Why can not there MCdonald `s?

McDonald's (McDonald's) - devilish face of Ronald McDonald. From the book by Eric Schlosser's "Fast Food Nation" tremble all McDonald's (McDonald's) marketing tables of the world. Several years journalist Schlosser studied how fast-food plowed not only diet, but even the landscape of America first, and then the other continents.

He knows the origin of the meat (and therefore stopped eating ground beef), why it is so tasty fried potatoes, and what is the real price of a burger that does not hang over the counter. Having stated all of this in the book, Schlosser still fighting off the angry shark American produce industry. A newspaper has received, for example, such comments: "Sit down for half an hour with this book, get a better diet" ("Sunday Herald") and "This reading is enough to make Schwarzenegger's vegetarian" ("Seattle Weekly") ...

Getting started

* "McDonald's (McDonald's)" is in the schools, on ships, in hospitals.

* In 1970, Americans spent on this meal $ 6 billion a year in 2001 - more than 110 billion, which is more than on higher education, computers, cars. More than books, movies, magazines, newspapers, videos and music together.

* Every day, yesterday and today, a quarter of the adult American dining at fast food. From fast food can not escape, regardless of whether you eat there twice a day, avoid this at all or never bite of burger, like many in Ukraine.

* "McDonald's (McDonald's)" now responsible for 90% of new jobs annually. Each year, the company employs a million people. But the biggest employer - the lowest salary. Worse only in immigrants in the fields.

* The average American eats three hamburgers and four servings of potatoes each week.

* One in eight U.S. workers used to work in the "McDonald's (McDonald's) e".

* "McDonald's (McDonald's)" consumption of pork, beef and potatoes, the most in the U.S., chicken - a little less than fast food "Kentucky Chicken frayed."

* On advertising "McDonald (McDonald's)" spends more of all brands in the world.

* Especially for the "McDonald's (McDonald's) and" bred breed chickens with huge breasts, "Mr. McDonald (McDonald's)". Of white breast meat is a popular dish on the menu, "Chicken McNuggets". It changed the whole industry production of chicken. Hen began to sell not entirely, as 20 years ago, and cut into pieces.

* Golden Arches' McDonald's (McDonald's) as well, "according to psychologist Louis Cheskin - Freudian symbol. This is a "huge pair of breasts" Mother McDonald (McDonald's) ...

* 96% of American preschoolers will recognize the clown Ronald McDonald. Higher percentage of recognition only Santa Claus.

When the burgers were on the conveyor, the Americans settled the West on their cars, changing the face of Southern California's network of roads. By 1940, Los Angeles had a million machines: more than 41 states. It was in California has its first motel in the world and the father of fast food - the drive-in, a roadside restaurant. Drivers lured bright neon signs and the girls in short skirts, called "karhops" - road waitress who took orders and brought food in the car.

Drive-ins in the 50's were wildly popular. When they grew even churches with calls, "Pray in the family car."

Two brothers Richard and Maurice McDonald (McDonald's) s arrived in California at the beginning of the Great Depression, find work in Hollywood. Setting the scenery at the studio, they had accumulated some money and opened a movie theater. But the institution is not profitable, and then the brothers decided to join the fashion business. Their "McDonald's (McDonald's) Brothers burger bar drive-in" with hotdogs was surprisingly profitable.

By the end of the 40s the brothers bothered to hire new waitresses, all the time to change jobs, to search for good cooks and buy plates that buyers constantly bashed-teens. Buyers themselves, they were bored teenagers, too.

McDonald's (McDonald's) s closed their shop and after 3 months reopened. But everything was different. They established a huge grill, threw two-thirds of items from the menu, leaving what not to eat with a knife and fork. Replaced china paper.

First used in the kitchen principle pipeline: one worker grilled cutlets, lay them in another roll. All burgers were now made with one filling: ketchup, onion, mustard, two pickled cucumber. Advertising slogan institution was: "Imagine - no waiters - no dishwashers - no drivers. Self!"

Through it all burgers are half price, and the customer had no curfew.

Brothers hired to work boys, suggesting that girls hated attract teenagers, and it will turn away all other customers. The calculation was correct. Soon turn has matured, and in the newspapers wrote: "Finally, working families can feed their kids in the restaurant." Richard layman himself coined design cafe. So it is visible from a distance, he found on the roof of the two golden arches, illuminated neon. Thus was born one of the signs of our time.

Competitors opened his mouths. Soon the entire country there were schools with the words "Our restaurant is the same as the" McDonald's (McDonald's) "!". The idea of ​​traveling from one to another shopkeeper. Of all of these cafes have grown fast food giants. A "McDonald's (McDonald's) s" of the 250 in 1960 was 3,000 in 1973.

Cover its network across America brothers helped talented businessman Ray Kroc. Once he was a jazz musician, playing in a brothel, then sold all the small stuff ...

Glancing at the restaurant "McDonald's (McDonald's)", Kroc knew that with so you can conquer the world.

