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11/15/2006 Entry: "Family Hamburger Polls"

A couple of quick polls. Leave me your thoughts, would you?

Wendys here in Rockland closed on Sunday. As far as fast food is concerned, we're left with a McDonalds and a Burger King. There is a KFC/Taco Bell not far away in the town of Rockport. So let's say Rockland has those three fast food joints. A new one is coming into town. What should it be?

We have two sisters who work here in the office. I noticed the other day that they frequently call family members by their first name. And in my family, I never call parents/aunts/uncles by first name. I wonder... Is this strictly a family to family trait? Is it a geography thing? If I ever called my mom by her first name, she'd kill me dead. When my boys say "Dwane" instead of "Uncle Dwane," we always correct them. So, how do you do it in your family?

Posted by Genova @ 11/15/2006 07:13 PM EST

Fast food....Hmmmmm.
Howard Johnsons, probably the best fried clams ever.

WE ALWAYS used aunt and uncle etc. My nieces and nephews however, do not, and I am the bad guy for enforcing the rules.
So take what you will out of it.

Posted by Gumbatz @ 11/15/2006 07:46 PM EST

I am like Bill with the names. I sometimes call my mom Florence just to get her going. She gives me a dirty look everytime. She knows I am just teasing her. I called her Ma for years because she hated that but lately I have started going to Maw. Pretty much ever since watching the Ma and Pa kettle movies. My father is Paw. Gives it a Walton's feel. No first names ever. Always use every family identifier with people who are my elders. Cousins no.

I think fast food means you walk in and they give you the food fast and you pay and go or that it is pretty much instant. A getting it in your car element such as a drive through is also a part of that without calling ahead. So my pick is definately Arby's. Of fast food joints they have about the best stuff in my personal opinion. Plus they have a great variety that is different from other places. They aren't just another burger joint. They are trying to be something a little higher. They also have great fries and a huge menu. The marketfresh sandwiches are also great. They even have great appetizers. I mean mozzerella sticks! Arby's would add another element of variety to the local fast food scene. Much more so than Wendy's did. I even wrote them a note on Monday www.arbysmaine.com and asked them to consider Rockland for a store. I know they have been talking about coming here forever!

I recall back in the days of the audio road trip Bill and I would stop at Arby's in Freeport when it was open and load up with food for the ride home. We would sometimes spend over $20 just for the two of us. We loved going there and we both agreed it was a little more money but well worth it because the quality was so much better. They will become my main place if they come here. I am jonezin for a jamoca shake!

Posted by Jim @ 11/15/2006 09:56 PM EST

Oh, Jamocha! Man, those ARE good. Susan isn't a huge fan of Arbys, but she does love that Jamocha shake! Remember the potato wedges/triangle/patty things? I think those are gone now, but I loved those too. And you're right, their menu is huge. And they usually run some special sandwich of some kind.

That's what I liked about Wendys--they would occasionaly have some new sandwich they'd have for a limited time. It would give me a different choice. Mickie D's hasn't done that in forever it seems. I remember when we worked there in high school, and we'd always have some new sadnwich. Remeber bacon doubles, the McRib, and my personal favorite, the Cheddar Melt. In all honesty, the McD's Cheddar Melt is probably my all time favorite fast food sandwich.

Now, not to stir the pot, but I heard a recent law enforcement officer mention a Quiznos. Apparently, they've been considering here for sometime. I could handle a Quiznos, I think.

Posted by Billy Rhythm @ 11/16/2006 07:54 AM EST

I was sad when hearing that Wendy’s was closing. Although, I find it difficult to accept the reasons given for the closure. I mean can they honestly say they do less business than our local Burger King? Have you been in Burger King lately? It’s pretty strange there. Right from the counter staff to some of the more “regular” customers. Small children and animals would run for their lives if they wandered into BK at the right moment. But I digress. I’m thinking Arby’s would be a replacement option for Wendy’s. Albeit a bit more expensive than McDonald’s (and don’t get me started on them!). I once talked with the owner of the Arby’s franchise in the Maine Mall. She said they had long wanted to put an Arby’s here but she was concerned about finding a quality workforce. Guess she wandered into BK once too. Anyway, I’m looking forward to whatever fast-food chain decides to make its way to Rockland.

About the name issue. Currently I do often call my mother by her first name. I haven’t always done that. It has more to do with emotionally distancing myself from suffocation. I never called my father by his first name. But I think he would have been ok about it if I had. I used to call them Dad and Ma. My nieces and nephews don’t call me Aunt/Auntie. They simply call me by my first name. Which is fine. It’s funny though, when I send them a card or something I always sign it using Auntie. Don’t know what’s up with that for me?
Very interesting questions!

Posted by gef @ 11/16/2006 10:06 AM EST

I would never dream of calling any of my remianing Aunts anything by Aunt So and So. That was ingrained in me from the beginning. I don't call my mother by her first name and my kids don't call me by mine. As for nieces and nephews, in-laws, and grand nieces and nephews, they all call me Aunt Ginny. It pleases me. It's a term of respect and manners. A few people who aren't related to me or who are cousins of some sort, also say Aunt Ginny.

As for fast food, how about a Sal's Pizza?

Posted by Aunt Ginny @ 11/16/2006 01:19 PM EST

Another option I never thought of would be a Sam's Italian Sandwich Shop. Based right in Maine they are a real possibility and they just opened in Augusta again. They have great food. However I would vote for Arby's first because at this point I want more variety and Sam's is basically another Amatos with great pizza. I can think of about 6 places to get a decent pizza here. Not amazing but decent.

Posted by Jim @ 11/16/2006 07:15 PM EST

For me personally, the Sam's Pizza/Sandwich place is bad. Really bad. I was there recently - bad food and bad service. I don't think Rockland needs another place specializing in those two traits.

Posted by gef @ 11/17/2006 08:58 AM EST

We have eaten at Sam's only once, and we were't too impressed. However, we do LOVE to eat pizza at Papa John's. Their pizza is awesome, and so are their chicken strips.

Posted by Lisa @ 11/17/2006 09:19 AM EST

An Arby's would be a nice fast food option in Rockland. But do we really need another sandwich shop? If we could egt a place that served REAL NY style pizza I would definitely go there. (Have you seen the Domino's commercials for Brooklyn style pizza? Those are the worst NY accents I've ever heard! And most cabbies in NY don't even speak English!) But I digress....

I have never called my parents by their first names. I called most of my aunts and uncles by theri first names, except for Aunt Peggy and Uncle Jack. Not sure why though...

Posted by Jane @ 11/17/2006 10:12 AM EST