One December day I woke up and wanted a hamburger. Not a fancy hamburger, just a dry bun, squashed patty, spit of ketchup, and sprinkle of chopped onion. And maybe cheese. And fries. No soda.

McDonald’s is always willing to satisfy my craving. I began my month with breakfast: a sausage McMuffin, hash brown, and McGriddle – which I learned to be a very sweet syrup-filled pancake sandwiching an also-sweet sausage. I carried the small takeout paper bag 40 minutes from the closest franchisee to class, eating before second period. Grease glossed my lips, left me thirsty, tired, and hot.

Then came Lotteria. Also, breakfast. “Zetteria,” technically – Lotteria’s high-end burger spin-off. Excited to have discovered the best train to commute – the 7:15am – I needed a place to spend time before arriving to school too early. Zetteria was open early. Two burgers: a cheeseburger, breakfast sandwich, and fries. Ordered on an unmanned tablet, waited for my number to be called. The burgers were wrapped, perhaps tossed on the tray. Little skinny fries, that Mom insists are “really good.” They may have been sub-par to even McDonald’s. There were only one or two people in the kitchen.

Mos Burger wasn’t far behind – by now I’m desperate. “Mos Burger is probably the healthiest,” I was told. I visited for lunch after class. I had avoided other Mos Burgers before – too crowded. “I never liked Mos Burger,” Dad said; teriyaki isn’t a favorite. Another unmanned ordering terminal. So many options – burgers, sets, payment methods, reward points. But the store was calm. The burgers – a classic and rice burger – arrived in a small basket, lined with napkin, and a small cup of water, all neatly placed on the tray. The tomato sauce was difficult to scoop from the parchment paper. But still a calm lunch, it was.

First Kitchen, which benefits from the sentimental bias as Mom’s first employer, I found in a mall I pass on route to school. A mall I visited with relatives living nearby once before, to the same food court, perhaps the same restaurant. I spent five minutes reading the menu, awkwardly debating a good arrangement. I hadn’t done my homework. Two First Kitchen Classic Jr.’s and a large serving of fries – the type you shake in the bag. Lined with typical condiments, it was a nice burger. That’s all I remember. Later I was exhausted; nearly fell asleep in class. Sweaty, sleepy. No more burgers before class.

Perhaps more obscure, DomDom Burger was found tucked in the basement food court of a nearby AEON mall. The older type, but still alive, crowded after lunch, frequented by delinquent students and senior shoppers. For a single cup of ice cream, or burdock root fries and a whole crab (or shape of one) thrown between bread, head to DomDom Burger. For me, a cheeseburger and fried chicken burger in a four-cheese sauce between ricotta cheese pancake buns. One was more expensive than the other. The chicken was real – there were veins. This all, packed into a small white reed basket.

For the finale: Freshness Burger, which apparently is not a posh Australian brand, but a homegrown Japanese chain. Wooden terraces and seats, chalkboard font, and tucked into hidden corners and ground floors of business buildings. I found – made the very intentional detour to arrive at – a Freshness Burger in Yokohama for a late lunch on the way back from school. After debating where to sit, I chose a counter seat facing the street. My cheeseburger was ok, with potato wedges, lotus root fries, and a bean-paste-filled scone for dessert (because that’s something they have). The store was quiet. The lady at the counter offered to clean my tray for me, maybe because it wasn’t crowded. That was nice.

I had this same craving last December, and I can’t guarantee it won’t happen again. From the caloric terrors to the instant exhaustion that results from consuming fast food, I leave these words to remind myself what I’ve learned: manage your impulsive spending habits, walk more, and most importantly, no burgers before class.

American

Fast Food

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