Fast food companies

[Kelliezgirl]

No idea about 1974, but everyone I knew in high school that worked fast food wore their uniform to work.

 

[alohadave]

I've never worked at one of their outlets. Someone I know told me that during her stint years ago she would change into her uniform on the premises. I assume they had lockers. I had always assumed that the employees kept their outfits at home and put them on there.

Does that vary from company to company? Is that still the way it works? Yes, it does have relevance to a story I'm doing.

I'd wear my black pants and change into my work shirt there. It was a mix for who wore their uniform in and who changed.

The owners didn't care and just wore their shirts in, most of the younger staff changed.

 

[alohadave]

Many years ago, my nephew got in our car in his KFC uniform after his shift.

The smell lingers with me to this day and it is a not pleasant recollection.

I worked at a Dairy Queen and the combination of ice cream mix that inevitably splattered on your shirt from the blenders, and the bleach rags was a potent combination.

I couldn't stand the smell of ice cream for about two years after I quit that job.

 

[MrPixel]

It depends of how you define "fast food." I might say those first two places qualify.

The distinction I make is servers. Servers taking the order and delivering the meal, that's not fast food, especially "not fast" when it comes to the level of service in the establishment. Steak-N-Shake is especially notorious around here for slow service. Counter ordering with delivery to table blurs that line.

 

[gunhilltrain]

The distinction I make is servers. Servers taking the order and delivering the meal, that's not fast food, especially "not fast" when it comes to the level of service in the establishment. Steak-N-Shake is especially notorious around here for slow service. Counter ordering with delivery to table blurs that line.

I'm trying to think of places that have that system. Somehow I've never been to Steak-N-Shake. At Chipotle, I used to order, then find a seat and put something on it (assuming I had something) to hold it for me. (The ones in cities have less seating.) Then I'd stand around by the cashier and they would usually have it ready in a minute or so.

 

[Seadog777]

Oh? You're getting Carl's Jrs where you are? Or are they closing stores? We're all Hardee's all the time in the greater region, and it's frequently the only fast food in whatever small town we happen to be in at the moment.

There are no "Carl Jrs" in Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Pennsylvania, or Kentucky, so I wouldn't know where the hell the closest is to me.

 

[MrPixel]

There are no "Carl Jrs" in Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Pennsylvania, or Kentucky, so I wouldn't know where the hell the closest is to me.

Okay. Carl's Jr is a large California-based chain that went nationwide when they bought Hardees. Same menu, or almost the same now. They initially rolled-out the Carl's Jr identity overlaying the Hardees name, but got so many complaints about the change they backed-off. What happened however, is the graphics - the star character and other identities - were gradually imposed on Hardees stores. Only the name wasn't changed.

Last I knew, and that was years ago, the Carl's Jr name went no further east than Colorado. I just checked, and that "rule" mostly applies; there's a single one in DFW, but they've since converted all the Hardees in Oklahoma City to Carls Jr.

I can't explain why, but I've had a fascination with the financial side of the fast food biz. My favorite line from the Wall Street Journal 40 or 50 years ago was Dave Thomas, of Wendy's fame, talking mostly about McDonalds adding a bunch of menu items, including breakfast. The quote was, "Menu diversification is a sign of weakness." He ate those words a year later when they rolled-out a breakfast line.

 

[Seadog777]

I don't know a lot about fast food other than what I like and don't like. LOL.

Hardee's had the best Ham and Swiss.

McDonald's Sausage, Egg and Cheese McGriddle is top notch, and they have the best french fries, when it comes to "fast food" types.

I like Burger King's burgers best, because the automated grill, does give it a grilled flavor, which is better tasting than a squashed burger on a flat top.

For a total burger, Wendy's Bacon Triple Double with lettuce, tomato and cheese, is heads and shoulders above the rest. Plus, they have the best lemonade. I'm a sucker for great lemonade.

Arby's has just rolled over and fucking died on this thing.

Taco Bell has always sucked, but at 1 AM, and your drunk or high, it's the greatest thing on earth. LOL.

