Cultural Influence On Fast Food

Fast food advertisements are a major source behind the great tendency in the middle eastern society and the Malaysian to eat western style fast foods, which in return diminishes from the traditional and cultural values of people and creates a noticeable shift from traditional foods and a growing demand for western fast food outlets that rise from the western culture influence and the globalization on the society. With the input of fast food advertisements and the extensive fast food outlets in the Middle East and Malaysia, there has been a kind of loss of traditional values and eating behavior in people, particularly children. According to Zubaida (2003), “global commerce, travel, tourism, and the new media have affected Middle Eastern food patterns in diverse ways. Most commentators note the spread of Western fast foods, such as hamburgers, pizzas, and fried chicken—in what has been dubbed "McDonaldization" (para.47). This spread of western fast food foods in the region changes from the food that people eat and prefer, changes from the way the food is prepared, and changes from the way it is served and consumed. All of these aspects assist in the dimensioning of traditional values and eating habits of people. Moreover, Totu (2013) asserts that “advertising media plays an active part in shaping children’s perceptions of the world and their behavior in several ways: by cultivating acceptance of the beliefs, values and attitudes that it portrays at a broad cultural level; by