I’ve always heard them mentioned in things pertaining to California. I’m guessing that they’re based in California and making their way across the country. Ever since hearing about them, I’ve wanted to have a Jack in the Box experience. I’ve never been to California so, I had to wait for them to come to me unless I happened upon a “radically” placed JITB.
A few years ago, I had to go to the Charlotte Motor Speedway to pick up my media credentials. I had to do it in person during my workday. And I haven’t been to the speedway in over a decade. There was a time where we had to get off of I-85 and wind our way through woods and neighborhoods to get to the speedway. Now you just take Exit 49 for Bruton Smith Boulevard and CMS is just a mile or so away.
I’m sure that it feels 60 miles away on race day. Race day traffic can be a harsh mistress.
Back to getting my credentials… I’m on the boulevard and I saw a Jack in the Box! I didn’t get a good look because I was driving and the light there in front of the restaurant was green. My heart was racing. The question of what I may have seen kept running through my mind. Did I? Did I see a Jack in the Box??
I got my credentials and started back to work. Again, I had a green light but I saw it. I saw it! Lo’ and behold there was a Jack in the Box! And it was only 2 hours away from where I live!
I didn’t have time to stop that day nor the days since discovering it. But since I’ve been driving to Charlotte for work on a regular basis, I made a promise to myself that I was going to visit that Jack in the Box. I’ve been passing the exit, but none of the signs leading up to that exit have the JITB logo posted with all the other restaurants. I kept having questions… Is it still there? Did it close? Why isn’t such a rarity in these parts advertised on a sign? Was I hallucinating all those times that I thought I saw it??
I did some online research. The Jack in the Box was indeed there. It was easy to get to and out of. It’s open 24 hours a day.
So yesterday, Tuesday the 11th of November, I finally pulled into the Jack in the Box. I was worried. It was 10:40 A.M. Were they still serving breakfast foods? Will I have to sit around waiting until they changed the menu over? What was I going to do with 20 minutes?
It was rainy and cold, my friends. But I got out of that truck, pulled my hoodie over my head, and made a beeline for the door. I stepped inside this new wonderous place, pulled down my hoodie, and looked around like Dorothy in Oz. There was a hive of activity in the kitchen and that gave me time to check out the overwhelming number of combos offered.
A young woman came up to the counter and said, “Welcome to Jack in the Box.”
I nearly giggled like a Japanese schoolgirl. But I kept my excitement under wraps. “Are you guys serving burgers this early?” I asked.
“Yes, sir,” she answered. “What can I get you?”
I settled on a bacon double burger. And when she asked for my choice of side, I had to ask what my choices were. After hearing them, I went with fries. “French or curly?” she asked.
Inside my head… “THERE ARE TWO TYPES OF FRIES?!”
I asked what she preferred and I went with her choice of curly fries. And they had one of those great Coca-Cola drink machines with the seemingly limitless choice of flavors. I went with the Cherry Coke Zero or whatever they’re calling the stuff now. And since they were cooking up my burger fresh, I got a gander at the WHOLE menu. The breakfast items were posted on the wall at the counter. And breakfast items are available 24 hours a day!
I saw the usual fare of sides and items. The tacos surprised me a little but wait… What?! There are egg rolls available??
Damn, I could’ve gone for an egg roll like a drunk after vodka. But I didn’t see it in time. BUT! There will be a next time.
The curly fries were fried up to perfection. Crunchy, hot, and not a limp fry in the bag! And the burger was delicious!
To be totally honest, I’ve heard people rag on Jack in the Box and the quality of their offerings. I felt that it was a great value with great flavor. It certainly exceeded my expectations. I even participated in their feedback online. They deserved some praise because I’m sure that 95% of those giving feedback do nothing but complain.
Like I said before, I will be visiting them again real soon.
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