NOTE: In an effort to cut back on the parenthetical asides within this (admittedly long and rambling, but also occasionally amusing) post, I've decided to use endnotes. I like to think they add something to the piece. Enjoy.
Personal Touch
Call it surveillance of the enemy (0), but I bought lunch for my child and I at McDonald's today (1). For myself I purchased a chicken sandwich (2), the requisite french fries (3), and iced tea (4). For the child I ordered a Happy Meal: chicken nuggets (5), a kid size portion of fries, packaged apple slices, and 1% milk (6).
As we sat at the table eating I noticed the bottom of each bag had a name and date printed on it. 16 FEB 2012 JESUS M. said one, and 08 FEB 2012 RON T said the other (7). A quick check on the web yields no definitive explanation for this bag naming, though the logical consensus is that the name represents a worker at the plant where the bags were made (8) and not, let's say, McDonald's employees (9). It reminded me of the Saturn car manufacturing practice wherein a worker would sign the finished car, taking credit as well as tacit responsibility. I can see such a show of pride in workmanship on cars, which the average worker is not likely to have churned out in the millions during any given pay period. But, paper bags?
It reminds me of a new practice at Safeway. For a month or so, at the end of each checkout process, when the cashier handed me the receipt, they would point out a note near the bottom, indicating I, as a super special customer of theirs, was entitled to the manager's direct phone number. The cashier would tell me to call if ever I needed anything (10). I guess they figured they'd been thanking me by name (11) long enough that they could finally give me their number.
I've never used that number, but it appears on my every Safeway receipt now (they've stopped pointing it out, thank goodness) (12). I have a feeling the store could not handle call volume if everyone who has the manager's number decided to call every time we had an idea or issue. But Safeway takes that gamble because they know that the act of giving the number generates loyalty, and loyalty sustains business. Because I've been encouraged to make contact with the manager, I will feel a closer bond to that business, even if I never do (13). I understand that. It's a manipulation of me (14), yes, but at least it is partially meant to encourage me to talk to someone. This name-on-a-bag thing is a more troubling manipulation. I'm sure it's meant to sway me in some way. But sway me for good or evil?
Wouldn't it be fabulous if the names were placed on the bags as part of some experiment? I love a good social experiment (assuming no is hurt during the study, duh.) If that were the case, I would totally feel better about eating at McDonald's (15). But if this practice is actually more widespread, then it's probably a paper industry validation/pride thing. Which brings me back to manipulation.
Jesus and Ron had a part in bringing this paper bag into my life. I have mixed feelings about this. I am thankful that they helped create a convenient carrier for my food (16). Because I've seen names and dates of (presumably) real people, I wonder about their working lives, the satisfaction they gain from producing something (17), and the pride they feel when someone gets "their" bag. But they were undoubtedly not the ones who decided to implement this practice of putting names on the product. The desire to communicate pride in one's work is an idea generated long ago (18), and it might be put into practice in various industries, but let's be honest. The names would not be there if it didn't improve--or have potential to improve--the bottom line. There are dollar signs dotting the "i"s in those names (19).
In the paper industry there is an added problem with regards to PR. Jesus and Ron work in a troubled field, dependent on natural resources, increasingly reliant on recycling and environmentally minded consumers. And so I wonder, am I meant to think that because a person was involved in the making of this bag, that I need think less about the source material for paper products the world over? After all, a human touch might offset some of the anonymous malaise that accompanies modern life. In short, am I being manipulated by a few names on the bottom of a bag?
Okay, now that I've gotten all of that off my chest, I'll close simply by saying: check the bottoms of your paper bags. Are they named? If yes, cool. Why do YOU think the name is there? Hopefully you've gotten good use out of the bag (20). Great, now...move on. If there's one thing I've learned from my exploration into names on bags, it's that I really need to move on.
Thanks for reading. TTFN (21)
ENDNOTES
0. Just call me a hypocrite. I can take it.
1. Adding to the environmental damage of my choice, I will admit I used the drive through service for this--in my MINIVAN. Go ahead, shame away.
2. My so-called "premium chicken sandwich" was made from what appears to be actual chicken breast meat, though I realize this could be very cleverly processed chicken parts. I don't live in delusional land.
3. Seriously, why go for fast food if you're not having fries? Though apprently my kid didn't get the memor, because he ate only a small portion of his, having devoured the chicken in mere seconds. And while I'm confessing, I'll tell you it took a good amount of willpower not to order regular Coke to go with my fries, because it seems like McDonald's coke is extra tasty. Again, shame away.
