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University Daily Kansan
Thursday Features
Thursday, Oct. 24, 1985
An eerie yellow light glowed atop the car parked near the deserted intersection of Ninth and Massachusetts streets
At 2:30 a.m., the "taxi" sign and the tip of a lighted cigarette bobbing inside the darkened cab were the only signs of life downtown.
As the cab driver rolled down her window, she turned down the volume on her blaring radio and flicked some ashes into the ashtray.
"This is the first break I've had all night," she said early Tuesday morning while sitting in her City Cab Cab. "This is a good town for taxis."
Lawrence has three taxicab companies. Together, they send 17 cars to patrol the streets for stranded pedestrians. Although the main stake-outs for the cabs are at Ninth and Massachusetts streets and the Union Bus Depot, 1401 W. Sixth St., most requests for taxis are telephoned in, said Ward Thompson, owner of Yellow Cab Co. and Union Cab Co., 1045 New Jersey St.
ing to work or are going shopping."
"We're busiest in the morning from about 7:30 to 9, in the afternoon from 12 to 1:30 and in the evening from about 4:30 to 5:30 or 6," Thompson said. "Most of the people are go-
Joan Worden, dispatcher for the City Cab Cob, 538 W. 23rd St., said business was picking up for the company which has been operating since Jan. 15.
"We have more call-ins," Worden said. "But we get an awful lot of pickups and we're getting more and more all the time."
She said many of the riders needed a taxi so they could go shopping at a grocery store or get to appointments in town.
Andy Bloom, Lake Forest, Ill., sophomore, said he called a taxicab
last year so he and his date could eat dinner at Nabil's Restaurant, 925 Iowa St.
"We usually hitchhike," Bloom said. "But it was too cold, and we were dressed up. I didn't feel like asking someone to let me borrow their car."
When cab drivers are not carting passengers, they may sit at the stands at the bus station or at Ninth and Massachusetts streets, Worden said. If they have personal errands, they may take care of them, or they may simply get coffee, she said.
TAXI! TAXI!
Margaret Patterson, above, dispatches a Lawrence Yellow Cab Co. taxi. Top, mechanic Frank Hafferkamp works on a short circuit in the tail light of one of the company's cabs. Bottom left, Yellow Cab driver Tom Meeks receives a call from the dispatcher, telling him where to pick up a customer
Story by Theresa Scott Photos by Bryan Graves
Variety is name of burger game in Lawrence
By Susie Bishop
Of the Kansan staf
Since the 1950s, college students have been depicted in the movies as living for hot hamburgers, crisp french fries and ice cold sodas.
Today's KU student faces a dilemma when choosing a hamburger joint. Burgers of any size, style or price can be bought in any place and are specialized hamburger hangouts in Lawrence.
Some students concern themselves with the price and convenience of hamburgers, and don't worry about the taste of the product. Others pick and choose until they find the one and only hamburger for them.
"I'm indifferent to where I eat burgers," Michelle Henley, Leaenworth junior, said Monday. "They all have different tastes. It depends on what I'm craving."
For some students, price sells the burger. Craig Bruner, Merriam sophomore, said his burgers are "very juicy and flavorful."
But the taste outweighs the price for most students deciding which burger to sink their teeth into.
Pam Reichart, Overland Park sophomore, said, "I only go to Bucky's because they have fresh hamburgers that are grease enough to melt them." And like they've been sitting in it for two hours."
Duane Buck, owner and manager of Bucky's Drive In, 2120 W. Ninth St., said his restaurant was the oldest of the burger places in Lawrence.
"We've been here 24 years," Buck said. "I bet many of the students' parents used to eat here."
Reichart, who goes out for hamburgers two or three times a week, said the owner of Bucky's was making good money from his business.
"He's probably gotten a Mercedes from the amount I've eaten there," she said.
When Reichart and a friend became tired of Lawrence's national brand burgundy, they
switched to Bucky's.
"We were sick of Burger King and decided to find some place else," Reichart said. "We went there to be different. We liked it — a lot."
According to Alesa Goldansky, Overland Park junior, burges from Johnny's Tavern, 401 N. Second St., are the only edible hamburgers in town.
Area burger barns, competing for the KU crowd, flag coupons and advertised specials at students, trying to entice more customers into the restaurant — and it works.
"The burgers aren't mass-produced on a grill." Goldansky said.
Employees of Wendy's Old Fashioned Hamburgers, 523 W. 23rd St., see $500 to $600 in coupons on football weekends, said Daryl Webb, manager
He said that when the Burger King Corp. started negative advertising, comparing themselves to other hamburger places, the business at Wendy's Old Fashioned Hamburgers increased 15 percent from 1984 to 1985 nationally. Local business rose 20 percent.
"People are tired of the big guys." Webb
said. "For the same price we give you more food and
Timothy Bengtson, associate professor of journalism, said the trend in the hamburger world toward negative advertising started five years ago with Burger King's slogan, "Have it your way."
"Everyone takes aim at McDonald's because they're on top," he said. "McDonald's has no business."
Scott Hymer, Kansas City, Mo., freshman, said he stayed with McDonald's throughout Burger King's advertising blitz.
Rene Thornton, a Burger King assistant manager, said Burger King corners the market on the late-night burger.
On the weekends, Burger King stays open until 3 a.m., Wendy's, McDonald's and the rest close earlier, she said.
