From Blegen to Burger King: The Countless Faces of Washington Avenue

I live in the general vicinity of the Washington Avenue Burger King, so it isn’t completely out of the question for me to stop there quite frequently during the course of the week (though now, because of a lack of finances, I’ve been forced to limit myself). There is a certain sense of comfort in knowing that I can enter such a reputable establishment and satisfy my gullet, usually for the less than $5.00. The BK Value Menu is a sight to behold, filled with the most delectable menu items that rival even those of the McDonald’s Dollar Menu (I have since converted to BK Value Menu-naire status, so I no longer occupy a coveted space on that ever popular list of McDonald’s Dollar Menu-naires). French fries, burgers, salads, even chili (McDonald’s can’t say that) await me as I enter those clear “Push/Pull� doors. I generally opt for three Whopper Juniors and two Rodeo Cheeseburgers, though as of late I have crossed the occasional line to purchase three Rodeo Cheeseburgers and two Whopper Juniors. There comes a time when a change is in order, and I feel it necessary to replace barbeque sauce with mayonnaise.

There is, however, one resignation I have with frequenting Burger King, and that rests in the quality of customer service provided. The word whopper is the same in every language…I think. Spanish: whopper. English: whopper. Mandarin: whopper. Danish: probably whopper. Therefore, when I enter Burger King, and place my order, I expect the cashier to at least be familiar with the most popular menu item, but when I’m misunderstood, held up, or otherwise inconvenienced, it becomes a bit of a drag (Big Mac, anyone?). I would say that the ratio of Latino to White/African-American workers at the Washington Avenue Burger King is 10:1 (conservatively), the majority of whom cannot speak intelligible English. With that said, I feel as if I should be paying in pesos; maybe then my order would be better comprehended. But I’ll still go. And I’ll still get those delectable Whoppers. And I’ll probably even pay in dollars.