Ebook Mcdo: The Socio Cultural Impact Of Fast Food On Parisian Dining Habits And Pop Culture
Since the beginning of time, France has defined the culinary arts for gourmets around the world. Indisputably its capital, Paris, today reigns as the Mecca for lovers of “haute cuisine” or “fine dining” worldwide. Be that as it may, over the past two decades a new phenomenon has taken the city of lights by storm. Names such as “McDonald’s”, “Quick”, and “KFC” have literally invaded Paris and have become staples in the daily lives of Parisians. This, however, did not come easy. Along with a tradition of culinary arts is also a culture deeply entrenched in its sense of history and place in society. As expected, this traditionalistic society has been resistant to change, particularly to the winds of “Americanization” and “Globalization.” For many French people there is an association that good food is French and fast food is American and bad, said Michel Crozier, a leading French sociologist (Greenhouse 14).
Traditionally considered an aberration by the French, and by default Parisian standards, fast food has represented, at least for Americans, the practical solution to the emerging problem of two income families and latchkey kids. This does come at a price. One example in the US is the recent legal processes that have been opened against mega fast food chain McDonald’s under allegations that their products have significantly contributed to obesity in children. McDonald’s has denied the allegations and until today has successfully dismissed the suits in court.
Traditionalists and purists of the French culinary movement had predicted obesity would never become a problem in France in spite of the growing number of working mothers and fathers at the turn of the last decade. However, today France is acknowledging a growing problem of obesity in their child population. The question in both the American and the French case is the same: Is fast food to blame? Ironically when compared to the US response to this issue, various analysts, and McDonald’s France itself (as explained later in the paper), have argued that fast food may be a partial cause for this phenomenon. In spite of the general assertions about the nutritional value these companies profess, firms such as McDonald’s continue to expand in Paris and France in general. What we see here is astonishing: Two Pop Cultures battling the same problem, but with significantly different approaches. Still the question remains: Considering the deeply entrenched culinary tradition of the French, what then, explains the huge success fast food companies have sustained since their inception in France, and specifically Paris?.
This research attempts to analyze just how the phenomenon of fast food in France, and particularly Paris, evolved. The history of the fast food industry both in the US and in France will be separately and briefly analyzed. The analysis will then focus on the fast food industry in Paris. As culinary capital to France and the world, Paris holds the key to fully understanding the phenomenon of fast food in France and should help us arrive at some valid conclusions regarding its acceptance and repudiation by different segments of the French population. While it is inevitable to look at the most important players in the market, the analysis will hinge mostly on the socio-cultural elements of fast food in Paris. Key questions will be answered. Namely, what was the general reaction to the entrance of these restaurants to the city? What changed in French society over the years to allow the successful entrance of these restaurants? What is the public perception of these restaurants in Paris today? Are American fast food Restaurants taking over and eliminating Cafés in Paris? And most importantly, what does the future hold for the industry in this world class city?.
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
I. DEFINITION AND HISTORY OF FAST FOOD
- Fast Food Defined vs. The Custom of Being Served
History of Fast Food
The McDonald’s’ Effect
II. ENTER PARISIAN FAST FOOD
- The French Consumer
Culture and History of French/Parisian Dining
The History of French Fast Food
Other Players in the French/Parisian Market
The Union (The SNARR)
III. MODERN PARISIAN POP CULTURE AND FAST FOOD
- The “Americain” Effect
Menu Adaptations to the French Savoir Vivre
From Art Classique to Art Deco
Ronald McDonald vs. Asterix
The Evolving French Family
And the Teens say
The Effect of the 35-Hour workweek
Potential War in Iraq and US-French Differences
Fast Forward to Operation Iraqi Freedom
IV. ANTI-FAST FOOD MOVEMENTS (The Detractors)
- McDonald’s France vs. McDonald’s USA
Jose Bove
The Jewish Quarter and the Picasso Protectionists
The Retort of the Angry Chefs
V. THE FUTURE: WHERE IS FAST FOOD GOING IN PARIS?… 51
VI. APPENDICES
- Appendix A
Appendix B
VII. BIBLIOGRAPHY
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