Highway Service Area Buffet: 35 Yuan for 36 Dishes Looks Great, but Many Dare Not Eat

Highway service areas are really important for friends driving long distances. Besides refueling, vehicle maintenance, and using the restroom, many people also choose to eat at the service area. Although the options are limited, the advantage is that it saves time and is quick. For those in a hurry, time is undoubtedly a crucial factor. Normally, I rarely eat at service areas; only when driving long distances do I occasionally check out the service area restaurant. This time, driving from Guangdong back to Chongqing, I picked up my friend from Shenzhen in the morning, then went to Dongguan to handle some business, and set off after lunch. I drove straight from Dongguan to Guilin, Guangxi. When I reached Pingle Service Area, the car needed gas, and I was hungry. To cover a bit more ground before dark, I decided to eat at the service area. Just then, I spotted a fast-food restaurant offering a meal for 35 yuan per person, so I decided to go in and take a look. My two companions glanced at the dishes and said they didn't have an appetite, suggesting we look for some snacks elsewhere. I, on the other hand, thought it was acceptable: 35 yuan for 36 dishes seemed quite a selection and reasonably priced. So I bought a meal ticket and decided to eat there. While getting the food, I casually took some photos with my phone. You can take a look—doesn't it look pretty good? There’s meat, eggs, plenty of variety, and unlimited rice—eat as much as you like. There’s not only stir-fried meat but also chicken, duck, ham, and fish. While it can’t compare to the buffets in luxury hotels, it’s much more generous than the fast-food joints in industrial areas or on the streets, and it’s unlimited. Not to mention compared to train or airplane meals—at least it looks much better. However, surprisingly, many of these dishes were cold. In the middle of winter, even though there were heating/warming devices underneath, why weren’t they keeping the food warm? After a day of driving on the highway, who wouldn’t want to eat a hot meal? The good impression I had was ruined by the cold food, and I instantly lost my appetite. With such good conditions and ingredients, it’s disappointing that the cold food let so many people down. It’s hard to understand—could it be they were worried people would eat too much? In the end, I picked a few warm vegetables (probably just cooked and put out), ate a few bites quickly, and had no appetite. Actually, shortly after that meal, my stomach felt a little uncomfortable. Objectively speaking, the environment here is quite nice, and they offer so many dishes. If the food weren’t cold, I would give them a thumbs-up. Look at this environment—doesn’t it seem pretty good? What I didn’t expect was that my two friends, seeing the dishes here, lost their appetite and decided to buy instant noodles. But after buying the noodles, when they went to get hot water, either too many people were using it or the dispenser was broken; they waited a long time, but the water never reached 100°C. The noodles they made were barely edible, and they threw most away. After getting back in the car, they kept complaining to me. Ah, it was really a terrible dining experience. I noticed outside that the sign for Pingle Service Area had become “Ganle Service Area” and no one cared. Maybe it’s understandable that such things happen inside. But the Spring Festival travel rush is coming, and a large number of returning travelers will pass through. If even a hot meal or a cup of hot water isn’t available, can such a service area really be called a service area?