It’s kind of redundancy. Fast foods in Saigon?
The place has already been fast. I don’t know if fast foods will help.
At Saigon Central (train depot), I was told to take a number and wait (the way Carl Jr would do in the US) for my fries.
Saigon is not used to mono-chronistic tempo (first comes first served). People just cut in, last in first out. If you are fanatic and faithful to Western sense of order, you will pick a fight every time (conversely, if you went native, you might run into reverse culture shock upon re-entry to the US).
No wonder, the first thing a foreigner sees is the sign, which says “US citizen” this way, the rest, that way. Get in line. One at a time. Orderly Departure and Entry.
Burger King, KFC and now Starbucks, preceded by a bunch of Filippino and Korean chains.
Pretty soon, one cannot distinguish this city from any other in the world: cosmopolitan, clean and charge it baby (burgers and fries, cappuccino and pizza).
The West is taking over the rest.
When Fareed Zakaria talks about the Post-American World, he meant The Rise of the Rest. But what does that mean? Indian IT workers begin to go clubbing, Chinese tourists begin to take up coffee habits at Forbidden City’s Starbucks, and Brazilian go-go dancers start shopping at Victoria Secrets?
It’s a blended world, of which America happened to be the lead influencer.
Fast foods, fast pipe etc… are manifestations of mass markets, whose principles are rooted in auto manufacturing (which happened to be an offspring of the old industrial world).
It seeks not high-end Tiffany base. Just the lowest common denominator: limited decoration, fast turn-around and a lot of marketing hype (to look hip, westernized, with I-tunes music in the background). Thomas Friedman noticed that any two countries with a McDonald are least likely to be at war with each other.
The French once boycotted against McDonalization and Disneylandization. They wanted to enjoy slow foods (multiple courses). It’s the slow growth view. The anti-globalization view.
The clash in Seattle not too long ago was a wake up call.
In It’s a Miracle (by one of former Pink Floyd members), we learned about “McDonald in Tibet”. It’s a miracle (with sarcasm).
Now, all you need is fast foods for Saigon fast lane. As if the place is not fast enough. Actually, what took them (fast foods chains) so long? The place is way ahead of the curve. I have seen people stop their scooters, ask for a light, and zoom along with cigarette to go. Starbucks might have to have their Zippos ready for drive-bys. It’s smoking fast here.
Thang Nguyen 555 