Lincoln Carryouts — Restaurant in Center Township

Date of Visit: May 12 — Yes, dear reader, the date matters. In the age of time-stamped mirages and long-expired enthusiasm, I prefer my reviews as fresh as the food should be.

Upon stepping into Lincoln Carryout, I was greeted by a pleasantly tidy environment and staff that, while not bursting with charisma, managed a courteous nod or two. The menu sprawled generously across genres—offering a hopeful glimmer that perhaps, just perhaps, there was something special to discover.

The Order: Chicken tenders with fries, and a roast beef sandwich.

Let us begin with the chicken tenders—three petite, uninspired morsels that bore a striking resemblance to the freezer-section relics labeled “Dino Nuggets” from your local Jewel. The texture, while mildly crisp, lacked any memorable crunch or seasoning. These were not the golden, soul-hugging tenders one dreams of in times of culinary need. They were, in every sense, forgettable.

Now, onto the roast beef sandwich—a masterclass in mediocrity. Two slices of bread, meekly toasted, cradled a sparse and lifeless assembly: a whisper of lettuce, onion strands that could barely stage a protest, two reluctant slices of tomato, and roast beef so thin and sparse it felt more like a rumor than a main ingredient. The dish bore little resemblance to the robust, overflowing photos that lured me in. At $8, one expects at least a bit of heft or flavor. This was neither indulgent nor satisfying—it was, if I may be blunt, the kind of sandwich I might cobble together in a rush at home and instantly regret.

The Verdict: A resounding 2.5 stars. Not because it was awful—heavens, I’ve seen worse—but because it was so painfully average. The flavors were flat, the portions underwhelming, and the price unjustified. Clean digs and mildly friendly staff can only take you so far when the food feels like an afterthought.

If your palate seeks delight and your wallet demands value, I advise you to journey elsewhere. Lincoln Carryout is, alas, not the destination you’re hoping for.

Bon...

It pains me to write this review insofar as I've loved and patronized Lincoln Carryout since the early 1980s when it was called Lincoln Deli and located in Pine Island. The long and short of it is, the quality of food has gone from good, to inconsistent, to occasionally good, to consistently bad. Today, I took one bite of my Lincoln Cheeseburger, choked it down, and threw the rest in the garbage. The thing was sopping wet, waterlogged, and approximated eating a burger that had been immersed in lettuce-flavored water. For months, I've clung to optimism and told myself the joint would turn itself around and return to the standard by which it earned my patronage decades ago. Alas, I'm out of optimism. I've called in orders for Chicken-Girl sandwiches and been given Bunny-Girls. I've ordered Lincoln-Lovers and gotten Steelworkers. I've unwrapped Chicken-Girls to find the sandwich's contents falling out one side of the bun while the opposite side was empty. The cost of food is higher than it ever has been in my life. Paying nine-dollars for an inedible burger that ends up in my garbage can is a futility in which I can no longer engage--despite my affection for the...

First-time visit.... Subs, Salad, and Fries! I ordered two subs—Italian and Turkey. Both were decent. A tad light on the meat (think "diet deli"), but still pretty tasty. It was the end of the night, and the bread was still fresh, so props for that. I’d have to try another sub before I hand out any gold stars, though. Now, the salad... where do I begin? I asked for lettuce, tomato, cucumber, and green pepper—simple, right? I made it very clear: no onion, bc onion was listed in, so of course, it came with enough onion to ward off a vampire army. The lettuce wasn’t chopped—it was four giant folded leaves, like the kitchen gave up halfway and decided, “Eh, let them do the work.” The grilled chicken "strips" were more like four sad little grilled nuggets. One cucumber slice. No green peppers. Absolutely worst salad I've ever had—fyi I’ve eaten vending machine salads with more care put into them. Fries— Under Fried. Soft and pale, yuck, I have an air fryer that came to the rescue.

I will give them another shot bc anyone can have...