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I’m assuming somewhere in between
September of 99 to December of 2002 there was a monstrous revolt in the
sanctuaries realms of Manhattan Wendy’s. The value meal is basically null
and void. It’s there as a tease, the one on 14th street by Union Square.
Ha. I don’t care if it’s yellow font and on the left board or not.
Foods ranging from 1.39-1.89 should not be in yellow font NOR on the left
board! I think only the mini frosty and potato with sour cream, managed
to fight off the greedy hoards of inflation and remain in the 99 cent
realm. Although there was fountain Dr. Pepper to be found there.
 In
‘99 when I was interning I frequented the Wendy’s on 7th avenue in front
of Madison Square Garden, it
was in the middle of run making from 1515 on 44th and Pop-Up on 28th. It
was a true 99 cent meal back then, which also meant that it was the
cheapest non-slice meal available in mid-town and maybe even the island.
So, it was extremely popular throughout.
I.
talking depression-era soup kitchen type line. And it was that closest
thing to the soup Nazi I would ever experience. During the lunch hour the
line would sometime lead out of the restaurant. Upon entering the
establishment, was a woman with pen and pad in hand screaming out.
“What’s your order?!”
Keep in mind this is right at the
door entrance and can’t even really see the entire counter let alone the
menu. You were supposed to know exactly what you were to have, right then
and there.
“What’s your order....please?” she
would repeat again if there were no answer within .7 seconds of her first
question. With her head now tilted to the side impatiently as the tip of
her number two hovers 2 millimeters above the pad. She has no tolerance.
There was to be no impulse consumption at the MSG Wendy’s. If no answer,
she snap the,
“There’s other people behind you
ready with they’re order.”
You give the order and she scribbles
in the Wendy’s shorthand that she learned at finishing school and hands it
to you and moves on to the person behind you and repeats the procedure to
the poor soul. You then proceeded to get into the wooden cattle call
that Wendy’s is famous for. Except this is larger than the normal ones
with only an “S” shape with two 180 degree turns involved. This was epic,
like space mountain epic, with 14 turns and then you get finally get to
the 12 turn and peak over the side of the paper Mache meteor with the back
light shining on it and you see there’s a whole another spell of people
you didn’t account for.
Although I do have to admit that the
whole process was as efficient as “The Bachelor” casting clinically insane
people. You constantly took a uniform step every 8 seconds with everyone
else like the students in “dark side of the moon”. Robotically and with
precision. Upon approaching the cashier, you get out your money, ready to
pay. She snatches the ticket from you in Gollum-like fashion and spouts
out the amount to be paid, as she has her hand, palm up ready for the cash
transaction. If you were unfortunate enough that you did not have your
cash ready from ticket reception and cash transaction, she let you know
how stupid you were when dining at the MSG Wendy’s.
You don’t have your cash ready. And
you waited 10 minutes in line? You know your holding up these other
people in line? They’re hungry too!” Being publicly shamed at Wendy’s is
not a good midpoint to your work day. But if you were efficient, had your
order ready, had cash ready, and grabbed your change from the slot machine
change dispenser you were fine. You took the change, step to the left,
and waited, for your value meal with biggie drink (of course, only 5
squares of ice) and went on your way.
Unfortunately, that Wendy’s is no
more. they built a new one on the north face of MSG, with the faux value
meal in hand, and no cashier women, with hers impatiently held out.
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