They're not all that bad... this McDonald's on Banbury's Bridge Street, Oxfordshire, fits right in.
While browsing one of my favorite websites, Matador Network, I found an interesting photo piece called McDonald's Around the World: There is No Escape by Kate Sedgwick, editor of Matador Nights. Kate writes,
"You can’t escape. Maybe you thought that going to Egypt, Israel, China or Malaysia would spare you the sight of the golden arches. Maybe you thought you could see the iconic structures of Rome, cover every inch of the Louvre, or sightsee in historic Vienna without being jarred by the realization that McDonald's is a world leader in globalization. But you certainly saw quickly that you were wrong."
While it's a jarring sight to see the big M shining brightly at the world's ancient sites or along cobbled streets in medieval towns, I have to admit that there have been times I actually welcomed seeing a McDonald's while overseas.
I found that interesting since I almost never eat at a McDonald's in the USA.
My timing was bad, though. A few minutes after sitting down with my order, my teacher Alexander walked by and saw me chowing down on french fries. He never let up on the jokes.
"You came all the way to Brno to eat in a McDonald"s?" he quipped.
But it was inexpensive and familiar. A few moments spent savoring a Big Mac got rid of my loneliness.
Yes, McDonald's is a world leader in globalization, and that's a fact that's pretty tough to ignore. In Brno's medieval old town, those golden arches didn't fit in.
The comfort of something familiar helped me fit in, though, and that was a good thing.
Image: Wipsenade/Creative Commons
Like you said it is all due to globalization. It's not that it's a good or bad thing. There would be another restaurant there anyways where those golden arches are now.
Posted by: Stephania Andrade | May 17, 2011 at 07:24 PM