4. I mistakenly received McD's nasty version of sweetened tea one time. Never again. I was clear on this jaunt to assert my desire for UNsweetened iced tea.
5. I wish my child's chicken nugget pieces were not made with pink slime or any other mechanically separated meats which represent all the problems of industrial agriculture wrapped up in a cheery box.
6. Have you noticed how often kid meals come with either 1% (white) milk or nonfat chocolate milk? As if the lack of fat in the milk makes up for the addition of sugar, etc in the chocolate variety. When I see a menu that offers 2% or whole milk for kids, I give a little clap.
7. One name had a period after the last initial, and the other did not. One was in red ink, and the other was black. Both were printed in all caps.
8. The question about names on the bottom of McD's bags was posted on multiple "answer this" type message boards. More than a few respondents assert that the names represent specifically the supervisors at these plants.
9. Many alleged McDonald's employees were unaware there were names on the bottoms of the bags, if Internet message board postings are to be believed.
10. I was tempted at the beginning to ask whether the store would like to babysit my child for an hour or two while I peruse trashy magazines, or barring that, give me free ice cream, but I didn't.
11. My first and last name are printed on my grocery store receipt because I use a customer loyalty number under that name, and habitually enter the number each time I shop. David uses the same number, which is in fact a long defunct phone number, and so he is called "Mr. Eugeni." Everyone at our house at the time used the same number. In fact, if you're ever at Safeway and recall my old Palo Alto home phone number, feel free to enter it. Let's mess with the shopping-habit data mining folks. I wonder if the person who's been assigned that phone number curses my name every time s/he tries assigning it to their grocery shopping account, or thanks me for freeing them from having their personal habits tied to their name.
12. I was tempted once. Deciding to do my shopping on a Thursday evening around 8pm I was shocked to find by the time I was ready to check out, there was only one checker on duty, and no manager in sight. I told the checker she ought to call for backup, and she said this was standard practice to have only one checker, and that there was always a long line. She quipped "Don't worry. I'm a fast checker." I'd been to the store other evenings and had never noticed the line running the full width of the checkout area, as it was that night, so maybe it was an aberration, but still. Any manager worth his badge ought to jump in and lighten the load for a checker working her tail off, at least for a few spells, and the manager ought to tell the checker under what conditions to call for just such an assist. And that doesn't mean "Never." I told the checker she deserved better, that she was indeed very fast, but for customers to wait nearly an hour to get through checkout at 8:30pm was not acceptable. I heard grumbles of agreement, but nobody made a fuss otherwise. Everyone was just anxious to get out of there. I ought to have called that direct line number, that night to complain to the night manager, and the next day to speak to a general manager, but I didn't. I'd worked myself into a frenzy, and I know calling at that moment would have been counter-productive. The next day my frenzy had died down, and I moved on. But sure enough, the next time I went to the store around that time there were two checkers. So I like to think my complaint registered on some level, and that I was not alone in feeling it. But I digress...
13 Here's a research article about the statistical relationship between service personalization and loyalty, which is indeed shown to be positively related, meaning one grows with the other, and that together they increase a business' profits.
14. I generally despise being manipulated, or feeling like I'm being manipulated, which sort of means I'd rather be kept in blissful ignorance of external controls, but so be it. As you see from my trip to McDonald's in spite of awareness of all the evils the industry represents in a healthy world, I am not perfect.
15. Assuming McDonald's had granted permission for this, let's face it, imaginary experiment, of course.
16. For the record, good work, Jesus and Ron. The bags held up well through the filling/transport/emptying process and thus fulfilled their functions. You have not signed your names to a faulty product.
17. Paper bag manufacturing workers are probably not making anything with their hands, which is too bad, in terms of deriving satisfaction from one's creations. I've not studied it, but my hunch says pride in one's work is greater when the work is by hand.
18. Pride in one's work is important to job satisfaction, which makes it a worthy and good thing to promote, don't get me wrong as I rail against being manipulated.
19. Though obviously no dollar-dotted "i"s in the case of Jesus and Ron in terms of the writing, and maybe, possibly in real life too. I simply don't know what motivates these gentlemen, if they are gentlemen. Oh dear, there's so much I'm assuming here. Danger signs should be dotting my "i"s.
20. If you don't need the bag for anything else, consider making a puppet out of it. The puppet is pre-named, so you can use that as inspiration. I picture Jesus as having short hair, a tattoo with his daughter's name on his arm. Ron, he's older, wears glasses, wears a white t-shirt under his work shirt.
21. Ta ta for now. As in, I'll be back another time. :)
In the immortal words of