Those who know me well can tell you that I have friends in all age brackets, including a handful in the over 80's category. I recently met one such friend for a bit of lunch and shopping, and she asked if we could meet up at Luby's.
I have eaten at Luby's before, but not since I've been tall enough to see over the counter. Even so, I have several sweet, early memories of eating there with our family friends after Sunday School, swinging on my dad's arms in the line and being fascinated by the green JELLO cubes served in a sundae cup. I wondered what it was actually like from an adult perspective, and especially as a foodie.
I was impressed with the variety and freshness of the salads, though I got the impression that guests were expected to have been there pretty regularly and to know what they wanted, as the line moved very quickly and you had to make decisions equally quickly. I also noted that the prices weren't intuitive or clear, so I hesitated to order a salad only to find that it was like a $3+ addition to my meal or something. I still didn't quite figure out the pricing system, but it did seem that there were soup & salad options etc that would have been reasonably priced after all.The freshness, however, was obvious, and the external humidity accounts for the excessive condensation on the glass.
The variety of entrees on display was daunting and impressive, featuring beef, chicken, and fish dishes that all reminded me of good, hearty home cooking on a Sunday afternoon. It was clear why my parents chose Luby's as an after church staple growing up, especially since kids eat free.
The sheer volume of food was unbelievable, especially considering it was a Tuesday at noon, not even the dinner hour.
I was hit with a wave of nostalgia when I saw the cold condiment bar, as I remember my friends and I taking gherkins onto our plates just so we could have fencing tournaments with the little sword toothpicks.
They even offered baked goods to-go at the end of the cafeteria-style line:
Ultimately, my shopping buddy settled for an assortment of smaller side dishes as her meal. She got the tortilla soup, which was extra thick and creamy, not brothy like one often sees, a cold pea salad, and stewed spinach sprinkled with pepper vinegar juice. She liked the spinach so much she took the leftovers home to reheat.
I ended up with a less colorful fare, as I caught on to the pricing towards the end of the line and quickly picked some reliable favorites I knew would be difficult to regret: Mac n' cheese, corn on the cob, and a half portion of chicken fried steak with white gravy.
The chicken fried steak may have been a half portion, but it was plenty of food. All of the food was decent, the steak a bit heavy, salty, and starchy, but it's rare that Chicken Fried Steak is not all of these things- that's kind of a part of its appeal. And to their credit, the breading actually remained on the steak, rather than crumbling or slipping off as so often happens. The macaroni and cheese was soft but the sauce was extremely creamy and delicious, and the corn was spared from becoming waterlogged or dried out as is so often the case when corn is displayed on a buffet.
I've long had the impression that Luby's almost exclusively attracted clientele of a geriatric demographic. While there were customers of other age brackets in the dining room, the overall feel of the place was consistent with this reputation. HOWEVER. The reason Luby's has gained this reputation appears to be virtuous and intentional. The fact is, Luby's offers home-cooked, comforting, simple foods that would be particularly appealing to people who have reached an age or disposition where cooking complex meals for themselves has become difficult or impossible. It allows for nostalgia and life-long favorite dishes to be accessible to the handicapped or just plain tired.
Moreover, the staff at Luby's has fully embraced their target clientele, and they are so good to their guests. I regularly lunch with my own grandmother, who systematically eliminates eating establishments from our list of options based on whether she is expected to carry her own food on a tray. She says she likes to think she's lived long enough to earn the privilege of not being expected to cart her food around when she's perfectly able and willing to tip a waiter to take care of her. When my eating companion reached the end of the long line, the hostess not only recognized and remembered her by name, but she deftly and happily helped her navigate the computer system to get her bill paid without hassle, and had a member of the wait staff ready and waiting to carry my companion's tray to a quiet table, where we were served our drinks by a waitress who also remembered my companion by name and asked after her husband's well being.
Furthermore, the dining area is large enough, spread out enough, and well enough insulated to absorb sound well. Such acoustics are not only pleasant for your average diner, they're essential to the comfortable experience of anyone who wears hearing aids.
Ultimately, the food is pretty good, kind of heavy, classic american homestyle cafeteria food. The statement that Luby's makes about how to treat not only customers, but an undervalued, precious, huge portion of our populous should be rewarded and emulated. I encourage people to check out this place not only for the nostalgic menu, but to support their contribution to our community as a welcoming place. It's truly a place you can feel good about spending your money.
Oh, yes- and don't forget there's JELLO.
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