Why gas station food tells us about Southern culture

By Marie Elizabeth Oliver

Published August 3, 2026 at 3:26 PM CDT

Gas station plate lunches. Breakfast biscuits. Fresh boudin. Across the South, convenience stores have become gathering places, local landmarks and anchors of lasting memories.

In this episode of La Louisiane, UL Lafayette English professor Shelley Ingram discusses her new essay collection, Get It While It's Hot, and explores what Southern gas station food reveals about culture, memory and identity.

Read the transcript here.

(Cover photo: Courtesy of Kate Medley)

La Louisiane

Marie Elizabeth Oliver

Marie Elizabeth Oliver is an award-winning editor and journalist. Her work has been featured by The New York Times, The Washington Post, CNN and Southern Living. She has taught journalism and served as the managing editor and podcast host of La Louisiane at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Her local reporting has been published by The Current, Acadiana Profile and New Orleans Public Radio.

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