JCPenney in Auburn, Maine, Used to Offer a Three-Course Meal in the ’80s

At one point in Maine, shopping malls were the place to be on any given weekend. Even then, the competition was fierce amongst the largest stores vying for customers' attention.

That led stores to try new things, including offering a restaurant experience to keep you inside and shopping longer. Kmart was notorious for this, but they weren't the only large store to try it.

JCPenney was one of those stores. And in case you think it's fiction, check out this ad from 1982 featuring JCPenney's incredible three-course meal.

Shared on Twitter in 2019 by Jason Bosch, JCPenney's location at the Auburn Mall offered up prospective customers a three-course specialty in their store for a very reasonable price of $2.99. Don't think of it as just lunch, either. This particular special catered to the crowd of shoppers thinking about an early-bird dinner.

Yes, you read that right. As you can see in the ad above, customers could choose from an appetizer (soup or the ever-inviting juice and crackers), an entree (accompanied by potato, spaghetti, or corn fritters), and finish off your feast with a dessert of a pecan meringue or parfait.

Who could possibly say no?

Looking back at this old offer is more comical today because JCPenney stores are still around in Maine, and it's harder to fathom any of their locations serving food, let alone three-course meals. Socks and underwear? Yes. Pecan meringue? I don't know, man.