Is It Maid-Rite?
In March, I had the opportunity to participate in some boots-on-the-ground professional development near Greenville, Ohio. The route back to the hotel went through downtown Greenville, where, each evening, a consistent line of cars backed up for several blocks at what appeared to be a hole-in-the-wall drive-through food establishment. If you grew up around Bismarck and have had a pizza burger (flying-style, of course), you’ll understand that my curiosity was piqued. On one of my last nights in town, I jumped in line with the rest of the city picking up supper (dinner?) on their way home from work (some evenings, 30 minutes in line trumps 30 minutes in the kitchen).
For those who know me, the next part of this may surprise you. For those who don’t, I am a gold (Real Colors), conscientious (DISC), deliberative and disciplined (Gallup) person. Side note: I’ve drawn the line at the Enneagram; I don’t have time. In lay terms, there are hardly any fun bones in my body. I don’t know how. It’s not my thing. If you’re going to surprise me, give me a heads up so I can be appropriately dressed and research what we will do. This evening, however, I felt a bit spontaneous. Everything about this professional development event was metered. Everything. So maybe I was over the precision and needed a little “fun.”
Back to jumping in line…the place was called Maid-Rite Sandwich Shoppe. I did not browse an online menu. I did not ask the hotel front desk staff for their thoughts. I just jumped in line, well before 8 p.m., because if you’re in line when they close at 8 p.m., too bad for you. There were just a few items on the menu, but sticking to my “fun” theme, I chose a Maid-Rite…with cheese! And a chocolate shake. I still didn’t know what it was. I assumed it was a hamburger…with cheese, since people waited in line for 20+ minutes each evening.
I received my food, drove to my hotel and opened my sandwich to find…a Sloppy Joe…with cheese. That’s right, all the apparent hype over a loose-meat sandwich on a cheap, flat white bun with processed American cheese. Hahaha! In case you’re wondering, the chocolate shake was delicious and comparable to one from Big Boy Restaurant in Bismarck. So, was the sandwich good? It was fine. Would I do it again? Probably not. If I lived there, would you find me in line every few months purchasing supper for my family in an attempt to feed everyone in a timely manner without dishes and cleanup? Likely. Feeding people every night is a labor…of love?! Variety, balance, and preparation all come into play and can sometimes become mundane. And yet, how grateful I am that I have people to feed and the freedom and choice to do it in the best way I see fit.
Now, how did we get on this 500+ word rabbit trail? I was preparing content for the NDSU Extension Livestock Facebook page, where I like to share some easy recipes a couple of times a year. I stumbled upon “Sloppy Joes Five Ways” from www.BeefItsWhatsforDinner.com, I smiled at the memory of my loose-meat sandwich experience, and here we are. If you’re struggling to come up with a supper option on this Labor Day, consider a Maid-Rite, Sloppy Joe, slush burger, BBQ, Manwich or whatever your version of a loose-meat sandwich is called.
For fun, read more about the Maid-Rite Sandwich Shoppe here: https://www.dailyadvocate.com/2017/02/11/greenville-home-of-the-maid-rite/.
NDSU Extension does not endorse commercial products or companies even though reference may be made to tradenames, trademarks or service names.
Mary Keena
Mary.Keena@ndsu.edu
Extension Livestock Environmental Management Specialist
