Most Americans who don't travel abroad and when we do we're not so likely to eat at McDonald's but most of us think that the same menu gets transported to other places because people want to McDonald's hamburger. And so around the world McDonald's has been adjusted to local taste whether it's the teriyaki burger or the very successful Filipino burger. The whole experience of dining at McDonald's which we think of as simply fast food varies with the society. In Mexico it's a place where well to do women can go and have lunch where their children can play safely out of the range of kidnappers in China. I'm not sure this is still true but certainly 10 years ago it
Rachel Laudan, visiting scholar at the University of Texas and author of Cuisine and Empire, talks with EconTalk host Russ Roberts about the history of food. Topics covered include the importance of grain, the spread of various styles of cooking, why French cooking has elite status, and the reach of McDonald's. The conversation concludes with a discussion of the appeal of local food and other recent food passions.