Cedar Point opening Quaker Steak & Lube next to Castaway Bay

When I made my first Market District visit shortly after the first Columbus area location opened in Upper Arlington, I noticed the warehouse look. Then I thought a little more, looked a little more closely, and I think I figured it out. That look is intentional, and it is patterned after a famous 'foodie' grocery place down in Fairfield. If you have ever been there, the Market District aesthetic suddenly starts to look like a shameless copy.

I'm not saying that's a good idea, I'm saying that's what they did. Kind of like all these quick-food joints trying to make themselves look like Chipotle, as if that 'look' is responsible for the success...

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

birdhombre said:

The CP location is moot for me though, because if I want wings, I'm going to the Thirsty Pony.

Huh... Never been to the Thirsty Pony. Is it good? I always assumed it was a bar and therefore not kid friendly, but perhaps that's wrong. But I'm a sucker for good wings.

QSL wings are mediocre at best, IMO.

Admittedly I've only had the teriyaki wings, but I love the Frickers sauce they use. And now that I think about it, the only other thing I've had there was the chicken teriyaki sandwich. I often see families there, so I'd say it's kid-friendly.

RideMan said:

Yes. That's what it is called when you sit down on a plastic resin chair, the back leg splays outward, and you hit the floor.

I know you Dave, and you're not a "guest of exceptional size" but soon as I read that all I could picture was you in the chair scene in "Shallow Hal".

Thanks for the laugh. ;)

Jeff said:

And I don't eat at those either. Obviously since you've never smelled gas fumes, no one else has ever, right?

No one has to agree with me, but disagreement certainly isn't going to change my opinion either. You enjoy your gas station food. I'll pass.

Don't get me started on this, one of the best BBQ places here in Kansas City is Oklahoma Joes or Joes KC BBQ as it's now called. (and if you watched anything on KC BBQ on TV you would know the name as the a well renown) They original location is inside a Gas Station and still operates there and yes they really have great BBQ there.

While I am talking BBQ, Worlds of Fun has a decent BBQ place where I eat at a lot. It's called Battle Creek Barbeque and is a part of their dining plan. I tend to eat there when I visit WoF with my Dining Plan. The food they give you on that is more than enough to fill you up. I have yet have been able to eat the whole meal there without getting full yet.

As for Quaker Steak and Lube. I am wondering why I am so familiar with the brand, even though I have not ate there. It's probably from my trips to Pittsburgh is where I heard about it. I would love to try them sometime. The closest location to me right now if in Iowa. Maybe on a trip to Omaha I can try them out.

Quaker Steak & Lube has also been featured on the Food Network's "Man vs Food".

That "gas station food" that Sheetz offers is awesome. It's your loss, Jeff. I understand that food from a gas station sounds like a turn off for you, but if you just tried it once, you would understand. The food the offer is not low-quality, corner-cutting, garbage that you would even expect at the big fast food chains. It's made with high-quality ingredients. Ordering food there is convenient because of the touch screens, and because you are already there fueling your vehicle and using the restroom (very clean too!) They even pay the people who cook it a higher-than-average wage and are known as a great company to work for.

I am a big fan of Sheetz. growing up and living near their headquarters in Altoona probably makes me a little biased though. I just moved back! I just drove passed the corporate offices and the largest Sheetz in the world yesterday, as a matter of a fact. :)

Thirsty Pony has a chicken-wing pizza that rivals Chet & Matt's, if you're a fan.

Here at Mount Union, Sheetz (which I had never heard of before moving here from Columbus) is the ONLY food-serving business across from campus aside from Taco Bell. This is all about to change, though, as this summer we are debuting a newly developed area next door featuring a BW3's, a couple coffee shops, etc...

The food is pretty decent. I've been pleasantly surprised the couple times I found myself in there starving.

Dutchman said:

Quaker Steak & Lube has also been featured on the Food Network's "Man vs Food".

But it wasn't the original, IIRC.

Quaker State and Lube sponsor my favorite race on Father's Day every year; it's a 10-miler on the Towpath (near Cleveland) and if you are a participant you are treated to all-you-can eat eggs, bacon, bagels, chicken, etc...they know the way to a runner's heart (at least this one).

It's just a fun place to get some decent food, and I think a welcome addition next to Castaway.

QS&L has gone down hill in the last ten years. When new locations were opening up, it kind of took away from the genuine and original restaurant that I grew up dining at in Sharon. The food is overpriced and not as good as it used to be. There are better tasting wings out there. I welcome the change at Castaway Bay, but it's not much of an upgrade from Fridays.

People always bring up Chet & Matt's... Tried it once back in 2005-ish, was completely not impressed. But maybe that had to do with the 90 minutes it took to deliver. Is it better in-store?

I guess I may have to try Thirsty Pony one of these trips... I always wondered if the food there was any good. It has a great location.

As for QSL, take it or leave it. We had one here in Rochester, NY for a couple years. We only went wen they were showing a UFC fight, and even then we usually had a Groupon. We stopped at the Erie, PA location once in the way back from CP and we were less than impressed there, as well. The decor is pretty neat (I'm a mechanic so I get a kick out of it, and Mini-Me thinks it's awesome eating under a car)... Hopefully the CP store can do well! I also wonder if the AYCE promo will be offered... Maybe only early-, late-, and off- season?

If their delivery time is long, it's probably because they're in demand. They get pretty mobbed even at the restaurant at certain times.

I've learned not to expect much from delivery pizza, period, no matter where it comes from. Then if it's good it's a bonus. Here at home, if we must eat at home, one of us goes to get it and that usually helps. I buy, you fly.

I love Chet & Matt's, and if I'm at CP for a day or two I try to squeeze it in and I always eat there. Years ago, when I lived in Sandusky, Cameo was our go-to for pizza.

I don't get to eat Chet & Matt's Pizza as often as I would like to. It's probably my favorite pizza ever, and I really like pizza, so that's saying a lot.

Jeff-
I get what you're saying. If I'm quoted 90 minutes for a delivery I usually go pick it up (actually now days I almost always do carry-out). But if I recall they quoted like 30 minutes, which is normal. I guess we will have to give Chet & Matt's another go next time we are in Sandusky.

The lunch buffet is where it's at. Great deal, easy to sample many pies, including the cinnamon dessert pizza.

I can only think of one time I had Chet & Matt's.

Apparently, I wasn't impressed.

Yikes, how did that turn into a conversation about my wife's boobies?

Lord, he wants to thank you for his smokin' hot wife.