Bookend with the low-end

My recent trip to try some of the world's great restaurants began and ended with two other restaurants I'd never tried before: Chick-fil-a and Wendy's.

For some reason, airport pricing confounds me. If it's more expensive, I won't buy it. Why would I pay $5 for 5 chicken McNuggets if I wouldn't normally pay $1? If, like the Philadelphia airport, it's "street pricing" (the same price they charge on the street), it feels like a great value to me, and I'll buy two of whatever they're selling.

So, with that in mind, I started with Chick-fil-a on my departure. The chicken sandwich was surprisingly chicken-like. I suppose I was expecting ground chicken, but I should've trusted the God-fearing folks in charge would serve a full filet (probably the way God intended). It was also, however, somewhat plain. Not bad, but basically fried chicken between a hamburger bun.

On my return flight, I gave Wendy's a try. As a child, the square patties seemed unnatural and freakish. As an adult, it still seems odd, but maybe not murderous. That said, the "natural cut" fries with sea salt were probably cut naturally (I hate those unnaturally cut fries), but arrived soggy. And the burger had more mayonaise than an episode of Doug.

I probably won't go back to either, but I'm glad I gave them both a try. Now I can be smug and justified in my smugness.