looks like beef prices are coming down... - Page 2

I posted the picture of one of the first McDonald's as the place is a Southern California landmark, the fact that this restaurant survived is a testament to the McDonald brothers as they knew it was a place that should stay as is. They also wanted it to be a reminder to Ray Kroc, the man that the brothers sold one of the first franchises to. Mr Kroc would later take control of the company, making the McDonald brothers very wealthy, but nothing compared to what they should have made. When they sold to Mr. Kroc, there was two contracts, a written one and a verbal one, Mr. Kroc only honored the written one and not the "Gentleman's Agreement", that was more important to the brothers. They never allowed the corporation to make the image makeover to this place, a "little" reminder about integrity and honesty.

The building and it's "golden arches" are nice and historic, what is most significant to native Southern Cal. is the neon "Speedee sign" on the corner and can be seen for some distance at night. Way before "Ronald McDonald" as a corporate mascot, there was Speedee the hamburger mascot. He represented and stood for the "Speedee Service System" the innovation concept that the brothers invented and developed, Speedee put the "FAST" in fast-food. The McDonald brothers introduced Speedee and the Speedee Service System in 1948 way before Ronald McDonald the mass marketing system.

Rog - I thought of Taco Bell and McDonald's and your thread about lower beef prices as there is a connection or two. At the core to both companies was one key ingredient, BEEF or hamburger. The way they sold hamburger was the common denominator to both companies success. These companies made history and affected most of us in some way, then, now and for years to come. Probably influenced beef prices just a little too!

Interesting note about Glen Bell, one of his favorite interest was agriculture. A big supporter to 4-H clubs and in 1993 he opened "Bell Gardens" 115 acre working garden to teach students about growing the food we eat. Bell Gardens is located in Valley Center, Ca., a great place to visit if your in the San Diego area. A working garden, with a large produce and fruit selection, you can learn to grow,just about anything that can grow in some good dirt. They sell what they grow to sustain the garden, I always like to buy what ever is in season when I'm down there. There is also garden tours, hay rides, antique tractor displays and a very large "miniature railroad" that you can ride on. All free and one of Mr. Bells way to "gave back" to the community. He started this garden for students and all of us to remember, food just isn't at a fast-food place and it all starts with "DIRT".

Farmers are what makes the world turn. Without us, you'd all be dead!

I don't think I've ever eaten at a Taco Bell. Most of them became Taco Johns restaurants (The company is based in Cheyenne, so that's to be expected). But, it's amazing to note the contrast between the images that the founders wanted, and what became of those companies....

Put me in Coach. I'll punch it right the face!

Just give me an old Chrysler and I'll show y'all how to do it!

Where we live, I seriously think that there are more deer killed as roadkill than there are killed by hunters.

Will a Lincoln work?



matador: "Sound the horns! It's time for the hunt!"

Lol! That's too funny Sir.

First Taco Bell in Downey moving to company’s headquarters in Irvine


I like to put out information as accurately as I can, so as I write this, the first Taco Bell restaurant is being moved. I didn't realize just how small this building was, (my garage is bigger), the building is only 20' x 20'.


This June 2015 photo provided by Taco Bell shows the world’s first Taco Bell restaurant, background, in Downey, Calif., as a photo of the restaurant taken in the 1970s is displayed, foreground. On Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2015, Taco Bell announced plans to raise and rehabilitate the restaurant from its 53-year-old foundation in Downey and relocate it to the Taco Bell headquarters in Irvine, Calif., saving it from impending demolition.

“This is arguably the most important restaurant in our company’s history,” Taco Bell Corp. CEO Brian Niccol said. “To think a business like ours that spans 6,000 restaurants around the globe started with a walk-up window no bigger than a two-car garage is truly inspirational. When we heard about the chance of it being demolished, we had to step in. We owe that to our fans, we owe that to (company founder) Glen Bell.”

So don't go to Downey, Ca. looking for it, sometime tomorrow it well have a new location. Being moved to Taco Bell headquarters in Irvine, Ca.

Will lower beef prices lower the price of a Big Mac or a taco?
Maybe, maybe not. McDonald's is the largest buyer of beef in the United States, last year buying about 800 million pounds. That only accounts for 3% of beef consumed in this country, some of us are eating a lot of beef! Last year (2014) McDonald's announced they will start moving towards purchasing "only sustainable beef". Starting in 2016 purchasing some amount (yet to be determined) of sustainable beef. The problem? What is sustainable beef? With no accurate definition of what is and what isn't sustainable beef, this switch to sustainable beef may take awhile.

So why announce your going start buying it next year?
Posturing to be the "MOST" politically correct is my guess. I will also guess that when they, the stakeholders that will define "sustainable beef" (won't be ordinary consumers like us), but beef shot callers like Walmart, Costco, McDonald's, Cargill, Tyson Foods, Golden State Foods, Rainforest Alliance, World Wildlife Foundation, National Cattlemen's Beef Association, to name just a few. Raising cattle, processing beef, selling beef and eating it, will never be the same again. Just two of the stated goals, is the welfare of cattle throughout their lives (how about consumers lives?). Also optimize cattle's impact within ecosystems and nutrient cycles (very lofty goals).

I think lower beef prices will be temporary and very short lived. Say good-by to the $1 fast food menu, hello to $6.00+ a pound ground beef and real "rare" steaks.


This hamburger is brought to you by:Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (GRSB).

Can you say "Where's the beef"?