HW 3 - Food - Fast Food Insights and Green Market Realizations

The comparison between Wendy's and the Green Market in Union Square was very interesting.  When we went to Wendy's it was packed, I saw  a diverse group of people there were young, middle aged and old people but mostly there were minorities.  Also there were many people overweight. I noticed that there were advertisements all over outside and inside the Wendy's.  There was even a man outside trying to sell us coupons, one dollar for a book that would get you 10 frostys.  The advertisements aimed towards all different types of people.  People that were trying to get a large amount of food, people trying to eat healthier, and people trying to eat for cheap.  The people we talked to said that they were eating Wendy's because they thought the burgers and fries were decent and because the food is cheap opposed to other food places in the area.  When we went to the Green Market it was also very crowded with many costumers.  Almost all the people I saw were fit middle aged white people.  I didn't see any teenagers, I didn't see many minorities,  and I saw about three overweight people.  I also saw many advertisements in the Green Market of course because people are trying to sell their products.  The Green Market had a lot of fruits and vegetables and definitely sold much healthier foods. 

I think fast food is so successful because it is fast you can go in and come back out with your food in a few minutes.  Also because the food is cheap a meal can be bought for around five dollars this is very important to people especially because of the recession people are trying to save money.  Lastly because people like the food even if it is not good for your health.  I think fast food chains are responding to the sort of health-consciousness that the Green Market represents by making healthier foods on their menu or at least trying to make their food seem healthier and better for you.  I think this is good because I believe that they are making the food slightly more healthy and it's moving in a positive direction.  The different people we met had different approaches towards food.  The people that we talked to in Wendy's seemed like food was just a commodity to them and they just ate it because it was cheap and they were eating it because they need food.  Although I must say a couple people I saw in Wendy's actually looked like they were really enjoying the food.  In the Green Market the people seemed just focused on eating healthier and in my opinion it seemed like food was more sacred to them.  Out of the two locations I definitely visit the fast-food normally.  To me this is fine because when I'm outside I'm spending my own money and I want food that's fast and cheap and that I think tastes good, but when I'm at home I'm usually eating what my parents make and my mother shops at the Green Market all the time so in the end I do both types of food and a balance is cool with me.