Chris Cassatt
“Big Mac burgers come to Aspen,” proclaimed The Aspen Times on Sept. 8, 1977. “Have you had a Big Mac attack lately, but didn’t have time to go to Grand Junction or Denver to buy one? Now Bonanza Airlines offers MacDonald’s groupies the opportunity to order Big Macs and have them flown in from Grand Junction for lunch. Suzanne MacGill, vice president of marketing, explained that the airline is using this promotional gimmick to get customers used to Bonanza’s air freight service. MacGill said that a minimum order of 12 Big Macs must be placed with them. Paul Marihew, director of passenger service and station manager for Bonanza, said they had processed nine different orders so far, which comes to at least 108 Big Macs. We ordered 20 for lunch Wednesday at the Times, and when we got to the airport to pick up our order, Marihew was munching on a Big Mac himself for lunch. In contrast, it’s a hard thing to beat a $1 hamburger for lunch that can get all too costly for a working man’s budget, here.” This image, taken by Chris Cassat, shows a Bonanza Airlines plane at Sardy Field in 1978.