Nutritional Anthropology, Volume 25, Number 2 49

spectrum of consumerist and social anarchy: themanner in which Chinese eating patterns, family life,and child physical and social development maychange over the next several decades is subject toseemingly unlimited possibilities - for better and forworse.

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Golden Arches East, McDonald's in East Asiaby James L. Watson, Editor

Stanford University Press 1998

Reviewed by Abigail SharbaughSmithsonian Institution

This collection of essays evaluates the introductionand effect of the fast food international super giantMcDonald's in four East Asian countries. Thoughthe initial adaptation and perception of the restaurantvaries between these different cultures, the result isthe same: McDonald's becomes a local institution.And one strongly supported by the youth of theregions, whether with their own allowances and useof free time, or by choosing the family eating outlet.Though a study of globalization and modernization,with the subject being McDonalds, comparisons toother global corporations or suppliers can bedifficult. It's not just the food that makes this fastfood corporation unique. As the editor James L.Watson notes, it's the "experience itself (38)."

Each essay describes the history of McDonald's inthe city in discussion, looking at economic andpolitical decisions by the corporation and reactionby the government and local groups. They thendiscuss the influence on the local cuisine andculture, as well as the adaptation by the corporationto "fit" into it's new home, including menu options(fish sandwiches and American hamburgers withlocal toppings) and operation methods (AuntMcDonald and accommodating lingering customersnot interested in eating quickly).

Yungxiang Yan found that Beijing patrons seekMcDonald's as a status symbol of modernization.QSC &V, McDonald's corporate mantra for quality,service, cleanliness and value, "reinforces thegovernment's promotion of upgrading andmodernizing the local business environment (44)."McDonald's meals are also approved of for their

nutritional value, being "scientifically designed"food that includes the main nutritional elements ahuman being needs daily (44)." However, patronshave fashioned it in their own way. McDonald'smeals aren't seen by adults as a real meal, or eventhat tasty, they are more like a snack, as thecombination of starches and meats together is "not aproperly prepared meal (47)." Rather, adults areattracted to the appearance and culture thatMcDonald's portrays. Yet these associations withforeign elements give way a bit to local flavors.McDonald's is seen as a local, Chinese business, byparticipating in "community affairs andestablishing] special relations with local schoolsand neighborhood committees (54)," and childrenare seen as the primary customer. It is a hang-outfor children and adults, and family gatheringsand parties are frequently held at McDonald's."Sundays and holidays are the busiest time (60)" forthe restaurant.

In Hong Kong, the key element of McDonald'samong other fast food options was the "Americanculture packaged as ail-American, middle-class food(82)," and owes much of its success to themanagerial decisions and knowledge of the localfranchisees and staff. James L. Watson finds thatyouth interest and demands have greatly directedand supported the development of McDonald's.Hong Kong patrons, especially youth, seeMcDonald's as a desirable symbol of Americansociety and precisely not Chinese. New things,such as the introduction of cleanliness, smiles, andwaiting in lines, are different and attractive. Again,children are the key consumer and decision-maker.Mid-morning snacks are now taken at McDonald's,not the tea house, the restaurant is an after schoolyouth center, and birthday parties are all the rage,but only if had at McDonald's.

David Y.H. Wu found that Taipei patrons were notas accommodating or interested in McDonald's, dueto strong anti-imperialist and anti-Americanfeelings after the cold war. But again, youth haveadopted McDonald's as their after school destination,often staying for hours, eat it for lunch, andconsequently influence the family to gather therealso. Here, McDonald's has taken it's place besideother local restaurants. The Big Mac is as much asthe historic betel nut, an "expression of Taiwan'spursuit of a national identity in a politicalenvironment that has never encouraged such

50 Nutritional Anthropology, Volume 25, Number 2

Sangmee Bak reports that in Seoul, the symbolismof America did not make McDonald's more popular,and the corporation only opened its first outletin 1988. But here again, it's position as a localinstitution has been effective, with goods purchasedlocally and the outlets managed by localfranchisees. Again, as in other countries, Koreans"considered McDonald's restaurants to be snack bars(144)," as the hamburger was seen more as abread than meat or meal. By adding multi-part valuemeals, or "sets", patrons began to see McDonald's asa place to have a meal. Also, youth are a primaryaudience, who treat McDonald's as hang outs anddate destinations, and have embraced the idea ofbirthday parties.

Emiko Ohnuki-Tierney finds that Japanese patronsalso were attracted to McDonald's as a symbol ofAmerican culture. Here, though, in a country ofvery little beef consumption, the actual food that isserved has had the most influence on the basic eatinghabits of the locals. The "burger," contrary toestablished Buddhist prohibition on meat-eating,suggests a way to become strong enough to"compete with meat-eating like Westerners (167)."Yet McDonald's has also adapted by adding ricedishes and other options to its menu to make therestaurant a place for a meal, since "many Japanesejust don't feel satisfied unless they eat rice with theirdinner (168)." Again, children, who now havespending money and free time are influencing familyeating habits and social manners by their attractionto the "image of America as a social paradise (181)."

In the Afterward, Sydney Mintz reflects on thehistoric availability of "fast food," but notes that theAmerican standardization and predictability ofservice and provision is unique (191). AtMcDonald's, there is much more for sale then ahamburger, and the increase in the buying power ofyouth throughout the world, is "enabling the child toassociate with children of similar privilege whileeating 'Western' food in a 'Western' institution(200)."

