1a) It was my first time in a Burger King; previously, I had only been to McDonald's. I was ready to hate it. The food was different, the layout was different, there wasn't a play area, and Ronald McDonald wasn't there. But then I saw the child in front of me get a crown. Granted, it was only paper, but it was gold, and shiny, and a crown. I wanted one.
Suddenly, Burger King was the best. Of course it was different; it had to be, because it was better! It didn't matter that there wasn't a play area and that Ronald McDonald wasn't there; the crown was enough. It was both a toy, and a prop that made me into a mascot. I was suddenly a little queen ruling over my own kingdom of fast food bliss.
1b) * “McDonald's operates more playgrounds than any other private entity in the United States.” (Fast Food Nation, p. 4)
* McDonald's “... is responsible for the bestselling line of children's clothing (McKids) and is one of the largest distributors of toys.” (Fast Food Nation, p. 4)
* “A survey of American schoolchildren found that 96 percent could identify Ronald McDonald.” (Fast Food Nation, p. 4)
1c) * The effects of advertising on children
* How much profit comes from McDonald's “extra products” versus its actual food sales?
* Why was Burger King's attempt to implement a child-friendly mascot unsuccessful while McDonald's succeeded?
2) Throughout the book Fast Food Nation, Eric Schlosser uses personal anecdotes concerning people who are associated with the fast food industry both to keep the reader's attention and to provide a sense of immediacy and connection that a presentation of facts and statistics would lack. For example, in Chapter 3, a strong contrast is provided between The Chinook Bookstore, an independent bookstore, and the growing fast food presence:
“The Chinook Bookshop, toward the north end, is as fiercely independent as they come – the sort of literate and civilized bookstore going out of business nationwide.” (Fast Food Nation, p. 59)
“Every few miles, clusters of fast food joints seem to repeat themselves, Burger Kings, Wendy's, and McDonald's, Subways, Pizza Huts, and Taco Bells, they keep appearing along the road, the same buildings and signage replaying like a tape loop.” (Fast Food Nation, p. 60)
The portrayal of Eliza Zamot in Chapter 3 is an example of Schlosser's attempts to provide a connection between the facts and the reader. As we learn more about her, and grow to admire her, we are presented with facts and statistics that we can then imagine being applied to her situation, such as the results from the report published by the National Academy of Sciences in 1998 that concluded “that the long hours many American teenagers now spend on the job pose a great risk to their future educational and financial success.” (Fast Food Nation, p. 80); as we read on the next page that Elisa hopes to attend Princeton after high school, we are emotionally connected to the previous fact.
This same pattern of providing a personal anecdote to draw the reader in is also seen in Chapter 7, particularly in the section concerning Ruben Ramirez. Once again, we are drawn into this man's story, only to be presented with a distressing fact that we can now relate to him; in this case, the fact is “The local meatpacking industry that once employed 40,000 people now employs about 2,000. Ninety-five percent of its jobs have moved elsewhere.” (Fast Food Nation, p. 157). There are numerous examples throughout the book, and it has proven to be an effective technique.
Because it is such an effective technique, I will try to include personal anecdotes to provide contrast with the facts and figures that I will present in my research paper. Even if I cannot find specific incidences to use, I think that using generic situations with “Sally” and “Billy” as the main focal points will still be effective.
Sunday, March 8, 2009
FFN March08
The first fast food experience I remember was with my grandparents. I had been home from school sick and my grandmother asked if I wanted to visit the White Marsh mall. After arriving at the mall with both of my grandparents we walked around and visited all the stores young boys like; KB toys, Dollar General, Pet shops. Finally after visiting every store I could think of my grandmother asked if I wanted something to eat. We were headed to the local McDonalds. At this point I can’t remember the toy associated with the happy meal but I’m sure that’s what garnered my interest.
Fast food is an impulse industry. The location of fast food is heavily studied and placed. The fast food restaurants try to appeal to young children with toys.
How often children home sick from school visit fast food restaurants. How does the industry choose which toys to sell with their food. How many malls contain fast food.
