Blake’s Lotaburger Preview

This past weekend, I was fortunate enough to spend the weekend with my dad in New Mexico visiting family.  Aside from being one of the most beautiful states in the Union, New Mexico is home to Blake’s Lotaburger, a regional burger chain.  Their competitive advantage?  They put Green Chile on the burgers.  If you’ve never tasted New Mexican food, Red and Green Chile come on just about everything, and they make everything better.

I’ll be reviewing them on Serious Eats in the weeks to come, but wanted to share this email from my dad immediately:

Dear John:

The other day when I got to my car in the parking garage,  I noticed the strong odor of your Lotaburger dinner still in there. I thought to myself “Those things happen”, and I started for the airport. I got to the convenience store right before 25, where I usually get off for a cup of coffee for the road. When I came back to my car, and opened the door, I noticed that the odor was still in there, just as strong—it hadn’t “aired out” at all. Unusual, I thought, so I looked over where you’d been sitting, and down on the mat there was a string of onion, still moist, which I threw out the window.

To the airport, then, where I turned the car in. I don’t know if the attendant noticed the odor still in there, but what if she had? What would they do? In fact, it would be interesting to fast-fooders, as it is to me: “What do Hertz and Avis do about food smells left over in cars for those who’ve enjoyed a fragrant meal on wheels?”

Your public might be interested. In anecdotes, and solutions!

Just a thought.

Your Dad