Fast Food

In a recent post, I described a trip to a local fast food restaurant that I didn’t identify, but which I called Burger Tycoon. In this post, I’m going to describe a trip to another anonymous fast food franchise. I’ll call it Mindy’s.

At the suggestion of a friend, I tried Mindy’s fish fillet sandwich. Not surprisingly, it didn't look a lot like the picture on their website. The breading on the fillet was dark brown as if the fillet had been in the fryer too long. (I admit the possibility that it’s supposed to look like it’s been in the fryer too long.) The fillet also appeared thinner than the similar Mickey D's fillet but, as I haven’t applied calipers to either fillet nor examined them side-by-side, that’s only an opinion.

The Mindy’s fillet tasted much like a Mickey D fillet. (Mindy's fish is cod. Mickey D's fish is pollock. The two fish are similar in flavor and texture and most people can’t tell the difference.) Mindy’s fish was topped with tartar sauce, lettuce, and pickles. The lettuce and pickles were a nice touch. Mickey D tops their fish with cheese and tartar sauce (though perhaps they’ll throw in pickles and lettuce if you bribe the cashier).

Speaking of cheese, it seems many Americans think a fast-food entrée can be improved by adding a slice of American cheese, whereas I'm of the opposite opinion: cheese should be reserved for patty melts, Reubens, and grilled cheese sandwiches. And pizza. Nothing should have American cheese on it. Is it even real cheese? Or is it some kind of “cheese-like product”?

My french fries had no salt or other seasoning on them. Lots of fast food places have trouble with french fries. You never know what you’ll get. They might be hot; they might be just warm. They might be salted; they might be unsalted. And the local Mindy's is slow, considering their product is called fast food. Standing in line to order, the man ahead of me turned his head my way and muttered, "Must be shift change." I replied, "No, this place is always this slow." There was only one customer ahead of him, but it seemed like it took her ten minutes to place an order. The man eventually got to the register and placed his order. Then I stepped forward and placed my order. I moved down the counter to wait for my food and forgot about the man who had spoken to me. After a while I turned and saw him standing behind me. I couldn’t help asking the obvious: "Are you still waiting for your order?" He answered, "Yep."

My opinion of Mindy’s food is this: like all fast food, it is what it is. One day it’s pretty good. Another day it’s not as good. Fast food is for when you want to put something in your stomach and be on your way. If it’s delicious, that’s a bonus. It will satisfy your stomach and – if you’re not picky and the cook is having a good day – it may satisfy your taste buds, too.

Factoid: The word filet is usually applied to meats, whereas fillet is usually applied to fish, but it is correct usage to apply either word to meats OR fish.