Butch Visits Golden Arches in 1966

  A few years ago, I wrote a column about how the cost of living, even adjusted for inflation, was much cheaper in 1966 when my wife and I got married, compared to today. During those earlier years, our weekly grocery bill was never more than $30 to $35. Today our average weekly grocery bill is anywhere from $200 to $250. Many of the items we buy are things other than food . . . detergent, paper goods, toiletries, vitamins, etc. . . . and of course dog food and treats for our three lovable mutts. We usually buy our groceries in Frankfort, and according to routine, we stop at a fast food restaurant first . . . Taco Bell, Wendy’s, Culver’s, or McDonalds. Like everything else in this country, the prices are not slowing down. A meal at McDonalds, consisting of a hamburger, fries and a shake, now costs a little over $8.00 . . . much more if you want a larger or different sandwich.

  This got me to thinking back to 1966. When I was a student at Purdue, the first McDonalds restaurant in the Lafayette area was located across the Wabash River near the Sears store in West Lafayette. In those days, hamburgers were 15 cents, cheeseburgers 20 cents, fish sandwiches 24 cents, a McDouble hamburger 28 cents, and fries were 15 cents. A fountain Coke cost 10 cents and a large shake was 22 cents. I usually ordered a hamburger, fries, and a vanilla shake…at a total cost of 52 cents. Many Purdue students ate at the Triple-X restaurant near the top of State Street hill, but the food cost more, and it was difficult for me to find a parking space. My wife and I also enjoyed the “Spanish dog” conies at the A&W drive-in restaurant at 18th street and Main. Two of those sandwiches, onion rings and two drinks was $1.60.

    On rare occasions, we ate at a “regular sit-down restaurant.” Our house was located across from the grade school in Clarks Hill, and just two blocks away was the Clarks Hill Fish and Steak House. One block on farther down was the Clarks Hill cafe. Both had good food, but our favorite place to eat was Miller’s fish house in Colfax, where a 3-piece catfish supper, with slaw, fries (or onion rings) and a soft drink was $3.25. Nowadays a meal at a nice restaurant for the two of us will run $40 or more, plus a tip. And at many restaurants, the price for two meals can approach $80 or more.

   Both of us have always had a hankerin’ for ice cream, and we made quite a few visits to the Lafayette Dairy Queen on Teal Road when cones were 15 cents. In the evenings, we often walked down to the Clarks Hill drug store, where the owner Russell Alter, who was in his 80s, served up a hand-dipped hot fudge sundae for 35 cents. On our last visit to the Wal-Mart in Frankfort, on the trip back home we went through the Culver’s drive-up and ordered a vanilla waffle cone . . . almost $5.00 !!! Well, we just couldn’t resist . . . and it is really tasty, but I never imagined I would spend that much on one ice cream cone.

   The days of dining out inexpensively are long gone, but most people are just like us. You only live once, so you might as well enjoy the things you like the most. But wouldn’t it be great to buy a 15 cent hamburger again…or the McDouble for 28 cents? And yes, I still like a Big Mac, which now costs $5.69…”Two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions on a sesame seed bun.”…I’m lovin’ it!

John “Butch” Dale is a retired teacher and County Sheriff. He has also been the librarian at Darlington the past 36 years, and is a well-known artist and author of local history.