In a recent visit to the doctor, I was once again reminded of my need to lose weight. My mother is constantly reminding me of our family history of type-II diabetes. It gets me to wondering, what happen to the 250 lb. basketball player that could run for miles? Well I think that at least 40lbs of what happen can be attibuted to what I like to call: Greek Fast Food!
What is Greek fast food? It is a type of short order restaurant that is located in the upstate of South Carolina. After college, I worked for a little over 2 years at the Greenville Indoor Shooting Range on Poinsett Hwy. in Greenville. This was the first time that I had a constant supply of money and no bills. I ate out everyday for three months. First, it was the chill chesseburger with fries and tea. Then it was a chesseburger with fries, then it was Fish sandwich, then chuckwagon, chicken fingers, steak fingers, and often an order of onion rings in addition to the fries and tea. It was all good! That is until I looked at the scales and tried to run a couple of miles one day. Ugh!
Many of the Greek people moved to America after World War II and the Greek Civil War. As they would get established they would send for family and friends to come to work with them. As there businesses grew they would help other greek families get established in the food business. There are several names that are associated with Greek fast food: Pete's, The Clock, The Rainbow Drive-in, The Dixie, The Little Rebel, just to name a few. I don't have a clue how many Pete's there are in the upstate. I grew up eating at the Petes on Hwy 123 in Easley. There are several in Greenville, and even one in Gaffney that my wife and I loved to visit when we lived in Western York Co.
The consistancy was amazing. There was system that the Greeks had for teaching the trade to each other. So when we would eat in Gaffney at the new Pete's it was very much the same thing we had eaten at our Pete's in Greenville. Many of the restaurants have been sold off and some of that consistancy is gone. If you want to try it go the Rainbow Drive-In or to Como's on August Rd. they will treat you right!
Jimmy Como was a super nice fellow and community minded fellow I remember him helping the police department with their summer youth programs. Leon at the Rainbow became a friend and we would often talk, if he was not busy, when I would go into eat or pick up my food. It remindes me of an age gone by. Today when I cannot even get a hello from the burger joint people, it was always nice to walk in and for them to call out "Hey Kyle!"
My favorite thing of all time would have to be the onion rings. Real onions cut in house, soaked, breaded, and fried! They are marvolus! I have got to get to Greenville or at least Gaffney soon!
Good Eating!
The Hungry Preacher
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