Fast Food: Bites of Nostalgia

The Jollibee Tuna Pie... my favorite thing + yum burger w/ reg coke w/o ice

    Last time, I discussed about my love for Japanese Food, why I miss it so much, and my memories with either family or friends surrounding good Japanese food. The reason why it always felt so special to me is because it is a bit of a luxury item; something to be indulged in and enjoyed in commemoration for something special with the people you love most. I really love food, and how special it is as a part of my life growing up. However, it is not only expensive sushi and ramen with other people that let me experience grand memories; sometimes, even the cheapest of fast foods can allow you to appreciate everything in a level deeper than any gourmet dish.

     Fast food has always been a big part of my life when I was younger. I remember my parents telling me stories on how much I really love eating fried chicken from Jollibee when I was a toddler and did not settle for anything else besides that and Jollibee's signature gravy. To be fair, it was really good fried chicken, arguably superior to McDonalds and KFC in my opinion back in the day. I lived fairly near to a few fast food restaurants when I lived in Quezon City; the nearest Jollibee was just a 15 minute walk away from my house, and there was a hamburger stand called "Angels Burger" that stood right across the street from where I lived in front of the David's Salon there.

Popburri branch @ 67 K-6th, QC. circa March 2020.

Photo from: Rappler

    I am not only referring to the big restaurant chains when I mention fast food, but also the local eateries, restaurants and cafeterias run by some of the residents in my barangay. Walking around the streets of the neighborhood, there would always be someone in the streets outside of their homes either selling various street foods to passersby. It's a pretty busy place as it was nearby major roadways other places. I remembered there being a small restaurant called "Popburri" that sold REALLY good ice cream and popsicles; I got to chat with the owner and she was very cool. I told her that I would be coming back at the end of the school year, and may be bringing some friends along when they visit. She was chill with it, but the pandemic started and that never pushed through. During the early stages of the pandemic, they were on the news on their service to the community by helping those affected by pandemic. Checking their FaceBook Page now makes me real glad that they are still standing and still helping those in need. I will be back soon, and I will get more ice cream.

    

     There was always something about fast food that gives off an atmosphere of comfort and ease when eating inside. Whether that be from the psychological marketing warfare places like McDonalds and Jollibee wage on consumers; or the fact that the grease guzzling unhealthiness of a majority of fast food is oddly satisfying to many people, I have no idea. But there is always something about eating cheap-ish fried chicken sandwiches with a lot of fries and a large soft drink with people, or even by myself, and I am not questioning it.

     The fun thing about eating at fast food places is the amount of fun stuff you can do with whatever you ordered. We all know the classic move of stuffing a bunch of French fries into your burger, but I, an intellectual, did more than just the basic food hacks. In Jollibee, I made poutine by pouring gravy over the fries, and eating it with the fried chicken; in McDonalds, I stuffed McNuggets into the burger (BIG BRAIINNN); and whenever I get take out and they give me a pack of rice (as most fast food chains in the Philippines do) I ate the rice like it was a burger in protest against the plastic spoon and fork. Ah I miss those days, when you are basically free to do whatever with fast food and enjoy chilling. Though I mostly went to those places for desserts, like ice cream and coke floats. 

    Through the years, fast food joints come and go. The Caltex Gasoline Station across the street suddenly became a new Burger King (which I loved for the thicc cut fries); a new McDonalds branch opened up around 5 or so minutes away from the Jollibee branch I mentioned earlier; and apparently a Popeyes opened up in the mall I used to go to, but I never really got the chance to try it.... because I moved and there was a ton of people in there... most likely I wont be able to afford the basic chicken sandwich there. Even the Angels Burger stand, my favorite burger place, closed down and was replaced by a rotisserie chicken stand I can't remember the name of. Regardless of whatever changes there may be, I find some solace in the fact that I will be able to find the nostalgic food I loved and cherished wherever I go, because those chains are always competing to expand more and more around the world. 

       Like, fast food places are just one of those things that just fly by behind the other experiences you have in your life, but will hold some special place that you won't notice until later on in life. There would always be conversations about which fries from which place tasted the best; rants about how chicken in McDonalds and KFC always seemed more expensive than compared to Jollibee, and deep reviews on how each of them cook their fried chicken; and that weird thought of how McDonalds fries cut to Burger King's thicc cut size, combined with Jollibee fried chicken and gravy would somehow make an entirely new restaurant that would be just absolute perfection. Albeit, for a seemingly suspicious price.

         Fast Food always holds some special place, whether it be a source of comfort when you are down; the place where you got your first job; or your go to place for when you feel too lazy to cook anything at home. The pandemic very much certainly shifted the food industry to a new direction, with many places quickly adopting new technologies such as food delivery apps and sanitation procedures in order to stay afloat. The times now have also shifted the preferences of the consumers who have opted to more healthy and homemade alternatives over fast food chains. 

         Regardless of where the industry shifts, I personally am just hoping that I would be able to simply sit down in a Jollibee and enjoy my 1pc chicken joy w/ sprite one day, and look back at all the food-related memories throughout my life.

-YugiBearz