Schlosser uses personal stories as well as statistics in order to keep the reader’s attention. He uses the stories included throughout the novel in order to ingrain the thoughts he is trying to get across in our memories. I’m sure I will never forget the story of a man being turned into lard. Stories like this which shock us will always remain imprinted in our memories and even encourage us to share these stories with others. “Hey did you know _____?” Allowing the reader to learn the origins of the industry really allows us to see fast food as a business rather than a feature of normal society. By combining stories with facts I feel that it will keep my audience interested while writing my paper.
Fast food is an impulse industry. The location of fast food is heavily studied and placed. The fast food restaurants try to appeal to young children with toys.
How often children home sick from school visit fast food restaurants. How does the industry choose which toys to sell with their food. How many malls contain fast food.
Schlosser uses personal stories as well as statistics in order to keep the reader’s attention. He uses the stories included throughout the novel in order to ingrain the thoughts he is trying to get across in our memories. I’m sure I will never forget the story of a man being turned into lard. Stories like this which shock us will always remain imprinted in our memories and even encourage us to share these stories with others. “Hey did you know _____?” Allowing the reader to learn the origins of the industry really allows us to see fast food as a business rather than a feature of normal society. By combining stories with facts I feel that it will keep my audience interested while writing my paper.
FFN 3+7
1a. McDonalds. Cheeseburgers, cheeseburgers, cheeseburgers! Happy Meal? I love cheeseburgers. They taste great and make my mouth water just thinking about them. Why is this line so long, I think to myself. Wow, this line moves fast, we are already at the front. I stand behind my babysitter while she orders for me and my siblings. "What do you want?" "I want a cheeseburger happy meal please". We step to the side for a second, and whoop, foods ready. The food tastes better than I could have imagined. The Happy Meal toy is not cool, I do not like this movie. I feel weird, a little uneasy, almost sick.
1b. 1. The fast food industry has been a catalyst and a symptom of larger economic trends. 2. Hundreds of millions of people buy fast food every day without giving it much thought. 3. Fast food is heavily marketed to children and prepared by people whoe are barely older than children.
1c. Fast food's role in causing cancer. Why American farmers have not set aside their differences and banded together against the fast food machine. Why the government has not been held responsible for the lack of control on the fast food industry.
2. In chapter 3, Schlosser starts out by laying down the facts about Colorado Springs, more specifically how fast food has exploded with the sprawl Colorado Springs. He uses Colorado Springs as a microcasm of the growth in the U.S. and the world to show how fast food grows most in developing areas. He then personalizes what is happening in Colorado Springs by focusing on Elisa Zamot, a McDonald's employee, and how she at sixteen already works long arduous hours as little more than a slave for McDonald's.
In chapter 7, Schlosser directs his attention to fast food's mission to crush any attempt at undermining them, specifically through the formation of unions mainly in the beef industry. He states the facts about the beef industry and how it moved from an urban setting to a rural setting, starting in the sixties. He then focuses on the trailblazers for this shift, founders of IBP Currier J. Holman and A. D. Anderson and how they have suppressed unions in Greeley.
1b. 1. The fast food industry has been a catalyst and a symptom of larger economic trends. 2. Hundreds of millions of people buy fast food every day without giving it much thought. 3. Fast food is heavily marketed to children and prepared by people whoe are barely older than children.
1c. Fast food's role in causing cancer. Why American farmers have not set aside their differences and banded together against the fast food machine. Why the government has not been held responsible for the lack of control on the fast food industry.
2. In chapter 3, Schlosser starts out by laying down the facts about Colorado Springs, more specifically how fast food has exploded with the sprawl Colorado Springs. He uses Colorado Springs as a microcasm of the growth in the U.S. and the world to show how fast food grows most in developing areas. He then personalizes what is happening in Colorado Springs by focusing on Elisa Zamot, a McDonald's employee, and how she at sixteen already works long arduous hours as little more than a slave for McDonald's.
In chapter 7, Schlosser directs his attention to fast food's mission to crush any attempt at undermining them, specifically through the formation of unions mainly in the beef industry. He states the facts about the beef industry and how it moved from an urban setting to a rural setting, starting in the sixties. He then focuses on the trailblazers for this shift, founders of IBP Currier J. Holman and A. D. Anderson and how they have suppressed unions in Greeley.
