BENJAMIN EDWARDS  WRITINGS   To the Convenient Landscape and Back: The Effects of Mobility, 1997 
I. Expansion    II. The Rational Services The Romantic    III. Resistance is Futile    IV. Taxonomy, Classification, Analysis    V. Thematics    VI. Collapse    VII. The Welcome      Bibliography

Taxonomy, Classification, and Analysis Toward an Understanding of Our Environment

Points
I. Primary Service
A. the gas station
B. the fast food station
II. Secondary Service
A. the mini-mart
B. the auto-maintenance shop
C. the road restaurant
III. Goods
A. the store
B. the mart
C. the depot
D. the megamart
E. the department store
IV. Ambiance
A. the theme restaurant
B. the cafe
C. the book superstore
Arrangements
I. the strip
II. the center
III. the plaza
IV. the complex
V. the mall
VI. the factory outlet mall
Colors:  white, red, blue, black, orange, purple, magenta, yellow, green, brown, turquoise
Materials:  stucco, brick, wood siding, natural wood, glass
Details:   roofing, landscaping, flags, stripes
Features:   E-Z Off/On, the Drive-Thru, Value Meals, Pay-at-Pump and Speedpass, Smart Pump and Easy Pay, Play Zones
Primary Service
the station:  a small-scale space for the performance of a service toward mobility
The station’s function is to allow for consumption at further levels by servicing the store hierarchy, both through fuel and lubrication. The dichotomy of the auto is revealed: gas stations service the automobile, while fast food restaurants, or, to be more accurate, fast food stations, service the human, in both cases with grease. Often, however, this duality is not completely revealed when driver and machine remain at one, at the drive-thru, full-serve, or the while-u-wait oil change. Time is strictly orchestrated- the consumer is in and out as quickly and efficiently as possible. The station is a place of high-speed exchange and high volume, a point of relay rather than a point of absorption. The station must be completely convenient: there should be no work whatsoever involved in the refueling process. As they are the places of betweenness and rely on an ability to distract from the flow, stations must be, above all, highly visible. The architecture and design schemes are standard and must be recognized and accessed by the consumer immediately. The expectation and anticipation of the service must be met exactly each and every time. Nothing about the experience of the station is open to deviation.
Gas:  Amoco, Arco, BP, Chevron, Citgo, Coastal, Conoco, Exxon, Getty, Gulf, Marathon, Merit, Mobil, Phillips 66, Shell, Sinclair, Speedway, Sunoco, Texaco, Total, Unocal 76
Fast Food:  Arby's, Boston Market, Burger King, Carl's Jr, Dairy Queen, D'Angelo's, Dominos, Dunkin' Donuts, Hardeets, Jack in the Box, KFC, McDonald's, Papa Gino's, Pizza Hut, Roy Rogers, Sbarro, Subway, Taco Bell, Wendy's
Secondary Service
the mini-mart:  a small-scale space with a limited assortment of food items
Also commonly called the convenience store, the mini-mart is more of a station than a store. As a supplement to the gas station, it supplies snacks and drinks for the drive, while on its own, it exists to provide the consumer with supplemental or emergency items without the hassle of a trip to the grocery store. The mini-mart fills the niche of the extra, the extended item which would not be normally purchased but for its convenience.
Various gas stations, 7-11, Store 24
the auto-maintenance shop:  a small-scale space where the automobile is mechanically serviced or repaired
Auto-maintenance can be an area of great mystery: the standardized shop is very important and very comforting to the auto-consumer because it is clean and efficient (or at least more so than the non-standardized), its prices are pre-determined and understood, and the services come with a guarantee.
Jiffy Lube, Midas, Speedy, Firestone
the road restaurant:  an affordable, coffee-shop style restaurant
One step up from the fast food station, in speed, menu selection, and quality, the road restaurant is the cheapest and fastest option for dining out when on the road. Just barely qualifying as a restaurant, the food is basic, the service is basic, and the prices are basic. It seems to be most popular among children and the elderly.
