Friday, February 4, 2011

The Big Mac

"The world's most popular sandwich," (according to, well, McDonald's), the Big Mac has been around for four decades. I remember my last one clearly, train wheels runnin' through the back of my memory, although I'm too embarrassed to admit where I ate it. It was many years ago and I did not expect I would ever eat one again. There are far too many great burgers in this town to bother with a Big Mac.

But the other night, when I picked up the McNuggets for my Shanghai McNuggets post, I was given a Big Mac that I neither ordered nor paid for. But seeing as how the McDonald's in South Pasadena has screwed up my order many, many times by not giving me something, I had no problem taking the free Big Mac.

I decided I would write about it. But that meant I had to eat it, of course, and here's the thing: it looked disgusting. Is this what the Big Mac has always looked like? There were a few shreds of white lettuce poking out the sides, the typical plastic-looking cheese, and a couple patties that look like they had been sitting out for weeks. (Actually, that's a horrible description: McDonald's patties don't change appearance when they've been sitting out for years.)

I would love to write that eating a Big Mac again was a beautiful reunion, that I wondered why I'd ever let them leave my life. But I can't. It sucked. It was very dry, even with the "secret sauce," and the dominant taste was the rubbery beef.

Like my experiences at Bob's Big Boy and Shakey's last year, I realized that my tastes have changed and some things I once really liked to eat mean nothing to me now. I was less than halfway through the burger before I realized that this would most likely be the last time I ever ate "the world's most popular sandwich." And I'm more than okay with that.

Did I really choose to eat one of these when I was in  ■■■■?, I thought to myself. What a freaking moron I am.

9 comments:

ben wideman said...

For some reason, I still love 'em. Long live the morons!

JustinM said...

I'm sure you understand - you're not a moron for liking the Big Mac. Hell, I like McNuggets - have you seen what they look like before they're cooked?

But I am certainly a moron for eating a Big Mac in that particular place, considering the other options I had.

Michelle said...

What fast food burgers do you like? What is your favorite?

SuperLarge said...

I know where you ate that previous 'Mac. You were young, it's ok, baby *pats your head condescendingly*

JustinM said...

Michelle: For the Mega-chains, there really isn't anything I like very much. I'm much more likely to get a chicken product.

For the smaller or more regional chains, I would say the In-N-Out Double Double has to be #1. It used to be Fatburger but there just isn't the consistency anymore. Five Guys is probably up there (if they used In-N-Out's buns they might take the top spot) and a Tommy's chili burger is always nice.

SuperLarge: Yeah, you know where it was. I was younger, but old enough to know better.

SuperLarge said...

I have eaten at McD's when I was there. I have a valid excuse though - they still had the deep-fried apple pies over there at that time, not the baked monstrosities available over here.

Nosh Gnostic said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Zachary said...

Did you read this article about McD's burgers not rotting?

http://aht.seriouseats.com/archives/2010/11/the-burger-lab-revisiting-the-myth-of-the-12-year-old-burger-testing-results.html?ref=obinsite

JustinM said...

Wow. I don't know if I feel better or worse about the world.