Chicago Is a Wonderland of Fat-Themed Businesses

While eating in Chicago recently I was hit with the feeling of being surrounded by grizzly bears. To the left, right, and front were hirsute, beefy men—not exactly fat but meaty dudes, stuffing meat into their mouths as if prepping for hibernation.

Granted, this was no light-fare restaurant, being known for a bloody burger the size of Mickey Rourke's fist and cow-tallow fries. And there were wispy folks, too, there and in other 'hoods. But the encounter with this particular XXL-crowd must've tripped a brain switch, because for the next few days I kept on noticing signage that read, “FAT.”