Restaurants are scattered along seemingly every inch the modern American urban landscape. They serve a very unique role in society. Simultaneously, they function as both a consumer space where food is purchased and a social space where human interaction is the key ingredient. Because the social element of restaurants, they are a place where social patterns are both reflected and created. The scholarly study of eating establishments has proven this conjecture to be true. Academic research has focused on the how the upper class is looking to privatize public space and how restaurants have historically and currently are excluding certain class of people even at basic structural level. All of this research shares a common theme—social borders do exist in society, and restaurants are a common manifestation of them. Prior to studying the role that restaurants play in creating social borders, one must establish that social borders do exist in today’s society. The work of Margret Crawford shows that these social barricades are a very real phenomenon. Rich, upper class citizens are constantly looking for ways to separate themselves from the lower class. This form of oppression can be seen throughout history and at many points was obviously intentional like in the case of racial segregation. In modern society though, the increased legal rights of the lower class have meant that this exclusion has become either more discrete or non-existent. Crawford argues that it is simple less evident, noting “the dominant classes have met the advances of these new citizens with new strategies of segregation, privatization, and fortification” (9). Specifically, the upper class has been privatizing public space, creating environments meant to exclude low... ... middle of paper ... ...tablishments are acting as class dividers, will increase the understanding of modern class relations, as well as, society as a whole. Works Cited Crawford, Margaret. "Contesting the Public Realm: Struggles over Public Space in Los Angeles." Journal of Architectural Education 49.1 Sept. (1995): 4-9. JSTOR. Web. 31 Jan. 2011. Lobel, Cindy R. ""Out to Eat" The Emergence and Evolution of the Restaurant in Nineteenth- Century New York City." Winterthur Portfolio 44.2/3 (2010): 193-220. JSTOR. Web. 31 Jan. 2011. Neal, Zachary P. "Culinary Deserts, Gastronomic Oases: A Classification of US Cities." Urban Studies 43.1 Jan. (2006): 1-21. Web. 10 Feb. 2011. Shelton, Allen. "A Theater for Eating, Looking, and Thinking: The Restaurant as Symbolic Space." Sociological spectrum; the official journal of the Mid-South Sociological Association 10.4 (1990): 507-26. Print.
Food culture all around the world changes and adapts in accordance to how humans evolve their tastes. In “End of Ethnic” by John Birdstall, he informs us of his point of view on what ethnic food is, and what we as Americans think of it. In addition, Kate Murphy’s “First Camera than Fork” talks about the positive and negative aspects of the “Foodie” world on the internet. Modern American food is an open book, full of different ethnic creations, and eye candy. This definition is proven through both Birdstall’s examples that define ethnic food as well as Murphy’s examples revealing how the food culture turns all their meals into a photographic diary.
Likewise, there are some results that can be made from having Mexican cuisines restaurants in America. Generally speaking, Mexican restaurants tend to be heavily stereotyped because, “when most Americans think of Mexican cooking, it’s more fajitas, burritos, and nachos that come into mind” (Wolcott). Neither of those choices are real authentic food to the Mexican culture but Americans choose to think of it as one because they can be misinformed by the cuisine. Thus, Jennifer Wolcott explores Rick Bayless’s cookbook in which he aims to knock down the stereotypes that come with Mexican cuisine. Specifically, “he is on a mission to help others get beyond these stereotypes and experience the fresh ingredients, vibrant flavors, and lively communal
The privatization and fragmentation of space in post-industrial urban America is a widespread social problem. As society becomes even more globalized as a result of technological advances, the rampant spread of a privatized public realm is ever-increasing. Public space is needed as a center in which to bring people together to share a common place. It is within public spaces that public life unfolds and without public spaces such as parks, streets, and buildings, the mixing of classes will become increasingly uncommon. Society is made up of two sectors: the private and public, and it is essential that both remain separate entities. However, through the use of fear tactics especially the threat of violent crimes, privatized settings are spreading throughout the public sphere. In this analysis, it is my intent to explore the various tactics being used to impede upon the public sphere. In doing so, I will explore the causal factors that contribute to the increased privatization of urban public life.
