As someone who keeps up with this, I can attest that the grits line has been slowly moving west and north. The Area of Universal Grits, where grits are automatic on any breakfast dish, is still mostly confined to the deep south. But there are increasingly places where decent grits are served, extending to the Rockies and into the Midwest . . . and even a short way up the east coast. On a map, the grits line closely follows the "Yes Ma'am" line. If the waitresses snicker when you say "Yes, Ma'am", they don't have grits. I attribute this grits expansion to several factors. Southern immigration accounts for the grits you can get in a Chicago diner. Southern restaurants like Cracker Barrell offer a small part of Tennessee, complete with grits, wherever they are located. But mostly, I think its because of about five decades of Southern truckers roaming the country. Road warriors like me have learned you can get a great southern breakfast, with grits and biscuits 'n' gravy, in Oregon or Michigan by simply finding a good truck stop cafe.
