Is there a perfect food to bring to an outdoor venue with assigned seating (like the Hollywood Bowl)? Is sushi the only answer? -Katherine
If you haven’t become a paid subscriber yet, please consider it. The money goes straight to paying freelancers a good rate - much better than most publications. And if not that, click on the heart icon above so I know you’re reading! Please enjoy the article below by Robert Dean.
Soda cups get how much ice?
By Robert Dean
Dave Thomas, the founder of Wendy's, built an unlikely empire. This guy managed to stay in business selling salads, square burgers, chili, and potatoes, while up against Big Macs and Whoppers. Now, Wendy’s is bigger than ever, even beating Burger King for the number-two chain in America. Is it because at some point in the early 1990s someone suggested to Thomas that he make Wendy’s training videos “cool”? I like to think so.
In "Chili Can be Served With Cheese," a funk band slaps through an explanation of different chili bowl sizes. Staff must "make sure to stir it right" and not just ladle from the top of the vat. "Chili, Frosty, milk and cookies, what a great snack! Have yourself some simple fun cuz you got the knack!" We fade out with a smiling Wendy's worker doling out expert bowls of chili right up to the fill line. Yeah, she has the knack.
“Cold Drinks" is a ‘90s banger from the Paula Abdul "Straight Up" playbook. A firmly-coiffed drink slinger shakes and shimmies over the counter, pointing out different cup sizes, letting us know to "keep it straight" while the beat pulses. Apparently, there's a lot of finesse needed for good pouring technique.
The flip side to the "Cold Drinks" is "Hot Drinks." Whoever was sitting in the production chair was like, "we need Michael Jackson vibes," and the band knocked out an absolute heater. We're talking consecutive handclaps and a signature "woooooo" to kick off the track. This Wendy’s madman puts on a show.
We arrive at the pièce de résistance: “Grill Skill.” The video is off the rails. Our main character, Bill, puts his apron on, and his boss, Mary, tells him he's gonna learn to work burgers. As the VHS is loaded into the machine, straight from the Challenger's control room, the acid kicks in. A floating head summons Bill to the laser show of an instructional, complete with a guy with a golden spatula. There is smoke, there are sequins.
It’s enough to make you want a baked potato. 📼
More Food Reading:
Just another pleading reminder that you don’t have to pay THAT MUCH attention to “expiration dates,” which are often “best by” dates anyway. And they aren’t about safety.
People who are active on Cracker Barrel’s Facebook page 🤝 People who think lab-grown meat is for pinkos.
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