McDonald's - Cultural observation of social stratification
It's funny, it really is.
For some of us who are not lucky enough to work and stay in downtown Philadelphia I owe a small
explanation before I pour loads of bullshit intrigue you with my amusing story.
Philadelphia county is built like any other urban megalopolis, meaning that either way you will go
from the center of the city you hit the bad neighborhoods, public housing projects (the so called
ghettoes that are not necessarily black in ethnicity.)
So I go to a university that is located in the middle of one of these bad neighborhoods, North
Philadelphia. So obviously I see a lot of weird people, people who fit the description of freaks
and psychos, or just people who fit the broad racial stereotype of their ethnicity. But I work in
the best part of town, where renting a two bedroom apartment costs more than $2k's and obviously
you have all the fancy restaurants that sell stuff x2 their price in other parts of town. And
then you have good ol' McDonald's that is also located three blocks from where I work. Now when
you walk the streets near my workplace you can rarely see these weirdos, you will mostly see
wealthy..ish people and the usual homeless that are everywhere in the center.
Now, because sometimes I don't feel like spending $10 on lunch, need it fast, or just feel like
eating shitty food I head to mickey D's. Remember, although you have thousands of stores
worldwide the interior of the store is mostly the same with some minor exceptions, the one I'm
usually going to is not an exception either. The magic begins when you enter the store and
transform into another dimension, the expensive fur stores, designer stores, and fancy
restaurants fade into oblivion and you are surrounded by BRAIN EATING ZOMBIES the "cream
of the crop" of the city. People who really can't afford to eat on a budget that is more than $5.
I'm not the only one who eats there and holds a normal job, you will have your occasional
businessman or other respected member of society who wants to feel "street" but the vast majority
is lower-middle class of African Americans, so are the employees although McDonald's is an equal
opportunity employer. When the meal is over the customers leave the red and gold dimension and
fade into the local public unnoticed until the next apparition in a McDonald's near you.
For some of us who are not lucky enough to work and stay in downtown Philadelphia I owe a small
explanation before I pour loads of bullshit intrigue you with my amusing story.
Philadelphia county is built like any other urban megalopolis, meaning that either way you will go
from the center of the city you hit the bad neighborhoods, public housing projects (the so called
ghettoes that are not necessarily black in ethnicity.)
So I go to a university that is located in the middle of one of these bad neighborhoods, North
Philadelphia. So obviously I see a lot of weird people, people who fit the description of freaks
and psychos, or just people who fit the broad racial stereotype of their ethnicity. But I work in
the best part of town, where renting a two bedroom apartment costs more than $2k's and obviously
you have all the fancy restaurants that sell stuff x2 their price in other parts of town. And
then you have good ol' McDonald's that is also located three blocks from where I work. Now when
you walk the streets near my workplace you can rarely see these weirdos, you will mostly see
wealthy..ish people and the usual homeless that are everywhere in the center.
Now, because sometimes I don't feel like spending $10 on lunch, need it fast, or just feel like
eating shitty food I head to mickey D's. Remember, although you have thousands of stores
worldwide the interior of the store is mostly the same with some minor exceptions, the one I'm
usually going to is not an exception either. The magic begins when you enter the store and
transform into another dimension, the expensive fur stores, designer stores, and fancy
restaurants fade into oblivion and you are surrounded by BRAIN EATING ZOMBIES the "cream
of the crop" of the city. People who really can't afford to eat on a budget that is more than $5.
I'm not the only one who eats there and holds a normal job, you will have your occasional
businessman or other respected member of society who wants to feel "street" but the vast majority
is lower-middle class of African Americans, so are the employees although McDonald's is an equal
opportunity employer. When the meal is over the customers leave the red and gold dimension and
fade into the local public unnoticed until the next apparition in a McDonald's near you.