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Blimpy Burger Stories
So I made the annual trek to Blimpies on Wednesday. But I have to preface that story with a couple from antiquity (late 90s). Back in college a friend and I go to Blimpy. As you probably know, the food's a bit greasy so we both grab a pretty tall stack of napkins. We order the food, etc. and when we get up to the register (the owner is working) he says to us, "too many napkins, you get two apiece." He takes the napkins off our trays and reissues us two apiece. Needless to say, we were flabbergasted. Since then, customers aren't allowed to grab their own napkins... they are dispensed by the staff (two apiece).
A couple years later, another friend & I partake in the yearly artery assassination. Again, the owner is working the register. We're up at the register about to pay. Now, I don't like ketchup and my friend comments that he always runs out b/c they only give you one little ounce in those tiny paper cups. So I say, "Heck, I'll get ketchup and just give it to my friend here." So the owner comes back with, "No way, if he wants another ketchup, he can finish the first one, show me the empty cup, and then he can have another ketchup." Again, we're floored but don't say anything for fear of being blacklisted.
Of course, these stories are just two of the many that build the reputation of the place. So back to the present. Wednesday another friend and I go. The owner isn't working & I don't recognize anyone behind the counter. Now, I don't know if this is due to the owner being AWOL or if the place is going down hill, or what.... but we're in line and there's this guy ordering for like 3 other people who aren't in line. This is pretty unremarkable in most food joints and it turns out that the 'other people' were his kids, but at Blimpie's? No way would that have stood 10 years ago. On top of that, they guy never grabbed a lunch tray at the start of the line! Again, in the old days, he'd be singled out and ridiculed by the staff. Today? They give him a tray with a smile. What's happened to the Blimpy Burger we used to know and lover?
Haha, weird coincidence:
Like I said below, I never went to Blimpy Burger while I was at Ann Arbor, so I'd never met anybody that worked there or anything. While I was a student, though, I was the student manager at the Halfass in East Quad, and after watching that video, I realized the lady with the dreads was one of the ASCME I saw working in East Quad everyday. She was cool as hell; I miss her.
When did you work in the Halfass? I was there from 87-91. At that time it seemed that half the staff worked at Blimpy's, too.
Damn I miss me some JP.
05-07!
I was working down at the Halfass when I found out Bo died =(
Unrelated, but I was wearing a pink wig with a tinfoil hat on top at the time.
Yeah -- I actually never got to see the Halfass in pre-whitewash form.
The EQ dining hall management actually consoliidated with the Halfass management about two years ago, and tried to stamp out any reference to "the Halfass" (since it was, in the words of one, Sue Davis, "A reference to [our] work ethic.") -- and then when they had the Residential College reunion this past year and there were signs referencing the "Halfass," they completely gave up and embraced the name.
Come to think of it, Halfass staff "etiquette" is generally on par with what goes on at Blimpy.
During my last year there, I donated an old stereo system I had (read: much louder and more obnoxious than the old one they had) to the Halfass. I can recall many a day being asked to turn down the music by a customer, only to move over to the receiver and turn the volume up as I was saying "What? I can't hear you."
I also never referred to the music as "music." It was "customer repellant."
Fellow 1/2 asser as well. 97-98. Spanjos are still a favorite.
The management crew responsible for the Halfass during my first year there was actually responsible for nuking the Spanjo from the menu and making it identical to Markley's menu.
During my last year there, we convinced the new staff to let us bring it back. Sweet victory!
Oh, so yeah, I worked from 05-07.
I still make 'em at home, just without a plate of tots. My freshman year I was lucky enough to meet some of the folks who originated a lot of the items from the original menu.
Anyway, it's great to see that Halfass spirit alive on Mgoblog.
I have had multiple run ins at the Weiner Circle.
Aside from the Chocolate Shakes I have witnessed (horrifying), i won't even get into that.
I once handed over a 5 dollar bill for a chicago char dog w/ everything (costs a couple bucks on the menu) and recieved my dog and no change. "Oh, i guess they are just taking that as my tip, whatever" i thought. NAY, i get lambasted on my way out the door for "not tipping muthfucka!" and had to turn around and use a few choice words of my own.
But alas, nothing hits the spot like Weiner Circle so I keep going back, and in comparison I thought Blimpy was pretty tame (level of agression is tame, not the burgers - which are exceptional with fried shrooms and onions) during my years in the deuce.
No, the Halfass is the actual name of snack bar in the basement of East Quad, which Residential Dining Services would like you to believe is called "The Halfway Inn."
What were you doing in East Quad at all if you were so repulsed by the "ugly, socially retarded art-ish student freaks"? I'm pretty sure if you look at a map of campus, it actually says "Hippies Live Here" where East Quad is.
