Tuesday, December 4, 2007

An Inner City Staple...Chicken Wings & Fried Rice

All across the inner-cities of America, Chinese Food Carry Outs are often the predominant restaurants found in inner-city neighborhoods. These establishments, typically ran by foreighn-born families sometimes have a rocky relationship with their surrounding neighborhoods. Some residents decry that the money these establishments make do not filter back into the neighborhood. Others decry that these businesses recieve more preferential treatment then existing businesses held by owners from within the neighborhood. While other point out that theses carry out businesses are bad for the general health of the neighborhod.

For better or for worse, these establishments are the most willing to go into inner-city neighborhoods. With out these carry outs, many inner city neighborhoods would be left no eateries or restaraunts at all. And there is no mistaking that these places have left a lasting impression on inner city neighborhoods from coast to coast.

For many inner city residents, thier meal tonight will be a $3 combo of 4 chicken wings and fried rice.


What's your opinion of Chinese Food Carry Out in the inner city?

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

i agree. those places probably don't put any money gained from their respective neighborhoods back into it. But i'll be damned if i can't get my 4 chicken wings! *cries silently*

Anonymous said...

Mmmmm Chinese food, now I am hungary. And yes I totally agree, they do not ususally put that money back into their communites, probably because they don't feel that they are really part of that community and indentify more with people of their own ethnicity.

Zig B Free said...

You know what I have noticed is that these establishments tend to be really insular. Outside of Chinatown, most Chinese food carryouts even in the suburb tend not to connect back to their neighborhoods.

It's just unfortunate that inner city neighborhoods are left with some of the most unhealthy fast food places to eat.

Anonymous said...

Hey I thought that Chinese Food was good for you! But seriously, a lot of ethnicities tend to be very insular. I think that it is a defense mechanism against the society who does not seem to readily accept them.

Zig B Free said...

True. Also Ive seen a lot of mistruct between the carry out and the neighborhood toward each other.

I've seen many carry out clerks get cursed up and down in joints in North Philly. I still thought they were the bravest people in the world to make deliveries in the hood.

Anonymous said...

immigrant communities have always been insular. They are new to a country, and are usually hated by those who are already there once they've achieved the slightest glimpse of prosperity. That's why there are 3 well-known china towns in the u.s.; they all do business exclusively (as much as possible) with their own people. Irish people did it, italians went a step further and went ahead and started taxing and policing their own (apart from the gov't...setting themselves apart, somewhat, from the irish)
restaurants are the main bread winners for immigrants (pun intended, of course), since natives usually show the most interest in other cultures for their food, and that's the easiest way to share it. Asians just found a niche in the Black community (i say asian cuz most of them lil mom and pops ain't even run or owned by chinese people).
french fries are cheap...and they ain't chinese. Capitalism at it's finest; people sell out their culture for a quick buck and quickly become a part of a new culture. *Does the Sean Combs dance*