McDonald brothers (McDonald's) were not so ambitious. They sheared by 100,000 a year, had a big house and three Cadillacs and not liked traveling. Because both agreed to the proposal Kroc sell franchises in starting a new cafe.

Initially, the right to open the "McDonald's (McDonald's)" was worth $ 950. Today - 500 000. A Kroc became the founding father of "McDonald's (McDonald's) Corporation".

Feeding children and feeding children

McDonald brothers (McDonald's) s had a stake in the family. Kroc went on and learned to sell goods to children. At the beginning of business, he flew around the city on his "Chessne" to search out where the school.

McDonald's to feed the children and feeding children the mid-70s in America was in the midst of a baby boom, but not many had clean and comfortable place for families. But every child is able to bring with him not only the two parents, and grandparents ... Kroc liked to say that it does not work in the "food industry", and in the entertainment business.

Colored area with slides, ball pools, a clown, Ronald (appeared in the 60th through the TV program) and food wrapped in colorful packaging, charmed their children.

Now, "McDonald's (McDonald's) s" 8000 U.S. playgrounds, in "Burger King" - 2000. "Platforms bring children, children - parents, parents - money." Come here every month 90% of all American offspring. In addition to their sites and attract clown toys, which together with a hamburger and cola are included in the set of "Happy Mills" - "Happy Meal." Toys issued in series after another cartoon or movie, they want to build a collection ... Soft animals "Beanie Baby", stuffed balls, for 10 days in 1997, sold 100 million!

As a result, the modern child eats hamburgers and drinks three times more cola than 30 years ago. In America, the cola drink, even 2-year-old kids. (Today tactics Kroc took over many companies, realizing that the children - a win-win category of buyers, which tormented by guilt busy parents spend more money.)

By and large, all the fast food industry targets children. This is what feeds the children and feed them at the same time: the main labor force of these cafes are high school students.

Two-thirds of all employees of fast food is not 20. They work for a very small fee, by performing simple operations. In 1958, "McDonald (McDonald's)" had the first 75 pages of the manual, which describes in detail the procedure of action for cooking and ways of communicating with customers. Today, such a book 750 pages, and it's called "the bible of McDonald (McDonald's) and".

Staff turnover in the fast food - up to 400%. A typical employee leaves the cafe after 4 months. Among the employees a lot of teenagers from poor families and immigrants, especially from Latin America, who know only in English names of the dishes on the menu.

Low salary and lack of protection for labor is replaced by the creation of "team spirit" among young workers. Managers have long been "McDonald's (McDonald's) and" learning how to properly praise employees and create the illusion of indispensability. It's cheaper than raise wages.

Injuries in young staff two times higher than in adults. Each year, crippled in their café 200 000. In addition, fast foods are often subjected to highway robbery - mostly from the same teenagers who worked there and work. 4-5 people are killed at work each month. In 1998, the U.S. restaurant employees were killed more than police officers.

Young Manpower likes to joke. Videos in fast food in Los Angeles showed that teenagers sneeze into the food, lick your fingers, pick your nose, extinguish cigarettes on products, drop them on the floor. In May 2000, three teenagers from the "Burger King" in New York were arrested for being about 8 months and spit wet the dishes. In mixers live cockroaches, and mice climb at night to left to defrost hamburger ... It is known that many workers do not eat fast food at home cafe, until we make himself serving.

Mr. Kartofan

The informal motto of the State of Idaho: "We have a good potato and ... well, that's all. Potatoes but good!" Back in the 20's in this region with warm days, cool nights and light volcanic soils formed superindustriya potatoes.

Harvest had a job. Americans while eating potatoes boiled, baked or mashed potatoes, but eventually the love of french fries, a recipe which is still in 1802nd brought from France, President Jefferson, spread far and wide. Successful potato farmer JR Simplot has always kept his nose to the wind. And soon his chemists perfected technology freezing.

Simplot began selling frozen slices in 1953. To my surprise, at first he could not find enough buyers. At the same time, Ray Kroc potato was headache. Using popular not less burgers, it takes away a lot of time. Then Kroc decided to buy frozen potatoes at Simplot.

Visitors cafe liked. Or rather, they did not notice anything. But the sharp decline in prices has added "french fry" popularity: it began to consume almost 8 times more. (A Simplot with a light hand fast food has become one of the richest men in America and the largest landowners. This elderly multimillionaire walks in a cowboy hat, dines at "McDonald's (McDonald's)" and goes to Lincoln with the number "Mr. Spud" - "Mr. Kartofan ".)

Modern potato plant - "the triumph of progress." Potatoes automatically sorted, washed, dried in steam so that the skin is falling off. Then automatically cut and the camera from different sides look out for defects in tubers and knock out those potatoes steam in the storage space to carefully cut the affected area. Sliced ​​potatoes fall into huge vats of boiling oil, it is fried to a light crisp, frozen, sorted using a computer, a special centrifuge is placed in the same direction, packaged and taken to the restaurant. Autumn to the potatoes add sugar, spring clean - and the taste is always the same.

