It Was A Miracle They Remembered

In the early 1980s there was an iconic commercial for Miracle Whip sandwich spread where a guy knocks on the window of a closed grocery store with an empty jar of Miracle Whip begging to come in.

In 1984, I’m in college and a new grocery store has been built in our town. My roommate and I want to get groceries and thought the store was already open; it turns out the store does not open until tomorrow. On this particular day, we see there is obviously an all-staff meeting happening just inside the floor-to-ceiling front windows. My roommate and I seize this rare opportunity.

We return home and grab a jar of Miracle Whip from the refrigerator and head back. When we return, we see the entire staff standing circled around one individual who is speaking.

BANG! BANG! BANG! We knock on the window hard.

My friend holds up the empty jar of Miracle Whip as I pantomime begging. Ten seconds later, we run away.

A few years later, I’m done with college and get a job for the same grocery chain in a nearby city. After working there a few months, I share the story with my manager. He looks at me as if stunned and says, “You’re the Miracle Whip Guy!”

He tells me that he was there that day — as were managers from other nearby stores and representatives from the head office, all listening to an inspirational speech by the CEO of the company — when I banged on the window.

He said they all had a good laugh and thought it was a good, timely prank.