McDonald's glides in on the wing of Americana (ifnot for the adult population, the larger and growingyouth population) yet establishes itself as a localoutlet for youth groups, families and celebrations.As a franchise, each manager is local and adapts therestaurant to accommodate local flavors and needs.Though some fear the loss of authentic localcuisine to the Big Mac, the authors report that in

fact, McDonald's has taken its place beside theselocal flavors, as well as blending into if s menu, suchas offering rice dishes, and special variations on thehamburger.

The fast food giant been adopted quickly into localculture, affecting change on eating habits, but moststrongly to the relationship of the families, i.e., kidsinfluencing where the family eats. But this isn't thatdifferent from the changes on eating patterns thathave come about in the U.S. with the initialintroduction of McDonald's and fast food stores toAmericans, and more recently 'international' foods inthe U.S. All take on a 'local' flavor when introducedin the new country, and have affected the approachto daily meals. The difference here is that it is bothAmerican, and therefore desirable, and part of one ofthe largest chains in the world.

Since the publication of this book, Anthropologistshave made strides in furthering their presence intowhat the editor calis the terra incognita of "businessschools, securities firms, and internationalconsultancies (vii)." Anthropological field methodsof participant observation and personalinterviews give a fresh perspective to one of thelargest suppliers in consumer society. Essays such asthese bring together discussions of business andinter-familial decision making, and perspectives ofmain-stream and sub-cultural and politicalinfluences on eating habits. These add to thegrowing body of "new" and useful anthropologicalperspectives to the world of business and marketresearch.

Many issues in these essays are of importance tonutritional anthropology, such as: the perception ofMcDonalds as a snack and the definitions of ameal with the consequential affect on patterns offamilial eating and socializing, the affect on thefuture health of youth consumers of fast food, andthe contrast and comparison with American eatinghabits.

This book, or any essay in itself, would be of interestto a wide variety of audiences, though not amongthem super-giant corporations such as the oneunder study, whom have whole research sections,and by now probably an anthropologist on staff!Marketing firms, and businesses entering the globalmarket may find these brief analyses an informativebreak from hard data.

Nutritional Anthropology, Volume 25, NumbeT 2 51

For the student or researcher, this book is a startingpoint into various directions of study, such asglobalization and Americana, nutritionalanthropology, and trends in family and eatingstructures, and the resulting affect on nutritionalstatus of youth.

>oooooooooooooooooooocWorld Food Day

CNA members Thoric Cederstrom and LauraCramer, both working with the Relief and FoodSecurity Division of Counterpart International inWashington, D.C. write to remind us to take to heartthe challenge to "think globally and act locally" forthe World Food Day observances on October 16.World Food Day is held annually on the anniversaryof the establishment of the UN Food and AgricultureOrganization, and educational and advocacyactivities are held worldwide in observance of theoccasion. Schools, civic and religious organizations,governments, and non-governmental organizationsare all involved in sponsoring research, engaging inadvocacy, fundraising, and public educationprograms surrounding issues of hunger and foodsecurity. This year a special program entitled"Feeding Minds, Fighting Hunger" has the goal ofincreasing children's knowledge of global and localissues of hunger, and this program has classroomteaching materials for teachers at primary, middleschool, and secondary school levels. Moreinformation about World Food Day activities,including the teleconference with Professor MichaelLipton are available at the web sitewww.worldfooddayusa.org or by telephone at 202-653-2404.

2002 AAA MeetingsNew Orleans

There is great news for CNA members regarding theupcoming AAA meetings; we have a record numberof sponsored sessions and papers, and CNAmembers are participating in a number of sessionssponsored by other AAA units as well. We must allthank Program Chair Leslie Carlin for helping CNAmake such a successful showing at this year'smeetings.

Now the bad news, just before NA was ready to goto press, Leslie realized that two of our four sessionswere scheduled to run at the same time, bothconflicted with a session honoring Sidney Mintz,and one session was truncated to only half its neededtime. Leslie spearheaded a barrage of trans-Atlanticemails and has worked with the AAA staff to put oursessions at more appropriate times, so we have amuch better schedule than what appears in thepreliminary program. So a word of warning: don'tuse the preliminary program as a guide for thesession times. Check the final program in NewOrleans for correct times and places. To the best ofour knowledge, the correct times for CNA sponsoredactivities are as follows:

Wednesday, November 20. CNA Board Meeting12:00-2:00

Thursday, November 21 The Future of FoodStudies in Anthropology 10:15 - 12:00 (not aspublicized). Organized by Barrett Brenton,Participants: David Himmelgreen, Barrett Brenton,Miriam Chaiken, Carole Counihan, Darra Goldstein,Solomon Katz, Gretel Pelto

CNA Business Meeting 6:15- 7:15

CNA Distinguished Speaker Lecture: KatherineDetwyller "Bogin's concept of 'Childhood' as aNew and Unique Stage of Human Life History:Biological Reality, Secular Trend, or CulturalArtifact?" 7:30 pm, reception to follow

Saturday, November 23 Nutrition and HealthChallenges for the New Century: AnthropologicalApproaches to Micronutrient Research AmongHuman Populations 1:45 - 5:45 (not as publicized).Organized by Kristen Borre. Papers by MargaretBentley; Raul Borbolla, Gretel Pelto, and MarieRuel; Leslie Carlin, Julia Greenacre, and AshleyAdamson; Kristen Borre; Walter Randolph Adams;and Jeffrey Backstrand with William Leonard asdiscussant.

Sunday, November 24 Influences on Food Choice,Feeding and Diet in the 21s' Century 8:00 - 9:45Chair Dan Sellen, Papers by Joylin Namie, LynnMorrison, David Himmelgreen, Dan Sellen