Fast Food
1
History of Fast Food Industry
Carts—Burger, hotdogs early 1900s—poor peoples’ food, so fast food restaurants changed the way people
perceived burgers.
SCIENCE AIDED: Sleek machinery—science: electronics, automation, freeways (Hitler), off ramps, motels, auto—
curb service—drive ins, advertising in architecture—large M.
1
16, 94
1898 GM 1st to franchise its dealerships
16
1920s General Motors secretly purchased trolley systems and dismantled tracks and begins road
building (effect) and reign of automobile. --Motel
1
20-1, 69
1937 Speedee Service System: SSS—1937 Pasadena Richard & Maurice McDonald
One on: grill—dress/wrapped—milk shakes—made fries—one on counter/drinks
NO: carhops, waitresses, dishwasher, bus boys—no tips.
1940s Richard/Maurice Mc Donald (bros) moved to E Street in San Bernardino CA  .15
burgers, .10 fries, dropped carhops because of theft—also girls drew boys to restaurants to hang
out.
pg. 40 Route 66 ended in San Bernardino, CA, San Berdoo. Same year Hell’s Angels/drugs opposite clean
McDonald’s
1950s Robert Schuler drive in church—drive in church location w/speakers, Garden Groove
1956 Interstate Highway Act—Congress passed it.
The increase in automobile sales for new
freeways that spread to new urban developments.
1
19
1945 Karl Karcher, BBQ burgers w/carhops & visited McDonald’s in SB & saw long lines. (Karl’s
Jr.).
Taco Bell (also of SanBrdoo) and Karl’s Jr. visited and ate in 1st San Bernardino Mc Donald’s also
Berger King-Florida and Col Sanders, Utah visited it.. 1952 Col. Sanders KFC
4
95-6
1961 Ray Kroc-Franchise  buy land for Franchises  owner pay rent  locations schools,
freeway exits, etc.  1961 Kroc buys McDonald’s @ $2.7 million
Franchises: Wendy’s, Burger King, Domino’s, Mc Donald’s, Taco Bell, Karl’s Jr. (Anaheim)
Producers—meat/potatoes: ConAgr—’59 chicken & beef processor (158), IBP Iowa Beef Producers, Nat Meat, and Excl (137)
Fast Food
2
APPEAL—Fast Food—Intro and Chapters 1, 2, 3
Ch.
Page
1
3-4
Busy parents  Fast food becomes a routine, habit, mothers employed outside of house
1
4
Cook for myself only  too expensive, no food at home—Cooking: can’t, don’t want too, no time,
women work; therefore, FF provides services housewives once provided.
1
24
Fast speedee service for those on-the-go  work, college, two jobs, sport’s taxi, etc.
1
9
Inexpensive with large portions, fits budget, discounts, breakfast-lunch-dinner specials, feeds a
large family for less
1
5, 120129
Avoid unknown foods and tastes, all choices an menus are the same, Brand Loyalty—120-29,
“uniformity”
2
41,43-4
Kids nag parents  pleading, persistent, pushy, tears-holding breath, promise of affection by
kids, blackmail, pity nags. Like a good parent they want to be loved—50; they give in.
