McDonald against traditional food

In my last blog, I mentioned McDonald’s particular way of infiltration in countries such as India, which have very different eating habits compared to America. Yesterday, I found an interesting article about how McDonald is perceived in these countries and its impact on the several cultures. I can already say that the opinions are more than divided.

On the one hand there are the anti-globalists who affirm that traditional values are repressed by the introduction of non-traditional food, like McDonald’s fast food. However, this “Americanization”, like the anti-globalists call it, is not the only problem. There is a great difference between the Americans who see eating as a necessity and foreign countries which view eating as a social moment and where it has an important role. In these countries, McDonald doesn’t really have its place. People appreciate the moment of eating together around a table and can't imagine that you just take 5 minutes to go to the McDonald and eat your hamburger on the way to school or somewhere else.

On the other hand, some people think positively about the impact of McDonald.  First, McDonald adapts its menus to the local eating habits and works with the regional communities. So you can say that the company respects the local values. Moreover, culture is changing all over the world, some faster than others, and McDonald is certainly not the reason of this shifting. They affirm it’s only another step in this evolution.

For my part, even if I like America and its culture, I don't like this Americanization of our eating habits.  Dinner is for me a moment that has to be shared with your family or friends,  not in a fast food surrounded by people you don't know. 

Caroline Latour

McDonald, globalization and culture