The Nateland Podcast Episode 272: Restaurants (Featuring Derrick Stroup)

Release Date: October 1, 2025
Hosts: Nate Bargatze (A), Brian Bates (B), Aaron Weber (C), Dusty Slay (D)
Guest: Derrick Stroup

Overview

In this lively episode, the Nateland crew welcomes Alabama comedian Derrick Stroup to discuss all things restaurants—from regional chains, iconic fast food, and favorite hometown meals to the culture and quirks of dining across America. The group shares road stories, debates the effects of chain expansion, reminisces about waiting tables, and infuses the chat with long-running inside jokes and quick-witted riffs. The tone throughout is warm, nostalgic, and packed with Southern anecdotes.

Major Discussion Points & Insights

1. Sports, Southern Rivalries & Upcoming Comedy Specials

• The conversation opens with Alabama football and the impact of Nick Saban, with Derrick repping his home state.
  • "Vanderbilt plays Alabama this weekend... Alabama is going to bring the heat so hard for the loss last year it's going to crush the Vanderbilt spirit." (C, 01:52)
• Derrick and Ryan Hamilton prepping to film Netflix specials in Birmingham and Seattle respectively.
  • "Just excited to shoot a special in the Heart of Dixie." (D, 04:48)
  • Tour dates and Nateland Showcase announcements are shared (03:16–04:41).

2. Road Stories & Small-Town Foodogy

• An extended, tongue-in-cheek debate about the origin of Brunswick Stew: Georgia vs. Virginia.
  • "The exact origin of Brunswick stew is a point of friendly debate between Brunswick County, Virginia and the city of Brunswick, Georgia. Each state has its own traditional style." (A, 10:17)
• Jokes about small-town legends, like fake claims to being the "first Steak and Shake."

3. Personal Milestones & Comedy Life

• Remarks on one-year-old birthdays, such as Aaron’s daughter Olive’s, and observing Dusty holding court about “the NFL being rigged” at a kids’ party (13:40).
• Recaps of recent weekends performing, including Derrick’s run through Des Moines and Paducah (14:08).
  • "Des Moines—touch and go for me—so this was a good visit there." (D, 14:13)

4. Restaurant Memories & Debates

• Dairy King vs. Dairy Queen—the merits of hand-patted burgers and hand-battered chicken in small towns (50:14).
  • "Dairy King…was just like a Dairy Queen without all the nonsense." (D, 50:22)
• Waffle House vs. Huddle House vs. Cracker Barrel, including super-regional breakfast culture.
• Waffle House as a way of life in the South, with some towns boasting multiple locations visible from each other (46:53).
  • "In Biloxi, Mississippi, there are at least five Waffle Houses within maybe four miles. You can literally see another Waffle House from a Waffle House." (B, 46:42)
• The group laments how chain expansion can make formerly special foods "less special."
  • "I think McDonald's is so ubiquitous, they're everywhere, that they don't get the respect that they deserve. …If you could only get a Big Mac in Boise, Idaho, everybody would go, 'When you're in Boise, you gotta go get a Big Mac.'" (A, 59:03)
  • "The more these companies grow, the more they cut corners...the food is not as good." (C, 59:49)

5. Fast Food & Regional Chains Showdown

• Best fast food cheeseburger? The group votes for Wendy’s Dave’s Double, the Frisco Burger from Hardee's, and the Frisco Melt from Steak 'n Shake.
  • "If you find a Burger King that cares...their food’s some of the best out there." (D, 62:11)
• Culver’s, Five Guys, Shake Shack, and ML Rose all get honorable mentions for quality burgers (67:38–68:37).

6. Restaurant Experience: Waiting & Serving

• Hilarious horror stories and etiquette tips from table-service veterans:
  • Most annoying question: "What's good?" (C, 92:14)
  • Unspoken restaurant truths: Specials are often made to use up ingredients, menus are dirty, decaf coffee may just be regular coffee in disguise, and late diners are tolerated if respectful (104:21, 103:15).
  • "I wanted them to be...it was just too hard. No, it was too hard to keep track of what's what. …So it's just like everybody's getting regular coffee.” (A, 103:51)