FFN by Hesham
A.) I do not recall the first time I have been in a fast food restaurant, but the furthest I can remember would be my experience in Mc. Donald’s. I remember that once I entered the restaurant the first thing I was attracted to would be the playground. I would run straight there without any warning only to have my mother pull me right out. I absolutely loved the playground. I grew up in emirates, one of the richest oil countries of the world, which had a very prestigious Mc. Donald setup. So the playground was huge and very expensive. There was everything you could imagine; there were huge playhouses, slides, ball pits, and action figures from the Mc. Donald’s toy collection. There was also a statue of Ronald Mc Donald in the corner of the store; he kind of scared me a little. There was even a section for babies with rattlers and teethers. Once I was allowed in the playground there was no end to my playing, only till the food arrives. For some reason my passion for food outweighed the playground’s fun. I would leave the playground to eat my fries and Big Mac; why you ask would a 4 year old be eating a Big Mac? Why not a nugget kid’s meal or a small cheese burger? Well my parents had great amounts of Big Mac coupons, so it was the economical way to eat at Mc. Donald’s. My mom would cut the sandwich for me into little pieces so I can be able to eat it, only to eat half of it and my mom eating the rest. Overall it was a fun experience; I liked the playground and loved the food.
B.) 1. A survey of American Schoolchildren found that 96% could identify Ronald Mc Donald.
2. A hamburger and French fries became the quintessential American Meal.
3. Mc. Donald is the Nation’s largest purchaser of beef, pork, and potatoes.
C.) 1. Children’s Marketing
2. The nutritional facts about Mc Donald’s.
3. Coupon distribution strategy.
D.) Schlosser combines the personal stories with scientific ideas in a very effective way in chapter 3. He starts out describing Colorado and how it started out as a peaceful city with effective technology programs. He described the place in great detail, even to the point that I was almost confused as to what the significance of this place to the book. But he effectively clarified his idea when he tied it with the drastic change that the fast food industry has had over the city. He also combined the stories of the young girl worker to emphasize the effects and tragedy even more.
I believe that this is a very effective technique that I can use it to my advantage in a paper about fast food due to my many experiences in the fast food industry as a current worker there.
Saturday, March 7, 2009
FFN
One day I went out skateboarding with my friends. As usual we skated for several hours and enjoyed each others company until the sun started to go down. However this day introduced one of my favorite institutions; WENDYS!. My friend Bobby was hungry and asked me where he should get something to eat as we rolled down York Road in his mothers van. I told him "I've never been to Wendy’s". This was because unlike most of my friends I ate most of my meals at home. My Friend was shocked and he instantly put the car into a u-turn and loudly proclaimed "We're going to Wendy’s!". Bobby's meal was a biggie sized Mr. Pib, french fries and a triple cheese burger. Bobby was also generous enough to buy me a cheese burger. I remember sitting in the dining room of the Wendy’s and laughing a lot. I don't remember what we said or did but I remember it was a really good time. After we left we went out and skated some more. Bobby learned the valuable lesson that it’s not good to skate after eating a triple cheese burger because there is a good chance that you'll throw up. Since then, I have returned to the same Wendy's many times and have always had a good experience. I haven’t eaten at another fast food burger joint in years. Although I'll only eat at Wendy’s a few times a year, I always associate the Wendy’s brand with fond memories.
After reading the introduction from fast food nation I can’t help but look back on my fast food experiences . Unlike most Americans I rarely if ever ate fast food as a kid and continue to not over indulge in this luxury as an adult. However, I am not surprised that we as a people spend more on fast food then on higher education. People no matter their age or class can easily walk into a fast food restaurant almost any time of the day. After entering one of many conveniently placed restaurants, customers will be able to choose from a plethora of culinary delights. High education however is not available at millions of opportune locations on every continent. It also requires large investments of hard work, time, and money. The two are not on the same playing field and maybe should not even be compared. Another fact that I did not find very surprising was that fast food restaurants depend on uniformity. I have traveled all over the world and almost everywhere I have been I have seen fast food restaurants. France, Cuba, Ireland, Kuwait, and Aruba all had fast food chains that were familiar to my first experience at the Wendy’s on York road. Why would a restaurant want to change when the key to their success is their uniform menu? Over seas foreigners and Americans alike patronize to these restaurants and other American brands because they want the familiar taste Americana. I personally experienced this when one of my cousins from Europe was visiting me in the states. My cousin was always drinking sprite and coke and I asked him “why do you drink so much soda?” and he told me it was “just a taste of home”. Another fact from the introduction that I can relate to my story is that half of all money that was spent on preparing food at home is now spent at restaurants. As I mentioned I rarely ate out as a minor. I started to notice when I was a young adult that most people did not know how to cook for them selves. I never remember being in a friends house where they made their own bread, or were actively baking a cake. Most of my friends mothers and fathers and fit the description of the working guardians that are too busy working outside the house for cooking every meal at home.