Denny's, Friendly's
Goods
the store:  a small-scale space for the presentation of goods
The store is the cornerstone of consumption space as a whole. Specialized goods, from such categories as video, music, and clothing, are primarily displayed and secondarily stocked. Upon seeing a display, the consumer may request the item only to be told that the item is not in stock, and "there are none in the back," but "we can call one of our other stores for you." Sometimes, items are only available through the store's catalog. Generally, the size of the store is such that the entire interior can be seen from any given perspective. In centers or plazas, the store's architecture must conform to the design theme of its surroundings, otherwise it is usually nondescript and box-like, with the exception of a trademark sign or design. The walls are usually white or brown with stucco texture. Windows are large to show displays and the activities of the interior. In malls, the "architecture" is merely a front but simulates a main street, pedestrian structure through traditionalist themes, such as columns and pediments or natural wood. These stores tend to emphasize style more than the product itself.
Video:   Blockbuster
Music:   Strawberries, Sam Goody, Coconuts, Tower, Wherehouse
Books:   Waldenbooks, B. Dalton, Royal Discount Books, Crown, Brentano's, Scribner's
Clothing:   Gap, Banana Republic, Ann Taylor, J. Crew, Structure, Eddie Bauer, Aeropostale, Abercrombie and Fitch, Aca Joe, Limited, Express, Victoria's Secret, Hit or Miss, Payless Shoe Source,  Foot Locker, among others
Home:   Pier One Imports, Pottery Barn, Crate and Barrel, Williams Sonoma, Crabtree and Evelyn, The Body Shop
the mart:  a mid-scale space for the presentation of goods, primarily utilitarian
From "market," the mart is a larger version of the store, but with a slightly more generalized inventory tending toward the useful, such as grocery, discount clothing, pharmacy, etc. Stock is primary, display is secondary, and often the two are combined, for example, as a stack of soda cans on special. Departments are not fully articulated but come in the form of numbered aisles. Musak, sale announcements, hand-written signs, low ceilings, linoleum floors, security mirrors, cameras, monitors, and numbered checkout stands are common. The architecture usually emphasizes the horizontal, with attention focused at the middle of the facade by a slight triangular peak above the sign. Marts often anchor a center, where stores cluster around it, but are also found in plazas, and, though very rarely, malls.
Grocery:  Stop & Shop, Shaw's, Edwards, Safeway, Lucky, Von's, Ralph's, Albertson's, Giant
Clothing:  Marshall's, T.J. Maxx
General:  Bradlee’s, Caldor
Pharmacy:  CVS, Brooks, Long's, Payless
the depot:  a large-scale space for the presentation of goods, with a specialized inventory which is heavily discounted
The depot is a larger version of the store, using the presentation strategy of the mart. The primary characteristic of the depot is its specialized inventory (in areas such as home improvement, toys, electronics, etc.) in conjunction with its warehouse or all-encompassing approach to retailing. Depots have spread very quickly, covering virtually any category imaginable, and eliminating small, independent stores. Key factors are convenience (easily identified, easy to find, easy to get to, more in stock, more selection), and discounting (a bigger store and higher volume means lower prices). Departments are well articulated, though still reliant on numbered aisles. Directories or large banners with the name of the department are often necessary. Ceilings are high, and the interior is often that of a warehouse. Excess stock may be found in unopened boxes or crates, along with the equipment to move them, to emphasize high-volume, bulk-rate goods, and the bargain. At some depots, the policy may be automatic discounts on all stock, or a proclamation that they will not be undersold. Architecture usually emphasizes grandiosity and is thematic, functioning as signage and packaging in itself. The depot becomes the temple of toys, or of electronics, and so on. The depot is most often found in the plaza, which it anchors along with one or two others, and sometimes in the mall.
