McDonald's entry into Hong Kong and the transformation of local food culture

McDonald's in Hong Kong: Consumerism, Dietary Change, and the Rise of a Children's Culture, by James L. Watson

James Watson starts his article recollection of a conversation he had in 1969 with a Hong Kong resident whose ancestors had settled in New Territories of Hong Kong six centuries ago. Mr. Man vividly described a feast he had eaten fifty years back, so around the second decade of the twentieth century. Mr. Man's memories and pride about this kind of Cantonese food were characteristic of his generation in those days in the Hong Kong and the province of Guangdong.

The author's starting point, Mr. Man's boasting about the Cantonese cuisine, serves the purpose of what the former considers a legitimate question that would require his attention in an attempt to find the possible factors that led a particular situation related to the food industry in the area. He is asking himself "why, towards the end of the twentieth century, American fast food is so successful in Hong Kong and in Guangzhou?" Considering all the facts and statistics, the author shows that his question needs closer consideration.

2.1 Potential issues to be tackled

He continues first by asking general questions, common to concerns related to globalization and transnationalism. The general fear to loose national character, specific to such globalization related concerns is one of them. Starting with a general fear of loosing national identity through globalization, a fear expressed by several nations, the author decided to concentrate on the specific example of Hong Kong. He explains that he finds it illustrative for his arguments supporting his idea that by the end of the millennium, in a globalized era, in Hong Kong, "transnational s the local."

3. Short history of the Fast Food Industry in Hong Kong.

Beginning with the 60s, the economic conditions and the social changes determined the birth of a more dynamic fast food, fast delivery industry to serve the workers in the most effective of ways possible. Although people were still eating traditional style meals, demands have changed the delivery methods and the venues.

3.1. A new company and model comes on the market

Cafe Coral -- the first fast food style cafeteria to mix traditional Cantonese with other style foods - is still successful by the end of the millennium.

4. January 1975 -- McDonald's enters the Hong Kong market along with the economic boom

McDonald's does not attempt to adapt its products to the specifics of the Cantonese cuisine. It introduces them as complete novelties to the ordinary Hong Kong consumers and keeps them to the basic three: hamburger, fries, Coca Cola. In the new urban scenery, the consumers increase in numbers, move faster and more frequently, have less time to spare for eating, most of them are young, dynamic and more inclined to try the new. Major player in McDonald's success in Hong Kong: Daniel Ng, Managing Director and Hong Kong franchise owner.

6.2 Management willing to take into account cultural differences

6.2.1 One cultural difference McDonalds has not attempted to overcome was that of "service friendliness" -- Smiling bears different meanings in the food industry in Hong Kong and is thus not required from the McDonald's employees

6.3 Discipline and cooperation from the customer, but with measure.

6.3.1. Slowly, customers have started to stand in lines instead of grouping in clusters, but they have resisted the idea of busing their own trays

7. Not everything is and needs to be the "McDonald's" way = American way

7.1. Hovering is tolerated - since McDonald's restaurants in Hong Kong are among the busiest in the world, at rush hours, locals use the method of hovering to get a seat

7.2. Longer dining periods on average, compared to their American counterparts

7.3. Napkin stealing -- because of various reasons, such as scarcity of resources in the past, self-service offers older generations the opportunity to stock on napkins. That is why McDonalds does not have public dispensers for napkins

8. Symbolism of public behavior and political protest with pros and cons for the company

8.1 Hovering cannot really be treated as a form of national protest against the American way

8.1.1 Argument sustained by comparison with forms of political protest against Americanization through McDonald's in another Asian country, South Korea

8.2 National protests against transnational corporations present in Hong Kong are weak and infrequent

8.3 The fact that McDonald's imports nearly everything in Hong Kong cannot be held against the company since in most other countries McDonald's is focusing on using local suppliers, provided they are available

8.4 The company is held accountable for some abuses against the environment in Hong Kong. Protests are infrequent and limited, though.

8.5 The company makes a lot of effort to present itself as environmentally conscious

9. Some of McDonald's most important advocates and targets: children

9.1 Child rearing and its importance in marketing. Child rearing has changed tremendously during the last decades of the twentieth century. This has affected Hong Kong, too. McDonald's has taken this area into consideration and went along making children some of its fiercest advocates on their way to independence

9.1 Birthday parties, a novelty from the Western world McDonald's has used to its best advantage

9.2 Children's judgment based on the appearance of a birthday cake and how the decoration on a birthday cake in an upscale hotel influences children in their classifications and changes trends

9.3 Children in school uniforms are some of McDonald's most loyal costumers in Hong Kong

9.3.1 Children of school age socialize at McDonald's

9.3.2 Some children of school age find a better study space at McDonald's than they have home

9.4 Contrary to McDonald's policies in the U.S., lingering is tolerated also because children in school uniforms are good advertisement

10. Conclusion

Based on all the facts and considering the complexity of the issue: national cultural traits vs. transnationalism, Hong Kong is a consumer of transnational culture, but also an exporter of national culture