While we were in Spartanburg, South Carolina, we noticed an abnormal amount of restaurants that were called drive-ins. It seemed as though everywhere we turned there was another one that popped up. It was getting late in the day and we had been urban exploring for a while, so we decided we would pop in and try one.
The one that caught our attention, mainly from Yelp reviews was a place called Sugar n Spice. It had 4.5 stars and a single dollar sign. High praise with a low price sounded good to us.
The outside reminded you of an age where these sorts of restaurants we popular. It had an outdoor, wavy roofed parking area and a 1950s blinking sign. The only thing missing was more lights and some ladies serving food on roller skates.
We walked in and immediately smelled the food and heard the hustle and bustle of the kitchen. Their menu consisted of almost entirely sandwiches and burgers. One of the things we learned about the area is when something has “A-Plenty” after the entrée, it means a huge stack of onion rings and fries.
Quality of Food – 3
We all ordered with the “A-Plenty” option. The boys got Jumbo Cheeseburgers (translation – double cheeseburger) and Mama Nomad and I each got Roast Beef Sandwiches. All orders came with fries, onion rings and cole slaw.
The burgers were delicious as they were. They needed no additional condiments. The roast beef, on the other hand, needed some sort of gravy or bbq sauce. However, there was none to be found. The fries were crinkle cut that seemed as though they were store-bought. But, the onion rings seemed as though they were hand-made. And, when you bit into them, the whole onion did not come out. That was a bonus for us. Lastly was the cole slaw. It was the fine-cut slaw. It had a great taste but was a little soggy.
We ordered sweet tea and it was absolutely delicious. Overall the quality of the food was a mixed bag. It had both ups and downs. With a few tweaks this could easily be moved into the 4 category of scoring.
Service – 3
When we walked in there were 3 people standing there and no “Welcome to Sugar n Spice.” We had no acknowledgement of any kind. However, when we ordered, the gentleman was cordial as was the young lady who got our drinks and cashed us out.
They bring your food to you and there is no further service given as it is more cafeteria style service. The food came to us very quickly. And when we went up for drink refills, the young lady was quick and cordial.
Lastly, the tables were clean (wiped in between customers). And the bathrooms, although small, were clean. They did not go out of their way to win service awards. But they also did not drop the ball when you asked for service.
Price – 5
Okay. This is where Sugar n Spice soared. We ordered 5 entrees “A-Plenty” style, an extra sandwich, sweet tea, lemonade and waters all for around $45. For a family of five, this is on the inexpensive side. Additionally, the portions were quite large. After we finished, everyone was full. That is saying something when you are talking about filling up our two teenage bottomless pits! Price to food portion ratio was great.
Overall Value – 4
This place is a solid four overall. We went back and forth, as a family, discussing the highs, the lows and the neutrals on Sugar n Spice. In the end, some food was great while others were average. The service was not outgoing but when needed, they were cordial and quick. And the pricing was great. The ultimate conclusion we came to was that we would not likely come back or go out of our way to recommend it. However if you are in the area and want to pop in to a place, get quick food in a sit down environment, be mostly self-serve, eat good portions of food that is overall above average and spend less than average, this greasy spoon, drive in is your place. Safe Travels.
