Reminds me of a scene in Modern Times where Charlie Chaplin was trying to get himself arrested; he ordered and ate a huge meal in a restaurant, then asked a cop to come in and pay for it because he was broke. A really funny scene.
There is an O. Henry story about a bum who decided that his best bet for the winter was to get himself arrested so he could spend the cold months in jail. So he went inside a restaurant and ordered a huge meal - then announced that he had no money to pay the tab. A gentleman at the next table overheard the conversation and offered to pay for his meal - thereby frustrating the bum’s plan to spend the winter in jail. His plans in a shamble, the bum went out and lucked in to a job. Every year after that, the bum and the other diner met at the same restaurant for dinner on the same day, and the other diner ALWAYS insisted on paying for the meal. Over the years, their fortunes became reversed. The bum began to prosper, whereas the other diner ended up losing everything. The former bum learned about his friend’s reversal of fortune, but, whenever they met, the former gentleman continued to insist upon paying for the meal. And, rather than embarrassing his friend by refusing the meal, the former bum allowed the former gentleman to pay for his meal. However, the former bum arranged for a business associate to bump into the former gentleman by “accident” - and offer him a job. Eventually, the former gentleman began to prosper, as a result of the jobs which the former bum always arranged for him to “luck” into.
Even as recent as the 60s, you could buy a baker’s dozen (13) of McDonald’s Hamburgers for $1.00 In those days, the average McDonald’s hamburger was ten CENTS! The Baker’s Dozen order included FOUR orders of fries and FOUR fountain drinks. So two couples could double-date and stop off at McDonald’s after the movie, order a Baker’s Dozen of hamburgers and have enough for everyone to have a pretty substantial snack!
At the same time, for $1.25, you could get a T-Bone Steak dinner at Ponderosa Steak House. The $1.25 dinner included a T-Bone Steak, lettuce-and-tomato salad, coleslaw, Texas toast (with REAL butter and a jam of your choice), coffee, tea, milk or a fountain drink - and either a baked potato, hash browns or Cottage Fries.
And just wait until a few trillions of dollars of unbacked government spending spews forth into the economy.
Some signs to look for: another attempt to foist dollar coins onto the American public, another attempt to stop minting pennies, and the appearance of $100 dollar bills in daily commerce. (I’ve heard that ATMs are already starting to dispense fifties.)
tompkins07 over 14 years ago
the old dollar menu!
Colt9033 over 14 years ago
Sucker….
Yukoneric over 14 years ago
Your last meal, Jeff?
Dkram over 14 years ago
This sure dates this comic, all that for a dollar!
I wish.
Can’t even get a Big Mac for a dollar.
\\//_
davidf42 over 14 years ago
A Big Mac? Heck, we can’t even get a cup of coffee for a buck any more/
rotts over 14 years ago
All the fast food restaurants have “dollar menu” items now.
jppjr over 14 years ago
Just think how much a dollar was worth back then….
Dberrymanal1 over 14 years ago
Those were the days! Where did our country go wrong?
runar over 14 years ago
In terms of buying power, times were best from 1958 to about 1967.
Sherlock Watson over 14 years ago
Reminds me of a scene in Modern Times where Charlie Chaplin was trying to get himself arrested; he ordered and ate a huge meal in a restaurant, then asked a cop to come in and pay for it because he was broke. A really funny scene.
DebJ4 over 14 years ago
There is an O. Henry story about a bum who decided that his best bet for the winter was to get himself arrested so he could spend the cold months in jail. So he went inside a restaurant and ordered a huge meal - then announced that he had no money to pay the tab. A gentleman at the next table overheard the conversation and offered to pay for his meal - thereby frustrating the bum’s plan to spend the winter in jail. His plans in a shamble, the bum went out and lucked in to a job. Every year after that, the bum and the other diner met at the same restaurant for dinner on the same day, and the other diner ALWAYS insisted on paying for the meal. Over the years, their fortunes became reversed. The bum began to prosper, whereas the other diner ended up losing everything. The former bum learned about his friend’s reversal of fortune, but, whenever they met, the former gentleman continued to insist upon paying for the meal. And, rather than embarrassing his friend by refusing the meal, the former bum allowed the former gentleman to pay for his meal. However, the former bum arranged for a business associate to bump into the former gentleman by “accident” - and offer him a job. Eventually, the former gentleman began to prosper, as a result of the jobs which the former bum always arranged for him to “luck” into.
Even as recent as the 60s, you could buy a baker’s dozen (13) of McDonald’s Hamburgers for $1.00 In those days, the average McDonald’s hamburger was ten CENTS! The Baker’s Dozen order included FOUR orders of fries and FOUR fountain drinks. So two couples could double-date and stop off at McDonald’s after the movie, order a Baker’s Dozen of hamburgers and have enough for everyone to have a pretty substantial snack!
At the same time, for $1.25, you could get a T-Bone Steak dinner at Ponderosa Steak House. The $1.25 dinner included a T-Bone Steak, lettuce-and-tomato salad, coleslaw, Texas toast (with REAL butter and a jam of your choice), coffee, tea, milk or a fountain drink - and either a baked potato, hash browns or Cottage Fries.
We were in heaven - and didn’t know it!
pschearer Premium Member over 14 years ago
The dollar is the new dime.
And just wait until a few trillions of dollars of unbacked government spending spews forth into the economy.
Some signs to look for: another attempt to foist dollar coins onto the American public, another attempt to stop minting pennies, and the appearance of $100 dollar bills in daily commerce. (I’ve heard that ATMs are already starting to dispense fifties.)