McDonald’s

Ash Wednesday: Day 1

It’s the first day of Lent. Some of you may have that Fat Tuesday hangover – sticky from King cakes and breath smelling of beer or vodka or wine or bourbon or whatever your D.O.C. (drink of choice) may be.  I, for one, am not looking forward to the next 46 days without bacon.

Then it hits me – today is a day of abstinence… no meat!  So what’s a carnivore to do?  Well, all good Catholics know the quick and (mostly) cheap way to adhere to their Lenten obligations – the good ol’ Filet-O-Fish.

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Back in 1962, a McDonald’s franchise owner in Cincinnati noticed his sales go down on Fridays during Lent in his predominately Catholic neighborhood.  So he came up with the Filet-O-Fish, which was the first non-hamburger sandwich on the McDonald’s menu.  It spread across many McDonald’s restaurants in 1963, and went nationwide in 1965.  Since then it’s been a mainstay for Lent observers around the world.

Day 29 – Thursday, April 3rd

The internet has brought us many great things – email, websites, and now social media.  It seems like everyone who can use a computer is one or more social media platforms – MySpace, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, LinkedIn, yada yada yada.  But do you know your degree of influence on social media?  If not, Klout can help you quantify this.

Klout assigns a score based on numbers of friends, followers, likes, and other forms of engagement across a multitude of social networks.  Klout also rates your level of influence across different topics and industries.

A user may receive free products or experiences called “Klout Perks” when they meet a set of pre-definied criteria.  I was the lucky recipient of a Klout Perk from McDonald’s today:

McDonald's new Bacon Clubhouse Burger

McDonald’s new Bacon Clubhouse Burger

Personally, I can’t wait to try their new Bacon Clubhouse Burger, but alas, it will have to wait until after Easter.  🙂  Thanks McDonald’s and thanks Klout!

Day 23 – Friday, March 28th

Continuing my “Fish Sandwich Fridays” kick, I decided to go back to the old standard – the one that started it all.  Before the Big Fish and the Premium Cod Fillet, McDonald’s Filet-O-Fish ruled the Lenten Friday fast food world.

The Filet-O-Fish reminds me of childhood, cheesy commercials, and overall, a happier, simpler time.  But some of our fondest childhood memories are not as good, or even outright disgusting when eaten in our adult lives.  For example, what kid doesn’t consider Chef Boyardee some of the best Italian food out there?  But now you’re an adult – if you think that bottle of Chianti is going to spruce up that Beefaroni enough to impress your date, you’re sadly mistaken my friend.

So as I waited in the McDonald’s drive-through to pick up my 2 Filets-O-Fish for $4, I thought, “Am I making some terrible mistake?”

McDonald's Filet-O-Fish

McDonald’s Filet-O-Fish

As I bit into the first sandwich, memories of childhood flooded my brain’s synapses.  The bun is warm impossibly soft as a pillow, the sauce is tangy and delightful, and the fish is light and fluffy.  Great stuff – I could eat two of this sandwiches without blinking an eye.  Oh – that’s why they probably have the “2 for $4” special!