Hot Shoppes' Link to Social Media

   The first "social media" outlets were the local restaurants were people would gather regularly to share stories, catch up on old friends, meet new friends, and establish lifelong relationships. before we had Facebook and Twitter, we had the local drive in and coffee shop. In Washington and all along the I-95 corridor, Hot Shoppes was that place. Not being from the Washington area, it has amazed me how many native Washingtonians  have such vivid memories of their experiences at Hot Shoppes. Long married couples who had their first date there, skipped school to meet there, or worked their first job in one of the iconic drive-ins. J Willard Marriott created such an amazing destination, long before the concept of destination restaurants became in vogue.

The last Hot Shoppes closed in December 1999. Facebook started in August 2005.  Social media is now online and Hot Shoppes has its own fanpage on Facebook. "Friends of The Mighty Mo and Hot Shoppes" is a group page with now over 1,000 members, all with amazing stories of their personal memories of their times spent at Hot Shoppes. These memories always include the Mighty Mo. A simple burger-triple split bun, two patties, lettuce, cheese, and of course the Mighty Mo Sauce. Eerily similar to another iconic burger, the Mighty Mo was served at Hot Shoppes since the 1940's, and named after the WWII battleship Missouri, the Mighty Mo. Now, some 60 years later, the Mighty Mo lives on...on the pages of Facebook.

   

You can still find the Mighty Mo in some of our hotels such as the Key Bridge Marriott, just across the river from the first Hot Shoppes.

Make your own Mo by adding the classic Mighty Mo sauce:

Mighty Mo Sauce

1/2 cup     ketchup

1/4 cup     chili sauce

1 1/2 tsp   A-1 sauce

1/2 tsp     Worcestershire sauce

2 drops     Tabasco sauce

1/2 cup     chopped fine pickles

1 1/4 cup  mayonnaise

Method:

1. In a mixing bowl combine the ketchup, chili sauce, A-1 sauce, Worcestershire sauce and

tabasco sauce.

2. Add the chopped pickles.

3. Add the mayonnaise and stir until well blended.

 

What's on YOUR plate today?

Comments

[Randy]

Wow! That just put me in my own personal "way-back macine." When I was a kid, my Mom and I lived in an aparment in Temple Hills, MD, and it was part of our weekend routine to "go downtown" into DC for Sunday walks along the Mall. I always loved going to Hot Shoppes for lunch. Eating out was a rare treat as Mom was on a very tight budget, so it was something that made those Sundays very special.

[shaun]

Brad- top notch thinking man! Finally someone has mentioned the history of what it means to be a social network. The heritage of the Hot Shoppes and modern day power of Facebook creates a perfect marriage that continues to promote the joy of establishing meaningful human connections.