Chick-fil-a, is God's gift to chicken sandwiches and their mac and cheese, is just delicious.

 

[MrPixel]

Oh, Hardees ham and swiss was definitely a favorite for me, too!

Burger King around here sucks. It's been a long while since I've had a freshly-grilled patty from them - everything is out of the warmer/steamer, pulled off the conveyor as much as an hour earlier. Soggy, steamed burger? No thanks. And there's absolutely nothing on their menu my wife can eat.

I don't do McDonalds save for my once every 2-3 years craving for a Big Mac. I've gotten to the point where I can taste the added sugar, and as much of a sweet tooth I have, it's off-putting.

TacoBell I will put up with as long as I get something in chicken or steak. Do not like their red sauce, and their 30%-filler ground beef is inexcusable. We used to have Naugles and the related DelTaco which I really liked, but they backed out of the region years ago. We occasionally run across a Taco John in our travels (mostly upper Plains states), and they're a couple of cuts above TacoBell.

Aside from putting up with TacoBell every couple of weeks, we gravitate towards Wendy's. She'll get a salad, I'll get a double. When they feature their pretzel-bun "pub burger", I'll never fail to get that in the chicken version. Gawd, it's yummy! A thousand calories, but who's counting?

 

[Seadog777]

She'll get a salad, I'll get a double.

Have you joined the "Triple-Double Club"???

You eat 2 triple cheeseburgers with fries and a drink in a single sitting. LOL.

 

[M_K_Babalon]

It depends of how you define "fast food." I might say those first two places qualify.

Steak N Shake is a diner, Dennys with a drive thru. Pizza places aren't fast food, it takes at least 15 minutes to prepare and cook, because we have the dough prepared. Popa Johns kneeds the dough on order and takes a bit longer, and drive-thrus are not common. Our store is one of very few that has a drive-thru.

 

[gunhilltrain]

Steak N Shake is a diner, Dennys with a drive thru. Pizza places aren't fast food, it takes at least 15 minutes to prepare and cook, because we have the dough prepared. Popa Johns kneeds the dough on order and takes a bit longer, and drive-thrus are not common. Our store is one of very few that has a drive-thru.

Yeah I only eat at four local pizza places I know. I'm too poor to eat out much. Even Chipolte. Or Chili's. Used to take my kids to the latter back in the day.

 

[gunhilltrain]

Have you joined the "Triple-Double Club"???

You eat 2 triple cheeseburgers with fries and a drink in a single sitting. LOL.

Five Guys or something else? I couldn't eat a triple. Or I'd pull it apart and eat the pieces. Not that I've ever had one.

 

[Seadog777]

Five Guys or something else? I couldn't eat a triple. Or I'd pull it apart and eat the pieces. Not that I've ever had one.

My bad.
No, the Wendy's Triple Double Club.
It's not official though. LOL.
I've never had Five Guys at all.

 

[gunhilltrain]

Oh, Hardees ham and swiss was definitely a favorite for me, too!

Burger King around here sucks. It's been a long while since I've had a freshly-grilled patty from them - everything is out of the warmer/steamer, pulled off the conveyor as much as an hour earlier. Soggy, steamed burger? No thanks. And there's absolutely nothing on their menu my wife can eat.

I don't do McDonalds save for my once every 2-3 years craving for a Big Mac. I've gotten to the point where I can taste the added sugar, and as much of a sweet tooth I have, it's off-putting.

TacoBell I will put up with as long as I get something in chicken or steak. Do not like their red sauce, and their 30%-filler ground beef is inexcusable. We used to have Naugles and the related DelTaco which I really liked, but they backed out of the region years ago. We occasionally run across a Taco John in our travels (mostly upper Plains states), and they're a couple of cuts above TacoBell.

Aside from putting up with TacoBell every couple of weeks, we gravitate towards Wendy's. She'll get a salad, I'll get a double. When they feature their pretzel-bun "pub burger", I'll never fail to get that in the chicken version. Gawd, it's yummy! A thousand calories, but who's counting?

