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It's a well-known fact that there's power in the first bite of a midnight meal. Whether it's a gooey mac n' cheese bite or powdered sugar-dusted, deep-fried Oreo, first contact is a magical experience. Everyone knows and accepts the thrill of those first few seconds.
However, diners rarely talk about what happens next: The mid-meal burst of optimism.
We've all felt it. Approximately six fries or a third of a burger in, something happens. Your own personal sun begins to rise, radiating joy and optimism. Your internal soundtrack switches to something more epic than "Ride of the Valkyries." Light and power flood your veins.
The Science
Biologists cite boring, physiological reasons when explaining this phenomenon. Words like "dopamine spike," "satiety," and "lower cortisol" get thrown around.
Yes, science can explain the burst of mid-meal joy – just not the science you would assume.
Late-night fast food is actually the purvey of theoretical physics, not biology. Some things just defy our senses, like Einstein's Theory of Relativity or french fries that are both crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Black holes, the wave-particle duality, and the existence of deep-fried cheesecake all have something in common: they challenge the human brain on a fundamental level.
When something as cosmically good as the Fat Andy hits your stomach, it defies your body's ability to exist in the here and now. That formula of deep-fried mozzarella sticks, onion rings, french fries, and ranch literally transports your brain from the present to the future.
In short, midnight meals are a form of time travel.
The Future
Your body may be sitting in a Fat Shack and chewing an onion ring, but your brain is actually speeding through the limits of time and space. That's why it's able to think so clearly, calmly, and productively about tomorrow: To your brain, tomorrow is already here.
I can do it. I'm going to wake up early tomorrow – no, I'm waking up early every day this week! That report I've procrastinated on? I'm finishing it by 5 p.m. Sharp. Sharper than the katana I will purchase and begin training with. Tomorrow. Early tomorrow morning.
Anything feels possible because it's already happening. Your physical body hasn't gone to the gym or asked that girl out yet – but your brain, firmly located in the future, is actively accomplishing those things.
Midnight meal joy isn't merely the absence of hunger. It's a time and space hack that shows us a more beautiful tomorrow.
Chicken fingers + mozzarella sticks + french fries + marinara open the time-space portal, but you're the one who steps through.
Unlock your future. Game the universe. Order your late night snacks.
