Throughout part I of Fast Food Nation, Eric Schlosser writes about the ins and outs of the fast food industry. From the founding fathers to the dirty little secrets that fast food corporations would never want us to know, he reveals it all. As corporations look for every opportunity to cut costs and increase profits, we start to reexamine what type of behavior governs businesses in America. As the days of traditional ‘sit down restaurants’ dominating the market quickly disappeared, large corporations are making use of new machinery and money saving business strategies. The drawback to these business tactics is that the burden lies on another individual. It is possible today to achieve a goal, whether it be an individuals or companies, but requires …show more content…
The founding fathers of fast food giants, including Ray Kroc and Walt Disney, were among the first to develop and focus on marketing to children. In a response about advertising Schlosser shows just how knowledgeable they were, “Hoping that nostalgic childhood memories of a brand will lead to a lifetime of purchases, companies now plan ‘cradle-to-grave’ advertising strategies. They have come to believe what Ray Kroc and Walt Disney realized long ago -- a person's ‘brand loyalty’ may begin as early as the age of two”(43). Schlosser explains how Ray Kroc and Walt Disney purposefully targeted children to build loyal customers. Their intent was to attract children so that they would drive their parents to take them to fast food restaurants. For example, the “play place” of today's McDonald's is clearly targeted towards children. This is important because it shows us that in order for these gentlemen to get ahead, they were willing to exploit children, in order to obtain more business. Although vulnerable children are paying the price, this tactic proved to be a very effective method of achieving success, or driving up business, for Kroc and Disney. Ray Kroc assures us that his goal is to get ahead at the expense of others. In chapter 2, Kroc tells a reporter, “This is rat eat rat, dog eat dog. I'll kill’em, and I'm going to kill’em before they kill me. You're talking about the American way of survival of the fittest”(Schlosser 37). Ray Kroc, the main man behind the success of McDonald's, clearly shows that he is here to make money and that there is nothing in his way that will stop him. This is important because it demonstrates the principle and attitude that individuals have towards others. If you want to get what you want in America, you have to push over someone else and take it from them. Even though Kroc was achieving success, customers were the ones paying for
In Eric Schlosser article, “ Kid Kustomers” he focuses on how American companies have began to target kids in the marketing business. This began in the 80’s and the companies attempt to influence children at a young age to decide on what companies they will buy from. Doing so the companies hope to create lifelong customers and increasing their profit. This can be seen in areas such as a children’s club where ads are seen regularly to be viewed by the kids. Nevertheless these companies benefit from targeting child audiences because eventually it will increase sales.
When children use these tactics they tend to cry, beg and convince their parents to buy them the the things they want. Before companies influence children, they study them. They study children’s social behavior and what their current tastes are. Companies have cultural anthropologists watch children at homes, stores, and restaurants. Schlosser stated that the ‘children’s club’ really helped with increasing sales because it provides “the fundamental needs for a status and belonging of the children’’.
Since the conclusion of World War II, the fast food industry’s place in America and its economy has rapidly grown. The industry grew along with the automobile industry, which allowed customers easier access to the food establishments. Throughout the book, Schlosser mainly focuses on McDonald’s since he credits it with inspiring many of today’s popular fast food chains. Schlosser retells McDonald’s rise to popularity, but also the dark side of its
The article, “Fast Food: Four Big Names Lose” employs the readers of such article to listen to an explanation of what other customers all around America value and do not value in the fast food chains that exist today. Written by Consumer Reports Magazine in August of 2011, a magazine dedicated to testing and surveying products and services themselves and to support groups and reporting the results of those tests to the consumers of America so that they may make more informed choices in their futures. Major fast food companies constantly brag and commercialize their success and the greatness of their product, however whether they actually compare to the product they so grandly promote is a different story. Consumer Reports Magazine delivers
In order to mend the problem government set out to give loans to small businesses in hope they would create jobs in the poorest parts of the country. This plan, however, paved the way for fast food to leach in, sporting a high profit rate compared to local grocers. “Because of this, the SBA were more likely to give out loans to people looking to open franchises rather than grocery stores”(Danovich). The effect is a landscape of inner-city America speckled with fast food kings with a high obesity population to match. I agree with Danovich on her stance of poor policy causing the surge of fast food franchises, although I suspect this issue could be traced back to the second world
Matt Kozek 8/24/15 Dooley Fast Food Nation Fast Food Nation is a book written by Eric Schlosser, the book is divided into two both sections being about entirely different things. The first section is called “The American Way,” which interrogates the beginnings of the Fast Food Nation within the context of post-World War II America. The second section is called “Meat and Potatoes,” and it is about the specific mechanizations of the fast-food industry, including the chemical flavoring of the food, the production of cattle and chickens, the working conditions of beef industry, the dangers of eating meat, and the global context of fast food as an American cultural export. The important part of the book is the second section where Schlosser
A Rhetorical Analysis of “Don’t Blame the Eater” by David Zinczenko Sara, a single mother of two kids, is driving home from a grueling day of work. She’s worked overtime all week and has some tightness in her back. Upon looking at the clock on the dashboard of her 1996 Volkswagen, she realizes that it is way too late to go home and cook a nice dinner for her two children. She turns into the nearest McDonalds, orders some chicken nuggets, and brings dinner home. Can you blame a mother who just wanted her kids to eat?
