One of the biggest dilemmas DODO Dads frequently face is dining out with daughters.
Now that I have grandchildren, I know it is still a problem.
My daughters used to love eating out at places like McDonald’s.
Now that I think about it, they only wanted to eat at McDonald’s. Upon occasion, I was able to pull rank and get them to eat elsewhere, but only if it involved cheese pizza.
Regardless of where we might eat, the same problem occurred every time. I never, ever got to enjoy a hot meal.
Special sensors
First, there were special sensors in my daughters’ systems which were automatically triggered as soon as they could see or smell hot food within their reach.
Those sensors would tell my girls it was time to go to the restroom.
As a DODO Dad, I could ask them a dozen times before ordering food or while waiting for it to arrive whether they need to go to the bathroom. But, it does not become an urgent matter until the moment food arrives.
So, a bathroom break is a good thing for your daughter because it gives the food a chance to cool.
You see, if your daughters are under 10, chances are high that any food served above room temperature is deemed too hot for them to eat.
Upon returning from the bathroom break, their attention is immediately drawn to the Happy Meal.
Truly, the only people happy about Happy Meals are the franchise owners who can sell four chicken nuggets, a dozen French fries and three or four apple slices for twice what it would cost to buy the items individually.
The reason Happy Meals cost so much is because they come with a 25-cent plastic toy. And it was the plastic toy that became THE focus of my daughters’ attention even after the food cooled below room temperature.
But, by then, I might as well throw the food into the trash can because now it’s too cold for my daughters to eat.
A very short window to eat
There was a window of only 30-45 seconds during which the food is at the appropriate temperature for it to be consumed. I really had to be on my game to get my girls to gobble something during that time frame.
As a DODO Dad, I did attempt to alleviate the high cost of eating out by not ordering any food for myself. I figured I could save money by nibbling on my daughters’ meals.
After all, their systems were only likely to digest one-half of one chicken nugget and all 12 fries and, perhaps, one apple slice over a 45-minute period.
Yet, despite literally begging to eat some of their food while it was hot, my daughters would throw a fit if I was ever caught attempting to sneak a bite.
There could be quite a scene of tears and screaming should a daughter discover me eating HER food.
The best I could hope for was to gulp down the stone-cold chicken nuggets and lukewarm apple slices on my way to the trash bin to throw everything away except the plastic toy, of course.
My daughters today are nearing 40, yet, there is a reason why I NEVER go into McDonald’s on my own accord. While a hot Big Mac can be delicious, if you can ever get one when it is hot, just the sight of marketing signs for Happy Meals can trigger me into a deep depression.
