HW 7 - Reading Response Monday

Chapter 1 starts with a forward about Carl N. Karcher, a- pioneer in the fast food’s industry. He was born to a rural family in Ohio in 1917. After eighth grade he left school and to work endless hours on a farm with his father. At the age of twenty, he got a job his in h Feed and Seed store in Anaheim, CA by his uncle. In California he would meet his wife Margaret and began a family of his own. Margaret and Carl bought a hot dog cart; Car also worked at a bakery. At this time California’s population was increasing at a rapid pace, as was the auto industry. Carl deiced to open a Drive-In Barbecue restaurant. This post-WWII economy gave him a handful of customers.Close by the McDonald brothers were heading their own restaurant, “McDonald’s Famous Hamburgers.” The brothers began what we now know as the Speedee Service System, which allowed customers to get out of their cars and into their "fast" food restaurants. Carl Karcher inspired by this idea opened his own self-service restaurant, Carl Jr.’s. Eisenhower’s Interstate Highway Act allowed for even more people to eat in self-service restaurants. This McDonald’s phenomenon change the landscape of the restaurant business forever and gave start to Taco Bell, Dunkin’ Donuts, Wendy’s, Domino’s, and Kentucky Fried Chicken.

Insights:

Are Taco Bell, and other such establishments use as tools to express how white Americans in the 1940's viewed Mexicans ?

Do the benefits of franchising such as , more jobs, out way the negatives such as farmer health ?

In chapter 2, Schlosser explores Ray Kroc and Walt Disney’s complicated relationship. Constantly compering and contrasting each man’s rise to fame. This chapter also considers the profitable method of advertising to children.

Insights:

Its a gross shame in my opponent that the fast food heads like Ray Croc prey on school systems with declining revenue. Its confusing how these fast-food companies, that have little nutrition, are allowed to manipulate children to sell their products. When did image out way substance ?,these companies portray themselves as trusted friends while at the same time stab us in the back.

Chapter 3 places in discusses about a small town in Colorado Springs. Schlosser gives the history of this city, and paints the backdrop of the homes to many former California residents. Colorado Springs was a quiet town until World War II, during this time the military brought thousands of troops to the area. When the war was over, even more bases were opened; almost half of the jobs there still to this day depend on military spending. The area has grew to become extremely conservative , as well as religious . The chapter discusses how the largest private employer is in fact the restaurant business.

Insights:

Would teen employee's creating a union work? Wwould anybody listen ? Would people even be interested in spending more money on food which would no doubt be more expensive because of the increase of wages and benefits of these union fast-food employee's?