Have It Our Way?

It's not that we've been particularly homesick or pining away for the fast food capital of the world (that's right, we're talking about you, America). And it's not really as if we've had visions of burgers and fries floating around in our minds. It's simply that, as sometimes happens, we woke up one day and said to ourselves: “Today is a great day. Today is a day for Burger King.”

In America, this is a relatively simple process. Burger King is open nearly twenty-four hours a day and, should you find it closed, there is sure to be a worthwhile substitute within smelling distance. In Jordan, not so much. Don't get us wrong—super-sized burger establishments are readily available around most every corner, along with enough American chains to fulfill the most elaborate of your fast-food desires. But American or not, these establishments adhere to the strict rules of Ramadan. And for those lusting after a mid-day milkshake and fries, this poses somewhat of a problem.

Back when Ramadan was still in full force, we were posed with exactly such a problem. The saga goes something like this: After a long night turned slumber party, we awoke to the harsh realization that there wasn't a bite to eat in the apartment nor a single restaurant open. Quite naturally, our minds drifted to Burger King, which maybe—just maybe—would be able to answer our famished prayers. But a short walk down the highway found us standing dejectedly in front of our fast food Mecca. Though we could swear we smelled Burger King and saw a strange group of men with bags surely containing burgers, pressing our foreheads up against the clean glass and banging our fists on the doors produced little result. Burger King would not fire up the grease vats for us today.

Yes, yes, after such disappointments, we began to doubt the Burger King slogan entirely. Have it our way? Hardly. But we were determined nonetheless. On the following day, like true and proper Muslims, we drank some vodka (naturally), waited until nearly sunset, and paraded over to our local burger establishment. And lo and behold, we finally found what we had been searching for: a whopper and fries, Ramadan style. We waited, eagerly, for the setting of the sun and, finally hearing the signifying cry of “Allah is the Greatest,” we celebrated the end of the day's (non)fasting by tucking into our number one specials. And if Allah can provide over eight different types of frozen burgers AND soft serve, I think it's safe to say that he truly is the greatest.

greasy perfection.

sooo hungry.

allahu akbar.

N.B. Burger King may be the product of globalization, but it is highly favored by the locals. We enjoyed our whoppers in a packed restaurant of more than fifty muslim burger-lovers. You know what they say. When in Amman...