Schlosser drives home the point in Fast Food Nation how influential the fast food industry is locally and globally. “Fast food has proven to be a revolutionary force in American life,”(Schlosser) and has a great deal of power that many may never comprehend. One of the main points he focuses on is how the fast food industry, McDonald's in particular, has changed the economy. McDonald's is one of the fastest growing and widely known chains in the world. He points out how many people have been employed by fast food restaurants and how McDonald's has “employed an estimated one out of every eight workers in the United States” (Schlosser). McDonald's also has so much economic power that it can control what the companies that surround it do. If McDonalds demands something from the companies that they receive their beef from, the company will most likely do it since McDonald's is the largest buyer for beef. Yet, Schlosser points out the fact that they don’t ask for these changes for the better of their company, they do it so they can stay in the market and keep their customers satisfied. It's about the money, not about the quality of their products. …show more content…
He points out the fact that “a survey of American schoolchildren found that 96 percent could identify Ronald McDonald. The only fictional character with a higher degree of recognition was Santa Claus”(Schlosser). He emphasizes the point that advertising from fast food chains has affected the American population in health and beyond. Schlosser tries to make a point that from their advertising we see amazing real beef products, but we don’t actually know where anything comes from or what’s actually in it. He tries to make it clear that fast food companies spend a ton of their money on advertising to cover up what is actually in their
The book Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser is a well written piece of work that describes in detail the birth of the fast food industry, the way the industry operates and the consequences of this industry in our society. It is evident that Schlosser has gone to a great extent and done an amazing job researching and studying the fast food industry. Schlosser addresses the history of the fast food industry and further explains how it took off after the end of world war two. Though these fast food places started as small sit in restaurants, the McDonald brothers’ Speedee Service System revolutionized the restaurant business (Schlosser). By dividing the labor force to focus on single tasks, the McDonald brothers were able to produce food fast
With this analysis alone it is fair to say the Schlosser’s argument is supported by history, employees of McDonalds and meat-processing industries, and others who have done the research as well. Although, "Fast Food Nation” is a sucessful factual and read it is motive driven and in return did receive some backlash from some articles, the fast food industry itself, and the corporate meat market as well. It is described for as an uncalled for portrayal of the industry. Terrie Dort, leader of the National Council of Chain Restaurants, discharged this announcement about Schlosser and his book: "Tragically that Mr. Schlosser's book, 'Fast Food Nation,' arranges the whole fast-food industry in such a negative light. The eatery organizations that contain the business give work to a huge number of specialists the nation over and offer purchasers a wide assortment in menu alternatives and costs.
The third and final major theme in Fast Food Nation is Corporate Greed. An example of Corporate Greed is in the book Fast Food Nation is in the seventh chapter “Cog’s in the Great Machine” when IBP a meatpacking company paid off the New York mob to help break unions in New York. “Currier J. Holman decided to pay the mob a five-cent commission” pg 155. This quote represents Corporate Greed as IBP was willing to pay the New York mob to break Unions! A second example of Corporate Greed is in the tenth chapter Global Realization when the author discusses how big companies like McDonald's advertise to little children. “Companies like McDonalds have targeted their foreign advertising and promotion towards those with the least regard for tradition: children”. This quote represents Corporate Greed as the corporations are so greedy they are willing to target impressionable children for advertising. A third and final example of Corporate Greed is in the eighth chapter “The most Dangerous Job” when the meatpacking company mentioned earlier: IBP bribed health workers into giving their company a high safety rating when in reality they have twice as many workplace injuries as other companies. The next paragraph will conclude the essay along with having a recommendation of the
Eric Schlosser’s purpose was to show readers the effects that the fast food industry has had on the nation. Within Fast Food Nation, Schlosser discusses the history and specific mechanisms of the fast food industry. In addition, his argument shows that fast food corporations are some of the most evil and corrupt businesses in America. Schlosser’s tone changes throughout the book. At first, his tone is optimistic because he talks about American business owners living the American dream. Then, his tone becomes gloomy because he talks about how evil corporations can be. Overall, Schlosser uses his tone to convey both positive and negative thoughts and feelings about the fast food industry.
Fast Food Nation is an attempt to link the American eating style and food-production patterns. Fast Food Nation is written by Eric Schlosser, he presents a perspective on the development of societies adapting to the way that food is produced. The quickly growing demand for hot, ready food was rising at substantial rates shortly after World War two. Schlosser states, “The McDonald brothers’ Speedee Service System revolutionized the restaurant business.” The McDonald brothers wanted to perfect the drive-in restaurant business and started their very own walk-up restaurant. They sold burgers, fries, and soft drinks that were available almost before the customer ordered. By increasing the demand for fast food, supplies began to be
The book, Fast Food Nation was written by Eric Schlosser, he discusses how fast food has shaped the world we live in today. The store is a research-based view on how the fast food industry has consisted of low cost and speedy meals. He discusses how and why it developed, working conditions in the fast food environment, how the food can be manipulated, advertising, and how fast food has spread across the world. The book is divided into two sections. The American Way and Meats and Potatoes.
