Emily Gan Week 6: Exotic Expectations
McDonald's in China
When visiting China, the thing I craved the most was American fast food. Just the thought of walking into a fast food restaurant, and taking in the smell of the crispy golden fries made my mouth water. I always thought that chains like Mcdonald’s and Pizza Hut were exclusively American. So imagine my surprise when my dad took me on a walk to the Golden Arches.
As soon as I walked in, the familiar smell and place cured my homesickness instantly. The food was identical to America, the same plastic cheese and crispy fries. Having McDonald’s in China is like America with the same menu, other than a few exclusive items. And after watching a lot of those trying McDonald’s in [insert country] videos, I realize it is like that in most countries. Sometimes their exclusive items are fast food versions of other “American” staples like pizza, in which they use ketchup, cheese, and ham (I mean it looks like a pizza I don’t know about taste though). Other countries romanticize the exclusively American parts like the iconic flag and color theme, famous places and movies, and of course American fast-food restaurants.
Walking down the streets of China (this is from when I was maybe 9 or 10) I always got looks from pedestrians. They would stare at my neon clothes (do not judge guys I know you all wore neon when you were little) and highlighted hair (from swimming), some would even laugh. Even reactions from little kids were absurd. I met many kids my age through my aunt and her connections with teachers. My aunt has sent me to an art class and a school time class before, and both times the students were amazed by meeting an American. Going as far as taking pictures with me or having me give them my autograph. It’s amusing seeing how other countries are influenced by American culture and vice versa, one step at a time starting with fast food.
Hi Emily! I can definitely relate with your experience with American fast food being similar to the food you can get in America, but still relating to the country’s culture in certain ways. For example, when I was at Burger King in India, I expected to find the classic American cheeseburger that you can find at any Burger King you walk into in California. Instead, I was met with options such masala filled burgers and chillied fries. Although the menu was definitely not what I was expecting, I still appreciated the cultural twist on American fastfood. It’s a representation of how different cultures can coexist. Burger King, a well known American brand, selling American food with Indian components was a really interesting experience. Another interesting fast food experience I had was trying Domino’s in Germany, which was really interesting since the pizza they had was nothing at all like the Domino’s in America that I knew really well. Although many countries try to incorporate well known American restaurants and businesses into their culture, there are always small differences that help people differentiate between fast food chains in different countries. It was also interesting to read about how you were treated with a lot of importance as someone from America visiting China, since it is interesting to see how some countries welcome foreigners while others prefer people who know the country’s culture and language well. For example, in France, a lot of French businesses and people expect people to speak in French when ordering food or buying items, which is vastly different from how other countries, such as India and Singapore, accommodate foreigners and are more welcoming of people who don’t have knowledge of their language and culture.
ReplyDeleteI remember the first thing that my sister wanted to do when we arrived in Beijing was McDonalds. Even in America, the only thing she wants to eat is McDonalds. In that regard, she is really similar to you. I think the main reason why she wanted to try the McDonalds, however, was not because she was hungry and craving some fast food, but because she was homesick. Eating McDonalds probably made her feel like she was back in America, and it was like comfort food. I agree that food is always something that can define a culture. For example, if you talk about food in Italy, the first thing that might pop up in your head could be spaghetti or pasta. If you go to China, you might think of the street food, and if you go to Beijing, you might think of the peking duck. I think the best part of McDonalds or American fast food restaurants in other countries is that there is always something special there that is not on the menu in America. In China's McDonalds, for example, there are rice bowls (I think) and taro pies, which I tried when I went there. I thought it was really funny when you described others in China giving you those funny reactions, especially the other kids asking for autographs. One thing you could do that could make your point stronger could be to add more examples of American fast food restaurants in other countries. Also, I think your formatting at the end of each paragraph is a little off.
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