Toys:  Toys R Us
Hardware:  Home Depot, Home Base
Sporting Goods:  Sports Authority
Office Supplies:  Staples, OfficeMax, Office Depot
Pet Supplies:  Petco, Pet Supply Depot
Electronics:  Circuit City, Nobody Beats the Wiz, Tweeter, The Good Guys
Movies:  Showcase Cinema
Auto Parts:  Pep Boys
the megamart:  a large-scale space for the presentation of goods, with a broad yet comprehensive inventory which is heavily discounted
The megamart is the most advanced state of the discount store as yet, incorporating the strategies of the mart and the depot. The megamart's mission is to create the impression that the consumer need not go anywhere else for anything: any item, any service can be found at the megamart, including fast-food, auto-maintenance, video, music, clothing, grocery items, etc. Departments are fully articulated, occupying entire regions of the store. Directories are vital, but are frequently withheld so that shoppers must find their way through the complexity of the maze-like space. Display strategy further emphasizes its mission: items are packed in every space available, creating a disorienting effect. Architecture goes beyond the grandiose to the level of haven of consumption; it is simpler and more refined than depot architecture, as if the place is self-evident. The building is large and windowless, resembling a compound. Departments are so extensive that auto or "garden" or "pharmacy" or "vision center" may appear on the exterior. The megamart often becomes the raison d'etre for the plaza, or an even larger configuration which forms a consumption complex.
General:  Wal-Mart, K-Mart, Target, Lechmere
Discount Clubs:  Sam's Club, Price Club, Costco
the department store:  a traditional, large-scale space for the presentation of goods and services, with a broad yet comprehensive inventory
The department store is the conventional, pedestrian ancestor of the megamart, and is now particular to the mall. Quality and selection are emphasized over discounts, though sales are frequently advertised. As the plaza is the extension of the depot, the mall and department store are similar in their disorientation strategies. Department stores are almost always multileveled, with directories near the escalators. Women's cosmetics and accessories occupy the central entrance and main floor, with the men's department either below or above, and home furnishings at the top. Plants, mannequins, and classy displays are common. Architecture, when visible, is severely box-like, without windows, looking somewhat like a fortress; the store logo stands out against the stark facade.
Macy's, Nordstrom, Filene's, Lord & Taylor, Hecht's, JC Penny, Sears
Points of Ambiance
The point of ambiance is the opposite of the point of service: its purpose is to absorb you. The consumer is not shuffled through, but invited to stay. The point of ambiance has filled a niche opened up by the rapid movement, efficiency, and betweenness of convenient consumption; it fulfills the need for place, for the consumer to be rather than do. (Goldberger, p. 46)  On the one hand, it is reacting against the efficiency and rationalization of the placelessness of consumption space, while at the same time appropriating the methods of standardization, the effects of which it purports to react against.
the theme restaurant:  a restaurant which relies on a particular motif through architecture, menu items, decor, and ambiance
The theme restaurant is a cartoon restaurant. It gives the half-hearted illusion that the patron is not in a chain but a unique place, as opposed to the fast food station where there is no such pretense. Inside, all of the signs of a one-of-a-kind and time-worn establishment are appropriated. Actual or faux (who knows?) antique objects are placed on shelves in a perhaps random, more likely contrived, arrangement. The appearance of tradition is everywhere: in "old" posters and photographs, in wall paintings, in the lamps, and in the tiles on the tables. If the restaurant relies on its popularity as a "bar and grill," music is played loudly so that patrons must raise their voices slightly, maintaining the fun, party atmosphere. Architecture varies from theme to theme, but it is always as loud and fun as the music. The color schemes and exterior designs also play off the traditional motif, from New England clapboard siding, to a spicy Mexican combo, to a white picket fence, gas lamps, and old-fashioned red and white stripes. Landscaping and awnings surround the structure, framing it nicely while separating it from the parking lot. Theme restaurants are almost always located in plazas or malls.
