Kangaroo Express

This review ain’t about the price of their gas, the cleanliness of their restrooms, or whether or not they sell lottery tickets. It’s about the cobbled — together fry joint in the back of this cluttered little gas station serving up succulent pieces of fried chicken to hungry travelers and working folk alike.
I am always on the hunt for freshly made food in unlikely places. Since I travel on business a lot, gas stations are a frequent find. The best tend to be in small towns and serving folks who don’t mind squatting on the curb to eat a meal. The Kangaroo Express off Interstate I-​85 in Gaffney, SC is such a place.
When I am heading to Charlotte for business I try to time my drive to hit Gaffney around 11:00 am. It’s right before the lunch rush and the chicken is just coming out of the deep fryers. You know you timed it right when the front door glass has condensation on the inside panes ’cause that means the fryers are in full on operation.
Their specialty is fried chicken but they also churn out pork chops, catfish, mac ‘n cheese, collard greens with ham hock, and homemade apple and peach turnovers. The prices are right and the portions big — a Meat and Three will set you back about $ 7. If you add sweet tea and a pie, you are still looking at under $ 10. To find the place, look for the great big peach-​shaped water tower that most refer to as the Giant Ass Crack and you are just a couple of exits away.