670 Yen Happiness

On Friday nights, I get the urge to eat out.

Having wine at a fancy restaurant or shochu at an izakaya would be nice.

Regardless of age, everyone wants to splurge a little because of that sense of liberation before the weekend.

Well, I'm a shut-in, so every day is a holiday for me... but even so, I still get the urge to let loose on a Friday night.

Today, I went to Mac. McDonald's. Since I live in Saitama Prefecture in the Kanto region, I've called it 'Mac' my whole life.

It might actually be the fast food I eat the most. Even if someone told me I could only eat Mac for the rest of my life, I wouldn't be bothered. That's how much I like it.

Today's order was a Teriyaki McBurger, fries, and a Coke. Truly the first-string players, the representatives of junk food.

The price was 670 yen.

I paid while thinking, 'Wait, was it always this expensive?' But well, in this day and age, price hikes are only natural. Besides, it's still cheaper than dinner in the city.

I would have liked to eat inside, but due to unavoidable circumstances, I couldn't sit down. So, I got it to go.

The restaurant was crowded. I caught a glimpse of the back and saw about 20 staff members, all of them looking busy at their respective stations.

The sound of fries finishing, that 'beep-beep-beep' everyone knows, was playing constantly.

Things seem tough lately. With drive-thrus, mobile orders, and Uber Eats, it seems the workload has increased as civilization has advanced and become more convenient.

I vaguely thought that if they have to raise wages, then price hikes are only natural.

Right behind me were a boy of about five and his mother. The mother in her suit was likely coming home from work. She had the look of someone who had done her best for the week. And the boy, maybe from nursery school or kindergarten, also looked proud to have made it through the week. He was singing 'Rassun Gorerai' in a small voice. He must be happy about the day off tomorrow. The two of them were talking with smiles about what to eat.

Usually, the mother would probably tell her son, 'Be quiet' or 'Hurry up.' But because they had the peace of mind that tomorrow was a day off, she watched over her son as he hesitated without rushing him.

That peace of mind is probably what led them to Mac.

It might be just a trivial thing. Even so, it can make this parent and child a little happy. It might not be a special job. Even so, it's a job that can make people smile. McDonald's is a wonderful job, isn't it?

The walk home is five minutes.

I walk alone, pitter-patter, down the pitch-black road. The car lights were sparkling, and that, too, looked like it was in high spirits. It was just like the magic of a Friday night.

I feel like I might even start humming.

When I got home and placed the McDonald's plastic bag on the table, the familiar scent of fries attacked my nose like a terrorist.

I'm starving. My mouth is practically watering. I don't even want to spare the time to wash my hands and gargle.

I don't have any particular rules about how to eat it, but obviously, you have to start with the fries, right?

The freshly fried potatoes are still piping hot. When I pop one into my mouth, it's that same old taste of salty, fried potato. It's a taste that hasn't changed since I was young, like a home-cooked meal.

So good.

It's purely reflexive. A taste I know from eating it over and over again. No matter how many times I eat it, it's delicious. It's a flavor you just can't recreate at home. It never turns out exactly the same. It's a mystery.

I might get scolded for saying this, but it's just fried potato. And yet, it's so delicious.

To the founders, Ray Kroc and the McDonald brothers: thank you for being born, and thank you for turning McDonald's into such a massive company.

As the potato flavor spreads in my mouth, I immediately wash it down with a Coke. The sweet, fizzy carbonation instantly wipes away the lingering salty taste of the fries.

Next, I toss a Teriyaki McBurger into my now-reset palate.
The combination of teriyaki sauce and mayonnaise is nothing short of a miracle.

The lettuce that appears as I munch away is exquisite. And this bun, why is it so delicious?

The Teriyaki Burger was a Japan original, wasn't it? I looked it up, and it seems it was created under the advice of chef Philippe René, the creator of the Chicken McNugget.

Chicken McNuggets are also super good. I always struggle with whether to choose barbecue sauce or mustard sauce. I order them at a ratio of about two barbecue to one mustard.
The seasonal flavors that come out occasionally aren't bad, but when it comes to nuggets, it's gotta be barbecue or mustard. That taste is already ingrained in me at a cellular level.

Genius chef Philippe René. Thank you for being born. Thank you for lending your talents to McDonald's. I have nothing but gratitude.

I'm happy to have been born in this era. I'm so glad they developed something this delicious. And for 670 yen, I can be this happy. McDonald's is the best.

My few minutes of mealtime ended in the blink of an eye. It's a little sad, but my stomach is full and I'm already sleepy.

Sleeping right after eating is fattening and not good for you. Even if I think that, it's Friday night. It's the day before a day off. A little bit is fine, right?

Now, I wonder what kind of fun things are waiting for me tomorrow. Maybe I'll even go buy some Morning Mac.

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