
I had an interesting night in Las Vegas recently. I was hanging out with someone at the Aria. We had drinks, we laughed, and for a minute I thought it might go further. It didn’t. We said goodnight, and I walked back to Planet Hollywood.
I was a little buzzed and starving. A burger sounded perfect—until I remembered what a hotel burger costs. As a matter of principle, I was not paying over $30 for one.
That’s when I spotted the McDonald’s.
I almost never eat fast food. It’s a guilty pleasure I try to save for road trips. In that moment, though, I instantly wanted a Big Mac. I walked in, waited in line, and ordered the meal.
Maybe it was the hunger. Maybe it was the alcohol. Either way, that Big Mac tasted really good. It hit the spot in a way that’s stuck with me.
When I got home I tried another one for lunch. It wasn’t quite the Vegas version, but I still appreciated it.
We all know a McDonald’s burger doesn’t compete with the fast-casual ones everywhere now. Still, it was a useful reminder: sometimes a Big Mac is exactly what you need.