Hamburgers as Performance Art

I mentioned to Patrick that I needed some ideas for topics to write about on the blog and he said I should post about 'burgers'.The Rocket Double

What about burgers, I asked.  What's the angle? Now, Patrick does not completely get the point of view I try to write from, but he is savvy enough of a blogger himself to know the topic needs some kind of angle, or theme to make any sense. 

He said to write about burgers that you get in 50's style diners, like Johnny Rockets.  Parick has been fascinated with the chain since we watched an episode of Undercover Boss that featured the hamburger chain's President and CEO, John Fuller.  The episode was pretty much straight out the 'Boss' pattern - the executive is out of touch with the day-to-day front-line workers, doesn't really understand how tough their jobs are, and how important they are to the company's success, and after the requisite humiliation he receives attempting to perform some of the basic jobs, emerges a more humble, thoughful, and enlightened leader.  Toss a couple of free vacations and tuition reimbursements on a few of the staffers and everyone goes home happy.

But this post is supposed to be about burgers, not leadership, or reality shows that unfold more like formulaic sitcoms.  

One of the interesting scenes in the Johnny Rockets episode is when the CEO has to learn the little song and dance routine that the staff perfrorm from time to time in the restatuants, as a means of entertaining and (sort of) connecting with the customers. We learn from the show and from dining at a Johnny Rockets restaurant, that the staff try hard to create a memorable and lively experience for the customers, one that moves beyond the simple menu of diner burgers, sandwiches, shakes, and fries. 

But clearly, the customer is to be served good, if basic food, welcomed and treated well by the staff, and even entertained a bit by music, singing, and dancing by the white shirted, bow-tied workers.

Contrast the experience at a Johnny Rockets with that at the Manhattan restaurant 4food. 

4food is a burger place unlike any other, the expansive menu of burgers, toppings, cheeses, buns, and condiments are offered with the expectation and anticipation that the customers will not only develop their own custom creations, that using a vast array of social media avenues, they will share these creations and by sharing, promote themselves and 4food.

Large screens display tweets and Foursquare check-ins, customer's creations are voted up and down in a kind of crowdsourced burger tote board, and iPads litter the restaurant to make the creation, ordering, and tweeting accessible and easy.

There are over a million possible combinations of burger ingredients, making the process for creation complex, the online burger generator reminds one of similar web-based tools for automotive sites, that enable one to build and customize their new vehicle.

But it seems clear from the overly complex menu, from the emphasis on customer participation in the burger creation process, and from the seemingly relentless barrage and display of tweets and check-ins; that the experience is designed and intended to be malleable, and to rely on the creativity and enthusiasm of the audience to be meaningful. 

We want to believe this model -  this open, flexible, and participatory model is the future, and is somehow 'better' than the old traditions.  We point to events like the uprisings in Egypt as more proof that when given the opportunity citizens, customers, or students can often if not usually outperform the traditional autocrats or hierarchies.  And no doubt for many circumstances, especially ones more important than the trivialities of ordering lunch, this will continue to be so.

But for the simpler things, the ones that consume most of our day-to-day lives, I wonder if the Johnny Rockets model still is the better way.

Sometimes you just want a decent hamburger, cooked the way you like, served by a friendly waiter or waitress. You want the 'performance' to come to you, rather than feel compelled to create at least a part of it yourself.

You want the star to be the burger, not the slightly annoying dude next to you worried about who is about to oust him as the mayor of the salad bar.