Monday, August 15, 2011

Doing Your Heart Some Harm Never Did Your Heart So Much Good

Don't lie. You love your local greasy spoons, and take maybe just a wee bit of pride in the teeny weeny chains that have maybe 3 or 4 restaurants in your local area. Sure, maybe the food isn't ALWAYS "good" in the traditional sense. But it's local. It's familiar. It's home.

The local fast food burger place still uses generic, unbranded hamburger wrappers, has the crinkle cut fries, and the generic cups with the art deco circles and zigzag design, crafted by a graphic designer back in 1953 and just reproduced forever.

But they've also got local favorites you just can't get at the big places like McDonalds, or Burker King, or Wendy's. They've got a fried perch sandwich. They've got their own version of an olive burger. And they still make their own hot dogs with their own recipe from a local source, and their apple pies still come from the restaurant owner's apple orchard handed down from his grandfather.

They're there in the background, and have been your whole life. And you eat there from time to time because maybe...MAYBE there's just ONE thing on that menu that you can't live without. Or maybe, you just go because your grandmother took you there when you were small, and it's comforting to sit amidst the smells and the decor that hasn't changed in decades.

And very likely you've heard the story of how the business started. And perhaps you know the people who work there by name. And maybe they call you honey. And possibly they feel comfortable enough around you to step in for you and tell your young kids that no, they don't get pie/ice cream until they eat their food.

Maybe you don't go there often...but if it disappeared, a part of you would miss it.

This week...Mr. Scribbs Pizza is Fifty Years Old. Good god that's some wonderful, greasy pizza.

Happy Birthday Mr. Scribbs.

Why not go out and patronize your favorite local fast food place today? Maybe it'll do your heard a little harm, but you know it'll do your heart some good, too.

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