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Cranwill’s Rootbeer Stand/ Drive In Reviews – Read Full Reviews …
Nestled in the heart of Pekin, Illinois, Cranwill’s Rootbeer Stand/Drive In at 1713 S 2nd St offers a delightful blend of nostalgia and mouthwatering American …
Cranwill’s Rootbeer Stand, a classic drive-in restaurant located in …
Cranwill’s Rootbeer Stand, a classic drive-in restaurant located in Pekin on 2nd Street, has been serving homemade root beer and chili dogs …
Cranwill’s – Illinois River Road
Cranwill’s. 275378615 5578939732122466 4272935095875108842 n 768×284. Come visit Cranwill’s in Pekin, IL. Seasonal drive-in root beer stand and food. 275378615 …
Reviews
Amanda Gard
Food was fresh. Fries were good. Coney dog was good. Tenderloin ehh it was fresh but a lil dry. The root beer was good! Honestly it was a lil overpriced. But the staff is very friendly. Never had been til today.
… moreSamual Abney
This was my first and probably only time I have been here, and it was a TREAT! The staff was great and the food was tasty. I even had a super old car part one stall over from me to complete the drive-in experience.
… moreJoshua Daily
Review Date: July 7th, 2015
Cranwill’s? More like Cranwon’t.
On the eve of my epic two week trip through Canada/USA, my dad and I stopped in to Cranwill’s for some food and snacks. This place was hyped up by a ton of people I know from Pekin. Not just Pekinites but people from the area. So, I had to assume the hype was worth the drive out there. Much to my disappointment, it was not.
My father and I rolled up during a busy afternoon. The place, for it’s seemingly random location (I am not 100% familiar with Pekin), had a good number of people placing their orders and eating their food. Cranwill’s is similar to Sonic in that it offers the ability to drive up, park, order your food all from the comfort of your car. My dad and I eschewed that and decided to place an order inside. Now, that is something I don’t think Sonic offers. Indoor seating. We popped a seat on a stool at the counter and looked over the menu.
I wasn’t the hungriest in the world, so I ordered a simple chili dog and a vanilla ice cream sundae with a strawberry syrup drizzle. My dad ordered just a vanilla sundae as he was craving something sweet. The teen behind the bar was hustling to keep up with our orders and everyone else. The guy earned his pay that day with how he was busting butt.
When my chili dog came out, I was excited. At the time, I just learned about the wonders of the Coney dog. My order may have come with onions, but I don’t 100% remember so I don’t want to say for sure. I unwrapped the dog and sank my fangs in and I realized instantly that looks are deceiving. Admittedly, chili dogs can be messy. Chili dogs will spill out and get on your plate. But the one I had was too runny yet also thick. My mouth and mind were confused. The bun was soaked through fairly quick and choking down the rest of the dog was more a chore than a pleasure.
Taking a deep breath, I pulled my sundae close to me and hoped that it wouldn’t betray me either. It looked good. I love strawberry-flavored things. How can you mess up ice cream? Well, you can. Strawberries are a fruit that has a short window of when they are perfect. A little before or a little after that time and the balance between sweet and still edible is thrown off. On this day, I must’ve gotten strawberries that fell on the ‘too late’ side of that spectrum. They just tasted off. It’s been 5 years (as of the writing of this post) and I never figured out in that time what was off about them. Maybe they were frozen and then thawed out? I don’t know. Surely the strawberry drizzle might save the day. Again, no. It was a very runny syrup and while it had the flavor down, the excessive wateriness of it did not mix well with the ice cream or strawberry chunks. I can say that the vanilla ice cream and cone itself were pretty decent. Not a home run but it was the one nice thing that I was able to enjoy at Cranwill’s, aside from hanging with my dad that is.
It was a very miserable experience overall. I know my dad was feeling ‘meh’ about his sundae as well. Not to say that we have high tastes or anything like that because we don’t. It just wasn’t great. But, you run in to that if you do go out and travel. Some places are great. Some are awful. Some fall in-between. That’s what makes exploring so exciting. You just never know what you will experience.
I am a firm believer in second chances and would love to revisit Cranwill’s to see if things have changed or if we had just an off day. I would love to try out the park-n-order option they offer the next time I come here. Should I get to retry this place, I will make up a new blog or update this one accordingly.
Cranwill’s has been a staple in Pekin for a long time, so there has to be something positive about that place.
… moreCranwill’s? More like Cranwon’t.
On the eve of my epic two week trip through Canada/USA, my dad and I stopped in to Cranwill’s for some food and snacks. This place was hyped up by a ton of people I know from Pekin. Not just Pekinites but people from the area. So, I had to assume the hype was worth the drive out there. Much to my disappointment, it was not.