Slinging hash brings cash to some KU students
By Theresa Scott Of the Kansan staff
Dressed sharply in a light brown shirt and dark brown tie, George Sellee tended to diners at 2 a.m. at Perkins Restaurant, 1711 W 3rd St.
Dishing out sandwiches, serving martinis and filling water glasses, earn many KU students' cash and occupy their idle hours — and they seem to enjoy it.
Selleck, a Lawrence resident who has worked at Perkins for four years, works five shifts each week for at least a 40-hour workweek.
After delivering some checks and a friendly smile to full customers, Selleck sat in a booth, his wide grin often and often during conversation.
Selleck said one thing that made the job difficult was having to juggle hot plates on his arms. Sometimes he goes home with red marks on his forearms from the burning plates.
"I like it because of the money and because you get to talk to a lot of people," he said. "It's a hard job, but not because it's back-breaking."
Despite the occasional hassles some customers give him, Selleck said, most diners are good customers.
"There are good eggs and bad eggs," But in the end, it ends up with whole piles.
Although Selleck completed his freshman year at KU, he said he wasn't attending classes this semester because he wanted to earn money for the mobile home he just bought.
"I get hassled," he said, "but I hassle my own waiters and waitresses. When I go out I like to have a good time, but I give them a good tip."
Besides, he said, many of the problems are to be expected.
Although his job requires him to work while other people are having a baby, he also is doing something that makes it
Sharon Michel, Lawrence junior,
waits tables two or three nights a
week at the Alvamar Country Club
Dining Room, 1809 Crossgate.
"The more fun others have, the
batter tip I get and the more fun I'll
have."
Michel said she like being at a waitress because it gave her good experience in working with other people.
'There are good eggs and bad eggs. But in the end, it ends up with a plus.'
—George Schlack Walter
"I get to meet a bunch of people," she said. "I like the people I work with and the people I wait on."
She said she didn't mind working so others could have fun.
"I go out, too, and I expect to be waited on nicely," she said. "I get paid to let them have a good time. That's the way I look at it."
Anne Dawson, who is a waitress at The Jazzhaus, 926<sup>th</sup> Massachusetts St., called a taxicab for two patrons who had sied up to the bar for a few too many drinks. After sending the two men on their way, Dawson said
she had enjoyed the past three months she had spent on the job.
"There's a real social atmosphere," she said. "I meet a ton of people and I like it in that respect."
Dawson, Overland Park senior,
works five nights a week serving
drinks, often until 3 a.m. she said she
could have a night out on the town.
"This is where I would go anyway on my night off." she said.
Dawson said she had no trouble juggling work and school because she had worked her way through school for five years and was used to working and studying.
Lori Bowen, Lenexa senior, said she loved waitressing and had served food and drinks at bars in Lawrence and restaurants in the Kansas City area.
there are late hours because you have to mop and clean up, but cleanup just goes with waitressing."
Bowen said she liked working as a waitress because she made from $12 to $15 an hour and got to work with people. However, she said, sometimes she had to work until 4 a.m.
"I enjoy watching people have a good time," she said. "Sometimes
Although Bowen is not working this semester because she is graduating in two months, she said she had often worked 18 to 20 hours a week during previous semesters. Last summer she taught an adult school and held down three jobs working 117 to 121 hours a week and sleeping only three hours a night.
She said she hadn't encountered many problems that she couldn't handle during her waitressing career.
Sellack, back in the booth at
Perkins, summed up the strategy it
had.
On Tap
"The girls are friendly," she said.
"But the guys... you just learn to deal with. You tell them you're here to serve drinks and that it's. You tell them we're busy and crowded and to be gentlemen. They hugh, but that usually takes care of the problem."
"Just go with the flow and take it as it comes," he said as he stood up to resume his work of making money and meeting people.
CONCERTS+
Nancy Haney
Peggy Helsel
The Violent Femmes will perform at 8 p.m. Nov. 1 in the Ballroom of the Kansas Union. The opening act has not yet been announced. General admission tickets are $7 for students with a KU ID and $8 for the public. They are available at the Student Union Activities box office in the Union or at all CATS outlets, including Omni Electronics, 540 Fireside Ct.
The Romantics concert will be at 8:30 p.m. Nov. 9 at Hoch Auditorium. Tickets are reserved and are $11 for students with a KU ID and $12.50 for the public. They can be purchased at KU's Ornithology S outlets, including Omni Electronics.
Steve, Bob and Rich will perform at 9 p.m. today at The Jazzhaus,
$926_{1/2}$ Massachusetts St. The Bel Airs will play at 9 p.m. tomorrow and Saturday. Cover charge is $3.
Black Crack Revue Band will perform as the third act in the Burge Bandstand series at 9 p.m. tomorrow in the Party Room of the Burge Union. The band refers to themselves as an "AFO Nuclear Funk Swing Reggae Tango Band." The concert is free.
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SUA MOVIES:
"The Gladiators" will be shown at 7:30 p.m. today in Woodruff Auditorium of the Union. "A Soldier's Story" will be shown at 3:30 p.m. 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. tomorrow and Saturday in Woodruff Auditorium. Tickets are $1.50 and can be bought at the SUA box office. "La Cage Aux Follies" will be the midnight movie tomorrow and Saturday in Woodruff Auditorium. Admission is $2. "The Ploughman's Lunch" will be shown at 2 p.m. Sunday in Woodruff auditorium. Tickets are $1.50.