After a long day in school and studying, every student needs a night off to just relax and enjoy a meal at a restaurant. In this modern time, some aspects of a restaurant can be the deciding choice. Many choose their restaurant of choice based on either those they are with, their personal, cultural appetite, their routine eating habits or their mood. Some of these preferences are similar yet others are the deciding differences. Two common franchise restaurants that pose differences are Applebee’s and Olive Garden. These two restaurants present their differences in environmental and food options causing a choice between them.
Gregory Mantsios advocates more on the struggle to proceed from one class to another in his essay-“Class in America”. Mantsios states that, “Class standing has a significant impact on our chances for survival....
Mintz, Steven. "Food in America." Digital History. History Online, 2007. Web. 01 Apr. 2012. .
In “Fast Food and Intergenerational Commensality in Japan: New Styles and Old Patterns,” John W. Traphagan and L. Keith Brown employs ethnographic observation to analyze Japanese reception to the prevalence of McDonald’s in Japan, taking into account the subjects’ and informants’ ethnic backgrounds and cultural contexts. Critics maintain that the invasion of McDonald’s poses as a threat to the traditional dining patterns in Japan; however, few of them attempt to examine the underlying reasons of Japanese diners’ attraction towards McDonald’s. The authors argue that, rather than bluntly intruding the Japanese culture, McDonald’s naturally gain popularity amongst the local customers because of its exemplification of the deep-rooted Japanese values of commensality.
Schlosser, Eric. Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2001. Print.
... Expanded Edition (California Studies in Food and Culture). 2 ed. Berkeley: University of California Press, 2007. Print.
The fast food industry is something that is familiar to everyone. Living in the United States, you can usually only go a few miles without seeing a multitude of fast food restaurants popping up. The bright neon lights flashing and enticing all to come and have a quick, easy and cheap meal. Eric Schlosser, the author of Fast Food Nation, points out, “Americans now spend more money on fast food than on higher education, personal computers, or new cars. They spend more on fast food than on movies, books, magazines, newspapers, videos, and recorded music - combined.” Without the fast food industry our country would be significantly different, it has changed the nation environmentally, economically, and culturally and has done many beneficial things
People today are busier than they have ever been; household adults have at least one job just to make ends meet. The overall dynamic of the house has changed immensely since the 1920’s when fast food was first introduced to the American society, and even though the United States is still in a down economy, one thing remains the same, fast food restaurants. Even though most people know that fast food contributes to health problems, it still remains a part of the American life. There are more options than ever before, and while the big name restaurants are slowing down and sometimes fading out, fast food restaurants keep their doors open and even open new ones. The fast food industry is steadily growing through their affordability, convenience, and most of all their food.
The term“McDonalization” is invented by the sociologist George Ritzer(cited in, p180), indicating the power of the spreading trend of America culture. In the book The McDonaldization of Society, Ritzer argues that fast food restaurants are becoming dominated and have profoundly affected other sectors not only in America but also in the rest of the world. Showing from the statistics, McDonald’s has expanded to over 31,000 restaurants worldwide within the last fifty years (N.E. Dollahite & J. Haun, p180). In the big cities of a country, McDonald’s is everywhere: on the main streets, in the shopping centers, around tourist attractions. McDonald’s is so popular that in China, take a simple example, it’s not surprising to see a 5-year-old child clearly knows the menu of McDonald’s and is addicted to French fries and hamburgers. Many of them even view their trips to McDonald’s as the rewards from their parents for good
For millions, fast food restaurants are the source of positive associations with birthday parties, play dates and accessible comfort food. For others, they represent a lifeline meal on a busy day, or the secret to quieting a cranky toddler on a long trip because hurrying residents of cities have no time to cook a healthy breakfast, lunch and dinner. Fast food presents even in the lives of people who are trying
Schlosser, Eric. Fast Food Nation: the Dark Side of the All-American Meal. New York: HarperCollins, 2005
Running a restaurant can be one of the most stressful jobs as well as the most fun and rewarding jobs. If the manager is a good leader with excellent leadership skills and has great followers the restaurant will be rewarded. If not the restaurant will plummet in sales and no one will be pleased. While developing a business. staff is important to running a successful restaurant, it is also essential that management focus on its public relations as well as its sales and marketing strategies.