Three other areas that I might choose to research are customer loyalty, advertising tactics, and product design. In these first few chapters we have touched on related topics but we haven’t really covered these in much depth. However, each of these are very important to us and to those marketing their products to us. Fast food chains must want customer loyalty just as much as any other retailer. What I would like to see is how they ensure that we keep buying their product and not the competitions. Although the volume of marketing that was geared towards young consumers was discussed it didn’t really talk about what they do to keep the kids coming in. It is obvious that they buy placement of commercials on tv, and radio air time. I now know that fast food restaurants have successfully conducted advertising campaigns in schools but what is the message that they try to convey in these advertisements? A friend of mine once said that when he goes to taco bell he always tries a new product on the menu. Obviously the objective of a new item is to bring in more and maybe even first time customers. But what do they do to design their products and what actually are they made of.
Schlosser relates research to what is happening in the lives of the people it effects. He chooses the most extreme cases and uses those as the basis for his story telling. In chapter seven he describes Greely Colorado before and after the con agra meat packing company opened its doors. In chapter two he talks about Ray Kroc and Walt Disney. He talks about these two men and what type of lives they led and he even talks about Disney’s political agenda. By painting a grim picture in each chapter he gives fast food a dark and unfamiliar feeling. If he were to just tell us facts Fast Food Nation would be a very dry book that no one would want to read. Because he includes the real life stories of people and places to which we can relate we are compelled to turn the pages. Schlosser gives the science a face, and that is why he is so effective
I will definitely use this tactic when I am asked to write about fast food. People love to read and talk about things that are familiar to them. There are few things more precious then good memories. My plan is to incorporate familiar stories and memories with the assigned topic and that way people will want to read about my topic and
After reading the introduction from fast food nation I can’t help but look back on my fast food experiences . Unlike most Americans I rarely if ever ate fast food as a kid and continue to not over indulge in this luxury as an adult. However, I am not surprised that we as a people spend more on fast food then on higher education. People no matter their age or class can easily walk into a fast food restaurant almost any time of the day. After entering one of many conveniently placed restaurants, customers will be able to choose from a plethora of culinary delights. High education however is not available at millions of opportune locations on every continent. It also requires large investments of hard work, time, and money. The two are not on the same playing field and maybe should not even be compared. Another fact that I did not find very surprising was that fast food restaurants depend on uniformity. I have traveled all over the world and almost everywhere I have been I have seen fast food restaurants. France, Cuba, Ireland, Kuwait, and Aruba all had fast food chains that were familiar to my first experience at the Wendy’s on York road. Why would a restaurant want to change when the key to their success is their uniform menu? Over seas foreigners and Americans alike patronize to these restaurants and other American brands because they want the familiar taste Americana. I personally experienced this when one of my cousins from Europe was visiting me in the states. My cousin was always drinking sprite and coke and I asked him “why do you drink so much soda?” and he told me it was “just a taste of home”. Another fact from the introduction that I can relate to my story is that half of all money that was spent on preparing food at home is now spent at restaurants. As I mentioned I rarely ate out as a minor. I started to notice when I was a young adult that most people did not know how to cook for them selves. I never remember being in a friends house where they made their own bread, or were actively baking a cake. Most of my friends mothers and fathers and fit the description of the working guardians that are too busy working outside the house for cooking every meal at home.
