On Sun, 5 Jan 2003, Jeet Heer wrote:
> What sparked my article was a PhD thesis I recently read which argued
> that donut chain stores frequently have a strong regional identity. Thus
> Krisy Kreme is popular in the South, Dunkin Donut in the North Eastern
> United States
I don't know about the rest of the Northeast, but Krispy Kreme came in and kicked DD's ass in New York City about five years ago. It was a phenomenon of sorts. DD's been a second choicer ever since.
There was a time when Starbuck's was a regional phenomenon too. When chains get limited to regions, I think it's usually more a matter of firm economics than regional culture. I think that PhD thesis writer should have been encouraged to look at chain behavior over time.
Food styles are definately regional though. There isn't one particular chain associated with a polish, a cheesesteak or a pulled pork barbeque. Rather you find them ubiquitously at all sorts of outlets within particular regions and rarely outside them.
If you start from that, there's lots of food you find in the south and no place else. Grits, to start with. And it gets more local than that. There's lots of dishes in the US you only really find in particular cities. Or at least in subregions much much smaller than "North" or "South."
Lobster roll. Mmmm.
Homer