Today's Fast Food Industry

An Ethical Perspective 

Many people sacrifice their morals and values in attempt to try and get ahead in life.  Cheating and scheming will not get anyone where they want to be. If they happen to achieve what they set out for, then they did it while sacrificing their happiness. When some happen to achieve what they desire, while hurting people along the way, they soon realize that it wasn’t worth it. Nothing they do can ever make up for it. Franchising schemes have been around since the nineteenth century according to the author of Fast Food Nation, Eric Schlosser. When deciding how one should go about with their business, there will be many things taken into consideration such as honesty, what will be best for them, and what the outcome will be.

Self Worth 

Honesty is something that should always be practiced in every day life. Without honesty, you have nothing. Your word and reputation is worth nothing and no one will ever be able to believe anything you say. Once you destroy your self -worth, there is no turning back. It is important to have a good reputation not only for yourself, but also in order to be successful. What franchisee will want to invest in a company if the company has a history of being dishonest? I know that I definitely wouldn’t. Build yourself from the bottom and be an honest person. This is what true success is. It may seem impossible and if you fail, you can always try again. If you die failing, then it wasn’t meant to be, but don’t give up because you will never be able to predict the outcome of a situation even if you have failed before. In Fast Food Nation, Schlosser writes about Ray Kroc’s willingness to be patient and in result, leading to success. Many franchises during this time were only out to make a quick buck, compromising their self worth. Kroc wasn’t driven by greed. He was interested in expanding McDonalds and he knew that it would take time. He decided to recruit real hardworking people while avoiding the businessmen that looked at everything as just an investment. If the workers devoted themselves, then Kroc promised he would in turn make them rich. He was an honest man that kept his word. 

Think About Others 

When many people end up selling themselves and others out, they normally aren’t thinking about anyone but themselves. They are concerned only with what will be best for them. Many people have risen to the top, and then crashed and burned in their industries. I feel that it has a lot to do with what they did and how they treated people along the way. Maybe just not having what they wanted was enough to show them what they did was wrong. Allowing them to have it, and then taking it all away might be a little more effective. Others may lose an important person from their lives, which can make them feel as if they have nothing. It will all come back in some form. Success isn’t just about money. Being a good person has a lot to do with it. Only thinking about what is best for you will never get you anywhere. If you are considerate of those around you, it will get you a lot farther than lying and cheating. Kroc and his partner Sonneborn traveled the country spreading the news about the expansion of McDonalds. They were smart and thought of not only themselves, but others as well. Instead of demanding large amounts of money or selling supplies to franchisees, they decided to lease. Becoming the “landlords” of McDonalds was not only fair, but honest as well.  They thought of others as well as themselves. While having this “land lord” contract, the partners decided that it would be only fair if they made sure that the franchisees were doing their part as well as they were. Rules were made that absolutely had to be followed. The rules included the obvious, such as cleanliness expectations and common courtesy. The meat that was supplied by each of these restaurants had to be hormone free of course. This is hard because there is such a high demand for mass production and such little time and resources. To respond to this, our country injects animals with all types of hormones and steroids to force them to grow faster. There were many rules, but if they were not followed, it would result in “eviction.”

Think Before Doing 

When something is done without contemplating the consequences, it is most likely going to be something that one will regret. When many business owners first start in, they go into things thinking about what will make them the most money. That is one thing that should be thought about, but not the only thing. There are many things to consider in order to be successful. Sonneborn once told a group of investors, “We are not basically in the food business. We are in the real estate business. The only reason we sell 15 cent hamburgers is because they are the greatest producer of revenue from which our tenants can pay us our rent.”  The new ideas for the McDonalds Corporation made McDonalds skyrocket! I honestly believe that if these men were to be like everyone else, they wouldn’t be nearly as successful as they are. If they were to sacrifice others along the way, they wouldn’t be happy. They did things the right way and thought wisely about the outcome of their actions.

The Outcome Of Kroc And Sonneborn 

The actions of Kroc and Sonneborn inspired people around the world. They built a business on loyalty and respect. They built a business that has been around for many many years, which I am sure, will be around for much longer. They changed things for the better and decided to make money from a good idea instead of making money from their franchisees. They wanted to help people just as much as they wanted to help themselves. People began to use their ideas. Although some still did it while sacrificing themselves and others in the process, many didn’t. There are many ethical people that still exist along with their corporations. Honesty, what will be best for the businessman, and the outcome of his actions are all things that need to be taken into consideration when one is deciding how to go about their business. Inspiration is how many of us learn. If we continue aspiring, with the right kind of behavior, we can make this a better place.