Three other areas that I might choose to research are customer loyalty, advertising tactics, and product design. In these first few chapters we have touched on related topics but we haven’t really covered these in much depth. However, each of these are very important to us and to those marketing their products to us. Fast food chains must want customer loyalty just as much as any other retailer. What I would like to see is how they ensure that we keep buying their product and not the competitions. Although the volume of marketing that was geared towards young consumers was discussed it didn’t really talk about what they do to keep the kids coming in. It is obvious that they buy placement of commercials on tv, and radio air time. I now know that fast food restaurants have successfully conducted advertising campaigns in schools but what is the message that they try to convey in these advertisements? A friend of mine once said that when he goes to taco bell he always tries a new product on the menu. Obviously the objective of a new item is to bring in more and maybe even first time customers. But what do they do to design their products and what actually are they made of.
Schlosser relates research to what is happening in the lives of the people it effects. He chooses the most extreme cases and uses those as the basis for his story telling. In chapter seven he describes Greely Colorado before and after the con agra meat packing company opened its doors. In chapter two he talks about Ray Kroc and Walt Disney. He talks about these two men and what type of lives they led and he even talks about Disney’s political agenda. By painting a grim picture in each chapter he gives fast food a dark and unfamiliar feeling. If he were to just tell us facts Fast Food Nation would be a very dry book that no one would want to read. Because he includes the real life stories of people and places to which we can relate we are compelled to turn the pages. Schlosser gives the science a face, and that is why he is so effective
I will definitely use this tactic when I am asked to write about fast food. People love to read and talk about things that are familiar to them. There are few things more precious then good memories. My plan is to incorporate familiar stories and memories with the assigned topic and that way people will want to read about my topic and
Fast Food - Porter
1a) I remember sitting in the passenger seat of my mother's car as she drove away from Eastpoint Mall. I must have been about six years old, because I remember becoming very excited when I saw the McDonald's playground, a large purple Grimace shaped steel cage on a spring that kids would step into and shake the bars to cause him to wobble back and forth. I remember that The Hamburglar sat on top of the slide and the Fry Kids were stuck into the sand on pikes. I think I can remember that during one of my visits to this playground, I first discovered there was a causal relationship between bright sunlight and sneezing. Oddly enough, the food itself is long since erased from my memory-- perhaps because after almost twenty years, the food hasn't changed in any discernible way, but the playground has become displaced in my life.
2a) In the introduction (p4, para 1) we are told that "in 1975, about one-third of American mothers with young children worked outside the home; today almost two-thirds of such mothers are employed. This fact relates to my experiences as a young child-- my mother was a single mom who worked two jobs to support me. Later in the same paragraph, it is said that much of the familial budget that used to go toward food (to be prepared traditionally by the mother or father in the home) now goes toward fast food.
On the same page (para 2), it is said that 96 percent of the world's children can identify Ronald McDonald; second only in recognition to Santa Claus. This also relates to my experiences as a child-- I was directly 'lured' to the McDonald's I so loved mostly by the recognizable figures of Ronald McDonald, Grimace, Hamburglar, and the playground they inhabited.
In regards to the ubiquity and uniformity of the fast food experience (p10, para 1), in that "the whole experience is transitory and soon forgotten", I am also reminded of my childhood experiences-- the food itself, while temporarily satisfying, has remained so consistent, uninspired and bland that I can barely remember any individual experience actually eating at the restaurants of my childhood, and have a clearer memory of the promotions, happy meal toys, playgrounds, commercials and other marketing I was exposed to.
3a) I am interested in the moment the fast food industry began working with toy manufacturers, movie studios, and other famous brands to increase their consumer base. I would like to discover the single "Eureka moment" that beget the industry as it is today; completely tied to and inseparable from the images and products they "synergize" with.
2) Schlosser combines the personal and analytical to illustrate the real-world effects of the fast food industry on the people and players involved, as well as to give his reporting a more dramatic and human touch-- we care more about the sometimes bland topics being discussed because of the effects they have on the people we're reading about. Also, by telling a story about a person or group of people, Schlosser can structure his facts and figures into a chronological order that is tied to the events his subjects experience- this again provides a structured and measured pacing that the reader can more easily digest, while embuing both with the familiar "dramatic arc" that is so crucial to good storytelling.
Schlosser's story about Elisa, the pubescent McDonald's worker, who is old enough to work, but young enough to be easily controlled (like most of the younger workers in the fast food industry) illustrates this tactic, as does the story of Greely, CO and ConAgra, two entities linked (for better or worse) for dozens of years, and the dozens of political policymakers and corporate officers dealing from the bottom of the proverbial deck.
