FAST FOOD REMINISCING

While watching Jimmy Fallon & The Tonight Show a couple days ago, I learned there is a new movie out titled "The Founder". This is the story of how Ray Kroc acquired the McDonald brothers' burger joint in Southern California then built it into a billion dollar worldwide empire.

Those of you who know me personally are aware that I am a bit of a fast food junkie. Yeah, I know, it isn't cool any longer to admit that you love fast food. But I don't care because at almost 67 years old if I never ate another fast food meal, I doubt it would add even a day to the rest of my life. And to be honest, I don't think I'm alone since there are fast food restaurants on every corner & they are well patronized.

Anyway, I totally recall the first McDonald's opening in Hayward, California, back when I was a kid. It was a family event to drive over & try out this new hamburger place. The hamburger cost 15 cents, the fries & sodas were 10 cents each. Your meal cost a grand total of 35 cents! It was 4 cents more for the cheeseburger. Ahhhh, those were the days - less than $1.50 for our family of four!

Just a side note.....in my humble opinion, McDonald's still makes THE BEST fast food French fries ever. If you get lucky & get them right out of the fryer (supposedly they use healthier oil now) they taste incredible. On my drives back & forth to the Bay Area when my dad still lived there, I would sometimes take a bathroom break at a McDonald's. Of course, on occasion, I would get a small order of fries for a snack. Sipping a sweet tea & eating those hot, salty, crispy fries was a little taste of heaven on earth.

A few times a year I still treat myself (usually with my son or granddaughter) to a Big Mac meal. Remember the jingle from the 70s? "Two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions on a sesame seed bun." I know that now days it is all about kale & quinoa & health but I still love me a Big Mac & fries every now & then.

Several years after McDonald's came to town a Taco Bell opened in our neighborhood. If I recall correctly they had tacos, tostadas, burritos & a Bell burger, which was taco meat on a bun. That was it, none of the fancy items they advertise now. And I'm pretty sure that initially every item cost 25 cents.

I still love Taco Bell & so does my Charley. Whenever I give her a choice where we should get lunch she exclaims, "Taco Bell!" That's my girl! Even Doctor Oz says that if you are going to eat fast food Taco Bell's bean burrito is one of the healthiest options....lots of protein, minimal fat & sugar. I remember watching that show & pumping my fist yelling, "Yes!" when he told me my favorite bean burrito was fairly good for me.

Another thing I vividly recall was the first drive through fast food restaurant in my home town. It was a Jack in the Box & it appeared shortly after I had my driver's license. The speaker that you yelled into when ordering was a giant jack in the box clown. Now, the drive throughs have a screen to check your order & the speakers are easy to understand. Back in the old days, it was a garbled, scratchy mess when the kid asked for your order. I'm guessing they didn't hear us any better than we heard them.

One time a friend & I decided to use the still relatively new drive through option. We talked to "Jack" giving him our order of two Jumbo Jack meals with our drinks of choice. There were a couple of cars in front of us so I'm sure it took more time waiting in our car than it would have if we walked inside to order. We were either 16 or 17 & when we pulled up to the window to pay for our lunch, the kid said, "The guys in front of you paid for your order."

They were long gone having driven away with their food but I still remember the awesome feeling they gave us 50 years after the fact. Those little pay it forward type things are such a nice surprise. We would all probably be well served to do a random act of kindness for a stranger once in awhile.