Daily Dirt: Remember those cheeseburger platters for 60 cents? And a Coke for a dime?

Daily Dirt for Sunday, Feb. 6, 2022

Growing up, I ate plenty of meals at an F.W. Woolworth snack bar. How about you? … welcome to today’s three thoughts that make up Vol. 204 of The Daily Dirt.

1. It’s been almost 40 years since an F.W. Woolworth store occupied a downtown Quincy site.

While I did not live in Quincy when its Woolworth’s store was one of the anchors along the 500 block of Maine Street, I was fortunate enough to live in two towns back in Ohio that did. And for me, one of the highlights of every visit to Woolworth’s was its impressive snack bar, which was actually a mini-restaurant.

These were some of the familiar items on every Woolworth’s menu — how many do you remember ordering?

• The most expensive items offered were the cheeseburger and grilled ham platters. Each would cost you 60 cents. The cheeseburger platter offered a toasted bun, tomato slice, lettuce (or cole slaw) and fries.With the ham platter, you would get two (count ’em, two) slices of ham, plus lettuce and a slice of tomato. Not to mention a slice of bread. And not just any bread, but buttered bread.
• Lighter fare was also available. Egg salad and tuna fish sandwiches could be ordered for 25 cents.
• Or, if you preferred, a grilled old English cheese and back sandwich could be made for you, but for a rather costly 50 cents.
• Also available were beef stew, lamb stew, Chicken stew and chop suey. Each was 50 cents.
• If it was a frankfurter that whetted your appetite, that could be had for 20 cents. It was served on a roll. Mustard and relish were free.
• Thirsty? A large Coca-Cola was a cool 10 cents.

Ahh … those were the days, my friends.

2. The search for the No. 1 license plate — a.k.a. “The Great Plate” — in West-Central Illinois and Northeast Missouri marches on.

For the second straight week, GOL D LOX hangs on to the top spot:

1. (1. last week) GOL DE LOX: Let’s be honest. It’s going to take one hilarious plate to unseat this plate, which was spotted at Quincy Notre Dame High School in late January. 

2. (-) I SEE U 5: Plates that also send a message to other drivers and/or onlookers are a favorite among the “voters,” which, of course, is me.

3. (-) CAL GAL 8: West coast transplant?

4. (2.) BAD CAT: Rhyming is always entertaining.

5. (-) EEE: I have no idea what these letters represent, but they look great on a plate. 

6. (8) SOLD ON U: You’re correct, I like this one even more than I did a week ago.7. (3.) OH DEER 4: Still a great plate in so many ways.

8. (-) MRS DAD 2: Obviously, an active mom.

9. (-) GOTCHA 6: I wonder of there ever had been a GOTCHA 5, 4, 3, 2, or 1?

10. (-) URSA 82: Adams County pride showing here.

3. Here are four additional bands/individual artists who should be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame:

• Paul Revere and the Raiders: In the mid-to-late 1960s, few, if any bands, produced hit after hit like the Raiders, headed by charismatic front man Mark Lindsay. Remember “Kicks,” “Hungry,” “Just Like Me” and “Good Thing”? Yeah, me too.
• Johnny Rivers: He was a constant presence on the charts for years and is still performing today at age 79. Some of the hits on a long list included “Summer Rain,” “Baby I Need Your Lovin’,” “Memphis” and “Secret Agent Man”.
• Three Dog Night: How are these guys not already enshrined? “Joy to the World” alone should have cemented their induction
• Carly Simon: She’ll always be best known for “You’re So Vain,” but this lady was a consistent presence on the charts for years as both an artist and songwriter.

Steve Fact O’ The Day At one time, Steve owned at least one recording by Paul Revere and the Raiders, Johnny Rivers, Three Dog Night and Carly Simon.

Steve Eighinger writes daily for Muddy River News. He’s so vain, he probably thinks this comment is about him.