Location: Irrelevant
The good and bad of chains is consistency. This is why drive-thru coffee is burnt everywhere you get it. Over-roasted beans produce a uniform, consistent cup. One of the great victors in consistency of experience is fast food restaurants. A Big Mac is a Big Mac everywhere. Long John’s Cole Slaw is no different. Despite the limitations of the form, they actually do an ok job.
Cabbage: They use two different kinds in my experience, as there are both light and dark green pieces every time I have ordered their cole slaw. There is also onion present which I’m not crazy about.
Carrot: They have the cabbage to carrot ratio just about perfect
The Cut: This is the biggest negative.
Without the option to hand-cut, they dice the veggies into small cubes/rectangles. This solves the problem of having soggy produce. While I’m sure the stuff moves quickly, I’m under no illusion they are prepping this more than a handful of times a day. Small-cut pieces don’t hold dressing well, however, and as a result, if a good amount of dressing is present, it will be leftover when you are done eating your bowl like cereal milk, except way less appealing.
Dressing: Dressing is fine. I’m assuming it’s coming from some sort of bag, and it’s non-objectionable.
Salt and Pepper: Maybe a touch salty. I usually add pepper.
Spice/Seasonings: Meh
Overall Thoughts: This is fine.
Really, it’s fine.
Especially because some of the other LJS side options are nasty. I do love me some crumblies, but the thought of paying for extra crumblies is a bridge too far. In a perfect world, I’d skip this altogether and get lunch from Popeye’s but the reliability and speed of my local Popeye’s drive-thru makes every trip there an adventure. Not in the fun way, but in the “we’re lost in the woods after dark and I only have a few handfuls of cashews, no water and a compass that I have no idea how to use” kind of way.
Grade: C- for cromulent.