2
46
Ads, Commercials  Trusted friend = Mac Donald’s, Wendy’, Taco Bell, Domino’s, ads aimed at
kids, child consumer 7 years and younger
2
42, 47
Play lands: fun and safe—Gathering place, friends like it Toy give-a-ways (sets over several
weeks/months) Environment: Parking a-plenty, Air conditioned/heated, Clean seating and
restrooms
2
51
School marketing, advertising, kids exposed to taste, smell, look—brand loyalty
2
52, 556
Textbooks—corporate sponsors—biased = Book It by Pizza Hut, free pizza after 5 books and
Channel One, School Lunches @ reduced prices for advertisement and Brand Loyalty
2
55-56
School promotions: buses, hallways, stadiums, print tickets, teaching materials, rooftops—
Clothing sales
2
54
Soda Free refills, gigantic drinks, huge profit margin
3
60, 66
Convenient, drive through  places and easy to eat finger food  eat on the go  located
everywhere—Freeways, fashion malls, malls, strip malls, grocery store, strip malls, gas stations,
open early and late, fast food clustering, pictures of food make it easier to order
3
66
Impulse buying—just a quick snack while use the restroom, recognized architecture—arches and
unique buildings
5
121
Food Tastes and smells good. Taste and Aroma—additives—“flavorists”  .02 parts per billion
adds taste to entire pool—meat flavor, etc. Crave the taste, used to eating it, variety of offerings
(to compete), seasonal food. Flavorists—food taste better  crave fast food (Advertising targets
children “kids nag”  pleading, persistent, pushy, tears-holding breath, promise of affection by
kids, blackmail, pity nags: Like a good parent they want to be loved)
5
123
Comfort food, reduce stress
Fast Food
3
WORKERS / Restaurants—Fast Food—Chapters 1, 3, 4
13
6, 67-71
Workforce--Part-time, unskilled workers, willing to accept low pay to keep food cheap
Young, easier to control
3
79, 82
Workforce dominated by adolescents 2/3 below age of 20—min. wage and no overtime,
ease to replace
3
160, 72
Workforce: Recent immigrants, elderly, handicapped, less educated, and teens who live at
home—
3
70
Workers live at home so spend wages on car, cell, clothes, etc.
So do not care about low
st
pay. First job workforce, rite of passage, pride in 1 job, creates self-esteem, Work less than
40 hours a week, no overtime
3
71
Less training-- intuitive programmed equipment—easier to use
3
72
Training: Federal funds = subsidy for job training for poor, tax breaks yet no training,
employed three months, work as needed, wait until busy
3
74
Stroking = worker feels valued, better than raising wages, giving benefits or paying overtime.
3
76
No unions – Flying Squads” from corporate—rap sessions
3
83
Long hours with work
and school—males substance abuse, and petty crime of former or
fired worker = dangerous. Spit, drop, etc. (222)
4
96
Managers let kids have fun working in kitchen; therefore low pay okay with kids living at
home, paid/food
Fast Food
4
EFFECTS--Workers
3
20 , 26,
66-67,
71
SSS Assembly Line—High Volume of business—“Throughput” automation: auto soda, conveyer
belt—fries automated—burgers cooking time both sides-auto flip
1
20
Workforce specialized job, one person grills one person makes milk shakes one person
makes fries one person on counter, work repetitive and boring
3
66
Automated—less skilled worker: SSS—place order lights blink to offer addition items, unskilled
workers suggest additional items, sends orders electronically sent to individual fast food preparer,
e.g., fries, drinks…
3
72-3
Poorer communities, workforce (kids) minimum wage, high turnover rates, 5th grade level—Seal
Beach and Hawaiian Gardens
3
72
Workforce: Cheap food makes low pay for workers with no benefits, no overtime w/o pay,
Immigrants get toe-hold in America
3
73
Workforce: Inexpensive food = low pay, minimum—part-time—no benefits—learn few skills—quit
after short time—poor –transient—immigrants—unrecorded injuries—no workers compensation
3
72
Workforce: Provides uneducated jobs institutive equipment, no training necessary, does not
promote education
3
79-80
Workforce: low grades, kids work after school, substance abuse petty theft—
3
76
Workforce: anti union, flying squad (located in {poor} urban areas
9
222
Workforce: contaminated food by workers
3
82-4
SSS Unsafe Worker safety: slips, falls, strains, burns, robberies (cash) by past workers and exworkers
EFFECTS—Other
1
5
Decrease in regional wiped out regional differences, small businesses, spread of identical stores
because of franchise uniformity using SSS
3
72-4
Government subsidies and tax brakes, political support via donations
1
1, 8, 16
Eating while driving  tickets, accidents—GM and road building
2
51-7
School marketing programs
Fast Food
5
EFFECTS: Health
1, 9, 10,
240, 261
US highest obesity rate—1/2 adults are and 1/4 children are obese
10
241
Portions size  overeating
10
240
Do less to get food: Sedentary—drive everywhere, play video games, TV, No PE, quick food
10
2421
Consume more calories, less fiber, more fat,  Western bacon = 73 grams of fat; 8 oz  12 oz 
32 oz = 73 grams of fat; Large fries  sugar size = 610 calories
Obesity is 2nd to smoking mortality: other industries adjust to bigger people: Size of seats: airlines,
cars, theaters, amount of material clothing: size.
