Food: Gasoline & Gastronomy

The superhighways that are banding the nation are fine for driving but often terrible for eating. Restaurants are spaced far apart, usually require long waits and—in the case of federal, limited-access roads—are located off the highway altogether. In Ohio, Standard Oil is trying . to ease the problem by adding slot “‘machine restaurants to service stations.

Leaving his car to be serviced, a driver goes into the glass-front restaurant where vending machines offer precooked meals, prepared by contract with Stouffer Corp. He carries his food to a quick-cooking microwave oven, presses a colored timer button that matches the color code on the package, and his meal is heated for the proper length of time. When the red light flashes and the bell rings, the diner, who by now feels a kinship to Pavlov’s dog, gets his chow on disposable plates.

So far tested at two filling stations but soon to spread, the system offers pleasant dining rooms, inexpensive food (Salisbury steak, cream-hashed potatoes, green beans: $1) and a refreshing absence of waiters.