The glory of fast food past

[snowangel]

Anybody besides me remember Zantigo? THey had a great green chili that made a terrific chilito.

Well, here in the Twin Cities, there are now about 5 Zantigo's. They still have that great green chili and a pretty great taco Burrito. Their enchiladas are pretty darned good. When I was remodeling the kitchen in our prior house, I made many a trip to Zantigo's since they were next door to Home Depot .

[Holly Moore]

Colonel Sanders Roast Beef sandwiches were pretty darn good - several steps above Arby's. Yes - there was a Colonel Sanders Roast Beef but it wasn't a menu item at his fried chicken joints - it was a separate operation that ran as a pilot for a few years but never caught on.

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I was the manager for Arby's first franchise restaurant in Maple Heights OH. That roast beef sandwich was as good of a product that has ever come out of a fast food restaurant. Top round of beef oven roasted until medium rare, sliced hot out of the oven and piled high on a buttered, toasted bun. For 69 cents.

Then there was a beef shortage in 1969. The price of beef went up maybe 50%. I was with McDonald's working new products. It was gut check time. Only three choices. Raise prices, cut back on portions or serve a cheaper product.

McDonald's raised the price of hamburgers from 15 cent to 18 cents and prayed. Absolutely no effect on sales. Arby's chose to go from top round to a communuted (?spelling) roll of beef. Chunks of beef are bound together under pressure and forced into a casing. Tasted as good as it sounds.

When I worked for Arby's there were lines out the door and around the sides of the building. Changing to the communuted roll took care of that.

My memory refreshed, the fast food product I miss most was the Arby's sandwich as we served it in 1966.

[lesfen]

From recent fast food readings, I'm sensing that my area is a test market. The Mc Rib appears here EVERY SUMMMER, without fail. Also true of the McBrat... I'm sure that's not what they call it, but McDonalds has bratwurst here. We always have access to the Crunch Wrap. Just lucky, I guess. I do miss the Cheesy Gordita Crunch, but I know it'll be back. Patience, Grasshopper. That's a tasty critter right there.

I have to admit, I am not a fast food burger person... I have local pubs that serve great burgers... but recently I have acquired a taste for McDonalds Double Cheeseburgers. Maybe I just don't remember how good they could be... or maybe they're doing something different. I'm detecting new juciness and a noticeable attention to S & P. Delicious. My new hubby is a sales guy and lives on the stuff... I used to get mad when he'd bring home with his uneaten lunch, that I had carefully packed for him, but now I ALMOST understand.

I have to say that I DESPERATELY miss Carl's Jr. We have Hardee's here, but it's not the same. They don't have the variety that Carl's offered. No guac-jack burger... no waffle cut fries. Sigh. Once again... patience, Grasshopper.

[dockhl]

Does anyone remember what the McDonald's Limited burger was with Rye bun and grilled onions? No teriyaki..........????

K

[mona]

I really miss the old McDonalds Hot Apple Pie. I know , they still have apple pie, but its different. The old one was deep fried and resembled a hot pocket more than its current slice of pie. The old ones were so hot, they seemed to defy the laws of thermodynamics. They stayed hot seemingly forever, or at least waiting for them to cool to a palatable temp seemed like an eternity. I loved 'em. The new pies? Won't even go there...

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Eh, we still have those apple pies here in Malaysia...kinda rectangular-shaped things you mean? I can never completely gauge how hot it is...it's always too hot, apparently.

[Rebecca263]

I LOVED the old Hawaiian (sp?) ice cream sundae from Carvel in the 70's. It was basically canned fruit salad combined and pineapple served over vanilla soft serve, but I could live on it, it was so good! Does that count as fast food?

[afn33282]

I lament the loss of the green sauce at Taco Bell.

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They still had it a few months ago, you just have to ask for it.

For me, it is the breakfast menu at Wendy's. Scrambled egg sandwiches on toast, French toast, I forget what else. After my parents got divorced my Dad used to pick my brother and I up sometimes and take us out to breakfast and then drop us off at school. We went other places too, but the Wendy's breakfasts really linger in my memory.

Also, the Chicken Club sandwich at Wendy's. I don't see that on the menus anymore. And the triangle shaped Cinnamon Crispas at Taco Bell. And of course the McDLT. And, best of all, the McDonalds "Mac Tonight" commercials with the guy in the tuxedo and the big quarter-moon head sitting on a rooftop with the city all around, singing his heart out....kind of freaky but so cool.

