Thanks, dad, for ruining Wendy's for me!

The BBQ Pit
1

When I was 16, my parents and I were driving across the country. We stopped at Wendy’s. My dad kept making a face while eating his burger, and I asked him why.

“It’s all gristle,” he said. He took out his pocketknife and began picking the burger apart, saying, “See? Gristle…fat…gristle…that’s bone!”

Well, needless to say, for years I couldn’t even look at a Wendy’s burger. I would still partake of the fries and the Frosties, but not the burgers. Just couldn’t face them. (And I loved my mom dismissing the problem with “Oh, Rilch found a piece of gristle in her burger once and she’s never gotten over it!”)

This spring, I finally broke down and had a Wendy’s burger. I found it okay, but no epiphany. Recently, a Wendy’s opened up near our house. I’ve visited there a couple times with Mr. Rilch, but I didn’t really have a breakthrough until yesterday.

Friend had to get something in the shopping center where the Wendy’s is located. His car is comatose, so I drove and he treated me to Wendy’s.

Oh my god that burger was good. As I kept saying and thinking on and off for the rest of the day. Finally, it was 11 pm, and I was here at the computer, thinking, “Man, I wish I had another Wendy’s burger right now!” I’m going back there tomorrow, oh yes I am.

So thank you, dad, for screwing with my mind! Sixteen years I spent avoiding Wendy’s! There was a Wendy’s in Oakland, Pittsburgh, which I could have patronized a zillion times if I hadn’t had this mental block! Thank you for causing me to miss out on the glory that is Wendy’s!

[sub]although it is apparent to me what a sly ol’ dog Dave Thomas was…the single is .99, but it doesn’t fill you up…you have to get a double or a triple before you’re sated…[/sub]

2

Here’s the secret: get two junior cheeseburgers. Twice the bun, almost as much meat, and cheaper than a double cheeseburger.

3

Hear, hear! Wendys are definitely the best of the burger chains. (Even the Wendys I’ve been to in the US… where the fries aren’t quite as nice as in NZ; different cooking medium I guess).

But the real reason for this post…

I have a friend (no, really, not me…) who cannot face chocolate because as a little lad his father decided to play with his head by consistently equating chocolate with… well, with some bodily product that is perhaps not dis-similar in colour.

Even to this day, despite pushing 40 and being very well scientifically educated (he’s a PhD), he hasn’t broken the programming.

Parents; gotta love them. :slight_smile:

4

My mom once told me that the sausages on my pizza were really rat droppings. I stick with pepperoni now.

5

I had the same experience with Arby’s…My stepdad, rest his soul, would always tell of the time he went to Arby’s and got a roast beef sandwich, only to discover it tasted like “cardboard”. For years this place was contraband, based on that experience. Then, a few years ago, an Arby’s opened up just up the street (I live in a somewhat developing part of town) and me and Mom decided to go. I liked the fare. We ate there a few times, and eventually, my stepdad was cured of his dislike for the restaurant.

6

Pepperoni is made of pretty much the same thing sausage is made of — various meat by-products — but seasoned differently and dried to jerky.

7

Apollyon and Smeg: Sorry to hear that!

8

I symphasise with you Rilch - I once dared to look at the burger pattie in my Hungry Jack’s (Aussie version of Burger King) Whopper and was sickened so much at what I saw (horrible brown grey flat meatish-pancake thing with oily blisters all over it) I couldn’t eat another Hungry Jack’s burger for quite a few months.

I’ve learned not to inspect the contents. Just eat without thinking!

9

My brother once told a joke involving a hot dog…the joke was so vile that it was years before I could eat another hot dog again.

10

Why would you eat at Wendy’s in Oakland with the Dirty O, Uncle Sam’s and Primanti’s nearby?

Oakland is the mecca for one-of-a-kind fast food, and you’re going to a chain? Infidel!

11

A friend told me when we were children that bologna was made from cows’ brains.

Haven’t touched the stuff since.

Also, I hate American cheese. The Kraft singles, the block, whatever. It tastes disgusting. Give me Colby or Swiss or Provolone or Muenster anytime.

12

The big rumor going around when I was a kid was that Wendy’s put worms in their burgers to make them juicy. No one in my circle of friends ever ate at “Wendy’s”; we ate at “Wormburgers.”

13

After hearing a horror story my cousin’s good friend went through (and settled with the company for) I cannot eat at KFC.

The problem seemed to be storage procedures at this one. specific. KFC. Can’t tell the story, sorry. :slight_smile:

14

One of my earliest memories was watching my father eat a steak (before I knew what a steak was) and asked him what he was eating. He replied, “elephant hide”.

I didn’t eat a steak until I was in my 20’s.

15

We have the 99 cent Texas Double Cheeseburger here. Is that just a regional thing? Should I “duh” myself?

16

Thank YOU Rilchiam, for making me think of wonderful Wendy’s when my own car is comatose and I cannot go get one. I want one right now!

And Smeghead, as one who worked in a pizza place for many years, I avoid the sausage. You find odd things in there. No really.

17

My mom got food poisoning at a Blimpie’s in NYC once so for years it was, hell, no, not Blimpie’s. I finally broke down and went with friends and enjoyed the triple cheese sub weekly after that.

18

Ditto gigi’s story except replace “mom” with “wife” and “Blimpy’s” with “Burger King”. We’ve only gone back once (out of desparation) but havne’t missed it at all.

19

Ditto gigi except replace “mom” with “dad” and “Blimpy’s” with “McDonald’s”. I was in my late teens when I had my first McBurger and that was because we were hungry and nothing else was around.

20

I’m a Wendy’s man. They usually have some decadent juicy bacon and cheese and chicken thing.

Back in the 80’s I worked for a small meat packer who produced burger meat for Wendy’s in my area. Perhaps Wendy’s still uses local or regional meat packers and that would account for the difference between the all gristle burger, the no epiphany burger and the oh my god this burger is good burger.