California - Restaurant Recommendation near I-80 between Placerville and Vallejo

Here's a challenge: I'm organizing a one day whitewater rafting trip for a group of 45 college students and I need to pick a restaurant for dinner afterwards. Our whitewater rafting excursion will end at 4:30pm near Placerville, and we need to return to Santa Clara by 9pm. So we essentially the restaurant has to be located along the I-80 and we have to be in and out within an hour. Any suggestions?

Closer to the Vallejo end of the designated part of the journey:

The original Nut Tree restaurant is gone, but there is a new development on/near its old site, with several restaurant options:

http://www.nuttreeusa.com/dine.php

Oooo. I really like that suggestion! There are 7 restaurants in that plaza and we can split up and go to different restaurants depending on our food preferences. Better than trying to find one single restaurant for everyone.

If you are really coming from Placerville, you will be taking US 50 between Placerville and Sacramento before connecting with I-80. Just west of Placerville is a relatively new center called El Dorado Hills Town Center, similar to the Nut Tree one mentioned above, but in my opinion a lot more interesting and also with numerous restaurants. Check it out.

http://www.eldoradohillstowncenter.com/dine.htm

Just west of Placerville is a relatively new center called El Dorado Hills Town Center...

Took a look at the website and yes, it does seem that the restaurants are more appealing. But I think we'll stick with the Nut Tree since having dinner right after rafting at around 5pm might be a bit too early for everyone. Thanks for the suggestion though; I'll keep an eye out for it as we're driving over there.

None of the choices I have tried on this stretch of I80 have been memorable for food, service, or value. There are a whole bunch of shopping malls around the old Nut Tree location, on both sides of the freeway.

Mary's Pizza Shack in Vacaville. It's more attractive than the website and name make it appear. I've never made reservations, but you'd want those (obviously for such a large group) and you'd want to be sure to let them know the in/out within an hour part.

http://www.maryspizzashack.com/