You shave the same as you chew for dinner

The taste of the potatoes from the "McDonald's (McDonald's) and" everybody likes. Previously, it depended entirely on the fat in which it roasted. For decades it was a mixture of 7% cottonseed oil and 93% beef fat. In 1990, the people turned against cholesterol, and fast food switched to 100% vegetable oil. But the taste, it was required to keep the same! Today, if you ask for the "McDonald's (McDonald's) e" information about the composition of food, at the end of a long list look modest "natural flavoring." It is a universal explanation of why all fast food is so delicious ...

Fast food was born in the era of Eisenhower, enchanted technologies during the slogans "improve the lives of chemistry" and "Atom - our friend." Recipes potatoes and hamburgers should be sought not in cookbooks, and in the writings of "Technology of Food Industry" and "engineering of food." Almost all of the products arrive at the cafe already frozen, canned or dried, and the kitchen of the cafe are a last resort in a number of complex industrial process. This seemingly simple food perelopachena a hundred times. What we eat there, for the last 40 years has changed more than in the previous 40,000. And the taste and the smell of hamburgers and K is on the huge chemical plant in New Jersey.

About 90% of all the products that we buy, have been pre-processed. But preservation and freezing kills the natural taste of food. Because the last 50 years, neither we nor fast food would not be able to live without chemical plants.

Industry taste classified. Leading American companies would not divulge any exact formulas of the product, or the names of major customers. Visitors to fast food thought it fine cuisine and talented chefs ...

Before you visit one of the company's plants "International flavors Fragransez End" ("International flavors"), Schlosser signed an undertaking not to disclose the names of products containing the Company's products. He visited laboratories "snacks" that are responsible for the taste of bread, chips, crackers, cereal, candy - it "makes" ice cream, candy, cakes, toothpaste, beverages laboratory where expires "proper" beer and "100% - HYDRATED "juice. The smell of strawberries - is at least 350 chemicals. Most flavors or colors in soda. You can give food smell of freshly cut grass or unwashed body ...

By the way, the difference between "natural" and "artificial" flavors absurd. And they both consist of the same, obtained through high technology and are made in the same factory. Just first obtained by subjecting the chemical reactions natural products, and the second "gather" artificially. In addition to the taste of products, the company produces the smell of 6 out of 10 of the world's most popular spirits, including "Beautiful" "Estee Lauder" and "Tresor" "Lankoma." And the smell of soap, dishwashing detergents, shampoos, etc.

All this is the result of a process. Shave you are actually the same as you have for dinner.

Proved that taste preferences, as a person, formed in the first years of life. Young children are eating fast food, and it becomes for them a "happy meal" for life ...

Who eat a cow

Cowboys and ranchers have always been an icon of the American West. But more than half a million of them in the last 20 years, sold the cattle and changed occupation. The entire meat industry to seize the large corporations that operate in fast food. Everything has changed: the content cow trough to paycheck butcher. Work at the factory was the most dangerous in America, only the official figure of 40 000 injuries per year. U.S. meat plants treated with up to 400 carcasses per hour, while in Europe more than 100. Because of the low wages here employs some immigrants.

But change is not only the process of slaughter. He just the last straw in a chain of rock for the meat industry change.

Cows fed farmers, as they should, grass. Cows are designed for large fastfudovskoy grinder, three months before the killing of huge herds are driven to a special area where they are fed grain and anabolics.

One cow can eat more than 3,000 pounds of grain and 400 pounds of weight gain. Meat then becomes very greasy, just right for stuffing.

Rise in grain prices has worsened the already terrible situation. Until 1997 - the first call from the BSE - 75% of the U.S. cattle ate the remains of sheep, cattle and even dogs and cats from animal shelters. In one 1994 U.S. cow ate three million pounds of chicken manure. After 1997, the diet supplements were from pigs, horses and chickens, along with sawdust from the chicken coop.

Caution: Stuffing!

In the early twentieth century have had a bad hamburger. They were considered dangerous food poor, which sold only with carts in factories or at fairs.

"There are burgers - like having to eat out of a garbage can" - then wrote the newspaper. Improve the reputation of a hamburger bun managed in 20 years of "White Castle", which established its grills in front of the public. Then arrived drayviny and family policy "McDonald (McDonald's) and". Hamburgers all seemed perfect baby food: easy to chew, to hold, hearty and inexpensive.

And the most terrible burgers, too, were victims of children. More than 700 children are sick in Seattle in 1993, and six died after dining at fast food "Jack John Boxing else." For 8 years after this case a similar infection picked up half a million.

Hundreds of them were killed burgers, namely contained mincemeat colibacteria.

Colibacteria 0157H7 identified for the first time in 1982. She commutes from normal gut bacteria and secretes a toxin that attacks the lining of his. 5% of the patients died in terrible agony, while antibiotics are powerless.