Another evening at the palace of the King of Burgers

You spend five, ten bucks, on sustaining food that'll fill you for hours. No one's claiming it's healthy food or good food but it nourishes and it gives energy. And it tastes fine. By fine I mean goddamn great for the price. Is everything in the menu world-class? Obviously not. You will however find an item or two here and there to your liking. Order something even if it's not your favourite. Enjoy as you eat it, hear the sounds absorb the community. This is a community center.

This is not a Starbucks, no sir. And you know that because there's no self-involved douchebags banging at their keyboards, corporate suits and techie hoodies rushing their sandwiches. You will not find anything with the word organic or handmade here. And that's because no one is trying to trick you into a lifestyle. This is a transaction: you pay they give. No games. Coming here doesn't say anything about your tribe or group. You aren't paying money for the honor of spending time with douchebags like yourself. It's simple and clear, there's no chance of miscommunication. You pay us and we'll let you eat sit and stay. Often even without paying or eating. That's it.

Cops, firefighters, large families, students, immigrants, it is their refuge. No one's talking of staying over at daddy's pad at the Cape. There aren't many lululemons, Canada geese are even rare. Good solid sensibilities. My kind of people.

There's no problem with paying for quality. Better places have more quality and they charge more. But do you get the peace of mind? Can you stay for hours without the fear of the richies judging you? How much are people being themselves and how much are they posing, to prove to everyone that they do indeed belong there? The price you pay is for the quality sure, but it's mostly for the honor to pose. The transaction is not clear. They're selling you a lifestyle when you wanted sustenance and space.

Burger king is no Mecca of egalitarianism, it's not the height of culinary taste, it's not even the best fast food outlet. It provides space though, a place for community to coalesce around, and it sells food. And that's what it will tell you to your face. Burger king may not sell the best food there is, but it does not sell bullshit either and in the age of 'lifestyle brands' it's exceedingly rare.