The term McDonalization was first coined by the Sociologist George Ritzer in 1996 in his book “The McDonaldization of Society.” In the book Ritzer analyzes a big business model that Ray Kroc started in United States in 1955 with his first McDonalds restaurant, and whom model has been and continues spreading out to all the branches of the society’s life around the world. The success of this business model relays in four main principles, as Ritzer points out in his book: efficiency, calculability, predictability, and control. According to Ritzer, McDonalization is “the process by which the principles of the fast-food restaurant are coming to dominate more and more sectors of American society as well as the rest of the world” (Ritzer, 1996). The McDonaldization phenomenon has been extended to all the branches of society, and we can find it in churches, sports, military, hospitals, and education.
Jaras Khairat Epp 170 Margarida, Mary J Summary/response Kid Kustomers The growth in children’s advertising in U.S has increased exponentially since 1980s most of the companies such as Disney, McDonald started targeting younger customers exploiting their marketing consumption that by implementing nostalgic memories of childhood of a brand names will let them purchase their product. Studies shown in 1991 that America’s six year olds were more familiar with Joe Camel as to them cartoon character Mickey Mouse and by familiarizing product to kids their goals is to persuade their parents to purchase a their product by juvenile nagging tactics. James U. McNeal a marketing professor believes in traditional approach is to get children closer
Today McDonald’s has many more competitors such as; Carl’s Jr., Sonic, Chick-Fil-A and Burger King, which now provides kid’s meals with toys. Parents are infuriated by the fact that the free toy is making their children want the unhealthy food, yet they feel obligated to buy the meal to make their child happy. Though these children are still more interested in the popular the toy and will beg their parents to buy the meal from the fast food industry. Nevertheless many parents have stood up against the toys in their child’s meal. In Santa Clara, California there has been a banment of toys in children's meals.
The novel Fast Food Nation written by Eric Schlosser explains the monstrosity behind fast food and the secrets it holds. Schlossar talks about widely known fast food chains. He explains the secrets behind McDonald’s , Burger King, and other fast food restaurants you might eat on a regular basis. Fast Food Nation contains a detailed description of how these restaurants got started and what is inside those pre-heated hamburger, burrito, and french fries you are holding in your hand. Fast Food Nation is a well written (a bit boring) detailed book that may make you avoid fast food for a while.
In the introduction, it’s obvious on how Eric Schlosser (the author) feels about the growth of fast food. He opposes it, or more realistically, opposes the negative effects that the fast food industry has. In this passage, Schlosser goes into detail on how much of an influence fast food in the United States has. He explains that the process of raising, slaughtering, and processing cattle into ground beef has changed negatively mainly due to fast food. Meatpacking, which was once highly paid and a highly skilled operation transformed into a highly unsanitary and very dangerous occupation performed by immigrants.
Rhetorical Analysis: The Mcdonaldization of Society George Ritzer's characterization of an American society in his essay The Mcdonaldization of Society offers a very astute insight into the future. Written over 20 years ago in 1993 the essay still is prodigiously pertinent today, interestingly perhaps more so today than ever before. The concept behind Mcdonaldization can be seen as “the process by which the principles of the fast-food restaurant are coming to dominate more and more sectors of American society as well as of the rest of the world” (George Ritzer 1). The essay does not infer that society is related to Mcdonalds in anyway, rather the essay looks at the structural format of the Mcdonald type organizations that represent the mass production assembly line style of organizations that are primordially fixated on produce quantity even if it comes at the price of quality. This is reason George Ritzer believes that American culture and life has become homogenized along a streamlined set of rational, efficient and impersonal principles.
The first heard of the movie "Fast Food Nations" in 8th grade when my I found out my classmate had recently gone vegan after watching this particular movie. I thought nothing of it at the time due to her poor explanation as to what it was about and figured I would watch it at a later time. Now a half a decade later it seems I finally ended up watching this unscrupulous film. As I state that I wish to make it clear that it was successful in hitting it 's mark with informing the viewers of this film.
Company’s market products to children, through television commercials and kid shows .They design them to appeal to children to advertise products vary from toys to snack foods. I personally don’t agree with what companies are doing today advertising too the youth. In my opinion I believe it is morally wrong marketing directly to children is one of the factors in the obesity epidemic in children. Advisements may also encourage eating disorders, mature sexuality, youth violence and family stress.