McDonald’s: An Iconic Chinese Restaurant

McDonalds is an iconic pick up in America, almost every household has eaten there at least(prenominal) once, but what about other countries around the world? In aureate Arches East McDonalds in East Asia, James Watson uses the logos rhetorical magic spell to make his points about the iconic McDonalds status in mainland mainland China throughout McDonalds in Hong Kong. He does this most impellingly via his many a(prenominal) uses of prove he gathered from talking to the Chinese people in Hong Kong that patronize the restaurant, evidence gathered from speaking with the management of the McDonalds in Hong Kong and his own observations.James Watsons McDonalds in Hong Kong begins by showing the lector the importance of farthere to the Cantonese customer. Cantonese people are proud of their nutrition and most of the older generations are able to describe a whiz meal in detail many years after alimentation it. The generator goes on to describe how McDonalds has incorporated themselves into the local tillage by accepting and embracing local beliefs instead of trying to transplant them and by being adaptable in the running of the line of work.Watson also describes the number of a freshly culture springing out of the American based business by bringing former non-practices like celebrating birthdays into practice and providing areas safe for junior generations to form their own identities through group activities. Food is an integral function of human life all over the world, but in China food is also an integral part of human society. Older generations of Chinese people are frequently able to describe in direct detail a single meal from start to finish including where the food came from and what dishes were used in the serving of the meal.As evidenced within the textual matter Mr. Man recountedin exacting detailthe flavor and texture of all(prenominal) dish, the sequence of spices, and the order of presentation (77). This is worthy to note only because the meal, fit to the author, took tell fifty years prior (78). Clearly, Mr. Man is an older humans at the time this interview takes place, but other generations of Chinese people also place importance on food. Children did not celebrate birthdays in China until recently and the parties that are held are ranked by the graphic symbol of fruit on the taproom.Watson states, the birthday cake is an infallible status bulls eye among younger consumers specifically, the type and quality of fruit used to decorate the cake is what matters most (104). This is used as evidence to back up the old statement that Around the age of four, Hong Kong children begin to develop a fine-tuned sentience of social distinction that is reflected in consumption patterns (104). These observations and interviews clearly show the evidence to back up the claims and arguments made by the author.McDonalds restaurants are not the depression desist food restaurants to be introduced to Hong Kong alth ough the franchise entered the country in 1975. By the time McDonalds opened its first Hong Kong restaurant in 1975, the thought of fast food was already well established among local consumers (80). in that location were fast-food places, operating since the 1950s, that sold quick Chinese delicacies for the lunch crowds already in place and accepted by the culture.The author uses this information to begin effectively establishing how well McDonalds restaurants are faring in Hong Kong. The reason for the success of the integration and subsequent popularity, according to the author, comes from many different areas. The manager took deliberate locomote to make sure that the people knew that the restaurant was foreign, going so far as to keep the phone of the restaurant in English for the first few years (82-83).Afterwards, when the manager had decided it was time, he decided to ingeminate the name phonetically instead of typoly. Mr. Ng decided to capture the belong of McDonalds, in three homophonic characters, rather than create a name that would convey meaningthus making the company appear to be a Chinese enterprise (83). McDonalds is not seen as a foreign institution, but is an accepted Chinese restaurant (107). The McDonalds twine has succeeded in becoming an icon in Chinas new popular culture (86).Children often are seen entering these restaurants after condition to study or get together with their friends. They have birthday parties as young children and, according to the author, it is the students, with their book bags and com contriveers, who have claimed McDonalds as their own (106). The author uses the argument that study space is limited in Hong Kong to help the reader visualize the reasons for the children and teens to go to McDonalds in order to study for exams and happen upon with friends.Watson states, Interviews with teenagers revealed that McDonalds is perceived as a place that offers more space, in the literal sense of distance between tables, than any other public eatery in Hong Kong (save for the more expensive restaurants) (106). Clearly, McDonalds is seen as a safe place for children and teens to gather and spend time without fear of violence and the author nevertheless states that McDonalds staff keep a sharp watch for possible fights or disruptions, but trouble of this nature rarely breaks out in fast food restaurants.Managers know by sight most of the gang members in their neighborhood and sometimes delegate a (large) male employee to shadow potentiality troublemakers-standing uncomfortably close to them, watching every move (105). It is for these reasons, among many others, that McDonalds has the iconic status in China that it does. By setting themselves as the standard, based upon the evidence given by the author through observations, interviews with stage business and interviews with the management, McDonalds restaurants have become an integral part of Chinese society.The arguments put forth by the au thor, as evidenced in this paper, make for an effective argument about the importance of McDonalds on Chinese society. By using quotes from clientele and management alike, Watson backs up his statements and beliefs enough to make them completely reliable. The inclusion of facts gleaned from the McDonalds corporation also serves to support his conclusions he has reached that McDonalds is part of a new cultural era in Hong Kong.