My father and I rolled up during a busy afternoon. The place, for it’s seemingly random location (I am not 100% familiar with Pekin), had a good number of people placing their orders and eating their food. Cranwill’s is similar to Sonic in that it offers the ability to drive up, park, order your food all from the comfort of your car. My dad and I eschewed that and decided to place an order inside. Now, that is something I don’t think Sonic offers. Indoor seating. We popped a seat on a stool at the counter and looked over the menu.
I wasn’t the hungriest in the world, so I ordered a simple chili dog and a vanilla ice cream sundae with a strawberry syrup drizzle. My dad ordered just a vanilla sundae as he was craving something sweet. The teen behind the bar was hustling to keep up with our orders and everyone else. The guy earned his pay that day with how he was busting butt.
When my chili dog came out, I was excited. At the time, I just learned about the wonders of the Coney dog. My order may have come with onions, but I don’t 100% remember so I don’t want to say for sure. I unwrapped the dog and sank my fangs in and I realized instantly that looks are deceiving. Admittedly, chili dogs can be messy. Chili dogs will spill out and get on your plate. But the one I had was too runny yet also thick. My mouth and mind were confused. The bun was soaked through fairly quick and choking down the rest of the dog was more a chore than a pleasure.
Taking a deep breath, I pulled my sundae close to me and hoped that it wouldn’t betray me either. It looked good. I love strawberry-flavored things. How can you mess up ice cream? Well, you can. Strawberries are a fruit that has a short window of when they are perfect. A little before or a little after that time and the balance between sweet and still edible is thrown off. On this day, I must’ve gotten strawberries that fell on the ‘too late’ side of that spectrum. They just tasted off. It’s been 5 years (as of the writing of this post) and I never figured out in that time what was off about them. Maybe they were frozen and then thawed out? I don’t know. Surely the strawberry drizzle might save the day. Again, no. It was a very runny syrup and while it had the flavor down, the excessive wateriness of it did not mix well with the ice cream or strawberry chunks. I can say that the vanilla ice cream and cone itself were pretty decent. Not a home run but it was the one nice thing that I was able to enjoy at Cranwill’s, aside from hanging with my dad that is.
It was a very miserable experience overall. I know my dad was feeling ‘meh’ about his sundae as well. Not to say that we have high tastes or anything like that because we don’t. It just wasn’t great. But, you run in to that if you do go out and travel. Some places are great. Some are awful. Some fall in-between. That’s what makes exploring so exciting. You just never know what you will experience.
I am a firm believer in second chances and would love to revisit Cranwill’s to see if things have changed or if we had just an off day. I would love to try out the park-n-order option they offer the next time I come here. Should I get to retry this place, I will make up a new blog or update this one accordingly.
Cranwill’s has been a staple in Pekin for a long time, so there has to be something positive about that place.
ThorMxill1015
Truly happy with the surprise visit from the owner, at our drive in spot! Great food every time.
… morebob bobbington
Delicious. Trapped in 1950s and excellent food. Service was great and their homemade rootbeer was very good. Sweeter mellow style.
… moreGayle Short
Well since I’ve emailed and sent a FB message to the Manager/Owner and it goes ignored, Im compelled to now leave an honest here.
I don’t make it to the Rootbeer stand but, once or twice a season as I’m from out of town. Was always a treat when we did, esp when it was the old Cranwills! . But I had been traveling all day today, had just came in by air n decided to stop and get a bite to ear before I headed home.
I ordered food did for myself to ear there as well as a Togo order to take some home to my husband.
This following is what I clearly ordered and said it not once but multiple times for clairty.
Jr Bacon Cheeseburger w burnt bacon ( she said she couldn’t do) w lettuce, tomato, onion and mayo on it
Baked potato a Extra Butter, Sour cream and a few chives on the side of it
TO GO
Double Hamburger w lettuce, tomato, pickle, ketchup
Small fry
Lg root beer w no ice
This is what i got:
1)Large DOUBLE Bacon Cheeseburger lettuce, tomato NO Mayo and No Onion
2) Baked Potato Sour Cream No visible evidence of butter let alone extra butter and no chives
3)Double Cheesebuege tomato, lettuce, no pickle or ketchup.
