Originally Posted by
pinworm
Questionable factory-food processes aside, unless you are travelling to one of the major cities, the majority of american food you will come into contact with will be from bland chain restraunts, especially business travelers who end up in hotel complexes...you know the kind..La Quinta, a Comfort Inn, a Super 8 all on the same property next to a Cracker Barrel or Ihop. The midwestern US in particular offers much less in the way of quality foods. Sure, you can find Wolfagang Puck in Vegas or authentic Thai in Los Angeles..but try going to Des Moines or Oklahoma City!
I don't disagree with your overall analysis, and it's possible that my business travel within the US is not typical of most business travelers, but even in the smallest US towns, even in the mid-west, I am nearly always able to find at least one very nice restaurant or club with avant-garde cuisine. For instance, Laramie WY, Halifax VA, Yuba City CA, Idaho Falls ID, Cortez CO, all unlikely places to find culinary excellence, but it's there. A general rule of thumb is that if the town doesn't have a Hilton property (i.e., Hampton Inn), there might not be a decent place to eat there.