You learn to bring an extra container when you eat out in Oklahoma. The plates arrive with chicken fried steak hanging over the edges, mashed potatoes piled high, and gravy that could fill a small bowl on its own.
A single meal can easily cover two dinners, and the regulars know exactly what they are doing when they ask for a to-go box before the first bite. The portions are not an accident.
They are part of the tradition, a holdover from when farm work and long days required serious fuel. The dining rooms are unpretentious, the coffee is bottomless, and the staff does not blink when you ask for a second round of biscuits…