Chili's, Chevy's, T.G.I. Friday's, Red Lobster, Olive Garden, Johnny Rocket's
the cafe:  a small-scale space for consumption of a coffee experience
The cafe is a place to consume coffee and espresso drinks, but its true appeal lies in the ambiance: one does not simply drink coffee, rather, one is engaged in a coffee experience. It is very much a place to hang out, relax, talk, read the paper, or to remove oneself from the stream of pedestrian consumption. The atmosphere is one of pseudo-intellectualism: people seem to be studying or reading or having conversations. Classical, jazz, or blues music is playing. Couches or other comfy chairs with tables encourage gathering and staying. Woodwork is common. Coffee-servers appear to have expertise in their field. Architecture often blends into the urban surroundings. Large windows, awnings, and outdoor seating are designed to make the interior and the experience of the place visible as an exterior sign. People-watching occurs in both directions. The cafe is primarily a pedestrian phenomenon, though it can be found within a center or plaza of appropriate taste and class. Often, the cafe is incorporated into a book superstore.
Starbucks, Au Bon Pain, Cafe La France
the book superstore:  a book depot which relies on library ambiance
A recent phenomenon in the space of consumption is the proliferation of the book superstore, which has destroyed both chain and independent stores alike. The strategy for success was to treat books not as mere goods but as the ingredients for an environment, for a consumer library. Bookshelves are natural wood and arranged by clearly defined and ordered sections. The floor is carpeted. Couches, chairs, and tables are provided for reading and relaxing. There are computerized information desks throughout the store to aid the consumer. Reading music plays in the background. Colors are dark, distinguished, and absorbent. The book superstore almost always contains a cafe.
Barnes & Noble, Borders
Arrangements
the strip:  a linear sequence of primarily stations, sometimes stores
As with the station, the strip is a further manifestation of betweenness. While it generally services auto circulation, its relationship to more complex arrangements, such as centers, plazas, and malls, is somewhat parasitic. With high-volume traffic, the competition among stations can be very fierce. Signs protrude from the side of the road and jostle for position causing visual clutter and chaos. Practically any device may be used to attract attention, including crass architecture, balloons, banners, flags, inflatable characters, and vibrant colors.
the center:  a planned arrangement of consumption points anchored by a mart
The center usually forms around the grocery mart, which may be complemented by stations, stores, and sometimes a theme restaurant. One large parking lot is surrounded by the mart on one side, the street on the opposite side, while the other two sides may be enclosed by stores or left open to another street. The center is associated with the local and the neighborhood, and it usually contains shops which provide day-to-day services, such as dry cleaning and hair care.
the plaza:  a planned arrangement of consumption points anchored by one or more depots, sometimes a megamart
A plaza usually appears out of the placement of depots and is complemented by marts, stores, stations, theme restaurants, sometimes a cafe, sometimes a megamart. Whereas the center is a 180 degree arrangement, only occupying one side of the road, the plaza is a full, 360 degree arrangement, with its own roadway connecting the parking lots, which are centrally positioned, like a piazza or mall for autos. The plaza is a haven for the auto, with all the benefits and convenience of one-stop shopping. Distances between points around the perimeter of the parking lot seem too far to walk yet too close to drive, so that one feels silly doing either.
Corollary     parking lot anarchy:  the lot is so vast and empty that drivers ignore lines and rules
                    parking lot tyranny:  the lot is planned to such a degree that the driver cannot find the way out
the complex:  a super-arrangement of one or more of each of the following: the plaza, the center, the strip
The complex results when a concentration of points and arrangements occurs to such a degree that its form represents a consumption theme park or miniature city, a world unto itself, separated from any signs of points of residence, industry, or the town to which it belongs. Small towns on the periphery of a larger urban center often become major sites for complex development, so that the town is an attractor for movie-goers and bulk-shoppers of the greater region.
