K & W Cafeterias

Chains are known for the consistency they provide the consumers — you go in pretty much knowing what you’ll find, what kind of dining experience you’ll most likely have. But because staffs and managers are different, you also encounter differences, some
small, some not so small — the «Russian Roulette» aspect of dining.
Since we were in the area visiting a client, and we were under some time pressure, this was our choice for a quick, predictable lunch — and it is one of my wife’s favorites because the Roast Beef sliced here is always available in medium rare, every other location we’ve tried, they cook it to death.
The Roast Beef (2 nicely sized slices for $ 4.49) was excellent, but everything else was sub-​par compared with other K & W’s we’d tried, and almost any other restaurant we’ve tried. The Whiting (2 fillets for $ 4.15) was anything but fresh, even the aroma was stale smelling, unpleasant. The slaw was average at best (had some onion in it, yuck!), the Fried Okra soggy, the Garden Salad composed of out-​of-​date veggies, and the Broccoli Cheese mixture was rather a strange, bland mess.
The service was excellent, the pricing more than reasonable, especially in this period of skyrocketing food costs — BUT, this was far from a satisfying meal, and you know going into a K & W that I’m not expecting to get my culinary wings blown off — but this was a rather sizable failure.
And as I’ve said more than a few times — the worst thing about having a bad meal is that you’ve already eaten!

Place is packed with old people every time I go. If you have never been then here’s the deal.
— Walk in and get in line (think high school cafeteria)
— Grab a tray and walk down the food line picking out your food (basically telling someone behind the counter to get you dish [x])
— Most of it is a la carte, you pay for each item (entrée, sides, bread, desserts)
— Once you got your food, you slide down and get your ticket
— Find your own seat, maneuvering through the nursing home patients
— When your done, take your ticket to the register to pay. BTW, I don’t think you are expected to tip.
The food is decent quality and the selection is large. No booze so don’t expect it.

Because of my family’s different tastes in restaurants, we usually end up at a catch-​all place like this when on the road and wanting something more than Wendy’s but quicker than Cracker Barrel. So much good food to choose from the baked chicken and baked spaghetti to the soft rolls, strawberries, mashed taters, and fried mushrooms! Staff was a little less friendly than I’m use to at these type establishments, and that sugar-​free cheesecake was the first item I’ve ever returned to the line. But the German chocolate pie I got in return made up for it! The sweet tea was perfection as usual.

Homestyle cooking, but consistency hasn’t been as good as in years past and the value has gown down. Still, for a balanced and quick meal; this place is hard to beat.