A LONG OVERDUE OBITUARY AND ODE TO THE DOLLAR MENU AND ITS AFFICIANADOS
MPL – It’s a sad day, but one we all knew was coming, or perhaps had come and simply refused to accept. The Dollar Menu at our favorite fast-food establishments is dead. Gone too soon, no doubt. Although the exact date of its death has not been officially recorded, authorities listed the cause as inflation and poor corporate governance, and of course long Covid. Anyone with a birth date starting with 19 surely remembers the Dollar Menu. A list of delicious items at your favorite establishment that cost only a dollar. Yes, one single dollar. What a time to be alive. This was no ordinary list, things like cheeseburgers and chicken sandwiches were included, chicken nuggets and Chilli too. Some featured salads, tacos, and wraps, others sweet treats, and French fries or a large drink often rounded out the board. We all had our favorites, and there was no wrong answer. Those of us who learned the ways of the Dollar Menu were considered Dollarmenunaire’s, a term which grew from ad slogan into cultural phenomenon. Young, old, it didn’t matter who you were, where you were from, or what you looked like, you could always count on the Dollar Menu. Rain or shine, birthdays, holidays, the Dollar Menu was there to make sure every belly was full. For a mere $2-3, one could enjoy a feast of flavors and fares. Many a young family, like my own, survived on Dollar Menu fare through turbulent economic times. Now, the nation collectively mourns its demise. The Dollar Menu will never be forgotten by those who got to experience its wonders. The Dollar Menu will live on in our hearts and minds, especially as we get gouged at the register at all of our current, favorite restaurants. Rest easy, sweet prince. We’ll see each other again someday. The Dollar Menu is survived by the Regular Menu, son Value Menu, as well as, cousins Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner respectively.