the mall:  an arrangement of consumption points, planned or unplanned, to be connected in a pedestrian fashion
A mall is by definition pedestrian. The consumer parks the car in a single location and leaves it behind to engage in the shopping experience on foot. The mall, then, is a simulated environment where cars do not exist. All of the advantages of a pedestrian experience are saved, while any disadvantages are eliminated. The setting is speciously utopian. Security presence seems strong. What is consumed in a mall is not so much what is purchased but the experience itself of being in the mall. Visual orchestration is highly controlled. Directories are vital. The planning of malls often encourages the consumer to lose oneself in the experience. (Crawford)  Benches, park-like settings with trees and skylights, fountains, and food courts are common. Manifestations include the indoor complex (single or multileveled), an outdoor promenade, or an urban area where cars are a nuisance rather than a convenience.
the factory outlet mall:  an outdoor mall, located away from an urban area, where "outlet" stores offer designer clothes at ”factory" prices
Factory outlets are relatively new and are now extremely popular, if suspicious. The stores purport to offer brand-name clothing items at heavily discounted prices, however the savings are minimal. (DeCaro, p. 71) The mall is located just off a major highway, in a small town which is at some distance, not too close nor too far, from a metropolitan region. The distance traveled creates an impression that there must be savings involved. The name of the mall may be something like _____ Crossings, or _____ Creek Center, using the imagery of the country. Architecture and design themes border on the ridiculous in their attempts at simulating the small town atmosphere, with benches, awnings and artificial gas lamps lining the curving, landscaped walkways, wood siding which is actually thin plastic with weathered grain texture, false windows and shutters, and weathervanes. A single broadcast of easy-listening music plays not only in the stores, but outside, at the food court, in the hallways to the bathroom, and in the bathroom.
Colors
white:  represents purity, cleanliness, safety, security, the high-tech and post-industrial; very popular under gas station canopies because it is bright and clean along with fluorescent lighting; can       be patriotic
red:  represents aggression, hunger, anger, passion, or any other very strong and intense emotion or desire as such; very popular with fast food restaurants, possibly because of its association with meat or ketchup; universally popular in signs and logos because it is a color of action; can be patriotic
blue:  represents coolness, passivity, contemplation, sadness; popular with gas stations, especially with white; totally absent from fast food restaurants because it is not a happy color; can be patriotic
black:  represents stealth, secrecy, the high-tech as mystery; somewhat popular with gas stations; absent from fast food restaurants; in cafes, used as an accent color for interior design
orange:  represents construction, work in progress, caution, safety, the project; used frequently with gas stations
purple:  represents royalty; with yellow, is jazzy and festive
magenta:  represents the tangy, the zesty, sharpness, pointedness, festivity
yellow:  represents brightness, happiness, playfulness, sunshine
green:  represents nature, fertility, wealth; when darkened slightly, very distinguished and classy
brown:  represents earth, wholesomeness, beef
turquoise:  represents freshness, the ocean, seafood
Materials
Stucco
Stucco is the universal covering material and the ultimate surface for the exterior of a building. It hides all imperfection of the actual surface by its own thick irregularity and uniform imperfection. Stucco also hides the nature of the building material underneath while giving the appearance of solidity. A massive stucco column is actually hollow; a very thin wall is made thick; a poorly constructed and disposable structure becomes just a structure, the issue of quality irrelevant- out of sight, out of mind. Stucco erases the notion of quality altogether so that it is completely unconsidered. Stucco is used so much that it is overused, probably purposefully. Since it is everywhere, it is invisible. "Stucco" becomes equivalent to "building."
Brick
The use of brick now is almost purely for decorative show, or facade, rather than for its form as a building material. Its revival is a reaction against the blatantly cheap mass production of commercial architecture, in particular the overuse of stucco. The use of brick signifies tradition, history, quality, which together signify higher taste and class. The more the brickwork is revealed, without paint or coloring of the cement, the higher the class signification. When bricks are used more as an actual building material and are painted over, this reading does not necessarily apply. The use of revealed brick is also an attempt at beautification, to upgrade the image of places which have had the reputation of blighting the commercial landscape.
