TTT. Tucson Truck Terminal (Tucson, Arizona)

 restaurant, diner, truck stop, petrol / gas station, convenience store, truck terminal

5451 East Benson Highway
Tucson, AZ 85756-9601
(520) 574-1400
tucsontruckterminal.com/
www.omarshiwaychef.com/
www.tucsongasprices.com/Mr_T%27s_Gas_Stations/Tucson_-_...

The Triple T is one of the few independently owned truck stops remaining in the country, most of the others having been bought out by mega corporations who turn them into mini-mart shopping centers with fast-food chains and Internet hookups. Next time you're hungry for a blast from the past, wander down the freeway and stop by Omar's Highway Chef.

Pastel shades in traditional Southwestern configurations accentuate the diner's décor, which consists of several cushioned booths individually equipped with a credit card-activated telephone. Large pitchers of cold water and glasses stand expectantly at every table, so if you come in hot and dusty from the open road, you'll have no need to wait for a busy waitress to notice your thirsty presence. Both smoking and non-smoking rooms are available, with the smoking room housing a U-shaped counter where single truckers can gather to converse with each other and the friendly waitress with the seemingly endless supply of freshly brewed coffee.

It's cool and mercifully quiet inside Omar's Highway Chef, and the atmosphere is laced with the scent of something delicious wafting out from the kitchen. For weary travelers, coming into the restaurant must be akin to finding an oasis in the midst of a barren desert. What blessed relief.

Omar's menu is divided into three sections (not surprisingly, breakfast, lunch and dinner), but all entrees are available at all times of day or night, in deference to their patrons' odd shifts and long hours. Whether it's bacon and eggs at four in the afternoon, or a juicy hamburger at the crack of dawn, Omar's Highway Chef will honor your request without comment. This may seem like an amenity of no great significance, but if you've ever worked third shift and felt yourself out of sync with the rest of the known universe, this is a profoundly appreciated accommodation.

Omar's Highway Chef Restaurant at the Triple T Truck Stop. 5451 E. Benson Highway. 574-0050. Open 24 hours, every day. No alcohol. V, MC, AMEX, DC. Menu items: $1-$11.50.