Cam John
Dr. Adelle Mery
English 1301.11
June 21, 2011
Title
Living seven miles from the Mexican border, Mexican food restaurants are abundant, but no two are necessarily the same. La Mexicana and Taco Bell are two restaurants in McAllen, Texas, that stand out in my mind. Even though they both serve tacos, they don’t have anything else in common. They cater to different types of customers, there is a difference in service speed, and the atmosphere of these two places is noticeably different. These two restaurants do not compete for the same customers. Taco Bell is universally known, therefore, visitors not familiar with McAllen know what to expect. The prices are cheaper so budget-friendly people are targeted. La Mexicana caters to local residents and know they will be spending considerably more for their meal. As well as targeting different customers, Taco Bell places a lot of emphasis on speed. Their meals are cranked out via an assembly line. They use computers, automatic times, and headsets to aid in the speed process. La Mexicana’s service is based on the customers’ dining pleasure. They are seated by a hostess, have a server at their beckon call, and the food is prepared by cooks who are first generation American residents who learned how to cook Mexican cuisine in their native country. The meals are prepared methodically using fresh ingredients, making it as authentic as if it were prepared homemade. The structural appearance and interior atmosphere of these two eateries are in total contrast. Taco Bell shares its building (and kitchen) with Long John’s Silver. The very small interior is bright; seating is hard and cold, and very noisy with people talking over the loud music that is playing overhead. Numbers are heard over loud speakers calling for the next customer’s meal, and drinks are self-serve. For all you lazy people out