[lesfen]

For me, it is the breakfast menu at Wendy's.  Scrambled egg sandwiches on toast, French toast, I forget what else.  After my parents got divorced my Dad used to pick my brother and I up sometimes and take us out to breakfast and then drop us off at school.  We went other places too, but the Wendy's breakfasts really linger in my memory.

Oh man! That takes me back. When I was going to Kent State, that was the only joint on campus. I commuted and didn't have a food card for the dining halls. (Naturally, the year after I left they updated the student center to include a variety of food stalls. ) Many, many, many mornings were spent in the lounge with a Wendy's Big Breakfast resting in my lap while my friends and I watched the tube and wasted our parent's money. Good times. If I remember correctly, they had those little tater tot style hash browns a la Burger King. Mmmm.

[BarbaraY]

A & W rootbeer used to make a sandwich that I loved. It was called a Whatnik and was made by hollowing out a small French roll and filling with hot dogs, chile, onions, and cheese.

I don't know if I would still like it but I sure did 40 years ago.

[TongoRad]

Three words: Burger King Yumbo

If I remember it correctly, it was a gooey, greasy ham and melted cheese on a squishy bun. Then again this was 30 years ago and I was young at the time- but I do recall that I ate them exclusively while they were available.

Hmmm...I guess I know what I'm having for dinner now, only I'll have to do it myself this time.

[Mabelline]

I have to wax nostalgic about my favorite meal from DQ in the late sixties. The steak finger basket. Although they may still be available now, I am quite sure they suck in comparison to their predecessors. The original was 5 steak fingers, steak cut fries, cole slaw and cream gravy. $1.79. Give me two gravies and four lemon juice packets, please.

In Casa Grande, AZ, where I mostly grew up, our KFC had the sliced ham and beef sandwiches. They were called Plantation Sandwiches.

About KFC. Once, my parents had promised to go to KFC after church if my (then) two 1/2 year old daughter was quiet all the way through service, because it was her first time out of the nursery during the service. She was still all the way through, and when the service finished and everyone started to rise and exit, she jumped up and excitedly shouted " Oh boy, F**ky Fried CHICKEN!!!" My mama was mortified, my daddy looked at something on the wall, and my teenage sister thought it was riotous. Needless to say, the next week a lot of time was given over to Stevie learning to pronounce Kentucky.

Jack in the crack (sorry) used to have a ham and swiss croissant that was a great hangover preventative in about '76 or so.

[lesfen]

DQ used to also have a Rocky Road Blizzard that was pure bliss. It had chocolate coated crunchy marshmallows in it! Yum. I don't know about the steak fingers, but they still offer the Chicken Strip Basket. No coleslaw, but it still has the pepper cream gravy and fries. Oh, and it'll cost you about $5 now.

[Mabelline]

That's just so wrong. I cratered to my DH's wish for some DQ before we went to the lake we bank fish at, and wanted a Heath Bar Blizzard and was appalled that they didn't have it. Got lemonade instead, but looked like this for awhile But then, you can't stay angry while fishing (or fish-teasing, as we sometimes refer to it).

[Metal Spice]

When I was a kid, Burger King used to have what was called a Yumbo - it was basically hot ham & cheese on a sesame seed bun. Oh God, I loved it & I really wish they'd bring it back. I can't remember when they quit offering them but I'm fairly certain they were gone by before I was 12.

[Mabelline]

The Yumbo musta been pretty good!! It's come up twice in detail. Don't you just love to hear what we remember most of junkfoods?

[Ovenfrenzy]

Put me down for the Yumbo as well! It was so squishy textured and jam-packed with caloric goodness. I miss the McD's Arch Deluxe. I may be the only one who does- they didn't sell very well. It was the bun that got me- texture was more dense than the cottony tasteless run of the mill Big Mac bun. Arby's had an overkill sandwich back in the 80's- I'm not sure of the name but it was roast beef, bacon,cheese sauce, lettuce, tomato, and horsey sauce. It would immediately fall apart when you picked it up, but god it was rich and tasty.

[plattetude]

I miss the McD's Arch Deluxe. I may be the only one who does- they didn't sell very well. It was the bun that got me- texture was more dense than the cottony tasteless run of the mill Big Mac bun.

