Dolly Parton's Tennessian Travel Center — Review by Brennen Taylor
Cornersville, United States — Southern/Barbecue
Brennen Taylor reviews Dolly Parton's newly opened Tennessian Travel Center in Cornersville, Tennessee. While the facility is impressive and beautifully designed with amenities like showers and laundry, the food quality is disappointing across both grab-and-go and buffet options. The reviewer concludes it's more of a tourist attraction than a practical alternative to Buc-ee's, with dry meats, bland preparation, and inconsistent quality that doesn't match the hype.
What was great: The hot dog had good quality meat, the mac and cheese was well-prepared, fresh pizza with crispy pepperoni, beautiful facility and scenic location
What could improve: Grab-and-go items were dry and underwhelming, cheeseburger was basic with untoasted bun, meatloaf tasted overly ketchupy, pork chop was extremely dry, dense bread, limited preparation quality compared to Buc-ee's, long lines made it impractical for truckers
The Dishes
The review sampled a wide variety of offerings across different sections. From the grab-and-go barbecue section, they tried a hot dog that came out quite thick and meaty, priced at $5, which the reviewer felt was fair value given the portion size. The barbecue pulled pork sandwich at $9 looked generous with meat but tasted noticeably dry. The cheeseburger for $6 was criticized as basic and plain, with an untoasted bun straight from the package and minimal cheese. The brisket sandwich, a personal favorite stop of the reviewer's, also suffered from dryness and appeared to be a formed patty rather than real sliced brisket. The pizza from the rotisserie roller was surprisingly decent with crispy pepperoni and a slight resemblance to a gas station pizza, but nothing extraordinary.
At the buffet restaurant section, they ordered several Southern classics. The meatloaf was heavily overshadowed by ketchup, making it difficult to discern actual meat flavor. The pork chop was exceptionally dry and poorly prepared. However, the mac and cheese stood out as genuinely good and was described as the best tasting item sampled. The mashed potatoes appeared to come from a box rather than being made fresh, and other side items had questionable appearances.
The Experience
The facility itself is visually impressive with a beautiful guitar chandelier, themed decorations throughout, and an overall clean, professional appearance. The complex includes a barbecue grab-and-go section, a full buffet restaurant, a coffee bar, and even features a petting area with a trained duck named Diesel on a rope leash. There's also a laundromat and shower facilities typical of travel centers. However, the experience is marred by an absolutely insane line during lunch hours, making it impractical for truckers on tight schedules. The restaurant section has limited seating and very loud music, forcing the reviewers to eat outside on their truck. The staff was friendly and helpful, providing workarounds for the long lines.
Value & Pricing
Individual grab-and-go items ranged from $5-$10, which seemed reasonable but didn't deliver on quality. The buffet pricing was $15.99 to $21.99 depending on meat selections, comparable to typical restaurants but the food quality doesn't justify the price point. For a newly opened travel center, the pricing seems aimed more at tourists curious about Dolly's expansion than at regular truckers seeking value.
Notable Moments
You'd want some little charm marks on that. Just damn hot dog. Ain't nothing special about it, but it's not bad.
If this was on route the same way, I don't know. I'd go the extra distance for Bies and eat or if I got hungry, I would stop at like a McDonald's over this.
There's no love in it.The reviewer noted the food feels mass-produced and lacking care compared to Buc-ee's.
The Verdict
While Dolly Parton's Tennessian Travel Center is an impressive facility and a cool tourist destination, it falls short as a practical dining destination. The food quality is inconsistent, with dryness plaguing the meats and insufficient care in preparation. The massive crowds and long lines make it impractical for actual truckers trying to grab food quickly. The facility appears designed more as a Dolly Parton fan experience than a legitimate competitor to Buc-ee's. Unless you're specifically traveling to see Dolly's new venture, the reviewer would recommend skipping the grab-and-go items entirely and either waiting for the sit-down restaurant or finding alternative options. Only die-hard Dolly fans or those curious about the novelty should make the trip.