I don't think I've had fast food in three years, except the pizza places I mentioned above. Hard to believe there was only one McDonald;s in the Bronx in 1973. that I knew off. Then in the next five years they expanded all over. I went through a Burger King phase, then a Wendy's phase. There was Blimpie's, which was good a the start (1970s) then Subway, which seems overpriced now.

Somebody here (Emily? DJ?) mentioned the Windmill, which had two location in New Jersey, Belmar and I think Long Branch. Burgers, fish sandwiches, reasonable at the time.

So two slices and a soda, eight to ten dollars, not bad.

 

[gunhilltrain]

My bad.
No, the Wendy's Triple Double Club.
It's not official though. LOL.
I've never had Five Guys at all.

I used to think that Five Guys was an East Coast operation, but they are in 48 states now. When you think of it, most burgers have little taste beyond the pickles and sauce and such.

The best burgers I ever had were at the Fatted Calf in Kenmore Square Boston. Recently I looked at a YouTube video from 1974, and there it was.

 

[Kelliezgirl]

I used to think that Five Guys was an East Coast operation, but they are in 48 states now. When you think of it, most burgers have little taste beyond the pickles and sauce and such.

The best burgers I ever had were at the Fatted Calf in Kenmore Square Boston. Recently I looked at a YouTube video from 1974, and there it was.

5 Guys makes a good burger, their fries are terrible.

 

[M_K_Babalon]

Yeah I only eat at four local pizza places I know. I'm too poor to eat out much. Even Chipolte. Or Chili's. Used to take my kids to the latter back in the day.

Shits gotten all expensive. Now even fast food and dine-in spots are getting as expevsive as places like Texas Roadhouse.

 

[M_K_Babalon]

5 Guys makes a good burger, their fries are terrible.

Most fries are terrible.

 

[Seadog777]

5 Guys makes a good burger, their fries are terrible.

Maybe one day, I'll be able to find out.

The closest one to me is an hour away, and with my Crohn's, that is pushing the limits of my guts not shitting everywhere.

 

[Seadog777]

Shits gotten all expensive. Now even fast food and dine-in spots are getting as expevsive as places like Texas Roadhouse.

I haven't eaten out at a restaurant in at least 3 years.

The last place was some Mom & Pop place that I can't even remember the name of.

 

[Kelliezgirl]

Maybe one day, I'll be able to find out.

The closest one to me is an hour away, and with my Crohn's, that is pushing the limits of my guts not shitting everywhere.

Another site I'm on people were discussing thieves, and things they'd had stolen. One of the guys has Crohns or something similar. He drives a pickup and keeps a 5 gallon bucket with a specially modified top and some grocery bags for roadside emergencies in the bed.
Some jerk stole his bucket one day. Wonder what they thought when they realized they had literally stolen a bucket full of shit.

 

[Kelliezgirl]

Most fries are terrible.

True, but 5 Guys are a special kind of terrible.

 

[Seadog777]

Another site I'm on people were discussing thieves, and things they'd had stolen. One of the guys has Crohns or something similar. He drives a pickup and keeps a 5 gallon bucket with a specially modified top and some grocery bags for roadside emergencies in the bed.
Some jerk stole his bucket one day. Wonder what they thought when they realized they had literally stolen a bucket full of shit.

I'm sorry to hear that.
I hope that whomever stole his bucket, gets a painful lesson from Karma.

I have a bucket with a toilet seat that snaps on.
Special bags and I put kitty litter in the bottom of the bag for smell.

Crohn's and UC (the 2 forms of IBD) are horrific, incurable, lifelong diseases.

I'm getting injections straight into my guts every 2 weeks.

 

[MrPixel]

In-N-Out Burger! A Double-Double! Ohmygosh. I even wrote them into a story! Fries used to be awesome, fresh cut on the premises, but when they went to trans-fats-free oil after the controversy, they're just not as good. At least the last time I tried 'em, which was several years ago.

Was not impressed by 5 Guys when they opened an outlet near my office at the time. Expensive, and not that impressive given the hype. (Hard to realize that was 10 years ago - I've been retired for that long. Wow.)