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I dug the Arch Deluxe, too. I liked the sauce in particular -- I think there may have been coriander seed in there. Really yum-tastic. That was back when they had just put a serious chef in charge of new product development, which lasted, what, 2 years? Less?

I was fond of BK's shameless rip-off of the Big Mac a few years ago, too, the Big King. Never really considered it to taste much like a Big Mac, myself.

Christopher

[steverino]

When I was a young buck, I was a big fan of the Taco Bell Enchirito.

There was a Taco Bell about half a mile from my school, and if you managed to sneak out of art class 2 -3 minutes early, you could get there and beat the rush. Glom on the hot sauce, power down 3 or 4 and you're back to school just in time. I think they were under a buck, and they had sliced black olives somewhat decoratively arranged on top.

Then, they disappeared.

Just recently, I happened into a Taco Bell, and lo and behold, the Enchirito was back on the menu!

I steadied my jangling nerves and ordered a couple, with trepidation.

They weren't under a buck anymore.

They didn't have the (somewhat) artfully arranged black olive slices.

I glommed on the hot sauce, and dug in.

I came damn close to the summer of '79.

The purple 440 GTX my buddy and I flew to the Taco Bell, the stifling return to non air - conditioned classrooms, and the smokin' hot English teacher in her gauzy sundresses.

I sighed, put down my spork, and realized, you can never go back.

Food, even fast food, is fucking amazing.

Steve

[Radio7]

Another vote here for the original version of McD's apple pie. YUM.

I really liked their milkshakes when I was a little kid. Then like 10yrs ago they changed the formula. Took me a bit to get used to it, but I don't mind anymore.

The 'treat-ofthe-week's aren't very good anymore...

The best fastfood french fries and onion rings ever are in Canada - at "Harveys".

Edited June 28, 2005 by Radio7 (log)

[John]

I loved the Big King at Burger King. Much better than the Big Mac in my opinion, and I've had them side by side. I also liked a sandwich that Burger King had and did away with about 2 years ago. I think it was a sourdough bacon cheeseburger or bacon cheddar cheeseburger.

[jgarner53]

The triangle shaped Cinnamon Crispas at Taco Bell.

Hear hear! I was very disappointed when they subbed them out for some preformed corn-based fried twist (like a cinnamon cheeto, or more accurately, packing peanuts coated in cinnamon sugar).

[shelora]

French fries made with actual potatoes and fried in a big hot vat of beef tallow.

[CMA]

I'd like to add my votes for McDonald's McDLT and Popeye's Onion Rings as past fast food glories. Both deliciously memorable fast food experiences, and sorely missed.

[Makan King]

A & W rootbeer used to make a sandwich that I loved. It was called a Whatnik and was made by hollowing out a small French roll and filling with hot dogs, chile, onions, and cheese.

I don't know if I would still like it but I sure did 40 years ago.

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We used to have that in Singapore, except they called it the Coney Dog! I really liked it. Alas, I don't think that there are any A&Ws left in Singapore.

A number of fast-food chains have disappeared from Singapore and the scene is now dominated by McD, BK and KFC. Wendy's, Hardees, Texas Church's Fried Chicken etc have all fallen by the way side. I miss Hardees' Mushroom Swiss!

I also miss McD's milkshakes (they don't have then in Singapore anymore), and they had a limited special durian milkshake that was terrific way back then.

Edited June 29, 2005 by Makan King (log)

[TheFoodTutor]

I lament the loss of the green sauce at Taco Bell.

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They still had it a few months ago, you just have to ask for it.

Very cool to know. Although YMMV - individual franchise stores may or may not carry all products in all locations. Ask and you might receive.

Along the lines of discontinued items that you can get by asking for them, put me in the category of liking the "old cut" from Subway, better than the "new cut." The old is the one where they dig a channel out of the bread, as opposed to slicing straight across the middle. All Subway employees are supposed to be taught how to do it "old school," so ask and ye shall receive.

That post from Steverino was probably the nicest piece of fast food poetry I've ever read in my life. I, too, was happy to see the enchirito back on Taco Bell's menu, and not just because of my vivid memory of seeing some of one come out of my sister's nose, because she was laughing especially hard at a high school joke. If I remember correctly, the number of olive slices should be exactly 3, spaced equidistant in a line across the enchirito.

Now, the possibility of getting an enchirito wit' da green sauce? Dang. Where are my car keys?