.... with his sister Alex, a number of years ago around 1999! 
Jack in the Box is an American fast-food restaurant chain founded February 21, 1951, by Robert O. Peterson in San Diego, California, where it is headquartered. The chain has over 2,200 locations, primarily serving the West Coast of the United States. Restaurants are also found in selected large urban areas outside the West Coast, including Phoenix, Denver, Albuquerque, El Paso, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, Austin, San Antonio, Oklahoma City, Baton Rouge, Nashville, Charlotte, Kansas City, St. Louis, Indianapolis, and Cincinnati as well as one in Guam. The company also formerly operated the Qdoba Mexican Grill chain until Apollo Global Management bought the chain in December 2017.
Food items include a variety of chicken tenders and French fries along with hamburger and cheeseburger sandwiches and selections of internationally themed foods such as tacos and egg rolls.
Robert Oscar Peterson already owned several successful restaurants when he opened Topsy's Drive-In at 6270 El Cajon Boulevard in San Diego in 1941. Several more Topsy's were opened. By the late 1940s, Peterson's locations had developed a circus-like décor featuring drawings of a starry-eyed clown. In 1947, Peterson obtained rights for the intercom ordering concept from George Manos who owned one location named Chatterbox in Anchorage, Alaska, the first known location to use the intercom concept for drive-up windows. In 1951, Peterson converted the El Cajon Boulevard location into Jack in the Box, a hamburger stand focused on drive-through service. While the drive-through concept was not new, Jack in the Box innovated a two-way intercom system, the first major chain to use an intercom and the first to focus on drive-through. The intercom allowed much faster service than a traditional drive-up window; while one customer was being served at the window, a second and even a third customer's order could be taken and prepared. A giant clown projected from the roof, and a smaller clown head sat atop the intercom, where a sign said, "Pull forward, Jack will speak to you." The Jack in the Box restaurant was conceived as a "modern food machine," designed by La Jolla, California master architect Russell Forester. Quick service made the new location very popular, and soon all of Oscar's locations were redesigned with intercoms and rechristened Jack in the Box restaurants.
Although best known for its hamburgers, Jack in the Box's most popular product is its taco, which it has sold since the first restaurant in the 1950s. As of 2017, the company sold 554 million a year manufactured in three factories in Texas and Kansas. What makes the taco unusual is that it is created with the meat and hard taco shell in the Texas and Kansas facilities, then frozen for transport and storage. At the restaurant, it is then deep-fried, then prepared with lettuce, cheese, and mild taco sauce before serving.
Besides tacos, other Americanized foods from ethnic cuisines that Jack in the Box offers include egg rolls, breakfast burritos, and poppers. New items come in on a rotation every three to four months, including the Philly cheesesteak and the deli style pannidos (deli trio, ham & turkey, zesty turkey) which were replaced by Jack's ciabatta burger and included the original ciabatta burger and the bacon 'n' cheese ciabatta. Jack in the Box also carries seasonal items such as pumpkin pie shakes, Oreo mint shakes, and eggnog shakes during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. In some locations, local delicacies are a regular part of the menu. Locations in Hawaii, for example, include the Paniolo Breakfast (Portuguese sausage, eggs, and rice platter) and teriyaki chicken and rice bowl. In the Southern United States, the company offers biscuits and sweet tea. In Imperial County, California, some locations sell date shakes, reflecting the crop's ubiquity in the region's farms. In the spring of 2007, Jack in the Box also introduced its sirloin burger and followed this up recently with the sirloin steak melt. Its more recent foray into the deli market was the less-popular Ultimate Club Sandwich which was initially removed in Arizona due to poor sales and has since been phased out at all locations.
In 2005, Jack in the Box announced plans for nationwide expansion by 2010.
In support of this objective, the chain began airing ads in states several hundred miles from the nearest location.
The expansion strategy at that time was targeted at Colorado, Delaware, Florida and Texas. In 2007, the first new Colorado store opened in Golden, Colorado, marking an end to Jack in the Box's 11-year-long absence from the state.
In Albuquerque, New Mexico, several locations opened in June 2009. Jack in the Box restaurants last made an appearance in the Albuquerque market about two decades prior.
In September 2010, it was announced that 40 under-performing company-owned Jack in the Box restaurants located mostly in Texas and the Southeast would close.
In March 2011, Jack in the Box launched the Munchie Mobile in San Diego, a food truck that will serve Jack's burgers and fries. In June 2012, Jack in the Box launched their second food truck in the southeast region of the United States. Another truck was launched for the Northern Texas area in April 2013.
In January 2012, Jack in the Box opened its first of three locations in the Indianapolis area. A few months later, the first Ohio location opened in September 2012 in West Chester.
Bourbon chicken can be found on Chinese takeout menus and mall food courts across the country. But did you know it actually got its name from Bourbon Street in New Orleans? Whether you're serving it Mardi Gras-style or with an Asian twist, this flavorful chicken dish is simply delicious and incredibly easy to make. Give these Bourbon Chicken Bites a try when you're craving something that tastes like perfection!
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into 2-inch chunks
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup canola oil
- 1 cup jalapeno pepper jelly
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons bourbon
- In a medium bowl, combine chicken, cornstarch, garlic powder, ground red pepper, and salt; toss to coat well.
- In a large skillet over high heat, heat oil. Add coated chicken in batches and cook 6 to 8 minutes, or until golden and no pink remains, stirring frequently.
- In a large saucepan over medium heat, bring jelly, soy sauce, and bourbon to a boil. Cook 2 to 3 minutes, or until jelly has melted, stirring constantly. Add chicken and toss to coat. Serve hot.
1928 – Pernell Roberts, American actor (d. 2010)
1946 – Reggie Jackson, American baseball player
1952 – George Strait, American country musician
National Visit Your Relatives Day on May 18th encourages family members to stay connected. Our hectic lives makes it easy to get so caught up in the busyness of today’s fast-paced lifestyle. We often lose touch with our relatives. The observance reminds us to stop for a moment, take some much-needed time and visit those relatives we care about and have not seen or spoken to for a while.
Sometimes it is hard when families do not live close. Often siblings, cousins, parents, and dear relatives are scattered across the country. A visit can be a phone call or a face-to-face live chat on the computer. With today’s technology, we are now able to communicate with loved ones living far away, yet seeing them as if they are right beside us.
Life is much too short not to make time for family.
HOW TO OBSERVE
On this day, spend time with your family, either in person, on the phone or computer. You will be glad that you did.
