Hickory's
Hickory's was a waitress-service restaurant created and operated by RoadChef.
It was created in the late 1980s, which was the peak period for roadside restaurants, all following a similar model to that led by Little Chef. It had been suggested that this was at least partly a response to the government's slow progress with motorway service areas, which offered few opportunities.
Hickory's was themed around a clock, with a chef mouse as its mascot. The menu offered cooked snacks, grills and vegetarian platters, as well as an all-day breakfast called 'The Traveller'. As well as providing the main restaurant option at RoadChef's motorway service areas, RoadChef also two branches of Hickory's on A-roads which barely mentioned RoadChef's name at all. These would go on to be leased to AJ's, and eventually become part of the Little Chef chain.
Meanwhile, motorway catering underwent a revamp from 1992, with more free-flow buffets, burger bars and coffee shops. It was during this period that Hickory's was removed.
The service and quality of food at Hickory's were highly commended in a 1989 edition of Restaurateur, although it noted that this was matched by higher than usual prices.
Locations
The following restaurants were branded Hickory's:
- Bothwell (M74)
- Hamilton (M74)
- Harthill (M8)
- Killington Lake (M6)
- Nene Valley westbound (A45)
- Pont Abraham (M4)
- Rownhams (M27)
- Sandbach (M6)
- Sedgemoor southbound (M5)
- Taunton Deane (M5)
- Teddington Hands (A435)