Golden arches
From Lucinda Ben-David Sir: I have read and admired Mr Dahymple's articles so much that it is too bad that the one time I am moved to write to you it is to comment negatively on his recent one (Talking tripe', 11 October). Complaining about fast food is somewhat akin to complaining about airline food: it's a bit foolish to expect a fine dining experience in such a locale. Of course, the thrust of Dalrymple's argument was more a critique of the nearly religious dogma surrounding the enterprise rather than the unappetising food. Let me give you another perspective. I work as a housing inspector for a rental subsidy programme, paid for by the federal government and administered by a local housing authority. Most of my day is spent 'in the field', meaning in my car and in various houses and apartments in a very nasty ghetto in east Oakland, California. The only vibrant commercial enterprise in the area is the fastfood restaurant: McDonald's, Burger King, Kentucky Fried Chicken, etc. These establishments are also the only places where I can find a clean rest-room and be assured of my physical safety.
In an area like this, McDonald's represents an oasis of neutrality and civility. The more authentic ethnic places have whimsical opening and closing hours, no bathrooms, limited menu choices, and surly serving help. The rote 'Welcome to McDonald's, may I take your order?' may be robotic, but at least it's not hostile. The litany, straight from 'Hamburger U. headquarters, is a way of enforcing a form of courtesy and consistency, somewhat like a religious ritual. I think Dalrymple was correct when he perceived that it has nothing to do with the food. However, it has everything to do with making a place where people can know what to expect when they come in, and I think this has a lot to do with the success of such places in areas that are otherwise inimical to the viability of private business. The reason people go there is not because it is the best; it is because a McDonald's in east Oakland is exactly like a McDonald's in Kansas City, Missouri or Portland, Oregon. There will be no unpleasant surprises. In the city where I work, a day without unpleasant surprises is a good day indeed.
Lucinda Ben-David
Alameda, California
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