I love Runza but also acknowledge that last time I had lunch there the average age of the customer base was 72, and that's after accounting for my being 34.
I grew up in central Iowa and weirdly didn’t hear them called “taverns” until I moved to Missouri! And “canteens” was totally new to me before I started researching this piece. I kind of love the county-specific loose meat lingo!
I grew up an hour north of Sioux City and we usually called them taverns or sloppy joes, but no one else I've run into has called them taverns! I also love the weird regional foods that pop up. Whenever I meet someone else from IA/NE/SD/MN I always quiz them on if they grew up eating cinnamon rolls and chili in the same meal.
Well, believe it or not I actually just had a conversation with a friend about the Grand Island Runza a couple of hours before reading this. I love a Runza, but agreed with my friend that they need to be strictly limited to one per day (I have violated this rule of thumb many times)
Paul, if I had to guess whether anyone in my life had eaten at the Grand Island Runza, I would have chosen you. I have no idea why. It just feels right. Do you add ketchup?
One other thought, every time I am at Runza I am vaguely surprised that they even offer hamburgers and even more surprised when someone orders one. Why!? You are at a Runza.
1) "radical candor and canned rancor" - In a just world, everyone who reads that phrase owes you $5.
2) My spouse is from Grand Island, so this post resonated more than most, since I'm obligated to spend at least one holiday a year there. One note, if I may: Grand Island stinks. Literally, because of the feed lots/rendering plants. Maybe that's why residents can choke down these execrable "sandwiches"? If I sound bitter, it's because Thanksgiving is one of my favorite meals of the year, and one time I had to have it at a truck stop (Grandma Max's) in Grand Island.
3) I'm PayPal-ing you now because I don't have Venmo/CashApp. Keep up the excellent writing as you see fit.
Huh, I guess this is NPR for food weirdos! I know you aren't likely to do a pledge drive, but I'd love to read it if you did:
"Our investigative reports on mouse tape and disgusting regional cuisine are only possible with help from you, Internet Wingnuts."
But we moved recently, so your plan to send me a tote bag or an umbrella overflowing with soggy, unflavored ground beef and cold cheese has been thwarted.
A Runza is very similar to something both my grandmothers made often and I ate a lot of growing up, always referred to as 'krautburgers'. I don't think I knew there was a chain restaurant based on the concept. I couldn't say if they were objectively good or not since I was eating them from before I was making memories. But a quick google shows it is still a thing in the area: https://www.greeleytribune.com/2018/08/28/the-humble-krautburger-is-a-pocketful-of-local-history/
I successfully got Sloppy Joe's banned from the house as a child. I wasn't much of a fit-thrower or boat-rocker, so the successive fits that I threw whenever it was served were enough that no one DARED put that nonsense on my plate by about second grade or so.
Disappointment not to see kolaches on this chart. I think they would be as convenient as hot pockets but tastier and less likely to have you awkwardly running for the toilet with your buttocks clenched.
My mom exclusively made sweet kolaches with canned pie filling! I've heard the meat-filled versions called klobasneks, but maybe that's not a hard distinction.
I love Runza but also acknowledge that last time I had lunch there the average age of the customer base was 72, and that's after accounting for my being 34.
The amount of joy it brings me that you included taverns is immense. My family are some of the only people I’ve met that call them that!
I grew up in central Iowa and weirdly didn’t hear them called “taverns” until I moved to Missouri! And “canteens” was totally new to me before I started researching this piece. I kind of love the county-specific loose meat lingo!
I grew up an hour north of Sioux City and we usually called them taverns or sloppy joes, but no one else I've run into has called them taverns! I also love the weird regional foods that pop up. Whenever I meet someone else from IA/NE/SD/MN I always quiz them on if they grew up eating cinnamon rolls and chili in the same meal.
Well, believe it or not I actually just had a conversation with a friend about the Grand Island Runza a couple of hours before reading this. I love a Runza, but agreed with my friend that they need to be strictly limited to one per day (I have violated this rule of thumb many times)
Paul, if I had to guess whether anyone in my life had eaten at the Grand Island Runza, I would have chosen you. I have no idea why. It just feels right. Do you add ketchup?
Hah! I take that a high compliment! No, I would never add ketchup to a Runza.
One other thought, every time I am at Runza I am vaguely surprised that they even offer hamburgers and even more surprised when someone orders one. Why!? You are at a Runza.
1) "radical candor and canned rancor" - In a just world, everyone who reads that phrase owes you $5.
2) My spouse is from Grand Island, so this post resonated more than most, since I'm obligated to spend at least one holiday a year there. One note, if I may: Grand Island stinks. Literally, because of the feed lots/rendering plants. Maybe that's why residents can choke down these execrable "sandwiches"? If I sound bitter, it's because Thanksgiving is one of my favorite meals of the year, and one time I had to have it at a truck stop (Grandma Max's) in Grand Island.
3) I'm PayPal-ing you now because I don't have Venmo/CashApp. Keep up the excellent writing as you see fit.
Thank you, Jason! At this point, I think I have to mail you a tote bag for being a ~sustaining member~
Huh, I guess this is NPR for food weirdos! I know you aren't likely to do a pledge drive, but I'd love to read it if you did:
"Our investigative reports on mouse tape and disgusting regional cuisine are only possible with help from you, Internet Wingnuts."
But we moved recently, so your plan to send me a tote bag or an umbrella overflowing with soggy, unflavored ground beef and cold cheese has been thwarted.
A Runza is very similar to something both my grandmothers made often and I ate a lot of growing up, always referred to as 'krautburgers'. I don't think I knew there was a chain restaurant based on the concept. I couldn't say if they were objectively good or not since I was eating them from before I was making memories. But a quick google shows it is still a thing in the area: https://www.greeleytribune.com/2018/08/28/the-humble-krautburger-is-a-pocketful-of-local-history/
Loose meat is everywhere.
I successfully got Sloppy Joe's banned from the house as a child. I wasn't much of a fit-thrower or boat-rocker, so the successive fits that I threw whenever it was served were enough that no one DARED put that nonsense on my plate by about second grade or so.
Runza is the worst restaurant food I've had in my life. I took one bite and threw it away. My wife did the same. Just awful
Disappointment not to see kolaches on this chart. I think they would be as convenient as hot pockets but tastier and less likely to have you awkwardly running for the toilet with your buttocks clenched.
Kolaches have evolved into about anything stuffed into a bun though, so I could see that it's more loose-meat adjacent.
My mom exclusively made sweet kolaches with canned pie filling! I've heard the meat-filled versions called klobasneks, but maybe that's not a hard distinction.
Kolache Factory in Overland Park as a potential follow-up junket / investigative report? https://locations.kolachefactory.com/kolache-factory-20bcb7f6be76
We have one here in STL and coworkers will bring in the savory breakfast versions in the morning.
I was in NE a few years ago and saw the mysterious Runza, but couldn't bring myself to pull the trigger on trying it out. Now I don't have to!
I'll stick with Mugs Up for my loose meat goodness.