| Abstract: | The Philippines' fast-food scene presents a compelling model of how Western market forces such as globalization and neoliberalism can have positive impacts on local populations. For example, competition between multinational brands (McDonald's) and their local counterparts (Jollibee) increasingly informs Filipino cultural/political identity. Jollibee's bellwether position in the country's thriving fast-food trade has become an intense source of national pride. Innovative menu items, aggressive marketing, and subtle expressions of postcolonial resistance all contribute to Jollibee's dominance over foreign companies, especially McDonald's. Ethnographic data from a provincial Philippine city in 2005–2006 reveals how smaller domestic players effectively compete against global retail giants. |
