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Ahhhh... Mexicocina is love, Mexicocina is life. They rarely ever disappoint. Except the one time they sent me sliced avocado instead of the Guacamole I paid for. Plain mashed avocado isn't the same as guacamole.
Anyway, I'm in the minority that actually prefers Taco Bell over Chipotle. Any sit down Mexican spot has been better! But on the drunk nights when most places are closed, Taco Bell does the job.
Chipotle’s food is based on the Mission-style burritos in San Francisco.
The other chains you mention are not fast casual. They’re casual dining. Fast casual refers to places that are usually counter service (no table service) and sell food that are customizable and can be prepared or put together relatively quickly upon ordering. Examples are Shake Shack and a bunch of those salad chains (Chopt, Sweetgreen, etc).
Chains can definitely be associated with gentrification depending on the chain and the neighborhood. Some low-income areas have very little beyond fast food joints and hole in the wall places. Chains could be major upgrades. It’s not necessarily about the quality of food but other factors like ambiance, service, cleanliness. I don’t know about all the chains mentioned earlier but certainly Whole Foods is a sign of gentrification in central Harlem.
Gentrification and authenticity have nothing to do with each other. “Gentrifiers” (meaning people with money displacing low-income people) eat all sorts of food including many non-authentic. The most “authentic” food (meaning food prepared similarly to how it’s made in the native country) are usually found in immigrant areas or established ethnic enclaves. Not in the gentrifying neighborhoods. Most customers actually wouldn’t know whether the food was authentic unless they’ve eaten the real thing.
(And who cares anyway as long as the food tastes good. I use the word authentic sometimes to differentiate between some cuisines like authentic Italian vs. Italian-American or authentic Chinese vs. Americanized Chinese. Otherwise, I don’t care whether the food is authentic as long as I enjoy eating it.)
Now, there are certain cuisines that have gained popularity and the city has seen an uptick in ramen places and Thai food as an example across many neighborhoods. But these are general food trends, not signs of gentrification.
There are many authentic Mexican restaurants in gentrified neighborhoods, a lot of people who live in these neighborhoods or go to these neighborhoods are foodies.
I use Mexican as an example because I'm familiar with if enough to know what constitutes authentic. I think most people who are into food know that Yummy Taco and Chipotle are not authentic.
Plus some gentrified areas also happen to be immigrant enclaves. There are countless Mexican restaurants in the Western part of Bushwick and they certainly make money off hipsters.
If you are interested in this topic, I just recently found a book on the street (although it was dated to 1995, so kinda out of date, but still interesting to read..) it's called No Foreign Food and it's about the history of food consumption in America from the colonial times to modern day (well 20 years ago). It's a good read because it alludes to the all the very recent uptick of foodyism which you think is just a modern day thing, but it was happening even 20 years ago. People don't change much even though each generation thinks they've reinvented the wheel.
That said, I used to LOVE taco bell and I won't step foot in a yunnified fast food establishment like Shake Shack of Chipotle. Bicker all you want about whether it's fast food or fast casual, the truth is one is fast food low rent and one is fast food uppity snobbishness. Sorry, not paying 8 bucks for a fast food burger just because you cling to genti-fried neighborhoods like barnacles and thinking that making people wait in long ass lines makes it upscale.
Ok. How is Chipotle gentrification? Hit me up when Shack shake moves in.
It's gentrification because it's a crappy corporate chain catering to people who ironically think that it's "safer" and "cleaner" to eat at than an authentic Mexican restaurant or other locally owned business.
It's gentrification because it's a crappy corporate chain catering to people who ironically think that it's "safer" and "cleaner" to eat at than an authentic Mexican restaurant or other locally owned business.
Gentrifiers love authentic Mexican restaurants...you're out of touch
There's a Chipotle close to my job and my Hispanic coworkers and I eat there simply because there are no authentic Mexican restaurants anywhere near JFK.
Last edited by l1995; 01-27-2018 at 01:44 PM..
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hahah.
