Homogenized in the USA

IHOP is buying Applebee’s. I know this because spouse-man got a subscription to the Wall Street Journal as a graduation gift, and he reads to me, or otherwise relays to me, interesting local and world news tidbits. Applebee’s set the standard for the what-is-now typical and standard restaurant: similar menu, similar seating setup, etc., and they were very successful, so successful that that is why everyone else copied them. But it became diluted, other restaurants changed with the times, but Applebee’s didn’t, so they drifted to the bottom and are now being bought out by IHOP.

It got me thinking about similar scenarios such as Ford buying up other car manufacturers (and, interestingly, selling them all off now) and I wonder just how diluted we will become before it all ends. Like just one giant grocery store chain - because Safeway bought Albertson's who had already bought Smiths and Piggly Wiggly - offering coupons for Pop-Tarts and Hamburger Helper, forcing the consumer to fit to their mold - you gotta eat Pop-Tarts or else you won’t get the discount! (I don’t see coupons for, say, organic green beans, what’s up with that?). How about one single, giant box, home improvement store named Lowe’s Depot, or maybe we’ll get memberships at Cost Club or SamsCo – who will buy who? (or is it Whom?) One giant chain Wal-Store. Is it a chain, then, if there is only one name to choose from? Maybe we’ll end up with Rite-greens in the end. We’ve already got Taco Bell and Pizza cohabitating; when will Macaroni Grill and Olive Garden share real estate – a little gastronomic courtyard called Macaroni Garden...

Then there is the symbol recognition marketing tactic. Think Nike. We just drove down the road and on the corner there was a giant lime green circle with the words next to it: Coming Soon! What is coming soon – the lime store? The lime green circle store? The polka-dot store in lime green only? I don’t know that symbol, so for them, they lose out because I don’t know what I am suppose to get ramped up about.

It troubles me, although I don’t lose sleep over it, that it is all becoming diminished, diluted and depreciating in character and personality. World economy, business and finance – and politics - are sooo not my bailiwick, and I don’t claim to have some sort of explanation other than it all seems to come down to whoever makes the most money in the end wins. Like Monopoly: Give me Park Place for $350 million, please.

Comments

[Stephanie]

I wonder about it, too. We were discussing the Starbucks, Harley Davidson, and Wal-Mart intrusions on the otherwise untouched beauty of Alaska. Is there nowhere that's safe anymore? It's kind of sad. I remember going to other places to see other things. Now they all look the same, what used to be Mom-and-Pop gobbled up by the Corporate Giant. I miss the individuality. You're right, it's all about the dollar, the almighty USD.

[Rob]

To quote Pink Floyd:

Money, get away
Get a good job with more pay and you're okay
Money it's a gas
Grab that cash with both hands and make a stash
New car, caviar, four star daydream,
Think I'll buy me a football team

Money get back
I'm alright Jack keep your hands off my stack.
Money it's a hit
Don't give me that do goody good bull****
I'm in the hi-fidelity first class traveling set
I think I need a Lear jet

Money it's a crime
Share it fairly but don't take a slice of my pie
Money so they say
Is the root of all evil today
But if you ask for a raise it's no surprise that they're
giving none away

[optionalg]

add one more place i am not going to eat anymore... cause i _hate_ ihop ... i really do... even if fatty tyler florence is revamping the menu... applebees is gonna be on the blacklist of places i will not eat

thanks fat honkeys

[Gaupskam]

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[Alewlyweils]

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[Hevesheaphien]

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