Back in my beloved home in the NC woods.
Gruesome days in Orange County, California with my father's death, burial, and the start of the lawyer, stock broker, and accountant onslaught. Lots of papers, lots of photocopies, dealing with storage unit managers, real estate appraisers, and getting everything under the sun (it seemed) notarized.
One bright spot, however. I came to appreciate the genius of McDonald's and hereby declare it the world's best restaurant. I will tolerate no violation of my safe space on this issue. Can't tell you how many mornings, a McD "bacon, egg, and cheese biscuit" with sugar free French vanilla iced coffee saved me from going ballistic. I also discovered their quite excellent "Artisan grilled chicken sandwich" which makes for a delicious lunch when you're on the go. There. If McD doesn't immediately send me $50,000, I am off to Burger King . . .
No, really, McD is a genius creation which provides a good product for a good price and teaches generations of kids how to work. American ingenuity for the world. That and the Mars Rover . . .
More serious stuff to come.
I'm glad you made it back from the land of F&Ns. I hope you don't have to go back again...ever. I am also an escapee from there and I really see no reason to go back anytime soon. Sorry family.
ReplyDeleteI watched "The Founder" not too long ago, which was something of a biopic of Ray Kroc. The movie does show that the real genius was in the McDonald brothers who developed the system. Ray Kroc just figured out how to franchise. While I am not derisive of McDonald's I certainly would have went to In-N-Out over McDonald's.
ReplyDeleteI don't know what the fuss is over In-N-Out. Based on my three experiences, it's overrated. If I had the time for an In-N-Out "experience", I'd much rather go to Whataburger. Equally slow drive-thrus, but Whataburger has better tasting burgers. I don't go to McD's for burgers except when there's nothing else close.
DeleteIf a place hasn't done a decent job in 3 tries in at least 2 different locations, they won't get my business again. Not willingly.
DeleteWell Dip, reading your account just caused me to gain five pounds! With Burger King in the mix, I expect an extra ten. No doubt you have a membership at a nearby gym?
ReplyDeleteNow if only McD's would replicate the desert menu I saw in Switzerland and Koln.
ReplyDeleteGreen Bear
I have never been inside a filthy McDonalds- not once. Whatever else you might say about them, the company and the franchises are always well run and efficient.
ReplyDeleteDrive-Thru?
DeleteAs I like black coffee, I was pleased to find that McD's has very good black coffee; it's not as hot as I'd like due to a famous/infamous lawsuit, but it tastes great. Far better than the swill Starbucks serves!
ReplyDeleteMy Dad, who passed away long ago, used to swear by the same breakfast choice you made: the bacon, egg & cheese biscuit. He reckoned they were the only thing on the menu worth eating!
As far as their burgers go, well... they're far from the best in these parts (SoCal area.) I'd say In & Out or Carl's Jr. are both far better choices.
Burger King lost my business when four successive trials at four different BK locations each gave lousy results, and at the last location I got yelled at when they gave me a meal that I hadn't ordered (I had pointed at a sign on the wall & said that's what I'll have. It wasn't a fish sandwich, which is what I was given.)
When I said that I'd ordered the burger on that sign, the woman who took my order called me a liar and refused to give me what I'd ordered. So Burger King no longer gets any business from me anywhere in the USA, and won't.
However, if you're ever in Western Australia, Hungry Jack's (the Burger King franchise in Australia) is one of the best!
I pretty much wrote off Burger King awhile back, always slow, most of the ones I've been to are nasty. The only thing on the menu I really liked was the Whopper, their fries are tasteless, their biscuit are like hockey pucks, their breakfast hashbrowns drip oil. Then about two years ago they came up with the Pride Burger campaign, that's when I knew they had 'jumped the shark'. I'm not less likely to go to Burger King because of that campaign, I just think that if they can't sell a product to all humans without a gimmick like that, then they need to improve their product.
