Dixie Truckers Home

The first time I ate here was in 1998 my Dad and I were headed to St Louis to the NASCAR race. We had an excellent breakfast which included fried corn meal mush.
For those unfamiliar, one can make corn meal mush or grits and pour it into a loaf pan and once it sets up you can slice it, fry it in butter, and serve with with maple syrup. (Tastes much like French toast). My Dad used to make it in the winter sometimes when I was a kid. This is the only place in the world I have found that on the menu.
I made yearly trips down to St Louis to the races for the next 10 years or so, sometimes with my Dad and sometimes with another friend, and we always stopped at the Dixie Trucker’s Home and ordered the fried corn meal mush for desert with breakfast. (My buddy Dave’s Dad used to make it when he was a kid too.)
I stopped there last summer and the fried corn meal mush was not on the menu but they do often offer it on the breakfast buffet, and the friendly waitress girl was able to set me up.
The Dixie Truckers home was one of the original truck stops in America, and opened on Rt. 66 in 1928. Around 2003 or so the original family sold out, and the place fell on hard times and became pretty run down, but it was remodeled a few years ago by a new owner.
In my estimation it isn’t as good as it once was, but it’s improved a little recently.

I should start this by saying that I rarely have to give out 1 star reviews, but seriously, this place is terrible.
Why is it a cliché’ that truck stop food is so bad? And buffets?
Unfortunately, this establishment is plagued by both of these terrible cliché’s.
I don’t want to waste too much time ranting about how bad my experience was because no one is likely to read this anyway. I mean if you’ve made it to McLean and are too hungry to drive to extra 15 minutes to Bloomington, then by all means, stop in and see for yourself, but don’t say i didn’t warn you.
Terrible service. No refills on our suspiciously overly-​fluoride tasting water. Terribly understocked buffet, and honestly all of the food was just really bad. and at times inedible in a sense.
I assure you, this is NOT a local watering hole, or any trucker’s favorite greasy spoon.
Oh, and it was like $ 11.00 per person. I mean, we knew this before agreeing to have the buffet, but still, it was insulting.
Maybe ordering off the menu is a better choice? I won’t be back to find out.

The food is typical truck stop/​diner fare, but the gift shop and services are above average. It has been recently redone, so the place is clean and bright.

We stopped in for a restroom break. Store was big and clean.
We decided to have dinner at Dixie’s Family Restaurant. I ordered the Dixie’s Horseshoe with roast beef and my guy ordered some Plate Special with turkey. Each comes with a trip to the soup and salad bar (once). I tried the chicken noodle soup and it was nice and hot, but a bit salty. Make sure you check the bowls and plates… my guy said he had to go through 3 dirty bowls before he found a clean one.
Dixie’s Horseshoe — It’s toast, with roast beef and fries on top with cheese sauce over it. I have no idea why I got this. Well, it was ok, but pretty bland. The cheese sauce was very light in color and not much cheese flavor.
I would say skip it and go elsewhere.

Breakfast buffet was horrible; cold, greasy and flavorless for the most part. Ate then lost it in the bathroom, puked it up. Didn’t have to pay for it, the only upside to it I guess. Should have known it was going to not be good when we drove up and two waitresses were right outside the front door smoking. Bonus points as one of them was clearly pregnant and tattooed/​pierced.

Stopped in again recently (just had too) They have totally re-​done the place. It is very nice. Clean and now a place I will stop for a bathroom break and a snack. (just stay away from the fountain drinks the water is well water and makes the soda taste funny). They were nice and let me pick a bottled soda. I will stop again.

Worthless. I overpaid for a simple truck stop lunch of breakfast food that took 40 minutes from sit down to get up. Never again.

We go on drives often and have enjoyed stopping here in the past.
In the past.
We were there a few weeks ago and it was the worst experience ever. I realize this isn’t a 4 star restaurant, but it took a while for someone to even acknowledge we were there. The entire time we sat there, only 3 tables were occupied.
We ordered lite breakfast food, nothing complicated (eggs, meats & french toast). 40 minutes later, we were still waiting. When the waitress finally brought the food, I asked for syrup. She left and, 5 minutes later, returned with a store-​bought bottle saying, «All we have is sugar-​free. Ok?» Ok, it won’t kill me, but someone doesn’t keep an eye on the inventory? Worse, my french toast bread was stale and my husband’s eggs were runny. We would have told our waitress had she ever returned. Someone else brought the check and we told him, but it wasn’t met with anything more than a head-​nod.
We left, but I needed some snacks & drinks for the road so we went into the store. Half of the store had nothing on the shelves and the two employees in that area were arguing.
This place used to be worth a stop but from now on, we’ll drive on to the next place.

I love truck stops and this one is a fine one. On the mother road (route 66). Good variety on the menu, with burgers, and sandwhiches, and spaghetti, and breakfatst. They even have a buffett with broasted chicken. Pretty solid food right off I-​55. Not to expensive either