TheWiseOldFart

  Op-ed by TheWiseOldFart I was just a boy growing up in West Los Angeles in the mid 1950’s. Although our mother took us to a small area near a miniature golf course several times which was occupied by small food establishments offering a vriety of “culinary delights,” including hamburgers, Chinese food, hot dogs, pizza, and other inexpensive and tasty varieties of what became known as “fast food,” none of them were well-known by anyone other than the people who lived nearby. Almost by magic, a new restaurant opened in the area. It was brightly decorated in yellow with a red roof. This one was different: you could eat inside the establishment or take food to go. A hamburger cost 15 cents, and a milkshake 20 cents. It was called McDonalds. The rest is history. THE BIG MAC AND AN OBSESSION In 1967 McDonalds introduced the “Big Mac.” It contained two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce cheese, and pickles on a sesame bun. It cost 45 cents. I cannot estimate the number o...