7. The Culture of Chain Expansion

• Mixed feelings on regional chains going national—nostalgia vs. access.
  • "I like regional foods. If Culver’s was only in Wisconsin, that'd break my heart...Share the love a little bit." (D, 57:20)
  • "Once the novelty wears off...people start to go, well, the McDonald's truly is the greatest." (A, 58:21)

8. Quirks, Jokes & Classic Nateland Bits

• Extended riffing about infomercial personalities (Billy Mays, Shamwow, Flex Tape/Gorilla Tape).
  • “That infomercial almost got me. …I go, that looks good.” (D, 24:47)
• The infamous Waffle House argument and rivalry with Huddle House.
  • "Huddle House is full of Waffle House employees who couldn't finish training." (D, 82:41)
• Trivia: Georgia easily has the most Waffle Houses; Florida is king of Cracker Barrel (80:22, 83:44).
• “You ever think about using one of those [scooters] at Walmart?” "I'm trying to fight against it, not lean into it!" (A & D, 64:21–64:35)

9. Notable Quotes & Moments

On Small-Town Legends:

• "Sometimes the lie is more fun than the truth." (A, 09:06)

On Restaurant Expansion:

• "I like regional foods…I do understand, when you can only get [something] there, it makes you feel special." (D, 57:20)

On Table Etiquette:

• "What's good?" "We like to think it's all good." (C, 92:16)
• "If you come in 10 minutes till close...order, eat in a timely manner and tip well, nobody's going to be mad at you." (C, 105:08)

Key Segments & Timestamps

• [01:27] – Intros and Alabama football rivalry
• [03:16] – Tour updates, comedy specials, and Nateland news
• [04:48] – Derrick on filming his Netflix special in Alabama
• [09:06] – Small-town food legends and fun with misinformation
• [14:08] – Comedians’ latest weekend road stories
• [32:12] – Participation trophies & youth sports
• [46:42] – The Waffle House cluster phenomenon in Biloxi
• [50:22] – Dairy King, hand-battered chicken, and getting fired
• [59:03] – Nostalgia and loss of local flavor as chains expand
• [62:11] – Burger King: Great food, terrible business
• [67:38] – Favorite burgers and chains: Culver’s, ML Rose, Five Guys
• [80:22] – Southern state chain statistics: Waffle House, Cracker Barrel
• [104:33] – Restaurant close times: what's too late to show up?
• [110:24] – Counting scrambled eggs at Waffle House
• [112:10] – Hometown restaurant shout-outs: Chappie’s Deli, Mildred's, Jim Bob’s, Snow White Drive-In

Fun, Noteworthy Exchanges

• (80:28–81:15): The gang debates Waffle House state rankings. Brian taunts Derrick: “If you said Florida’s close, you look like a dumb dumb right now.”
• (50:17): Derrick recounts being fired from Dairy King after bickering about a missing spoon: “He goes, you want me to drink it out of the cup? And I go, I've done that, it's not the worst.”
• (110:24): Derrick recognizes the egg-count in scrambled eggs, calling over a cook at Waffle House and getting vindicated. “The cook told me I was right—she could have lied for the home team.”
• (83:41): On Florida having the most Cracker Barrels: “A lot of old people in Florida.” (C)
• (93:23): On customers doubting advice: “I’ll ask for the advice, they’ll go, without a doubt, it’s this, and I’ll go, yeah, I’m gonna go this way with it.” (D)
• (82:55): Huddle House vs. Waffle House: “Huddle House is full of Waffle House employees that couldn’t finish training.” (D)

Wrap-Up & Closing Notes

The episode wraps with each comic sharing favorite local eateries—from Chappie's Deli in Alabama to Mildred’s in rural Alabama and Moss Tacos Por Favor in East Nashville. Derrick confides he’s now a new father, and the warmth of Southern food and family is woven through the whole conversation.

This episode is a feast of road food nostalgia, restaurant culture, fast food debates, and the easy camaraderie of seasoned comics trading tales. Longtime fans will love the callbacks, and newcomers will get an excellent sense of what makes both the Nateland crew and travel in America so special.

For More

• Derrick Stroup’s Netflix special taping: October 3-4, Lyric Theater, Birmingham, AL
• Aaron, Dusty, and Brian: Touring throughout October in Atlanta, Hartford, Brunswick, Willoughby, Rochester, Wilmington, and Richmond

End of Summary: Nateland Podcast Episode 272: Restaurants with Derrick Stroup