“From Beloved Beacon to Forgotten Relic: Unraveling the Astonishing Decline of Howard Johnson’s Empire”
You see, unlike Howard Johnson’s more varied fare and more traditional offerings people were used to eating at home, these newer chains and their simpler menus could make the food much cheaper and quicker, and even eventually offered drive through options if you didn’t want to get out of your car. As an example, around this time you could get a burger at McDonald’s for 15 cents (about $1.50 today), whereas a burger at Howard Johnson’s cost 35 cents (about $3.50 today). On top of that, stopping at Howard Johnson’s took a lot more time and with no drive thru option to boot, in all not nearly as convenient, nor as cheap.
On top of this, while such things as a steak and mashed potato dinner while on the road has its advantages, the offerings of fast food establishments tended to cater to the human desire for greasy deliciousness, as in the likes of mouth watering KFC, in all appealing to more people’s pallets and desire to get chonky. And, as we all know, matters weren’t helped by the Colonel apparently putting addictive chemicals in his 11 herbs and spices that make you crave it nightly…
That said, then, as now, there was a rising crowd looking for the more home style cooking when not at home, or even just a place to eat when you wanted to take the family out or meet with friends and socialize, instead of inviting them to your home where they’d be confronted with the chaotic state you live in, closely resembling a dystopian landfill, but with air fresheners… Or you could clean. But why do that when you could all just go to Howard Johnson’s?
