[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 59 (Monday, April 8, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Page S2643]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 RECOGNIZING CANTEEN LUNCH IN THE ALLEY

 Ms. ERNST. Madam President, as ranking member of the Senate 
Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, each week I recognize 
an outstanding Iowa small business that exemplifies the American 
entrepreneurial spirit. This week, it is my privilege to recognize 
Canteen Lunch in the Alley of Ottumwa, IA, as the Senate Small Business 
of the Week.
  After finding success selling loose meat sandwiches to farmers, Dusty 
Rhoades opened Canteen Lunch in the Alley in 1927 with just five stools 
and a single steamer to cook sandwiches. The business's name was 
inspired by its signature dish: delicious loose meat sandwiches often 
called canteens. Today, in addition to their signature sandwiches, 
Canteen Lunch in the Alley serves homemade pies, ice cream, hot dogs, 
and egg sandwiches. Their current location has 17 seats and uses around 
800 pounds of ground beef weekly to keep up with demand.
  From 1929 to 1936, Bill and Ruth Carter were the proud owners of 
Canteen Lunch in the Alley. Following their passing, their daughter 
Bernita Carter Popchuck became the sole owner. In 1936, the business 
was moved to its current location on 2nd Street in Ottumwa. Husband and 
wife Earnest and Shirley McBeth purchased the restaurant in 1976 with 
the help of Shirley's sister Lauralee Staley and operated Canteen Lunch 
in the Alley until 2015, when Scott and Janice Pierce purchased it. 
Scott, an Ottumwa native, has been eating at the restaurant since his 
childhood and understands the significant role the business plays in 
the community.
  The mom-and-pop shop is well-recognized for great food, hard work, 
and commitment to customer satisfaction. Owners Scott and Janice Pierce 
have brought the community together by hosting the World Championship 
Canteen Eating Contest thrice since 2018. In 2019, professional 
competitive eater Joey Chestnut won the competition by eating 28 and a 
half canteens in 10 minutes. Notably, the award-winning television show 
Roseanne used Canteen Lunch in the Alley as inspiration for the show's 
fictional restaurant ``Lanford Lunch Box.'' In 2019, Canteen Lunch in 
the Alley won the People Choice Award from the Iowa Tourism Office, and 
in 2017, the business was named the best loose meat sandwich in Iowa by 
USA Today. Due to their hard work, the Canteen Lunch in the Alley team 
celebrated its 97th business anniversary in 2024.
  For nearly 100 years, Canteen Lunch in the Alley has preserved the 
essence of tradition in Ottumwa by providing a sprinkle of love with 
their well-loved canteen sandwiches and desserts. I want to 
congratulate the Pierce family and the entire Canteen Lunch in the 
Alley team for their continued dedication to serving Iowans while 
maintaining an important piece of Ottumwa history. I look forward to 
seeing their continued success in Iowa.

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