Nathan+Cuklanz+Formal+Essay+1

//This is a comparison and contrast essay that highlights the similarities and differences between McDonalds and Wendy’s. I hate it when people say all fast food places are the same, so I figured I would write an essay to show that they can be totally different. I really enjoyed writing this essay, and I hope you all enjoy reading it. // Wendy’s vs. McDonalds The Wendy’s and McDonald’s fast food franchises have become extremely popular around the world. As fast food becomes a staple of the American diet, the number of these restaurants continues to grow at an exponential rate. It has become commonplace for people to find themselves faced with a tremendous decision to make: Wendy’s, or McDonald’s. The choice may appear inconsequential to the average customer, but that is simply not true. If one takes a closer look at these two seemingly similar franchises, they will discover a sea of differences.  Many people believe that McDonald’s and Wendy’s are basically the same store, and rightfully so. They both offer a cheap, fast way to get great tasting food. Their food can also be unhealthy, greasy, and questionable in quality, but that is risk fast food eaters are willing to take. Both restaurants serve golden fries in small, medium, and large sizes. Both restaurants have kid’s meals and chicken nuggets and soda. And who could forget about the drive-through? This great device allows customers to buy food without even getting out of their cars and can be found at both stores. Both franchises also have a variety of burgers. Some burgers have bacon; some don’t. Some have fancy names like the “Baconator” or the “Big Mac.” Some even have special sauces. But at the end of the day, most people believe that a burger is just a burger. Because Wendy’s and McDonald’s serve the same type of food in a similar manner, people think that the two restaurants are practically identical. They couldn’t be more wrong.  The beginning sequence at McDonalds is unforgettable. If it wasn’t for this starting event, the restaurant would cease to exist. Each visit plays out like a story. As the customer walks in, the strong but delectable scent of fries wafts into his nostrils. He is happy to find that there is no line, only two smiling faces behind two registers. He walks up to one and begins to decide on what he wants. As he looks through the menu, another wave of happiness hits. Everything is just so cheap. Dollar menu possibilities begin swarming through his head: two McDoubles, one McChicken, two apple pies, and a drink, or three McDoubles, a small fry, and a drink, or one McDouble, one hot fudge sundae, two apples pies, a small fry, and a drink. He could sit there all day and ponder the possibilities, but he decides on a good, balanced choice of five McDoubles. After a few moments, he is given a huge, grease stained sack of food and looks around frantically for a seat.  That beginning sequence may be normal for a McDonald’s, but it’s a very rare experience at a Wendy’s. For starters, customers are not waited on immediately like at a McDonalds. Wendy’s employees will make customers wait even if they’re the only people in line. By the time the employee starts taking the order, the customer is already feeling the glow of the golden arches across the street. As he stares up at the menu board, he notices a “value” menu that has no value whatsoever. Doublestacks and tiny bacon cheeseburgers are a dollar and fifty cents apiece. The smallest drink size he can find costs a dollar and fifty-nine cents while the smallest fry size costs a dollar eighty-nine cents. Any “value” menu combination would be deadly to his wallet, so the customer reluctantly decides on an equally expensive combo deal. After forking over a huge amount of cash, the customer waits a good ten minutes before his food is finally ready. After he grabs his tray, he angrily searches for a seat, the whole time seriously regretting his transaction.  What happens next is main reason why these two franchises are so different. As the McDonald’s customer takes his first bite into one of his five McDoubles, he is reminded of childhood. He can still taste that same hamburger he used to have in his happy meal. It is a good, reliable taste, but it isn’t wonderful. The customer finds his meal mediocre at best. Every McDouble has that same reliable taste, but nothing really goes above and beyond. That’s the main problem with McDonald’s. After every meal, customers find themselves left with nothing but a feeling of emptiness. This empty feeling is of course not in the customer’s stomach, as five McDoubles can really take a toll. Rather, it is in their heart. When every meal tastes just as average as the last, feelings of satisfaction are easily cancelled out by Déjà Vu. McDonald’s may be reliable and consistent, but it is also boring, and every customer soon realizes that they get what they pay for.  Now Wendy’s, on the other hand, is a completely different story. The actual moment of consumption is where the company succeeds. As the customer unravels his enormous sandwich, steam sizzles out of the hot paper wrapping. Before he takes his first bite, he sneaks a fry, only to find that they are cooked to perfection. Then comes the sandwich, and the first bite is nothing less than pure ecstasy. All of a sudden, the customer seems to forget that he received atrocious service at the counter and that he paid an arm and a leg for the food. The empty feeling left by the previous day’s McDonald’s slips away, and complete satisfaction takes over. The food is simply amazing. That is Wendy’s secret. The reason the food is so expensive is that they put so much effort into it. The fresh, never frozen beef patties really do make a difference in the sandwich. The crispy bacon, something almost impossible to find at any other store, is addicting. The one thing that Wendy’s has is great food. The service is awful, the pricing is even worse, but the food never disappoints. And as the customer takes his final bite from his hot, juicy burger, he learns the same valuable lesson he did at McDonald’s the day before: you get what you pay for.  McDonald’s and Wendy’s are two franchises that serve the same type of food in the same fast food type setting. They both have burgers, they both have chicken, and they both have soda. However, it is the things they don’t share that really make a difference. McDonald’s may have exceptional service and great pricing, but they simply lack in food quality. Wendy’s may have excellent food, but their poor service and high pricing make it a pain to get. This is the theory of “checks and balances” working at its finest. The fact that each company has something over the other creates fierce competition. However, the most important aspect to remember when it comes to fast food is that every franchise is different. They may serve the same types of things, but they differ greatly in the way they do it. It’s true; the choice between Wendy’s and McDonald’s is extremely difficult to make. But with the right knowledge and wisdom, a customer can always make the right decision.