this post was submitted on 28 Oct 2024
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Today I Learned (TIL)
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What's your point? There is no difference in 50 McDonalds locations and 50 independent burger joints when it comes to carbon footprint. If there is a difference, then it is in McDonalds favour - economy of scale, established logistics etc. Probably three different places need to pop up to offset one McDonalds beimg magically removed, each with its own AC, freezers, grills.
Of course it's different, and economies of scale are generally more efficient. 50 Independent Burger joints would likely be healthier and higher quality, they would do more to keep money flowing around the community rather than funneled away to corporate, and their ice cream machines wouldn't break
But you wouldn't have 50 - you'd have more like a dozen. Most local restaurants find the best place they can, because they want the store to succeed
Franchises want coverage - they want as many locations as possible. They want a new McDonalds next to the Wendy's, even if there's three other fast food restaurants all within sight already. They'll dictate every detail of it, because they win even if the store barely breaks even
Such as the famous McDonald's always broken ice cream machines. Billionaire shareholders in both companies mandate these machines, which must be repaired frequently by licensed technicians. They even shut down a couple that built a $40 device that was able to fix the glitch that causes the problem
And that's how it works from top to bottom. At every stage, the billionaires must get their hidden taxes. Like the ice cream machines, it generally costs more in every way to society - we would not be using decades old ice cream machines known for breaking down all the time, we wouldn't oversaturate towns with competing fast food franchises, we probably wouldn't be subsiding the food itself