Mcdonaldization In Fast Food Essay

McDonaldization in Fast Food

McDonaldization is replacing illogical rules with logical ones, or some call it the process of rationalization. To describe this sociological circumstance in our society, George Ritzer gave this word its meaning (Burleson). One of the most popular examples of McDonaldization is fast food, when sit down meals turned into grabbing and going. There are four steps to McDonaldization that make everything work how it does; Efficiency, predictability, calculability, and control (Macionis 139). Although these four aspects of McDonaldization might positively affect the company, there are numerous negative consequences on society that most do not realize.

The first step is efficiency. Efficiency is the process of meeting

Calculability is how much you can get as quickly as possible. Calculability focuses on the quantity and what you can measure. For instance, McDonald’s has the ten-piece and twenty-piece nugget. Hearing the amount makes it feel like there is more than there actually is. They name their products based on things you can quantify like the Big Mac, quarter pounder, and ¼ Pound Burger (McDonalds Full Menu). Although you get an abundance of food, this aspect has a downfall. The food is not quality. Their goal is to make it as fast and efficient as possible and they do this by carelessly, and sloppily making it. People are won over by the size, price, and quickness, forgoing the quality. The quantity gives the illusion that it is quality. People have always had the idea that more is better, and businesses are taking control by using this idea to their advantage to make more money

In reality though fast food workers are struggling to get by and are living paycheck-to-paycheck. The medium average salary for people employed in the fast food industry was $20,211 in 2018 (Fast Food Cook Salaries). More than a quarter of fast food workers are raising children (Weissmann). As a single parent the cost of raising a child is around $10,000 a year or $835 a month per child, and a single parent working in fast food brings in around $1,684 a month (Cost of Raising a Child Calculator). After bills, groceries, and child expenses, single parents are left with virtually nothing. Everything they buy is a need and even buying those things is extremely hard and tight to fit into that budget. According to the Labor Department jobs in the fast food industry like cooks, dishwashers, and servers are among the top ten lowest paying jobs in American (Kurtzleben). Fast food employee actually planned a walk off to protest against their low wages and push for a new minimum of fifteen dollars an hour. Fifteen dollars an hour will raise fast food workers yearly salary $10,000 allowing employee give their children a better more predictable