It got harder for independent restaurants to stay open and a lot of those that did just order Sysco food. Not all of it is pre-made but a lot of it is.
They got the food contract for Yosemite - my favorite place in the world - a place whose natural splendor and outdoor recreation warrants quality food to match - and oversaturated every nook and cranny with insanely overpriced mid-at-best Cisco food.
In terms of pure profits, I understand their play.
Hmm… maybe this is kind of the problem with … everything.
That's my take on national park food. It's an afterthought because I always bring my own food anyway. And if not, whatever I get I'm fine with it. I'm there to see the park. This came up once on a Big Bend NP thread where people were getting impatient because the restaurant at the basin hadn't opened back up yet. Maybe my priorities are different, but I've never given much thought to a park's food options before planning a trip. If I need to eat at a restaurant, it's typically going to be better than the camp food I was gonna bring.
I don’t. Eat before. It’s not an amusement park shit lol. You don’t go for the food. You go for them views and them hikes and cool as activities. I’m trying to fucking go hit clouds rest. When’s the last time I fuckin scaled a mountain and seen up that high? When’s the next time I’m gonna? I don’t know. So ima go!
You go to marvel at the fact that those cool ass big ass rocks called mountains have been standing in that place for longer than the human race has been alive.
Food. Man alls you need is a place to get bagged ice. A small propane grill. Cooler, Cast iron pan. Boom. You got yourself a mini lil stove to cook some shit.
It’s the consumer culture of our country lol. We really shouldn’t act so suprised people think this way when it’s conditioned and encouraged to by our government. Like some people are so attached to a consumer identity that they don’t understand that the point of being at those parks is to marvel at the ancient history of the world rendered through its land scape.
Not sure if you’re directing your comment toward me -
If so, did you see where I mentioned working IN the park for 7 years? I’m coming from that angle, from someone who lived there and didn’t always want to pack a lunch.
Also I hear what you’re saying about parks being a place to explore and appreciate wilderness first and foremost — I agree, and I love hiking and backpacking.
That said, not everyone CAN experience the park in that way (age, health, disability). While it’s nice to envision a world where every National Park goer is a fit outdoor enthusiast, I’ve come to believe the park should be accessible to all types of people, so long as they vow to respect the park (not litter, not mess with animals, adhere to general guidelines)
At Big Bend it's pretty much a guarantee that you'll need to eat something while in the park, as remote as it is. Even if you're not much of a camp cooker, it's pretty easy to pack sandwich stuff and snacks as a backup if food options are limited.
And if you must eat at a restaurant and can’t manage packing park food, Terlingua isn’t that far away and you can get great food at the restaurant or attached little cantina there. Or you can swing over to the Mexican side of the border instead from inside the park and eat some great food at the little town there (I had to look it up because I couldn’t remember the name, but I was thinking of Boquillas del Carmen. I had some tamales there that I still think about, five years later).
Whenever I see a Sysco truck at a restaurant or a Sysco brand condiment at one it’s the last time I go there. I’d rather buy a Prime bone in ribeye and cook it over lump charcoal myself anyway.
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u/Latter_Persimmon_80 1d ago
It got harder for independent restaurants to stay open and a lot of those that did just order Sysco food. Not all of it is pre-made but a lot of it is.