Wood Siding
As with brick, wood clapboard siding is a decorative veneer, used as an attempt at beautification and thematic identification. Along with false windows and shutters, mounted gas lamps, weathervanes, and other details, clapboard facing is a sign for a traditional structure, or historic architecture. This strategy is often used with a plaza or center where the grocery store, along with other stores are all decorated with a consistent traditionalist theme, which is meant to convey "community." The shopping plaza thus transforms itself into "town center." Sometimes, the wood is actually plastic or fiberglass, made with grain texture. At this level, clapboard siding has gone from sign to theme, or sign of a sign, where the initial connection is no longer necessary. This theme is used frequently at factory-outlet-store malls.
Natural Wood
Some places have used natural wood as part of their design scheme in the same way that a consistent color is used in a logo, even claiming a particular variety of wood- cherry, mahogany, oak- as their own. Used inside, wood for display cases or furniture is very comforting and natural. Unlike metal, which connotes the Modern- alienation, mass production, and more specifically, associations with the 50s, 60s, and 70s, wood is a return to tradition, a return to the natural and down-to-earth. (Baudrillard, The System of Objects, p. 37)  It is associated with antique furniture or contemporary wood furniture which is well-crafted and not mass-produced. Because of this, natural wood signifies high-class, taste, and an appreciation of the "finer things in life,” as well as intellectualism and elitism, which is why natural wood is used as part of a theme almost exclusively in cafes, book superstores, and upper-middle end clothing stores. Used on the outside, natural wood is used to trigger the interior associations; it may be used as a background for the lettering of the name of the place, or consistently as a door, window trim, or as a window display.
Glass
Glass is transparency and membrane. It makes the interior of the place visible as a sign for the exterior while still separating the two. Glass is often used in cafes for the purpose of people-watching, in both directions. Patrons unknowingly become human participant signs: as an advertisement framed within the window, people can be seen sipping espresso in comfortable surrounds, talking, reading, or just relaxing. Glass puts merchandise, atmosphere, and people on display and lets the theme come through, while simultaneously reflecting the observer as an outsider to the experience.
Details
Roofing
The true roof of a place is the very top, which is never seen. It is usually some sort of very ugly industrial material and is unacceptable as part of the visual presentation of the architecture-as-sign. With box-like structures, the top half is made to look like a corrugated roof of some color, either angled or completely vertical. The corrugation is an effect which makes the surface uniform and says "roof" in the same way that stucco says "building" With architecture that is not box-like, the shape is usually Mansard, which is enough to signify a roof. The material of the Mansard roof is usually plastic in the color scheme of the place, though often used are plastic shingles made to look like wood with grain, cracks, and uniform irregularity, all in an unnatural brown color. Terra cotta tile roofing is also used, either as a part of a theme or to blend in with the appropriation of the traditional and historical material of the region.
Landscaping
Landscaping may be used around a specific place (store, station, or restaurant) or to create an environment in a larger area such as a parking lot or plaza. There are varying degrees, but virtually all places now use landscaping of some sort. An unlandscaped space risks being considered out-of-date, run-down, and uninviting. The simplest areas are islands of shrub and bark, gravel, small tress, or grass which give order to the parking lot. Bushes, gravel or larger stones and rocks, bark, soil, grass, and flowers are used immediately surrounding the structure for an appropriate appearance of the place from a distance and a pleasing aesthetic experience upon entering. The use of flowers is the pinnacle of landscaping and shows that a place truly prides itself on its appearance. Similarly, grass is purely visual, and not meant to be walked on, sat on, or actually experienced in any way. It is perfect and cannot be disturbed- a preserve. Walkways guide the pedestrian consumer through the garden-like experience. A recent phenomenon is the creation of a plaza in the form of park-like environment- a Frederick Law Olmsted park for the auto-consumer. Roads curve around hilly banks of trees, "wild" vegetation, large boulders and rocks, and grass, providing scenic Romantic vistas on the way to the various depots and theme restaurants dispersed throughout the grounds. The driver is in the environment, unable to see the layout of the place.