Using this same technique, I could focus on the persons responsible for introducing "synergy" into the fast food industry, it's effects, and the controversies surrounding both, using historical stories with dramatic interest.
2a) In the introduction (p4, para 1) we are told that "in 1975, about one-third of American mothers with young children worked outside the home; today almost two-thirds of such mothers are employed. This fact relates to my experiences as a young child-- my mother was a single mom who worked two jobs to support me. Later in the same paragraph, it is said that much of the familial budget that used to go toward food (to be prepared traditionally by the mother or father in the home) now goes toward fast food.
On the same page (para 2), it is said that 96 percent of the world's children can identify Ronald McDonald; second only in recognition to Santa Claus. This also relates to my experiences as a child-- I was directly 'lured' to the McDonald's I so loved mostly by the recognizable figures of Ronald McDonald, Grimace, Hamburglar, and the playground they inhabited.
In regards to the ubiquity and uniformity of the fast food experience (p10, para 1), in that "the whole experience is transitory and soon forgotten", I am also reminded of my childhood experiences-- the food itself, while temporarily satisfying, has remained so consistent, uninspired and bland that I can barely remember any individual experience actually eating at the restaurants of my childhood, and have a clearer memory of the promotions, happy meal toys, playgrounds, commercials and other marketing I was exposed to.
3a) I am interested in the moment the fast food industry began working with toy manufacturers, movie studios, and other famous brands to increase their consumer base. I would like to discover the single "Eureka moment" that beget the industry as it is today; completely tied to and inseparable from the images and products they "synergize" with.
2) Schlosser combines the personal and analytical to illustrate the real-world effects of the fast food industry on the people and players involved, as well as to give his reporting a more dramatic and human touch-- we care more about the sometimes bland topics being discussed because of the effects they have on the people we're reading about. Also, by telling a story about a person or group of people, Schlosser can structure his facts and figures into a chronological order that is tied to the events his subjects experience- this again provides a structured and measured pacing that the reader can more easily digest, while embuing both with the familiar "dramatic arc" that is so crucial to good storytelling.
Schlosser's story about Elisa, the pubescent McDonald's worker, who is old enough to work, but young enough to be easily controlled (like most of the younger workers in the fast food industry) illustrates this tactic, as does the story of Greely, CO and ConAgra, two entities linked (for better or worse) for dozens of years, and the dozens of political policymakers and corporate officers dealing from the bottom of the proverbial deck.
Using this same technique, I could focus on the persons responsible for introducing "synergy" into the fast food industry, it's effects, and the controversies surrounding both, using historical stories with dramatic interest.
FFN Chapters 3 and 7
1a. I was about 6 years old the first time i can ever remember going to a fast food resturaunt. It was a hot summer day and I had just finished a somewhat humiliating game of little leauge baseball. You see, as a child I wasn't the most atheletic kid on the feild. I kind of cost us the game. But afterwards my dad said not to worry about it and suggested we go get something to eat. We went to McDonald's. I can remember as a kid my dad taking me there, I got to play in the play ground and got a toy with my meal. I think that moment and others like it, left an impact on me as to which fast food chains I for quite some time in my life.
1b. three facts that relate to my expirience:
-McDonalds operates the most private playgrounds in America.
-McDonalds is one of the largestdistributers of toys in America.
-McDonalds spends mor money on advertising and marketing than any other brand.
1c. three areas of research:
-how much does McDonalds spend only on advertising based on children?
-what is there profit margin on children based products?
-how do they advertise to families?
2. In chapter 3, Schlosser speaks about Colorado springs, Colorado. And how it reflects the growth and and incorporation of everything else in America, he speaks about how the expanding city center is basically like looking at America under a microscope. He also speaks about the personal plight of a young teenage McDonalds employee and how she is overworked and under payed even as a child.
In Chapter 7 we hear about the life of an employee at a meat packing facility. His plight is moving but through we learn about the huge drop in employment that have taken place there and the conditions of working there. Schlosser is very good at using personal stories to convey his message. In my own writing i will try to us personal stories to get the reader emotionally involved in what I'm writing. I think that will make the facts stick better.
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