Ingrams September 2023

BETWEEN THE LINES

Headquartered in Oklahoma City, Love’s now has 510 locations in 41 states. If they let you, you could live in a Love’s. Literally. They have showers, washers and dryers, every brand of beef jerky known to man, and the cleanest rest rooms since the invention of trucks. Heading east or west, I stop in the same Indiana town and stay at the same $75 a night motel. For 75 bucks, I get a queen-size bed, free wifi, a walk-in shower, and quiet air conditioning. In the aforementioned trip to Florida, we sought out motels with AC. As late as the 1960s, AC wasn’t the norm, even in the South. Motels that had it, bragged about it. The first time I stayed at this motel, I asked the desk guy what time breakfast began. He laughed, pointed to the McDonald’s across the street, and said, “Whatever time you get there.” McDonald’s embodies the techno-

logical conundrum that faces us all. They are introducing self-service kiosks

removal of the fountains. My guess is that they don’t want people hanging around their stores. Having watched my share of “Girl Fight at McDonald’s” videos, I cannot say I blame them. The kiosks are what worry me and fellow Luddites. It’s annoying that we kind of need a tutorial to operate one, but it’s just a little bit frightening that we absolutely need a credit card. For the sake of convenience, we have all made concessions to the surveillance state. But at this delicate moment in our nation’s history, we can still choose between the anonymity of cash and the self-reporting submission of credit. The question is: how long will this moment last?

For the sake of convenience, we have all made concessions to the surveillance state. But we can still choose between the anonymity of cash and the self reporting submission of credit.

at the same time they are removing self-service soda fountains. McDonald’s tiptoes around the real reason for the

The views expressed in this column, which is also published online in the Heartlander, are the writer’s own, and do not necessarily reflect those of Ingram’s Magazine. Jack Cashill , Senior Editor, Editorial @ Ingrams.com

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September 2023

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