A Slop Joint?

Take a look at the postcard below. It’s an image of downtown Leaksville (now Eden), North Carolina. It was mailed from Leaksville to Yonkers, New York, in 1941 by someone who was presumably visiting the area.

My interest in the card stems from a portion of the sender’s comment on the back:

“9/30/41 – Tue P.M. Just had lunch in the Washington Restaurant, another slop joint. I guess I am getting too fussy. It is alright if I chew lots of gum after each meal to kill the taste…”

Wow! Was the Washington Restaurant really that bad? Does anyone remember eating at the Washington Restaurant? Can anyone defend it from these charges? Is it just another Northern slight against a Southern institution?