August 04, 2009
Two weeks after closing 18 of the state’s rest stops, the Virginia Department of Transportation today announced that it has sold all but one of the Commonwealth’s now-closed facilities to the Aunt Sarah’s Pancake House chain of breakfast restaurants.
The move is expected to generate much-needed revenue for the state’s transportation needs and ease the discomfort of motorists who “just can’t hold it no matter how hard they try not to think about it,” VDOT spokesman Jeff Caldwell said, as well as allow them to eat pancakes during interstate travel.
The surprise deal – which makes Virginia the largest Aunt Sarah’s franchisee – is estimated to raise more than $1.6 million a year from the sale of the pancake house’s famous Big Farmer stuffed pancakes, catfish and eggs Super Skillet, Southern Fried Cousin John’s, and an array of home-style dinners, sandwiches and desserts.
Such desserts include the restaurant’s decadent Big Fudgy Wudgy, Caldwell noted.
“It’s win-win for everyone,” he said, though difficult to understand during a phone interview while claiming to have his mouth full of a Big Daddy Skillet. “Not only will this nom nom nom deal produce enough revenue argh to buy some of the nom nom paint nom we will need some day nom to re-stripe new highways, but [sound of swallowing] it should stop all this [indecipherable].”
According to terms of the sale, Aunt Sarah’s will perform some modest renovations on the 17 sites, giving them a “countrified” look with gingham curtains, oak tables and chairs and framed cross-stitched sayings such as “Kiss My Grits” and “Ain’t no one’s happy lessin’ Momma’s happy,” which also will be available for sale in the gift shops.
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I live right next to the still-operating New Kent rest area. This only saved the state $9 million. If we were any better at preparing criminals for society, maybe we wouldn’t be spending 1 billion every year on incarceration. Close some jails. That’ll save us some real money!