10
10
241-3
Results of being overweight: Healthcare Costs increase  240 million to 3.3 billion
10
Weight loss increased spending no regular exercise = weight loss schemes. 6-10 kids die of heart
attacks.
10
Poor Diet: low energy at work and in school, Fast Food Industry does not encourage exercise
10
SSS—Increase profits—soda @ 1.29 with .09 cents of syrup = 10 teaspoons of sugar; hence,
calcium deficiencies in bones
10
242
Insurance  an increase in the cost of health insurance: Due to heart disease, colon cancer,
stomach cancer, breast cancer, diabetes, arthritis, high blood pressure, infertility, strokes
2
54
Soda causes calcium deficiencies, causes more bone injuries that take longer to heal, lack of milk.
Also, dental problems due to the high level of sugar kids consume from drinking soda—adults and
kids develop kidney stones from a lack of water
11
196-7
Food poisoning: In the past improper food handling or storage. Now, with rise of unclean feedlots,
grinders, and slaughterhouses, more E.Coli. Cattle infected stomach contents or manure during
slaughter/processing leaks into the meat
1000s of years of food scarcity—effects ways to store energy/fat. Body more efficient at gaining weight then losing it.
Solutions
1. Media, Total ban on TV advertising
2. Media, No TV ads during children programming, exploits children
3. Media: internet, e.g. Facebook, etc.
4. Return to free range cattle ranches
5. In N’Out: hand patties, buns local, potatoes peeled in morning: 8-10 dollars, benefits, manager $80,000
6. Eliminate government subsidies, and tax breaks
7. Employ for at least a year
8. Provide training for teens and other workers
9. Minimum wage
10. Unions—treat workers better; need unions to represent workers, e.g., teen working hours, safety conditions
11. Schools—eliminate school ads to decrease brand loyalty/recognition, and nutrition
12. Food safety inspectors—government
13. Government sanitary laws for ranchers and chicken growers.
14. Government safety laws
Fast Food
6
15. Parent: Informed meal decisions Educate parents about kids who “nag”—just say no like smoking, drugs.
STOP
STOP
STOP
STOP
STOP
INDUSTRY LOBBYING—Fast Food
Intro
8
During Nixon presidency fast food industry opposed bill for food safety and living wage, while
espousing “free Market” concept.
2
37
Nixon, 1972: McDonald’s Bill, Krock donated $1/4 of a million to Nixon, 1. pay 16 & 17 year olds
below the $1.60 to 1.28 below minimum wage. 2. Fast food price controls over road to raise price
of ¼ pounder
3
88
2001 Ted Kennedy (Sen.) pushed to increase minimum wage to 7.25; however, anti union Norman
Brinker @ FF Conference—President’ Panel—encouraged members to give money to key FF
Lobbing group to defeat bill
7
158
Supreme Court, 1983 (Reagan presidency) ruled that Excel to buy Spence Beef, allowing Excl to
fix prices and decrease competition.
After- 287
word
2001, fast food industry spends millions on lobbying and billions on mass marketing.
INDUSTRY PACKERS & PROCESSORS—Fast Food
7
154
Meat Packers: 1967 IBP slaughtered and cut cattle into smaller cuts of ribs, loins, etc. (sealed)
6
138
Captive suppliers—cattle feedlots maintained by 4 major meat packers, so when meat prices
increase, they flood market with their captive supplies to drive meat prices down.
