12.01.09
Rant of the day:fast foods
A lot of foreigners that I meet in Miami, seem to have the odd idea that fast food (more specifically hamburgers) is the national American plate. While we can say that fish & chips, filet mignon and bratwurst are representative foods for Great Britain, France and Germany, there isn’t really a food staple that represents the United States. Our plates are more regionally based: clam chowder is typical in New England, anything fried with bacon in the South, cheesesteaks in Philadelphia, anything mixed with corn in Iowa. It goes something like that. We are after all, a pretty large country.
With all assurance, we can say that McDonalds and other fast foods are not the typical American food. But their food brand is heavily consumed. Even those of us who avoid McDs like the plague have eaten there atleast once during the last 2 months, even when we know it’s lousy and unhealthy. And why? Well, simply because of convenience. If you only have half an hour for lunch (and you didn’t spend part of your break sitting on the toilet doing number 2), you need your food to be prepared QUICK. Most cafeterias have great ambiance, friendly waiters and decent food. I’m OK with them, I don’t mind tipping. But I’ll be there eating for a longer time than my allotted luch break and of course, I don’t want to give my boss the pleasure of reducing my wage because I clocked in a few minutes late from lunch.
Well, fast food is called fast food for a reason. It’s the closest thing we have to a automated production line in a post-industrial world. You go in, you buy, you go out, you eat, you’re filled. Since we Americans are always in a hurry, fast food companies can rest assured that they’ll have a market for their produce. As long as we don’t eat their shit more than twice a week, we won’t have a coronary (just a bit of diarrhea, that’s all). Each fast food company has it’s market segment safe.
Lately, I have noticed that fast food companies are starting to attack each other’s market. McDonalds has suddenly created McCoffee, clearly invading Starbucks’ territory. My theory is that McDs wants some of the yuppie-hipster coolness associated with the Seattle-based latte maker to rub on it. McDonald’s new Angus beef hambruger are actually tasty and non-poisonous. They are obviously trying to knock out Burger King’s market segment.
Finally, I’m also curious as to when McDonalds will bring back Ronald McDonald. When I was a kid, back in the 1980s, good ‘ol Ronald was everywhere. Now he’s totally MIA. Does it have something to do with the fact that he’s a man wearing makeup, a wig, high boots and is friendly to kids……..Did the Conservative Christians banish Ronald McDonald??…..No fucking way!
