It has been years since we picked up an occasional meal at Hardee's. Probably the last time was when The Pony was living at the Mansion after college. Maybe an odd taco salad here and there, but we pretty much don't eat at Hardee's any more. Farmer H used to know a guy who ran it, and would complain to him when we got bad service or substandard food. But it has been many years since that guy left his job.
Anyhoo... on Saturday night, I did not want to cook supper. I was late leaving for town, and I asked Farmer H if he wanted me to pick something up. Since the Country Mart deli has forsaken me, there are not many options. I don't pick up pizza from Casey's. Farmer H doesn't like it from Domino's. We both eat at Dairy Queen every now and then, but more of a snack or lunch, not dinner. So Hardee's was the only choice left.
"I could get us a 10-piece chicken tenders. Or maybe you want a taco salad?"
"The chicken will be fine."
"Do you want anything with it? I might get some fries. It's been a long time since I had fast food fries. I used to get Burger King every Thursday, but since my Unfortunate Hospitvalzation, I haven't had it. Don't know why. Just got out of the habit, like drinking my Diet Coke."
"Nah. I don't want any fries."
So off I went to town. I went to the drive-thru, and ordered the 10-piece chicken tenders, and a large fries. I was shocked to hear the total of $18.68! That's highway robbery! It's FAST FOOD! Not a gourmet meal at a five-star Michelin restaurant!
The chicken itself was fine. It's not like they are large pieces. The biggest was four inches long. Most were smaller. To give you an idea, I had plenty of sauce with my three packets of honey mustard. It's the little square packets where you peel off the top. Mrs. HM is a saucy gal, and uses maximum quantities of condiments. So for that to be enough should give you an idea of the chicken portions. Not saying they skimped. It was just right for two people, the two people being Farmer H and HM. The price is the issue.
Oh, and let's talk about my fries! Which smelled burnt the whole ride home. They didn't look too bad. But their version of LARGE is different from McDonald's version. In fact, the cardboard holder wasn't even all the way unfolded! It was kind of flat, with some fries squeezed in. About half as many as in a McDonald's large. And they cost $3.00!
As I told Farmer H, had I known that would be the price, I would have just made myself some at home. From the 5-lb bag of frozen fries I complained about costing $9.00 at Country Mart. Heh, heh! I looked up Hardee's portions, and supposedly their large fries are 6 ounces. I'm pretty sure I didn't have that much in my flattened cardboard holder. But comparatively priced, that 5-lb bag of frozen fries would have been $40.00!
Anyhoo... we ate our Hardee's chicken. It was good. But we won't be getting it again. Those 10 pieces cost 13.99. We could have had a Casey's pizza for that!
I think I know why the Hardee's parking lot is usually empty, while Dairy Queen has a long line.
I got very ill on a hamburger from Hardees years and years ago. They put in a Hardees a few blocks from where we lived. Never saw the inside. I was so sick, I didn't even want to think about eating anything from there ever again. I know some people are fine with it but I just can't do it. DQ, however, is an entirely different ballgame. Ranee (MN)
ReplyDeleteRae,
ReplyDeleteFunny thing, (funny PECULIAR, not funny HAHA), around here it was DQ that caused a sickness! Several years ago a 3-year-old girl was hospitalized with E. coli, and it was traced to a DQ hamburger! She recovered. We didn't eat there much at the time, even before hearing that news. Now we will. Farmer H mostly has their chicken tenders, but I'm not averse to eating a cheeseburger off the 2-for-$5 menu.
Your math is off. 10 pieces of chicken for $13.99 and the fries at $3 does not add up to $18.68.
ReplyDeleteI can understand not wanting to cook, I feel like that a lot lately and end up having toast for dinner,
River,
ReplyDeleteI do not live in a lofty UTOPIA where goods are sold at mere face price. The piper must be paid in the form of TAXES, which are different in each municipality, ranging from 8 to 11 percent, and usually includes a decimal. Hillmomba, Sis-Town, and Bill-Paying Town all have different tax rates which I do not have memorized. One of the few things that is NOT off about me is my math!
Farmer H is going on his 3rd day of spaghetti. One of the few meals he likes better as a leftover, since the noodles soak up the sauce.
I forgot about your taxes, because here the taxes are built in to the price so we don't have to pay over the stated amount.
ReplyDeleteRiver,
ReplyDeleteThat would be more convenient. The first thing you have to teach kids when they gather up their allowance to go buy something for the first time, is to allow enough for tax. You can't take $5 and buy an item that costs $4.99 (they love to price things that way) because you won't have enough to pay for the tax.
The Hardee's closed down here, but I was never a big fan. Arby's is a lot higher than that! We stopped there (only place open on a Sunday) one time and we eack got a sandwich, nothing special, no super sizing since we have found that we can't eat as much as used to and it was $27.80. I almost couldn't eat it!!
ReplyDeleteKathy,
ReplyDeleteI love Arby's chicken salad sandwich with the grapes in it. I used to take my mom over to Bill-Paying Town to the Arby's. Never go there any more.
That price is outrageous! We have found that our best bargain is a Chinese place here called Wok 'N' Roll. They have the best crab rangoons of all time.