Julie Larson began writing The Dinette Set comic in 1990, then called Suburban Torture, offering a satire on middle class culture. The Dinette Set became syndicated in 1997. When asked where Julie gets all of her ideas, she admits there is only one way to write a daily comic: write about what you know. "I make no bones about who’s really talking in The Dinette Set," says Julie, who is writer, director and cast of The Dinette Set. "If we can’t make fun of ourselves, who will?"
© Julie Larson - All Rights Reserved.
Dilbert Classics by Scott Adams
Dixie Drive by Rich Powell
Comments (37) (Please sign in to comment)
mikie2
said, 12 months ago
One of my pet peeves is the classic “Sit in the bar” or “visit our gift shop” revenue enhancer. Burl was right the first time; there’s no one in there, but then he strikes pay dirt by finding a cheap anniversary gift at CB. Go ahead and shake it really hard, Burl.
Second pet peeve: needing a guide dog and a GPS to get out of a CB (and other like highway establishments.) Most are really a gift shop with a restaurant attached. You have to run/walk a 5K to get anywhere in a Buckee’s.
margueritem
said, 12 months ago
@mikie2
Having eaten at CB once, and swearing that I’d never go back, perhaps the gift shop is the best choice.
SusanSunshine
said, 12 months ago
Never been to a Cracker Barrel, don’t think we have ’em here….
We used to have… well, about 65 miles from here… the mother of all destination restaurant/giftshop family attractions, known as the Nut Tree.
Expensive food, looong waits….
so of course you’d spend all that time ogling the giant sugar cookies (You could get your name on them!), plush animals, honey sticks, adorable dish towels and moo-cows that pour syrup and cream….
everything packaged with ribbons or flowers…
Fresh “home made” miniature coffeecakes wrapped on little wooden cutting boards, candies and candles in old fashioned containers that cost more than the contents.
The thing that made me crazy is….
it was good!
The gifts were over-priced but of a very nice quality.
The food and service, once you actually got a table,
were ordinary coffee shop fare,
but delicious and fresh…
The booths were very comfortable and clean,
and the waitresses,
even though made to wear uniforms that matched the curtains (!!), were the nicest anywhere.
And you could escape some of the wait and some of the “experience” by going to their smaller place across the highway, the Coffee Tree, which was also a bit cheaper.
I wanted SO much to hate the place but I couldn’t.
Pacopuddy said, 12 months ago
@SusanSunshine
Uniforms that match the curtains – nature’s camouflage when they don’t want you to summon them . . .
SusanSunshine
said, 12 months ago
Meanwhile, this just proves that the Pennys will cut loose of a buck if they’re not near a Dollar General or a Big Lots.
I’m sure the first place they looked was on the clearance shelf…
Joy got some almost out-dated jam that she’ll still keep for Christmas presents….
But when it comes right down to it, they love nothing better than an opportunity to buy things…. any things…
…
do you think Joy got a moo-cow creamer?
Good Morning, Crustwood!
x_Tech
said, 12 months ago
I ‘found’ the sucker, but the Cracker Barrel has me beat they found two (more).
x_Tech
said, 12 months ago
@SusanSunshine
I remember the Nut Tree. My parents always drove right by it.
SusanSunshine
said, 12 months ago
PacoPuddy — yet another reason it was so amazing that they were always so nice!
Not to mention dealing with hordes of tourists, vacationers, hyperactive, cranky children just let out after 5 hours in the car….
The place was always busy.
I once teased my cheerful waitress about trying to be invisible in the flowered curtain-material blouses, and she remembered me,
and would always wave her hand when I came in, and laugh, and say “Here am!”
PoodleGroomer said, 12 months ago
There are fewer things more exciting than a destination roadside restaurant when a couple of team buses pull in.
Dave Hussell
said, 12 months ago
My wife and I go to the CB a few times a year. Yes you wait in the gift shop, but to be fair, my wife likes to go there so she can browse their stuff before we go in. She tells me, “you go sign us in and meet me there when they call us”.
A few times there was no wait, so I had to go find her to tell her our table was ready.
Yes, their gift shop items are a bit pricey, but we rarely buy anything. We see a lot of unique things that are cute and/or funny, but also not really something we want. Once in a while I see something I think someone would love for a gift, so I make a mental note to come back and get it when it comes closer to their birthday, and of course I never do.
The food on the other hand is always reasonably priced and most of it is a good country style and filling. I am especially partial to their Chicken and dumplings, my wife likes their breakfasts. I also love their toasted sour-dough bread. One word of caution, don’t order their cornbread, it sucks.
Once again as we are leaving my wife tells me to pay for the dinner while she shops around a bit (they do not pick up the check at the table, you pay at the register). At this point she normally finds something to buy, more times than not it is some candy that she thought they had stopped making years ago.
So, in spite having to cross the gift shop to get to the restaurant and kind of being stuck to browse while waiting, we always have a decent time, a decent meal and have never spent too much there. Also, you don’t HAVE to wait in the gift shop, when the weather is nice you always go outside and sit in one of the many rocking chairs they have provided for you to wait, which coincidentally are also for sale.
A while back someone made an accusation that some of the commenters on here were being paid to stimulate conversation and draw attention to the strip (esp. the controversial ones). I just want to know if Julie is going to give me a little extra today for doubling as a restaurant critic?
Dave Hussell
said, 12 months ago
Oh yeah, almost forgot, Good morning Crustwood!
Carlyle620 said, 12 months ago
@x_Tech
Sucker? Can’t find it.
Ralph Fisher
said, 12 months ago
Best walk stick i ever brought was at CB how mant times i could of sold it like when iam at the sea shore
brightr1 said, 12 months ago
@Carlyle620
It’s the only thing sitting at a table.
Dr.Hydrogen said, 12 months ago
I agree with everyones comment except…my wife bought 2 outdoor rocking chairs there, much to my chagrin, But they have stood up well over the years and are of a really high quality.