Although I originally found this Arby's on an accidental whim when trying to find another business nearby a few years ago, I never had a chance to enter the place until (what used to be) today. I had seen the "Arby's" sign out front, but the fact that it's partnered into a Pilot Gas station (that apparently makes this a "truck stop" too), makes this place all that more valuable to those who enter.
It had been years since I had seen or eaten within an Arby's. You see: My closest one in Ulster County closed about 8 years ago, leaving behind something that just wasn't Arby's at all (it's now a Popeyes), and when I found this my first exclamation I made was "Victory!" (as the lightbulb turned on).
However, although it really was bringing an ole' Arby's trip back, the 60 minute travel distance to get here for me, just made the trip not too bearable for me on a routine basis. In fact: I found this in 2016 and although I make routine trips on I-84 (it can't quite be seen from the interstate, but can be seen from the off-ramp to I-84 W), I don't generally get to have very many chances to come into this place, but I anytime I'd pass this exit, I'd mention "oh look, there's the Arby's there" to anyone riding with me in the vehicle at the time. (Just ask my brother Bryan when we rode together on Super Bowl Sunday to and from Middletown to my home more than an hour away.)
But once I found a place to park (and there aren't really very many Arby's-dedicated spots to park), I wondered "How do I get in?" I'd wished there'd be a direct entrance into Arby's themselves, but knew from other Pilot truck stops that wouldn't be the case here too.
But things go further once inside. The menu board is small when you see it from afar (close enough to read it, though), and trying to act casual and nonchalant really became a challenge. I mean, I hadn't been to one in so long, trying to remember my complete order (making a few tweaks) really though off my whole balance of what an Arby's experience is like.
With a few people in front of me having to order, the line moved swiftly. But not before too long was I taken by the one employee. He was nice, but I don't believe he fully understood what "Regular-style curly fries" (which Arby's had the last time I visited one) meant. What I was served was what appeared as a special on one of the banners near the menu board consisting of cheese-flavored curly fries, which I wasn't thrilled about eating, but they were curly fries, so I ate them anyway indulging with the ketchup I had nearby (hoping "the taste of these disgusting things will go away soon..." I once said to myself.).
I gave the order of the main course, and although the employee thought he could get away with just asking "anything else" and not mentioning "do you want a soft drink with that", really made it rather interesting trying to chow down on the food I ordered (which I totally tried to change up since I didn't feel much like most of the chicken platters) and ordered a salad with chicken instead.
I'm not one to like the taste of roast beef, so my eyes did gravitate away from these items, but I don't really remember seeing anything similar on the board. I know Arby's is a big roast beef location, and without their key item, that doesn't seem possible that they'd make too much business.
I mean, the tables weren't packed, but you could tell it was hopping. I sat in the corner small table and listened to people around me (something I wished I'd never mentioned here), along with looking at some of the tables in the room filling as time went on. I'd believed that on the side of a table divider I noticed, most of the tables were full, but on the other side, there were a couple, but the more people came in, the more those others left.
A little confused btw in your condiments selections you provided. In my previous appearances at Arby's near me, I know you had an Arby's secret sauce as well as ketchup and Horsey Sauce, but what ever happened to the not-so-spicy Barbeque sauce? I was wishing that sauce could have been provided. I was so "into the moment" I had forgotten to ask and wanted just to leave the place and get on with my own plans (traveling to Stewart International Airport just around the corner, per se.) read more