Five best fast food choices in Des Moines

5. Maid-Rite Sandwich

I remember a francophile friend of mine once saying that if you don’t go to France by the time you’re 25, you’d might as well forget it. Go after that, and you’ll be so set in your ways that the quirks of the place will drive you nuts.

I have the same theory about Maid-Rite sandwiches. If you didn’t have one as a kid, the window of opportunity for becoming a fan may have slammed shut. To you, they’re a sloppy Joe wannabe. Loose meat, seasonings — but no sauce.

But to the Maid-Rite devotee, that’s where lots of mustard and ketchup and pickles come in. Smash them all together on the bun and these Saturday noon goodies just plain satisfy.

Ice cream malts, shakes, and floats are classic with this sandwich, but get this: The Jordan Creek Maid-Rite serves beer. That might even make turn some over-25 Maid-Rite newbies into newfound fans.