Maybe Michael Jackson Never Tasted of a Krystal

I didn’t watch the Michael Jackson memorial today, I had a strong feeling that it would be replayed throughout 2009. The whole memorial had a weird vibe to it starting with the lottery style drawing to get a seat to the memorial to the gold plated casket manufactured by Batesville. I haven’t had a chance to ask my Dad if had a gold plated casket at the funeral home. I think the closest he has came to burying a celebrity was Paul Simon’s father-in-law’s funeral.

There was one thing that I read that stuck out when I read it. Earvin “Magic” Johnson, Jr was one of many scheduled guest to eulogize Jackson. Magic shared a story of eating with Jackson and how he found out that Michael Jackson was a fan of Kentucky Fried Chicken. YUM brands had to love that. Wallstreet was unaffected by the news the stock price of YUM stayed the same losing only 34¢ for the day. I wasn’t surprised that he liked some type of fast food, I’m sure in his early days the Jackson family had eat out at a few fast food restaurants. There was something about reading the KFC reference Johnson made that had me thinking of fast food to finish off the day.

At first I thought I might grab some KFC while I was out. The drive home was full of quick in and out restaurants, it’s about the same in every town. You’ll find McDonald, Wendys, KFC, Pizza Hut (or Hut), Subway, Quiznos, Long John Silvers and then there is the one that has me signaling a right turn every time – Krystal. Then it hit me, had the King of Pop never tried a Krystal? I’m pretty sure if he had a few those square hamburgers on the steamed bun he would have been serving to Magic Johnson whenever the two of them got together.

How could anyone pick chicken over the perfect combination of ground beef, pickle, fried onion and mustard on fresh steamed bun? There is no comparison between a Krystal and a piece of fried chicken. Maybe Michael Jackson had lived sheltered life if he never got to enjoy one of these culinary treats.

We know Elvis loved the Krystal hamburgers. There were numerous Elvis sightings at different Krystal locations before and after his death. Surely if the Krystal burger was good enough for The King it would be equally as good the King of Pop.

A little research showed me that the reason Michael might not have gone for a sack full of Krystals was probably more geography than taste. The burger chain which began down down the road in Chattanooga, TN. is only in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia with 387 restaurants. I’m sure if he had just one Krystal Neverland Ranch would have been constructed closer to Graceland. There are some advantages of living in the south.