Roadside burger vans, your experiences

scorza · 16 Oct 2009 at 13:48

Was driving home yesterday afternoon, absolutely starving and quite tempted by a few roadside burger vans. As it was I decided against it because I think they have a dodgy reputation, but is this reputation deserved? There looked to be lots of lorry drivers hanging around and imo lorry drivers tend to know where the good places are.

Does anyone here have any good or bad experiences of a roadside burger van?

gillywibble · 16 Oct 2009 at 13:49

What do you mean, dodgy?

The Dread Pirate · 16 Oct 2009 at 13:50

OZ Kebab on the A4 does the best Kebab Burger!

roid · 16 Oct 2009 at 13:50

Dodgy like you get food poisoning I imagine.

Hatter The Mad · 16 Oct 2009 at 13:50

If it has been there for more than a year, you can be pretty sure it is fine. Man up

Cosimo · 16 Oct 2009 at 13:50

gillywibble said:
What do you mean, dodgy?

Dodgy burgers.

yhack · 16 Oct 2009 at 13:52

gillywibble said:
What do you mean, dodgy?

Dodgy in the way that nothing is clean and you're definitely going to die if you eat the food.

Glaucus · 16 Oct 2009 at 13:53

Not dodgy at all and some are darn fine.

randal · 16 Oct 2009 at 13:54

There's one on the way home from work parked on side of a long winding B road in the butt end of nowhere, which looks sinister as hell but apparently knocks out of the best kebabs around.

Given the location, I'm worried as to how they source their meat to be honest. The whole place has a very Dusk Till Dawn feel about it.

gillywibble · 16 Oct 2009 at 13:54

Oh, I thought you meant surprise sex or something.

I'd eat one, no problem.

Guerrilla · 16 Oct 2009 at 13:56

I don't think i've ever experienced a dodgy one, its pretty much what you expect, not the best quality ingredients and not cooked in the most healthy way but some are damn tasty

Cosimo · 16 Oct 2009 at 13:57

Some of them are rather good.

Maccy · 16 Oct 2009 at 13:59

Just outside Portsmouth in Bedhampton, there's a hill with a burger van/lorry in a layby. Plenty of parking and the area overlooks Portsmouth - possibly some of the best burgers here!

scorza · 16 Oct 2009 at 14:01

yhack said:
Dodgy in the way that nothing is clean and you're definitely going to die if you eat the food.

Yes, this is what I think of them but really I can't think why they have such a bad reputation.

iv-tecman · 16 Oct 2009 at 14:01

There was a Roger Cook report on burger vans. Lot of them don’t pay VAT, criminal links, poorly supplied meat and all sorts which gave the trade a bad name, shame really as 'some' of them might actually provide a decent burger or plate of bacon, beans with chips and egg etc…

But then the guys who run these places always look absolutely tired of life. People come out of the grim warehouses and moan about their bosses and their long hours to them, it's a place where lorry drivers, office staff, pickers and packers commiserate together about the misery of existence, which no doubt makes the burger van chefs (if you can call them that) feel even more depressed, while they breathe deeply off the carbon monoxide leaking from their dodgy gas canisters.

Check the finger nails, if they are as dirty as hell, stop off at the next one 5 miles down the road… Plenty of choice…

zooankski · 16 Oct 2009 at 14:02

There is a good one in my local B and Q car park-he has more hygiene certificates on the wall in there than he has burgers.Shame the burgers are rank, although hotdogs are superb and about a foot long!

Gonzo0 · 16 Oct 2009 at 14:03

Maccy said:
Just outside Portsmouth in Bedhampton, there's a hill with a burger van/lorry in a layby. Plenty of parking and the area overlooks Portsmouth - possibly some of the best burgers here!

Been there!!

and i agree quality big burgers and an awesome view

iv-tecman · 16 Oct 2009 at 14:04

zooankski said:
There is a good one in my local B and Q car park-he has more hygiene certificates on the wall in there than he has burgers.Shame the burgers are rank, although hotdogs are superb and about a foot long!

So, its a good one that sells 'rank' as in poor tasting burgers..?? Good recommendation right there folks..!!

Busa · 16 Oct 2009 at 14:04

I use the one outside south wales superbikes in Newport...chicken tikka and chips with a nan bread....£3 for an absolute win.

Glaucus · 16 Oct 2009 at 14:04

iv-tecman said:
There was a Roger Cook report on burger vans. Lot of them don’t pay VAT, criminal links, poorly supplied meat and all sorts which gave the trade a bad name, shame really as 'some' of them might actually provide a decent burger or plate of bacon, beans with chips and egg etc…

But then the guys who run these places always look absolutely tired of life. People come out of the grim warehouses and moan about their bosses and their long hours to them, it's a place where lorry drivers, office staff, pickers and packers commiserate together about the misery of existence, which no doubt makes the burger van chefs (if you can call them that) feel even more depressed, while they breathe deeply off the carbon monoxide leaking from their dodgy gas canisters.

Written by someone who has never stopped at one. People are always chatty and happy, standing around waiting for some food. Ones in permanent places will be legit and they have to have Hot water and such by law to wash and clean.