Goody’s Café

Pros: Inexpensive, tremendous variety of delicious food
Cons: A bit sloppy on the delivery system
I wouldn’t call it pretty.  It’s definitely not fancy.  But it is very good food at a very reasonable price.
I’m talking about Goody’s Café, a restaurant with a few locations in Southern California.  On a recent trip to Indio, we ate there several times.  Why?  Inexpensive, delicious food, and such a wide range of items that everyone wanted to try several different things.
Step up to the counter, to place your order.  It’s best if you study the paper version of the menu before you get there, though.  The place is small.  The counter area is extremely crowded.  And if you’re trying to read through their gigantic menu board posted on the wall behind the counter, you will be in the way.
Breakfast time?  Two column’s worth of items from which to choose.  Every kind of egg, pancake, breakfast meat and bread is available.  Pancakes are delicious – as good as Ihop.  Nothing costs more than $11 – not even their gigantic meals consisting of pancakes, toast, potatoes, eggs, and meat.
Lunch/Dinner?  Every kind of sandwich, burger, and salad is available.  For a couple bucks, go for the combo, which will add potatoes or soup, and a drink.    And when I say “burger” I mean one of about 20 different types of burger.  Bacon, avocado, cheese, veggie, etc.  If you can imagine it, it’s probably on the menu.  And it’ll be big, and delicious.
Hot dogs are also available – with our without toppings like chili and cheese.
Or, turn to their “South of the Border” menu – this is where you’ll find nachos, fajitas, quesadillas, and tacos…  I loved their fish tacos.
Pay up front – plenty of people were using 10% off coupons.  They’ll give you a plastic number board.  Help yourself to the free chips and salsa, then sit anywhere and wait for the food to come to you.  This is probably the weakest part of the Goody’s system.  The people who bring to food don’t really look for the number boards.  Instead they walk around, like deer caught in headlights, while people shout out “That looks like mine!”.   Or, they’re walking around saying “Bacon burger with no pickle – who’s got the bacon burger with no pickle!?!?!”   I wasn’t a fan of the food-delivery system.  However, the rest of the experience was terrific. The food was hot, delicious, inexpensive, and plentiful.  The restaurant was clean.  Best of all, the selection is huge and varied enough that everyone can find something good at Goody’s!