7
153
IBP 1960, Iowa Beef Producers—(meat packer), using Speedee Service System eliminated need
for skilled workers
7
158
ConAgra (’58 meat packer)—has subsidiary Lamb Weston (fries); Largest sheep & turkey
processor; 2nd largest manufacturer of frozen food; etc
Excel—National Meat—all three make up 84% of meat packers
7
160
Workforce: Poor, unskilled migrant—who created: ghettos & injuries, drugs & crime and
homelessness
8
173-75
Workforce Speed: makes 3 cuts every second—cutting done by hand because cattle come in
different sizes , so cannot be mechanized like uniformed chickens sizes, Meth to keep up with
product line’s speed, Cutters do not report injuries, no workman compensation, Dull knife = more
injuries to self and to his left and right, 1940s, 8 lbs of chain mail, us most dangerous, injuries = x2,
knife (dull),
7
160
Cattle Assembly line IBP (meat packer) = SSS each worker does one cut, Meat producers
located away from hostile unions and (city) rural areas that have cheap labor for ConAgra.
Workers: migrants from Mexico, Central America, and SE Asia
Fast Food
7
160-1
Annual turnover rate 400%, cannot speak English, $9.25 hour, 6 months has health, vacation in
one year, 1/3 cannot read or write
7
162
Nebraska: crime x 2, Medicare x 2, drug center, gangs, white flee
6
136
Meat Packers: 1968 McDonald’s used 175 local suppliers, 1980s meat packers reduced to 5
corporate meat packers,
8
183
Accidents—177, Kenny—186, Value of an arm, No government oversight
9
202
Sanitary and Speed: —cattle fed: sheep, cats, pigs, poultry, 60 per hour gut, cattle blood spills
from intestines—E Coli, Mad Cow. Overcrowded Feedlots causes “recrulated” manure via cattle
troughs. Cattle fed dead remains of dead, unclean sheep, cattle, cats, pigs, horses, poultry, cattle
blood, waste products—all rendered into feed.
9
217
Unclean hide drops dirt into the meat. Slip of a knife on a stomach or intestines or gut
contaminates meat, these items need to be removed carefully without any damage.
7
120 countries open 5 new Mc Donald’s each year, eating in one in China is = to higher social status
EFFECTS Farmers and Processors
5
130,
115-17
Potato: giant processing companies, 50s and 60s—increase in demand = more farmers = invention
of Spudnik harvester 50s—, = Lamb Water Gun Knife for potato processor (fries), using frozen tech
of 20s
5
118
Potato farmer 2001 give way to 80s corporate famers, farmers work for larger corporation
5
118
Farmers, 1990s hundreds of independent potato farmers, family farms
5
118
Frozen food technology (Birds Eye 1920s)—113 ’65 switch to frozen potatoes
1
4
Local FF Advertising: Fast Food Chains spend $ on local advertising to local businesses help to
meet local city budgets: 96% kids can ID Ronald Mc Donald and Golden Arches brand
recognition and Brand Loyalty
3
71
Chicken Breading allows mechanized processing because chickens can be bred an uniform
size.—
6
139
Chicken, eight chicken processor control 2/3 of American market, workforce poor, weak unions
6
140
ConAgra, McNuggets = Tyson Foods (video) largest chicken processor, farmers provide—land,
labor, chicken houses—farmers supplied feed, veterinary services, technical support by Tyson to
produce chickens.
6
139
Centralized purchasing to Corporate buyers, e.g. Taco Bell—standardized products because of
Speedee Service System
6
136, 139
Small # of fast food/corporate buyers (Mac Donald’s, Taco Bell, etc.) giving them power over large
# of sellers: meat (feedlots) and potatoes (farmers—gigantic corporate farms), 1980-01 about ½
million ranchers quit the business