FAST FOOD TALES

McDonald’s and I Are Slowly Parting Ways

But I still go for a cheeseburger when I’m on the road

I’ve eaten at McDonald’s since I was a young lad — at least whenever my folks decided to splurge for a family of eight. That didn’t happen too often, given the cost of food for so many mouths.

Since then, I’ve eaten at McDonald’s restaurants in Guam, Okinawa, Hong Kong, Hawaii, and many states. If I threw a dart while blindfolded at a map of the world, there’s a good chance I’d hit a city with a McDonald’s restaurant.

My ex-wife was from Wichita, KS. When we visited her parents, we usually hit a few fast-food joints, Taco-Tico, White Castle, and of course, McDonald’s. The charm of McDonald’s was its status as the first store in Wichita. It still had the original arches on the building, similar to the black and white photo under the headline.

Of course, I visited White Castle, which started in Wichita, and NuWay, the only burger restaurant selling crumbly, steamed beef hamburgers. I visited the original NuWay, and it was a treat. It’s a sloppy joe without the sauce.

Still, McDonald’s ubiquitous cheeseburger always calls to me, and I don’t know why.

I’ve never had a hot cheeseburger at McDonald’s. The closest I’ve come to a hot burger was when McDonald’s pushed its freshly cooked quarter-pound hamburger. The combination of pickles, ketchup, and mustard on a cheeseburger taunts me.

“You know you want it. Come and get it — and don’t forget the fries and Coke.”

Then along came COVID.

As I’ve written before, my daughter and I took a great many road trips to nowhere. People lost their livelihoods when businesses shuttered their doors — owners and employees.

A corporate giant, McDonald’s thrived, despite having to bump their hourly wages to entice employees to come to work. Locally and probably globally, McDonald’s also limited its menu during the pandemic.

Not only did businesses close, but states also closed their borders. That left my daughter and me — nowhere to go. We made the best of it, finding places in Massachusetts we’d not visited before.

But our one mandatory stop was McDonald’s. Our standard order was four cheeseburgers and two cokes. Not the best meal in terms of diet, but the burgers were easy to eat on the road. And, McDonald’s being McDonald’s, we had no problem finding the golden arches during our road trips. And we went on a lot of road trips.

We still stop at McDonald’s on road trips, but not with the same regularity. It’s probably for the best. Prices have been rising across the board.

Before I forget, I have to pay homage to the magical McRib. Yeah, magical. Last year was allegedly its farewell tour, but I don’t know. That rumor has likely existed since 1981, when the delicious pork mashup covered in onions, pickles, and barbecue sauce first appeared.

I’ve no doubt McDonald’s will continue to be a part of my life for years to come.

If you’ve read this far, thank you for stopping by. Lay 50 claps on me and comment if you would please. I will return the favor. Cheers!

I accept tips, which go directly to Dining for Hunger, a recognized 501(c)(3) organization that looks to end food insecurity. If you can spare a dollar or two, I’d be grateful.

More stories from Bruce Coulter.