DeleteIn contrast Ford and Subaru (We're different like you.) in particular market in gay publications as well as all the usual places. They market to a specific audience with a different tone, the same way Ford markets F-series trucks in outdoor magazines and Mustangs in sports magazines. They have products that appeal to a broad market. Burger King's products just don't cut it.
Always enjoyed McD's myself. No complaints anyway, well, couple months ago stopped by one coming back from the VA and the deck had just been swabbed (sailor talk, mopped) leaving for a little too much water remaining hence, very slick footing.
ReplyDeleteJust wanted that outta the way before:
Mr. Amselem?
Might you "interpret" what's happening in Spain? Any connection to Italy and/or the EU generally?
JK
Socialists about to win?
Deletewhitewall,
DeleteThey (socialists) might win, but I see it as a last gasp, desperate last stand on their part.
James
James, I hope you are right, especially for Spain but alas as long as human nature is what it is, the virus of socialism will always be with us.
DeleteWhitewall,
DeleteYes, you are right it will be always with us in various forms and various strengths. But right now it's on the wane worldwide, that doesn't mean that what's coming will be great, it's just people worldwide are fed up with these characters.
James
Dwan,
DeleteYou would think so. But the ability to forget is one of humankind's greatest gift's and greatest curse's. If we didn't have it we'd still be in the cave too afraid to go out because of sabertooth tigers, but we do go out and on occasion get run over.
As for my personal opinion on the Spanish situation, I think we are seeing the disintegration of Spain (re: Catalonia). With the socialist taking power it gives Catalonia a great excuse to leave.
DeleteFor a fascinating account of the Moscow McDonalds, and learn about Adam Smith and economics on the way.
ReplyDeleteWhy we Bite the Invisible Hand by Peter Foster.
https://www.amazon.com/Why-Bite-Invisible-Hand-Anti-Capitalism-ebook/dp/B00JZ89B76/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1527906078&sr=8-1&keywords=why+bite+invisible+hand
As foreign tourists traveling through the western states 20 years ago, those big McDonald Golden Arches were a welcome sight. We already were familiar with the food, the system and all those other important thing like ample free parking, spotlessly clean bathrooms, friendly service and confidence in hygiene throughout. I won't hear a word against them.
ReplyDeleteI often start the day with a $1.00 McD's unsweetened ice tea. It gives me my caffeine, and it lasts a while.
ReplyDeleteI remember an actor commenting on McDonalds being the first capitalistic business introduced into Russia, the guy was interviewed on the old Aresenio Hall show. The actor, who's name escapes me, was shooting a film in Moscow and finally asked someone who was waiting in line for the food, food that was expensive by Russian standards, and the lines were blocks long, why the person was willing to wait so long to eat at McDonalds. (The actor was mortified that McDonalds was the first taste of capitalism in Russia)
ReplyDeleteThe answer? "It was the only place in Russia where, when you got the end of the line, what you were waiting for would still be there."
Anyway, the great thing about McDonalds, and chain restaurants in general, is that it doesn't matter if you're in CA or DC, you know exactly what to expect from whatever chain you're eating at.
-Blake
Once, when I was in Jerusalem, I was out and about the city and suddenly was sick as a dog. McDonald's was a great comfort. Even the toilet paper dispenser was from the states. About twenty minutes later, I felt so much better.
ReplyDeletePlease, oh please, do a post on the American ambassador to Germany. He be in hot water...the various leftist parties are calling him "irritating" but I'm sure the flies on the walls are hearing stronger language than that.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/jun/04/new-us-ambassador-to-germany-under-fire-for-rightwing-support
Sorry for the Gruniad link but that's what Drudge had. He's an EOO linker.
Sorry about that. I finally found the original article in Breitbart. Much more interesting:
Deletehttp://www.breitbart.com/london/2018/06/03/trumps-right-hand-man-in-europe-wants-to-empower-european-anti-establishment-conservatives/
I dined upon 2 Bacon McDoubles last night, and enjoyed the experience immensely!
ReplyDeleteI agree about McDonald's. I also agree that dealing with deaths is gruesome. I wish you all well.
ReplyDelete