Being from Fort Wayne I can tell you that this truck stop has NOT been locally owned for many many years.
The Fortmeyer folks (local) sold the place to a corporation out of Ohio who has thus sold it off again.
Pilot needed to make a move into Fort Wayne since a nearby city (New Haven) rejected the Flying J's proposal of building a location just off 469/30. The courts later over ruled that move by New Haven, but, I think the Pilot/Flying J corporation might have thought why build a new building in a city that doesn't want us when we can take over an established location and maybe down the road rebuild.
As far as the resturant there goes, I hope they do gut it - it has failed 3 out of the last county food inspections. I was told by the area manager that there are several leases within the building that they will at least honor till the end of the lease terms (mid April and mid May of 2011)....that being the independently ran C-store (Jo-Jo's), the knife store and the heart MD stand, along with the resturant.
They have already added a laundry room upstairs and will also be adding several more showers upstairs and keeping the older showers downstairs as well.
IMHO - I already believe the change is for the better.........now if they would just stop leasing out spaces in the parking lot it would be even better.