Walk into a McDonald’s in a big city in the United States and you’re likely to see people from all walks of life hurriedly scarfing down McDoubles and Chicken Nuggets on lunch breaks, commutes home, and quick stops between soccer practice and a piano lesson. You might even see a homeless person asleep in a corner booth. But that’s not the way things are in China. There are two very prominent western fast food presences here: McDonald’s and Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC). While there are others spotted on occasion, these two are staples. But like I alluded to earlier, the experience is not the same as it is back home.
Walk into a McDonalds in Beijing, Huangshan, or Shanghai, and you’ll still see people eating, but they’re usually taking their time and enjoying their food. Parents and children eating together, groups of friends chatting at a booth, and of course some still utilizing fast food for its “quick fix.” But mealtime in China is so much more significant than it is in the U.S. and the “fast food” restaurants here embrace and support that.
Another thing noticed in a foreign McDonald’s is how much nicer it is than ones back home. Coming from a small town outside the city of Pittsburgh, my McDonald’s restaurants are on the low end of the list for franchise updates, and many towns across the country are the same. Even some of the larger ones in the city of Pittsburgh are pretty dated by comparison. Here the McDonald’s are very high-tech, with self-service kiosks as well as registers to order from. And the food is fast, very fast. The McCafe area is also more upscale serving Starbucks-level coffees and have a pastry counter as well. Additionally, you’ll find that the dining areas and atmosphere are nicer with multiple seating areas spread across different floors. The people, too, are usually a lot better-dressed than they would be to head to the local Mickey D’s in the States.
The same is true for KFC. Compared to the KFC restaurants near my house – most of which I think are too filthy to eat at – these are very nice. They have a much broader selection of fried chicken items to choose from, even chicken wings. The general atmosphere is a lot more clean and upscale as well. They even have a play place; though on a much smaller scale due to an obvious lack of space.
I guess it all has to do with perspective. Here, McDonald’s and KFC are viewed as foreign indulgences. That brand identity is associated with distant lands that many people have never traveled to. Additionally, they know that they attract many foreign customers just by being who they are and providing a safe “fallback” if people can’t find a restaurant they can work with. The price levels also reflect that by being more expensive. There is cheap food to be found here in China: mostly noodles, dumplings and rice. But those restaurants can be a lot less well-appointed. They have a more traditional “fast food” feel than what would actually be considered fast food restaurants.
-Louis D’Amico
June 3, 2017