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McDonalds: back to the USSR
 The busiest McDonald's restaurant in the world is not in America but thousands of miles away in Pushkin Square. The store serves 30,000 customers a day, as busy as on opening day, January 31, 1990.
I was there that day. It was among the most memorable experiences of my life and twenty five rubles, an eighth of an average monthly salary, well spent.
Today I frown upon McDonalds. It used to be pretty decent in Geneva, but America keeps setting lowest standards. Oh so I thought before and particular after watching "Supersize Me". With these preconceived notions I proudly walked into a McDonalds on the Delancey street to honor my lost bet of getting three hundred souls on FoodCandy before Dan and Laura’s excellent Biznik, a business community that doesn’t suck. I had dinner and I am glad I did!
First, I was pleasantly surprised by an especially noticeable sign outside – a big yellow "M" on a bright red background. Who hasn’t wondered around the Manhattan grid looking for a particular place? It was busy inside – the staff was buzzing flipping juicy burgers in a clean kitchen while a handful of customers awaited to pickup their orders. The décor was simple and well thought. The menu was clear and the big font easy to read. The choices were rich, including a variety of options for nuggets: four, six and ten.
The McDonalds had elements of a tapas place, as most dishes were small and yummy. I decided to order a starter and keep a menu for the entree. The appetizers included a Caesar salad with pieces of real chicken, two cheeseburgers, a McChicken and ten chicken nuggets with barbecue sauce (21$). The fountain coke and the order of French fries were supersized upon request. I very much appreciated the knowledgeable and polite waitress who recommended this choice.
The plat de resistance was the new spicy premium chicken sandwich (4$). It was also cooked fresh, because it took an unusual seven and a half minutes for it to be served. It was crisp and chewy at the same time. I have to mention that I cannot take credit for this remarkable choice as it has been recommended to me by Dan himself.
The classic desert of warm apple pie and a M&Ms McFlurry was complemented with a delicious hot chocolate (5$). The first apple pie was so filling and rich that we wanted to offer the other one to someone sitting in the same dining room. The homeless person next to us did need it and refused to eat it, but a nice gentleman who looked like a regular gladly accepted our kind offer and the pie vanished in a blink of an eye to his delight. He also said that he doesn’t need the pie since he spent fifteen hundred dollars right that morning. The McFlurry was richly garnished with colorful M&Ms, everyone’s favorites. The ice cream was vanilla and melted perfectly. The hot chocolate was brewed fresh. The advertising mentions the excellent coffee, also brewed fresh, which I am going to try next time.
Overall this was a wonderful experience. At a total price below thirty dollars for two, McDonalds stands high among the local lower eastside favorites, well in line with 1492 Food, WD50, Schillers and Clinton Street Baking Company.
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