and the meatballs had an unpleasant mushy texture. On the other hand, the waitress was friendly, the menu remains appealing, and the pepperoni pizza was genuinely delicious. Most importantly, we’ve had better experiences with BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse in the past. So yes, we will return. We want to see whether this was simply an off visit or whether something has changed. Every restaurant can have a bad day, and based on our previous experiences with BJ’s, they’ve earned another opportunity. Next time, though, we’re hoping for hot food, better meatballs.

Chicago's Navy Pier is one of the city's premier tourist destinations, attracting millions of visitors every year. With that kind of location comes an expectation that restaurants will deliver memorable experiences worthy of the prices they charge. Unfortunately, our visit to Margaritaville at Navy Pier fell well short of that standard. This wasn't our first experience with the brand, either. A few years ago, we visited a Margaritaville location in San Antonio and left disappointed by the quality of the food. We hoped our Chicago visit would be different. Instead, it reinforced many of the same concerns. It was a hot day in Chicago, and after filming around Navy Pier we decided to stop in for lunch. The restaurant didn't appear particularly busy, making it seem like a perfect opportunity to cool off and relax. Instead, the experience got off to a disappointing start. We were escorted through the bar area to our table, but the inside of the bar was extremely hot. On a day when customers are looking to escape the summer heat, the last thing they should encounter is an indoor dining area that feels nearly as warm as the outdoors. Then came the menu frustrations. Several of the items we were interested in simply weren't available. We couldn't order the chicken quesadilla or the tacos because the restaurant was out of chicken. We then considered the jambalaya, only to be told they were missing ingredients for that as well. Running out of one menu item can happen. Running out of multiple popular entrees during normal business hours is another matter entirely. Customers shouldn't have to play a guessing game to figure out what the kitchen can actually prepare. The pricing only made the experience more difficult to justify. The Cheddar BBQ Burger was priced around $21.99, while chicken strips cost even more. We understand that restaurants located in major tourist destinations have higher operating costs, but there is still a limit to what customers should reasonably be expected to pay. What arrived certainly didn't justify the premium. The burger looked like something that could have come from a standard food-service supplier (we like to call it Sysco food) rather than a restaurant charging upscale tourist prices. There was nothing distinctive, creative, or memorable about the way it tasted. If you're asking customers to spend more than twenty dollars for a burger, the quality needs to stand out. This one simply didn't. Unfortunately, cleanliness also raised concerns. The floors throughout the indoor dining area were noticeably sticky, something we noticed immediately. A restaurant's atmosphere is just as important as its food, and sticky floors leave the impression that cleanliness isn't receiving the attention it deserves. Service wasn't poor, but it also wasn't memorable. The staff handled the basics, but there was nothing that elevated the experience or made us feel like valued guests. When restaurants charge premium prices, customers naturally expect premium hospitality to accompany the meal. After now visiting two different Margaritaville locations in two different cities, we are left with the same conclusion: the brand appears to rely more on its name and location than on delivering a quality dining experience. Two visits years apart have produced similar disappointments, particularly when it comes to food quality and overall value. I simply do not see this chain lasting into future decades. They really need to look into how they operate. In the end, our visit felt like paying luxury prices for an ordinary restaurant experience. Margaritaville benefits from one of Chicago's best waterfront locations, but location alone shouldn't be the selling point. Guests should leave talking about outstanding food, excellent service, and an enjoyable atmosphere — not unavailable menu items, sticky floors, and a burger that failed to justify its price tag. For what we paid, this visit was simply unacceptable. Restaurants in high-profile destinations can absolutely charge more, but they also have a responsibility to deliver an experience that matches those prices.

There was a time when businesses understood a simple concept: if you treated customers well, they would come back. Today, too many companies seem to be following a different playbook — find as many opportunities as possible to charge customers for things that were once considered basic courtesy. Hotel Parking Sign - Photo: © 2026 RoadTour.Net Enough is enough. The nickel-and-diming of consumers has gone too far. Whether it's a fast-food restaurant like McDonald's or Dunkin Donuts charging for a cup of water (yeah, we mentioned them by name on purpose), a sandwich shop adding a fee for an extra mayonnaise, or a hotel charging paying guests to park at the very property they already paid to stay at, businesses are steadily chipping away at customer goodwill. None of these individual charges are likely to bankrupt anyone. That's not the point. The issue is the message they send. Customers increasingly feel like they're being viewed as revenue opportunities instead of valued guests. Every transaction becomes an exercise in asking, "What else can we charge for?" The hospitality industry is perhaps one of the biggest offenders. Imagine spending hundreds of dollars on a hotel room, only to discover you'll need to pay another $25, $40, or even $60 per night just to park your vehicle. Unless space is extremely limited in a dense urban environment, charging overnight guests to park on property often feels less like a necessity and more like another profit center. The restaurant industry isn't immune either. Charging for water, adding fees for condiments, or imposing surcharges for minor requests creates frustration out of what should be a simple customer experience. Businesses certainly have the right to recover legitimate costs, but they should also understand that every extra charge chips away at the perception of value. Companies often spend millions on advertising campaigns trying to convince people they care about customers. Sometimes the best marketing strategy isn't another commercial or social media campaign — it's simply stopping unnecessary fees. Customer loyalty isn't built through loyalty apps alone. It's built through positive experiences. One company that really gets under our skin is CenterPoint Energy. This major utility provider charges customers a fee simply to pay their bill unless they hand over their bank account and routing number for an ACH payment. That's unacceptable. Customers should not be pressured into providing direct access to their bank accounts just to avoid an extra fee. When you're a utility providing an essential service that people can't simply go without, the focus should be on making it easy for customers to pay—not creating financial penalties designed to push them toward one payment method. Consumers deserve reasonable, fee-free options to pay their bills without feeling coerced into giving up sensitive banking information. A customer who feels appreciated is more likely to return, recommend the business to friends, and overlook the occasional mistake. A customer who feels nickel-and-dimed walks away feeling taken advantage of, even if the total bill only increased by a few dollars. This trend extends beyond restaurants and hotels. Airlines charge for seat selection and checked bags. Ticket sellers tack on service fees. Subscription services quietly increase prices while offering less. Everywhere consumers look, another charge seems to appear. Businesses should ask themselves a simple question: Is this fee truly necessary, or are we risking long-term customer trust for short-term revenue? There is a balance between operating a profitable business and creating a positive customer experience. Successful companies understand that not every interaction needs to generate another dollar. Sometimes providing a complimentary cup of water, a packet of mayonnaise, or free parking for paying guests creates something much more valuable — customer loyalty. Consumers notice the difference. Companies that continue to pile on fees may see a temporary boost to the bottom line, but they also risk building a reputation for putting profits ahead of people. In an increasingly competitive marketplace, that reputation can be far more expensive than the revenue generated from a handful of extra charges. Businesses should remember a principle that has stood the test of time: treat customers fairly, and they'll often reward you with repeat business. Stop nickel-and-diming your customers! We will keep calling you out on this nonsense!