PETRO 2 GADSDEN ALABAMA I-59 EXIT 181:

Well, one good thing about this joint is the tremendous amount of parking; It's 10:35 pm on a Thursday night and there's still an "ocean full" of parking spaces. They have 275 spaces!!!

That is all that can be said positive that was observed at this establishment. So, this one being a "petro 2," does not have it's own restaurant. Well, actually they do but it's and independant restaurant, not an iron skillet. And they close at 7pm nightly, so i could not at least try them to see how they were. There is a seafood/steakhouse, "Austin's" across the street. But, they too close at 9 nightly(at least M-F). So here i am----out of luck. i get to eat 2 hotdogs and a gatorade for dinner. And i don't like hotdogs for reasons which i don't want to get into here. There is a convience store inside the fuel building. It's actually a little depressing. The TV/room lounge is lackluster, but clean. The small amount of employees that i did observe here were friendly.

The food selection sucks here for late runners like me----those of us who like to shut down at around 9, 10, 11 pm, 12, 1 , 2 am. i did not want to bobtail around to look for other nearby food establishments (i'm sure there are many at this exit) because i was tired and felt already settled in for the night.

Only because of the large amount of parking spaces and well organized parking lot will i give it a 3.5 stars out of 5 stars.

NOTES:
1) The Austin's seafood/steakhouse accepts/rewards Roadking/UltraOne points.

2) i have yet to comment/review on showers. What does this indicate?

 

Updated grading system = 87 B+

Note: What gives this place the 87 B+ grade is the vast amount of parking available and the rows are wide enough apart to make it easy for a 53' trailer to back in or pull in. However, if you run into the later hours like me, you better have food on board that you prepare or get in the mood to do a little exploring around this exit for other food places. i think there might me a waffle house nearby, but not sure?


P.S. no soliciting from anybody and no shady soliciting observed! Yay!

 

There is a Hardie's across the freeway from that Petro. There is sufficient parking for perhaps 4 big trucks. I believe there is also a Cracker Barrel at that exit.

 

Ok, maybe next time i won't be so tired an can do some exploring.

 

Was a good steakhouse next door. I rarely stop there as it's too close to home...