Mcdonald's Influence On American Culture

McDonald's constructs new restaurants all over the world. They provide a taste of American culture in places where people may not know much at all about America or Americans. They provide new industry and jobs to places that may be war torn or simply lack a good job market. This is a positive implication for the town in which the McDonald's is built but in the long run many of the negative aspects of McDonald's seem to surface. The instant gratification provided by McDonald's is the form of a cheap meal and an easy, zero training job comes at the expense of many other things. The reason that the McDonald's corporation is so profitable is because they do everything at minimal cost. The food they sell is produced and prepared as efficiently
Christa Maerker wrote in an essay on Germany's infatuation with the United States, "For a child growing up in [postwar] Berlin… the Americans were angels. Anything from them was bigger and more wonderful than anything that preceded it."(Schlosser, 531) People sought refuge in American movies, music, food, and culture in general. In Plauen, Germany MTV is a popular television station and all the songs on the radio are in English. A McDonald's was opened up in Plauen, Germany. The town had been industrious before World War I but bombing during World War II, thriving extremism, and the Cold War caused the town to become a dismal place with about a 20% unemployment rate. A McDonald's was constructed there just several months after the end of the Cold War. It brought hope for a new future. It represented Americana and hopes that they too would be as industrious as the United States. It was also the first building to be constructed in Plauen since the end of the war. A clean and new building amidst the old, ramshackle, graffiti-covered ones gave the people a sense of optimism. A downside to the rise of American culture in other countries is the decline of the local culture. It is very difficult for the traditional German restaurants to compete with McDonald's due to their efficient operation. Traditional restaurants require higher labor costs; anyone can make a Big Mac because the McDonald's
Everything they don't want you to know." Some of the claims were libelous or blown out of proportion; such as a claim that McDonald's tortures animals and uses lethal poisons to destroy the Amazon rain forest, but many of the claims were more realistic and tactful. Some people view McDonald's as a powerful multinational corporation that will in the long run hurt the people. A new business is usually a good thing for a particular location because it provides goods, services, and jobs. McDonald's, however, shifts the capital to another country so that the local people see none of the benefits and has no fidelity to any nation, workers, farmers, or consumers. McDonald's opposes labor unions and doesn't provide great pay or room for advancement. They do however provide immediate jobs for those with no experience. They also give the public a meal quicker and cheaper than most any traditional restaurant. This leaves no business for the average Joe trying to make a living for himself and perhaps a family. The average restaurant owner cannot afford to sell food for the same or better price than McDonald's because he buys in relatively small quantities as opposed to the McDonald's corporation who buys in such bulk and is so efficient