From Drive-In, To Drive-Thru, To Drive-By: Another US Industry Falls
How many American scalps will China collect?
![McDonald's in China McDonald's in China](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F6654cf72-5db7-445a-ae92-a072d6b08fe8_1000x563.jpeg)
48 of 52. That’s how many weeks of the year I spent working on the road.
But even on the roughest missions, I could at least meet new Americans, see different parts of the country, and taste our nation's distinct foods.
Between Miami’s Cuban Sandwiches, Manhattan’s folded slices, and Tuscon’s Sonoran Dogs, I was all for celebrating diet diversity.
What the hell is a Sonoran Dog, you ask? 👇 I ate about 47 in five days. Hotel maintenance had to stop by a couple of times.
![Sonoran Hot Dog Sonoran Hot Dog](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F96e97040-0e44-4411-9faa-2fb9fe692a0f_1500x1000.webp)
So, you can imagine the times I belly laughed in people’s faces when I asked what the locals recommend for dinner, and they responded with, ‘McDonald’s,’ ‘Chilis,’ or ‘Applebee’s.’
![Tom Cruise Laughing GIF by JustViral Tom Cruise Laughing GIF by JustViral](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_lossy/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F7347076d-b34e-4744-8464-b1f2b47bdf94_480x293.gif)
Maybe they just wanted to keep the local joints free from rowdy tourists and thirsty road dogs.
Fair enough.
Unfortunately, the answer was sometimes much simpler: the mom-and-pops that gave American cities and regions their unique flavor died out as national and international chains took over.
Great. Another Jack in the Box, next to a Pizza Hut, next to a Dairy Queen, next to a Target, next to a Staples.
Still, if you spent the extra time and money, you could usually find a spot serving up one-hundred-year-old Cajun recipes or an old tavern that still had trap doors behind the bar from the rum-running days.
But that was all well before 2020.
Thanks to CV restrictions, Bidenflation, and progressive policies, the chances of those places being open today are slim.
Of course, major chains could weather the storm better than family-run establishments, but the Grim Reaper of the restaurant industry doesn’t discriminate. And he’s not done:
Bloomin’ Brands, which oversees broadliners like Outback Steakhouse, Carrabba’s Italian Grill, Bonefish Grill, and Flemming’s, is closing 41 locations across the system
Denny’s closed 57 locations last year
TGI Friday’s closed 36 units in 12 states this year
Applebees plans to close 25-35 stores this year
Pizza Hut just closed 15 restaurants and may close 120 more this year
McDonald’s closed 200 units in 2020
Boston Market closed 273 locations in 2023
Hardee’s shut down 39 stores last year
Rubio’s Coastal Grill is closing 48 units in California
Tijuana Flats filed for bankruptcy and closed 11 locations
Subway closed over 400 units in 2023
Red Lobster shut down 99 locations in 28 states this year
Fresh Acquisitions, the parent company of Old Country Buffet and Ryan’s, declared bankruptcy in 2021
IHOP closed 340 locations since 2020
Anyone still standing today is in survival mode as they battle inflation, state-mandated minimum wage hikes, and supply chain issues lingering from the Plandemic.
As a result, consumers can expect to pay 40% more for fast food than in 2019, wait 26% longer in drive-thru’s, and experience an 85% decrease in order accuracy across the industry.
Folks in Darien, Connecticut, even reported a Quarter Pounder meal going for $19.
But the madness doesn’t stop there.
The Golden Arches are going as far as to charge customers for traditionally “free” items such as bags and soda refills.
(Side note, McDonald’s profited $14.56 billion last year, just sayin.’)
To combat the workforce issue, Wendy’s and Dunkin’ Donuts replaced humans with kiosks and AI drive-thrus, and McDonald’s launched its first fully automated unit in 2022.
But that’s just how these companies handle things on the local level. Corporate leadership at places like Yum! Brands that own flagships like KFC, Taco Bell, and Pizza Hut have been selling portions of their businesses to China to make a buck.
Sadly, it’s not limited to the restaurant industry and is not new.
Here are a few household American names that are no longer American-owned and haven’t been for some time:
Alka Seltzer -Germany
Trader Joe’s -Germany
Citgo -Venezuela
Vaseline -UK
Firestone -Japan
Burger King -Brazil, partially
Holiday Inn -UK
7-Eleven -Japan
Gerber -Switzerland
Lucky Strike -UK
Chrysler -Netherlands
Hellman’s -UK
Ben and Jerry’s -UK (You can have that one, mate)
Purina -Switzerland
IBM -China
Hoover -China
Greyhound -Germany
Budweiser -Belgium
Forbes -China
Motorola -China
General Electric Appliances -China
Tiffany and Co. -France
Grub Hub -Netherlands
Last week, I complained that The Weather Channel doesn’t do enough philanthropy, and here I am criticizing companies for who they do business with and how they charge customers, regardless of profits.
Not super capitalist of me.
But who said a free market should be free of morals and ethics? Don’t we all, whether we own businesses or not, have an obligation to put our country and countrymen first?
Am I a communist for suggesting maybe McDonald’s makes 14.25 billion in profit instead of 14.5 billion by opting not to charge their customers for bags who are already getting screwed by inflation at every corner?
Should we allow companies to use slave labor in countries that want to destroy us?
Obviously, these corporations won’t do anything out of the goodness of their heart. They need incentives to put America first.
Hopefully, Trump can help make that happen again in 2024.
Otherwise, as you shop through a hellscape of Chinese-owned international chains void of culture, identity, or unique flavor, don’t be surprised when the AI McDonald’s asks you ‘if you want an eggroll with that.’
For what shall it profit a man, if he gain the whole world, and suffer the loss of his soul? -Jesus Christ
US Invasion Casualty of the Week: Mollie Tibbetts
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You might recall the national headlines from 2018 about University of Iowa student Mollie Tibbets, who was kidnapped during an evening jog, murdered, and left in a cornfield.
What the corporate press likely excluded was her killer was a criminal alien who shouldn’t have been in our country.
At least this one’s in prison.
Brand of the Week: Key Nutrients
![Multivitamin Electrolytes Powder No Sugar - Sweet Cherry Pom Electrolyte Powd... - Picture 2 of 8 Multivitamin Electrolytes Powder No Sugar - Sweet Cherry Pom Electrolyte Powd... - Picture 2 of 8](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Feb8d2ce6-7cb3-4f52-bb75-ef5f35b906a2_500x500.jpeg)
Are you using sugar-packed crap from China to liven up your water this summer?
If so, please stop.
Instead, hydrate through the holiday with Key Nutrients for zero-sugar, zero-calorie, and keto-friendly options in bold flavors like Cherry Pom, Lemon-Lime, and Pink Lemonade.
The best part? Key Nutrients is owned by US military veterans and made in America, and each container comes with a 20% off promo code for your second purchase.
On the go? Find Key Nutrients travel packets here.
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