McDonald’s World

I get a chuckle whenever I see certain McDonald’s commercials on TV.  They are the ones portraying life as they see it for their young 2o’s something guests.  The latest one shows two Generation OMG types drinking a McCafe Latte or whatever they are called and doing some sort of synchronized hand slapping.  You’ve seen that one.  What I find amusing is the disconnect that McD obviously has.  I’ve never seen any young adults like the one they show in any McDonald’s that I’ve been to.  This generation usually is at Starbucks and can be seen walking around with their head lowered staring blankly into their IPhones and occasionally rubbing their shins as they bump into things.  What I do see at McD’s are two extremes. 

The young one I see are the very young infants and toddlers brought there by their moms (and sometimes dads) who are there presumably because they believe that They Deserve A Break Today.  They use the playground for the kids to burn off their built up energy.  On the other end of the spectrum are our Elder Americans who use McDonald’s as a gathering place to discuss and decide the crucial political and economic issues of the day.  The Greatest Generation is drawn to McD’s for the atmosphere that allows them this forum.  They drink coffee all right but not the fancy ones, just the regular Joe.  Actually, it is the Senior Coffee that they are there for as it allows them unlimited refills.  This coffee is the fuel that propels most of their discussions.  But no young adults are to be seen.

I guess it is McD’s Field of Dreams motivation.  If they show it, they will come.  But it does make you wonder what they are thinking.

Just my opinion.

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Food Snobbery/Prejudice

Food prejudice.  Yeah, there is such a thing.  Obviously not between foods themselves but how people perceive certain foods.  Sometimes they are positive and other times they are negative.  Take truffle for example.  People love them.  Well not really people, but gourmets do.  Part of the appeal is their price and rareness.  The flavor is incidental and subtle at best.  The cost is so much more so they have to be good.  Saffron is in a similar situation.  There is just that snob appeal factor.

Sometimes the names themselves are the problem.  Not many people would eat the fish called Slimehead.  How about Patagonian Toothfish?  Sounds gross, eh.  But the marketing folks step in and you get Orange Roughy and Chilean Sea Bass, respectively.  Yummy.

There is also a regional or international prejudice.  I am bi-lingual.  I speak both Northern and Southern American having lived an equal amount of my life in New York and Texas.  We often go to Charleston.  A must see for everyone.  Beautifully preserved historical architecture, warm, friendly people and a very lively culinary scene.  A signature dish of the region is Shrimp and Grits.  Just hearing the word “grits”, a typical New Yorker would cringe and gag.  Blame it on Flo from Alice who liked to tell people where to kiss them.  But place that same New Yorker in a fancy Italian restaurant and have Gamberetti e Polenta on the menu and they’d order it in a minute.  (I know Shrimp and Grits contains more than 2 ingredients but just play along for now).  It is basically the same dish. 

And that brings up another prejudice, the naming of Italian foods.  We Americans love Italian food.  We may go a bit overboard at times.  Pizza is supposed to have only 3 ingredients but we seem to want to increase that number exponentially and try to stuff cheese in many unnatural places.  But we love the food just the same and especially how food words sound.  Polenta is much more appealing than Grits.  Risotto sounds more exotic than Rice.  Penne con Pomodori tastes so much better than macaroni with tomatoes.  Another example of positive prejudice.

Eat up and enjoy no matter how it sounds.  Try not to be too biased.  Not a good way to go through life.

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