In poor neighborhoods, McDonald’s have become de-facto community centers
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Re: In poor neighborhoods, McDonald’s have become de-facto community centers
#2Reminds me of this 2014 article about a "standoff" between McDonald's Employees and elderly Chinese people using it as a community space
http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/McDonalds-Elderly-Senio...
Also, chess players being evicted from a Vancouver mall after 50 years of congregation
http://www.timescolonist.com/chess-players-offered-new-play-...
I have an ideological axe to grind here, but I can't help but think of this as the end-game of libertarian "the government should enforce property rights only". Of course, currently existing social services are more like a band-aid on top of inequality than a real cure, so you end up with things like,
> In almost every franchise, there are tables with people like Betty escaping from the streets for a short bit. They prefer McDonald’s to shelters and to non-profits, because McDonald’s are safer, provide more freedom, and most importantly, the chance to be social, restoring a small amount of normalcy.
but it's really not hard to imagine something superior to both McDonald's and shelters, just real community space.
Re: In poor neighborhoods, McDonald’s have become de-facto community centers
#3And in rich neighborhoods, Starbucks?
Re: In poor neighborhoods, McDonald’s have become de-facto community centers
#4I would love to see someone do a purpose built place with a targeted menu to see how it would do as a modern version of a community center.
1) big glass windows with good interior lighting
Re: In poor neighborhoods, McDonald’s have become de-facto community centers
#5In many communities in the UK, it's the pub.
On the positive side, it brings a genuine sense of community where you hang out alone, forge new bonds or maintain old ones. People come and go asking if so-and-so has been in today. Before mobiles, families would call the pub and leave messages for each other. Class lines were much less defined. You leave things behind the bar for other people to pick up later.
On the negative side, well, alcohol, and all the issues that brings.
Re: In poor neighborhoods, McDonald’s have become de-facto community centers
#6McDonalds is the only restaurant I enjoy eating at with my 2 and 3 year olds. Every other restaurant is a slog to get through the meal. Honestly I'd eat there more often if it weren't for the social stigma of it. (I live in Berkeley).
I am pretty sure the cheeseburger, apple slices, and chocolate milk are not much worse, and probably better, than the typical fare on a slapped together kids meal.
When I was a kid, my dad would take me to the local McDonalds to do math, several times a week. They'd let us sit there ordering nothing but sodas in a comfy booth for hours. These are some of my fondest childhood memories.
There are some issues with McDonalds, but it is a pleasant user experience.
Re: In poor neighborhoods, McDonald’s have become de-facto community centers
#7And in rich neighborhoods, Starbucks?
There's a fairly big one near where I live that allows people to reserve bits of it for small community events during the week, as well as scheduling amateur or semi-professional musicians to do low-key live performances each weekend.
Re: In poor neighborhoods, McDonald’s have become de-facto community centers
#8McDonalds is the only restaurant I enjoy eating at with my 2 and 3 year olds. Every other restaurant is a slog to get through the meal. Honestly I'd eat there more often if it weren't for the social stigma of it. (I live in Berkeley). I am pretty sure the cheeseburger, apple slices, and chocolate milk are not much worse, and probably better, than the typical fare on a slapped together kids meal. When I was a kid, my…
Yeah it's definitely not bad or gross any more, at least in some parts. Their coffee is the best at that price point as well.
Re: In poor neighborhoods, McDonald’s have become de-facto community centers
#9And in rich neighborhoods, Starbucks?
and Panera, but yes.
I don't know if community centers are the right analogy though. Simply put, a business where you can get a drink or pastry and socialize for an extended amount of time is an integral part of many societies, but it was lacking in most parts of the US for many years.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coffeehouse
Re: In poor neighborhoods, McDonald’s have become de-facto community centers
#10McDonalds is the only restaurant I enjoy eating at with my 2 and 3 year olds. Every other restaurant is a slog to get through the meal. Honestly I'd eat there more often if it weren't for the social stigma of it. (I live in Berkeley). I am pretty sure the cheeseburger, apple slices, and chocolate milk are not much worse, and probably better, than the typical fare on a slapped together kids meal. When I was a kid, my…
Yeah it's definitely not bad or gross any more, at least in some parts. Their coffee is the best at that price point as well.
A friend of mine services kitchen equipment for a living (in the UK), he regularly tells me McDonald's are the cleanest establishments he visits.