A Clean and Snappy Place

Maggie, an American tourist and Widya, her Indonesian friend, walked through the glass doors of McDonald’s. “McDonald’s is our kind of place. A clean and snappy place…,” sang Maggie. “Actually, I’m amazed at the outfits people are wearing.” “Well, McDonald’s is the place to see and be seen,” answered her friend. “It’s quite trendy to eat at fast food places these days.” “Really?” asked her American visitor. “Well, let’s get in line to place an order,” said Widya.

“Boy, it’s crowded!” exclaimed Maggie. “Yeah, it gets like this. Maybe we should have gone to some place with a drive-thru,” replied Widya. “They have them here?” asked Maggie, surprised. “Yeah, but people haven’t gotten used to the idea of driving up to a window to get fried chicken or French fries in a paper bag,” said Widya. “Actually, this line is moving along pretty quickly,” Maggie said.

Maggie and Widya put in their orders. Two minutes later, their meals were placed on trays and they headed for an empty table. “Look at all those kids, commented Widya. “I guess there’s a birthday party going on or something.”

“Well, here goes my diet,” said Maggie, biting into her burger. “There must be a thousand calories in this greasy Big Mac alone.” “Yeah, the Indonesian government is encouraging people to eat local cuisine because they say it’s healthier,” Widya said.

“Are there any local fast food joins in Indonesia?” Maggie asked. “Well, we have Padang food,” replied Widya. “What’s that?” questioned her friend. “It’s spicy food from West Sumatera. The food is prepared in advance and you pick out what you want to eat. You can sit down and relax and get a filling meal quickly.”

“Why don’t we go to Padang restaurant tonight?” said Maggie. “Okay,” agreed Widya.