Sort of like the Medellin drug cartel taking a stand on border patrol.
I just landed in my home state of California and was reminded of the fast-food preaching when we did our ritual stop at a California cult classic, In-N-Out Burger. It’s the one served at Oscar parties. And I’m sorry, it beats Five Guys et al. Hands down.
For decades, In-N-Out has printed small, discreet references to Bible verses on its paperware.
The seam of a cheeseburger wrapper simply says “Revelation 3:20,” which basically tells you that God will come share that burger with you if you open the door. Different passage citations come on the fries, the double-double, a milkshake. The underside of a large soda will get you John 3:16. Yup, same one Denver Bronco Tim Tebow put on his eye black.
I like these Bible verses, and some of them do have deep meaning in the way I choose to live my life. But why can’t I just enjoy the burger without the Scripture?
And no, Chick-fil-A, please don’t take a cue and start printing Leviticus 18:22 on your wrappers.
We don’t always hear about politics from shoe magnates or cabinet companies or even the one fast-food place that seems to be kind of good for you, Subway.
No, it seems that there’s something about the artery-clogging food barons that gives them some sort of calling to publicly weigh in on controversial, political topics.
It’s been going on for decades.
In the 1990s, Domino’s owner Tom Monaghan went all in-your-face about his opposition to abortion.
Oh, the debates in college dorms those days. Moral conviction usually gave way when the munchies took over and that call for a large pepperoni was made anyway.
Doesn’t matter anymore. Monaghan sold the Domino’s franchise to Bain Capital in 1998. (Shall I make a political comment here? Nah . . .)
A similar scenario played around that time with Carl Karcher, founder of Carl’s Jr.
University of California at Irvine protested the chain’s plan to put a restaurant on campus.
Carl Karcher “has a strong reputation in Orange County for his opposition to minorities, women, gays and lesbians,” Robert F. Gentry, associate dean of students and staff adviser to the Gay and Lesbian Student Union, told the Los Angeles Times in 1988.
Ultimately, the protesters didn’t stop the chain from challenging California beach bods with its 1,030-calorie, Western Bacon Six Dollar Burger.
It’s almost as though these guys think that the more damage their products do to your body, the more right they have to tell you what you can do with it.
Since then, Karcher died, the abortion rhetoric faded and now the chain gets in trouble only for racy ads with Paris Hilton. (Wow, remember her?)
Of course, this is America. And all business owners have a right to express their views however they see fit. But sometimes a right simply turns into righteous.
And that doesn’t taste too good.
Follow me on Twitter @petulad.
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