Jim Dandy Restaurant

We had a very pleasant experience here. The atmosphere was bright and cheerful, the restaurant was clean, and the service was quick and friendly. I had the Jim Dandy burger, which is double decker. Nothing special, but a perfectly serviceable burger for a casual outing. I especially enjoyed the «special sauce,» which seemed to be mayonnaise-​based. I got the basket with fries and coleslaw. The fries were hot and crispy, the coleslaw creamy and fresh. Most everyone else in our party got fried chicken, which they reported was very good.
When it came time to leave, we couldn’t resist getting a caramel apple pie from the very appealing dessert counter. The pie was good, with plenty of nuts and a nice, rich crust. I’d like to return and try more of the desserts, especially the chocolate muffins. Overall, a pleasant if not mind blowing experience at what my family considers a welcome Tipton staple.

Jim Dandy’s is a local institution, having sister locations in neighboring small towns such as Noblesville, IN. My party ate lunch on a Sunday afternoon in July, 2011.
The grilled tenderloin was $ 5.89 and does not include any extras: no chips, fries, fruit, etc. The sandwich was rather small– about the same diameter as a Big Mac. By contrast, some Indiana tenderloins are 10″ or more in diameter. The pork itself was good: not too greasy, not too chewy. But it lacked flavor. A little seasoning would have helped a lot. The bun was rather dry and flavorless. In all, the grilled tenderloin was too small and too bland to recommend.
All four of my party had the salad bar, which included chicken noodle and vegetable beef soups. The vegetable beef soup includes white beans and peas. The peas tasted like canned peas, which I didn’t like.
The salad bar is rather limited. The choices do not include anything beyond the bare minimum, with one exception. Entire stalks of green onions were available on the day of my visit.
I overheard a conversation between a female diner and a man who spoke as though he owns or manages the restaurant. In answering her question, the man revealed that ‘his’ produce comes from Piazza Produce. That firm has trucks swarming around the Indianapolis area, supplying produce to hundreds of restaurants. So, here in Tipton County, Indiana, a HUGELY agricultural region, you get the same generic vegetables that you get anywhere else.
On the menu, one of the notable choices was «Unlimited Fries» for something like $ 4 or $ 5. Morgan Spurlock, I double dog dare you to eat Jim Dandy’s for a month.
I’m told that Jim Dandy’s breakfast is excellent, but another reviewer will need to evaluate that claim. I won’t be back.