McDonald's as a Disneyized Institution: Global Implications

This article addresses the process of Disneyization as a parallel process to that of McDonaldization and raises the question of whether McDonald's restaurants can themselves be regarded as Disneyized as well as McDonaldized. It is suggested that McDonald's restaurants fit the notion of Disneyization well in that there is growing use of theming in outlets, the company offers a wide range of merchandising opportunities, McDonald's involves itself with other spheres of consumption so that there is dedifferentiation of consumption, and its staff are supposed to exhibit emotional labor. Some of the implications of the discussion for issues to do with globalization are discussed.