Burger wars: B-Bops 1/2 Lb. Double Cheeseburger

B-Bops 1/2 Lb. Double Cheeseburger
Eat it: B-Bops, several central Iowa locations,   $3.79
Info: b-bops.com
Since the 1950s, burgers have been the car culture staple. A trip to B-Bops means finding shredded lettuce in the captain seat. It’s about using the rearview mirror to see if there’s mustard on your face. It’s about steering with one hand and gripping eight ounces of beef in the other. With fancy-pants burgers, the buns get in the way. B-Bops bread is smashable, covered picture-perfect with sesame seeds and just small enough to showcase a substantial sliver of the meat within. The cheese is sandwiched between the double decker patties and on top of the bottom bun to make room for all the classic condiments. A B-Bops burger is the Des Moines go-to, the quick and lip-smacking way to satisfy the most carnivorous American craving, served up in a sunny Styrofoam container. No choosing between rare or well-done. Just watch the license plates ahead roll forward, lean forward and give your order to a guy in a paper hat. It’s a taste of yesteryear with the warm, melted goodness of in-your-belly right now.