4)Rootbeer ok
5)Fries ok
I did not bring it to their attention immediately cause I could not get to the light easily, I was hungry and tired from traveling all day. I did not get a receipt conveniently either. But when she came out to get my tray I told her I’d the issue. She went back in and I must of waited 10 min for someone to finally come back out. A girl dressed very sloppy came out and said what seems to the issue? I told her and she said we can’t put stuff on the jr bacon cheeseburger so we have to charge for a full sandwich. Ok that makes no sense, but If so then why wasn’t I informed of this and 2nd why did you charge me for a double instead of a single? I didn’t want a big sandwich let alone a double. And…. You didn’t even put what I wanted on it after all of that!! She had no answers. Then, my issue w the baked potato she said I watched the guy make it and he put butter on it. I told her I beg to differ, cause it had no evidence of any butter let alone extra and it was dry and def had no chives anywhere. She had no real solutions and kinda just stood there. She said If you want I can go in and get the money for the difference on your sandwich. I said no forget it if you are going to try to defend the fact that you for nearly got nothing right on this 35.00 order forget it. I don’t have time to wait another 10-15min for a difference. At this point I hadn’t even opened the to go sandwich for my husband (my mistake I should of known). So when we opened at home, we discovered it only had lettuce and tomato on it. No ketchup and no pickle. Uggh
Obviously there appears to be some serious issues w help accuracy and being held accountable. Needless to say I will not be back after spending $35.00 ($32.xx plus tip) for basically nothing I ordered and for only two people. Def was not worth that and I will not be back! And if owner don’t even care enough to respond then it’s obvious why this kind of service is going on! What ashame, sure miss the previous owners!!.
… moreI don’t make it to the Rootbeer stand but, once or twice a season as I’m from out of town. Was always a treat when we did, esp when it was the old Cranwills! . But I had been traveling all day today, had just came in by air n decided to stop and get a bite to ear before I headed home.
I ordered food did for myself to ear there as well as a Togo order to take some home to my husband.
This following is what I clearly ordered and said it not once but multiple times for clairty.
Jr Bacon Cheeseburger w burnt bacon ( she said she couldn’t do) w lettuce, tomato, onion and mayo on it
Baked potato a Extra Butter, Sour cream and a few chives on the side of it
TO GO
Double Hamburger w lettuce, tomato, pickle, ketchup
Small fry
Lg root beer w no ice
This is what i got:
1)Large DOUBLE Bacon Cheeseburger lettuce, tomato NO Mayo and No Onion
2) Baked Potato Sour Cream No visible evidence of butter let alone extra butter and no chives
3)Double Cheesebuege tomato, lettuce, no pickle or ketchup.
4)Rootbeer ok
5)Fries ok
I did not bring it to their attention immediately cause I could not get to the light easily, I was hungry and tired from traveling all day. I did not get a receipt conveniently either. But when she came out to get my tray I told her I’d the issue. She went back in and I must of waited 10 min for someone to finally come back out. A girl dressed very sloppy came out and said what seems to the issue? I told her and she said we can’t put stuff on the jr bacon cheeseburger so we have to charge for a full sandwich. Ok that makes no sense, but If so then why wasn’t I informed of this and 2nd why did you charge me for a double instead of a single? I didn’t want a big sandwich let alone a double. And…. You didn’t even put what I wanted on it after all of that!! She had no answers. Then, my issue w the baked potato she said I watched the guy make it and he put butter on it. I told her I beg to differ, cause it had no evidence of any butter let alone extra and it was dry and def had no chives anywhere. She had no real solutions and kinda just stood there. She said If you want I can go in and get the money for the difference on your sandwich. I said no forget it if you are going to try to defend the fact that you for nearly got nothing right on this 35.00 order forget it. I don’t have time to wait another 10-15min for a difference. At this point I hadn’t even opened the to go sandwich for my husband (my mistake I should of known). So when we opened at home, we discovered it only had lettuce and tomato on it. No ketchup and no pickle. Uggh
Obviously there appears to be some serious issues w help accuracy and being held accountable. Needless to say I will not be back after spending $35.00 ($32.xx plus tip) for basically nothing I ordered and for only two people. Def was not worth that and I will not be back! And if owner don’t even care enough to respond then it’s obvious why this kind of service is going on! What ashame, sure miss the previous owners!!.
Michelle
For an out of towner the drive up was. A bit confusing but the waitress came over and helped explained how to order and was very friendly
The food was good and quick. Fun spot to stop.
… moreThe food was good and quick. Fun spot to stop.
Austin Northwick Darden
Cranwill’s is cool. It brings a strong nostalgic vibe that reminds me a lot of how Sonic felt to me as a kid. More importantly than that, their owner is beyond dedicated to customer satisfaction. I feel very comfortable eating here despite the environs, and I make it a point to come back for their awesome root beer and ice cream every summer.
… moreRobert Finley
A Pekin classic.
Dine at the counter inside and get free refills on your root beer.
Coney Dogs are still like the old fashioned ones.
… moreDine at the counter inside and get free refills on your root beer.
Coney Dogs are still like the old fashioned ones.
M. P.
Food and rootbeer very good. Pleasant staff. Inside and outside seating and old school order in your car drive in as well.
… more