80’s St Louis kids had the ultimate McDonalds experience, the McDonalds boat. For some reason the other day, I was thinking of what a shame it is that I can’t take my own kids there. It was a given that on any field trip within reasonable proximity of the riverfront, you would be having your lunch on the McD’s boat. My favorite place to sit was on the outdoor top deck, with direct view of the huge “PEABODY” block letters. When the water was choppy, your food would slide around the table, and you would see kid’s arms flinging out all at once to save their lunch and the whole place erupted in laughter.
I wish I had some old pics of my own and of me with my school friends, but did find a couple online. One of them is from the flood of 2003.
Dorf's Dismal Diary 
And before the McDonalds Boat, there was the SS Admiral (before it became a casino) where you could cruise up and down the river, dance to live bands(Bob Kuban to name one) and if you were lucky you could score an underage drink or make out in one of the many dark corners…LOL!
Now of course I never did the underage drinking or making out…honest!…but I did dance there, and I did hang out on the upper open air deck watching the stars and the moon, and yes even the drunks hurling over the side on occassion.
The SS Admiral is also the place where I danced on stage as a young girl in a recital banquet, which is funny in itself because I was a total tomboy, but my parents thought it would be ‘nifty’ to send me to Virginia James Dance Studio for tap & ballet. And what pray tell did I dance to at that recital? I tap danced to Mississippi Mud and mom made me an Uncle Sam costume to wear(and yes I was mortified!).
I have pictures of me on the McDonalds boat! That was such a cool experience. Not only was in McDonalds, it was on a freaking boat. Every 5 year olds best dream.
I want a McDonalds boat…