The most prominent concern of the takeover of fast food restaurants is the toll it will take on American’s health. Schlosser mentions: “The obesity epidemic that began in the United States during the late 1970s is now spreading to the rest of the world, with fast food as one of its vectors.” Obesity is only the beginning to a long line of health problems, including diabetes, many different types of cancer, and arthritis. One of the main sellers of Schlosser’s argument was the fact that a high intake of fast food will result in a multitude of health issues. His facts and figures regarding health issues related to fast food was one of his tactics used to get readers to believe his ideal that a “fast food nation” is a bad thing.
Eric Schlosser is one of the authors who describes the fast food phenomenon in his book Fast Food Nation. According to him, the biggest problem is the fast food industry that is increasing day by day. Fast food has affected not only the restaurants and the market, but also all the sectors of people's life, from the professional life to the personal one. This affirmation is sustained by Schlosser's statement: "Fast food has infiltrated every nook and cranny of American society. " ( Schlosser 3 ) The fast food industry has got into institutions and parts of the world that no one believed would be affected. Moreover, the power of fast food can be seen by taking a look at the American individual, who gives fast food different
Author of the novel Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal Eric Schlosser is clearly no fan of fast food. Schlosser argues that fast food franchises are a major factor in obesity and the ill health of Americans. His main point throughout the book is that fast food chains have negatively impacted American culture and contributed to more urban and suburban sprawl. With his careful analysis and effective writing styles of rhetoric, Schlosser convinces you that fast food is indeed bad for our nation.
Fast Food Nation, by Eric Schlosser, is a stark and unrelenting look into the fast food industry that has ingrained itself in not only American culture, but in culture around the world. There is almost no place on earth that the golden arches has not entered. Aside from Antarctica, there is a McDonalds on every continent, and the number of countries that have fast food restaurants is growing on a daily basis. Schlosser describes in detail what happens behind the scenes, before the hamburger and fries come wrapped in environmentally safe paper and are consumed by millions of people daily
Knowing what is in your fast food might make you think twice the next time you devour it. As the rise of the fast food nation in America has increased to an all-time high, so has the weight and waists of Americans all around the country. Not only has the United States grown to love the acquired taste of greasy golden fries and juicy burgers, it has also grown ignorant to the way their food is prepared. In the novel, “Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal”(2002), by Eric Schlosser, he makes compelling points in his position against the fast food industry.
Eric Schlossers book Fast Food Nation is not only an expose of the fast food industry but also shows how the fast food industry has shaped and defined society in America and other nations as the fast food culture spreads globally. He connects the social order of society to the kind of food it eats and the way it eats that food, and relates fast food to other social processes and institutions. His facts are based on years of research and study, and are presented in and easy to follow narrative. Schlosser is so thorough and convincing in his argument, it's impossible to
as "a revolutionary force in America's life." He exhibits that the growth and jobs created by the McDonald's Corperration represents "90 percent of the country's new jobs." This appears true, but is also somewhat deceitful. If we take a close look, it is a chain reaction the fast food industry has developed with it's high demand and fast growth for which 90 percent of America's new jobs have been created. He states that Mc'Donald's is "the largest purchaser of beef, pork, and potatoes- and the second largest purchaser of chicken." This shows that McDonald's growth has enabled them to control the job market in the entire food industry down to our family owned dairy farmer. Uniformity, Schlosser stated is the "key to a successful franchise." The franchises lure customers with the appearance of consistency. Customers believe they are buying the same burger that was made when McDonald's began as a "modest hamburger stand." This is false. While our burgers and french fries appear to be the same, they are not. Technology has become a factor in
Eric Schlosser's book Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal explores the effects of the spread of multinational fast food corporations into other countries, and the resulting loss of national culture. In his chapter “Global Realization” Eric Schlosser claims that “The global expansion of American fast food is homogenizing cultural identities; like Las Vegas, it offers “a brief sense of hope… that most brilliant illusion of all, a loss that feels like winning” (Schlosser). Schlosser intentionally chooses the order and content of the information and examples he provides in order to promote his main claim. He uses both subtle and direct strategies to persuade his reader. In order to critically evaluate the validity of
Obesity is probably the most significant issue facing the McDonald’s Company today. The corporation has been severally blamed for the menace due to its wide range of junk foods. As the world’s largest fast food company, it has become a target of most health related films such as Super Size Me. This is because the public blames the company for failing to give nutritional information concerning the items on its menu (Baron, 2010).