Grandy's - Plano, TX

No doubt you’ve seen the welcoming green awning beckoning you to a Grandy’s restaurant. Most major (and a few minor) intersections in north Texas have a Grandy’s. Grandy’s is a good concept that didn’t seem to catch on: essentially home style fast food. Sort of Cracker Barrell meets McDonalds.

The place is basically a cafeteria-style restaurant, in both food and décor. The decoration is minimal (and faded badly in the one we went to). Booths and tables with swivel chairs line the broad dining room. The one we visited needed a quick cleaning as everything around was sticky. We retrieved a damp paper towel from the restroom and pressed on.

The CFS: It was thin but tasty. The meat was not something I’ve encountered: chopped meat formed into a “steak.” This made it very tender. It would be a stretch to call this “Southern style” since it was probably pre-made and frozen, but the style was a cross between a kind of central Texas snitzel and a southern style with heavy breading.

As a side tasting, Mrs. CFT had the Chicken Fried Chicken and it was very good. The chicken was plump and juicy, although the breading was the same.

The Breading: Very thin. Like mozzarella stick thin. It didn’t provide much resistance to the tenderness of the CFS making the whole thing a bit mushy.

The Gravy: White and a bit tasteless. But, in balance all together, it wasn’t bad. They didn’t give me the option for having it on the side.

Knife: Because the “steak” was chopped, the plastic knife that it came with was more than sufficient to cut the CFS. The plastic fork was really enough.

Sides: The dinner price came with two. I chose the okra, which was hot and fresh. The mashed potatoes (lovingly dropped onto the plate with an ice cream scoop), which were some form of instant, covered in gravy but with a good potato flavor. I almost broke out the little salt and pepper packs that came with the flatware but it didn’t really need it. Mrs. CFT had the French fries – they were tasty but very cold – and the cole slaw – which was cold enough but too vinegary and crunchy to be very good.

The Price: An AMAZING $2.99. Fortuitously, Tuesday is the chicken fried steak dinner day, featuring a minimal price on the CFS dinner. Still, you get what you pay for.

Service: Counter walk up. We went late in the day, so there was no line and things moved quickly. The buffet lights were bright and hot and there was no line for all you can eat okra. “Silverware” was plastic and came in a little bag. Cafeteria style all the way.

This is not the best CFS you will ever have. It may, however, be the fastest. In a way, it’s probably unfair to include Grandy’s on a list of good CFS joints. Still, it was a decent meal and service was quick.

2240 Coit Road

Plano, TX 75075

www.grandys.com