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I love it when readers share articles and topics – all potentially good writing fodder for me. I’m always entertained but a recent story just downright pissed me off.
Maybe you heard about the heart attack at the Heart Attack Grill in Vegas (previously located in Chandler, AZ) – the EMTs wheeling the poor guy out, all caught on video? Or maybe you heard about their spokesman who died at 29?
If you haven’t heard of this place, it’s a mega-burger restaurant with an Emergency Room theme. The customers are “patients” and the waitresses are “nurses” (I’ll let you use your own imagination as to what THAT looks like). They are infamous for their 8,000 calorie burger (called a Quadruple Bypass in honor of its four patties). They are even more notorious (if that’s possible) for allowing customers over 350 lbs. to eat for free. Yep, you can “weigh in” and potentially chow down on the house. The Betty Boop nurses will roll a cow on a bun out to ya and giggle as you eat yourself into an early grave.
I swore I’d never give airtime to these yahoos again – all publicity is good for business, so they say, and I wasn’t about to give ‘em another minute. But I gotta speak or I’m gonna blow a vein.
My obvious ire is rooted in the unconscionable encouragement of obesity and the disgusting objectification of the female wait staff. The restaurant is maddening enough, but when I think how people continue to spend their money there – I just about lose it – the vein starts throbbing.
I believe in consumer choice. We are individuals, grownups – free to choose. It is THE delineator between childhood and adulthood – free choice. To this day, I treasure being able to go to bed when I want, ignore the dishwasher if I choose, and eat cereal for dinner. Yeah for being an adult! But I also know that I have to accept the consequences of my grown-up choices. I might be stupid tired the next day, gain weight, and have no clean dishes.
So, while I’m furious with the Heart Attack Grill’s owners, I’m even more disgusted by the patrons who continue to give them their money – the ultimate approval in our society. If you weigh over 350 lbs. and choose to go get your 8,000-calorie FREE burger, don’t start crying when the EMT dudes have to winch you out of your bedroom via a hole in your wall. If you don’t weigh over 350 and continue to patronize such establishments, don’t worry, you will – and will have paid for the privilege.
As for succumbing to my anger and giving airtime to this insane restaurant, I’m sure I’ll regret it a tad. Here’s hoping at least one of you out there skips this place, maybe goes for a walk instead. It would make it all worthwhile to me.
What do you think? Leave a comment!
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