by OUTLAW 44 Replies latest jw friends
Way back in the early '70's the food was good. Is that what OUTLAW was talking about?.....Dissed
Thats what I`m talking about..That and the previous years..
In the early 70`s we tried to duplicate some of the Fast Food that was becoming Popular..
We did a dam good job at that too!
.....................OUTLAW
dissed,
You are right about one thing. The food WAS good in the early 1970's and earlier. I attended all those Dodger Stadium assemblies, even the 1963 Rose Bowl one. As a kid, I worked in the food/concession area just like Outlaw did. And like Outlaw, I really had fun doing it.
But I beg to disagree with the last half of this statement:
:Then it was cheap and NOT to make money.
In the Los Angeles area (at least) I was told by WT big shots that MOST of the food at the DOs was donated by local merchants. The WT would send toadies around to the merchants who would try to talk them into donating food for a "good cause." All the labor was free, and even though the prices were pretty cheap and the food was quite good for what it was, and even though it offered a great convenience and bargain to attendees, it definitely WAS set up to be a money-maker.
William Schnell pointed out that Grudge Rutherford was thrilled when he found out he could print a dozen convention badges for a penny and then sell each one to dubs for a penny, make 1200% on his investment. They made even more money on those little badge holders they also sold.
The Watchtower makes money at EVERY opportunity and food-at-assemblies was just another opportunity to make money, too. The only good thing to come out of it was, unlike most everything else the WTS offers, at least with the food back then, you got your money's worth and then some.
Farkel
outlaw
The good food stopped here in Scotland when the WT realized that it was a dodge 'made in heaven' for those that genuinely enjoyed working in one of the many departments, yet disliked the conventions! There were a few talented people, skilled enough and proud enough to turn out a decent, filling meal at a low cost.
It was the ideal place to be as a teenager, for you didn't have to listen to any of the boring programme - for you had the perfect excuse! Latterly, the programme was blasted in over the loudspeaker arrangement, but it was relatively easy to turn it down. Some even sabotaged it by cutting the wires!
Also, and more importantly, you were in an enviable position to check out the opposite sex in a friendly environment where like-minded people were to be found. I think that this was the main reason why it was abandoned!
Happy days!
lifelong humanist
Fresh squeezed orange juice in the early 70s. Then the Shasta Colas took over.
villabolo
I worked at the conventions determining the price of each meal to see what the profit was. Cookies, cakes, were donated as well as much of the other food. I determined how much of each part of the menu went on each tray to keep the price low. Even at the prices that were charged, enough was made to almost pay for the assembly. When things went to the donation arrangement, many jws felt it meant that things were FREE and donated nothing. I saw that the food would end.
Yes, I was part of the food crew back in the late 60's -early 70s and we took pride in the quality of the food we produced. The first Asseembly Hall in the US - I think it was in Greenpoint, Sunnyside (Queens borough) - the one with the historic Egyptian motif that eventually got removed or covered over - had a very nicely appointed kitchen in the basement. It provided, for me, a "legitimate" way to escape the boring talks.
Then I discovered the ULTIMATE escape from district and larger assemblies - there was always (at least back then) a night security team that "kept an eye on things" during the night. Sadly, we had to do our sleeping during the day when the assembly programs were in full swing. The best part of this is that it was an approved way out - elders appreciated our willingness to undertake this demanding responsibility. We were pleased to do so.
see: http://events.nbcnewyork.com/queens-ny/venues/show/1123787-assembly-hall-of-jehovahs-witnesses
I remember working on the serving line at circuit assemblies during the sixties, when the assemblies were held at schools. The guy who was in charge of the food was known in the area as a great cook. I have fond memories of those beef tips and gravy over rice, mm mmm. Those were some of the better times.
Humanist - Yes, it was a great place to meet chicks
Farkel - Funny, at the time, the perception among the JW's was that it was sold for cost only.
As soon as they changed to the roving trucks with ovens, everyone complained. The food arrangement soured.
Good kitchen experience at Dodger:
We was just kids, 15 years old. One of the kitchen overseers was looking for one of the bros and sent me to find him. I asked the bro on the forklift, yelling "where's Buddy?!" He pointed under the trailor. I looked under the trailor and low and behold a case of Bud beer.
The kitchen had more than the usual perks. They also new how to have fun in those days.
The assembly hall at 79th and Ashland in Chicago had some gooood food. Having an uncle who was a DO was helpful. We got to work the food area which took us out of the talks.
The summer assemblies were the best-Hawthorn Race Track! We had a steak sandwich stand. This was in the late '70's. Got it going for lunch, which meant getting all the food ready, (sandwiches, fries, drinks) then cleaning up. I could care less about the assembly. I got to eat and miss the stinky crowd.
There was a pizza stand, a hot dog stand, chips, you name it, they had it.
My Mom now has to take her own lunch to the assemblies. Which is totally f-d up. She packs a lunch, drives about 75 miles, sits, eats a warm turkey sandwich and goes to Burger King for dinner on the way home.
Crazy.
Yeah, it used to be good.
I sometimes went through the meal line twice, since i was a growing boy during that time. About that 60's full course meals system, they bragged that the military sent people to see how they did it, feeding so many people in such a short time. Funny, jehovah's org's meals have petered out, while the militarys' have vastly improved. I doubt soldiers would wanna make and pack their own sandwiches.
S
