by John S
(Taos, NM)
One of the best solutions we came up with is to just say "no" to the restaurants as well as the hotels and motels. When traveling long distances by car, it only costs just a few dollars more to stay at the "kitchenette suites" rather than at a motel. These suites are usually equipped with a small refrigerator and stove and you can prepare your own food when on the road. The money you save by not eating out for dinner and then breakfast the next morning will easily cover any extra room charges for the suite.
We bring a large iced-down cooler with us in the trunk of the car while driving between destinations so that we can stop for a picnic lunch (weather permitting) at an interstate roadside rest or a municipal or state park where public picnic tables are provided.
Be sure to pack paper plates, paper towels and basic utensils for your picnic and you can enjoy, sandwiches, salads, crudites, fruits or anything else that makes you happy. It's not fancy but it can be a very enjoyable respite from the monotony of driving for hours at a time. And it's definitely less expensive than restaurant hopping.
Just boycott the restaurants altogether and, instead of grumbling about restaurant food, have a good time instead.
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