Flags
Flags and banners often adorn the tops of fast food restaurants or are planted within landscaping at gas stations. A single flag displays the particularity of the place and establishes its territory by the use of a color scheme or an icon, which is then emphasized through repetition by numerous flags. Displaying the American flag suggests patriotism and alliance: consuming is the American Way.
Stripes
The emblem of the auto-consumer, the stripe signifies movement from one point to another: it represents speed, mobility, transition, and the horizontal. Multi-colored stripes are elongated flags, or color schemes on the move.
Features
E-Z Off/On
Stations along the highway often advertise "E-Z Off/On" under their large sign, which assures the driver unfamiliar with the area that the refueling process will be as quick and easy as possible. Nothing can be as annoying as exiting the highway to get gas and/or a burger only to drive several minutes out of the way to find the place.
The Drive-Thru
The primary feature of the fast food restaurant is the drive-thru. This development is a logical and necessary extension of the station interior, but it is only possible after the essence of the place has been firmly established within the consciousness of the consumer. Speed and efficiency are paramount; "having it your way" is secondary. The drive-thru auto will often find itself under pressure to quickly make a selection, as other patrons line up behind and the operator asks immediately "Hi-welcome-to-____-can-I-help-you?", often inaudibly, which is unimportant since the phrase is merely meant to communicate readiness. Menu memorization and internalization are presumed This experience also occurs while standing in line in the "restaurant," the key difference being the opportunity to view the menu while waiting.
Value Meals
A further, more recent development of the fast food station is the phenomenon of the "value combo" or "value meal" or "extra value combo/meal," which is present both inside and at the drive-thru window, where it is more appropriate and for which it is a better designed strategy. The menu becomes more readable, replacing words with images, and relieves some of the difficulty in decision-making by selecting combinations for you and assigning them numbers, usually from #1 to #6 ("Consumption takes work, it takes time and competes with itself...", O'Neill, p. 136). The further benefit for the consumer is that it alleviates some of the pressure common at the drive-thru window. The benefit for the station, which is far greater, is increased volume in sales of supplementary items such as fries and drinks otherwise not considered. The strategy in the restaurant has long been to push these items when the consumer orders a meal (with the familiar phrase "would you like fries with that?"). The value meal turns this from a question with a possible negative response into an attractive offer which becomes difficult to decline. Fries and drinks can even be "super-sized" for just an extra 39 cents.
Pay-at-Pump and Speedpass
A recent development at the gas station has been the option to pay for gasoline with a credit card through an automatic system at the pump. Mobil has taken this a step further with "Speedpass," where the consumer operates the pump by using a pre-approved key which is linked electronically to the credit card. This is an extremely attractive feature for the auto-consumer because it is fast, very convenient, and it prevents unwanted human contact. As with the drive-thru window, separation from the automobile is minimized. A credit card is necessary to use this feature, which removes much of the connection to actually paying for the gasoline. The station appears to operate within a utopian environment, where gas magically flows from somewhere beneath the pump, it is free, and no one is around to "man" the station. Automation has reached the point where the infrastructure for consumption seems to be a self-sufficient system. At some pumps, a video monitor plays advertisements once the credit card has been swiped and gas begins to flow. This is a further example of how consumption space colonizes the spaces of betweenness, taking an otherwise empty or unused space and transforming it into an opportunity to sell a product. Ironically, in this situation the ads are for snack items such as M&Ms or gum, which have been neglected because the consumer no longer needs to pay a cashier inside the mini-mart.
Smart Pump and Easy Pay
It was only a matter of time before the logical extension of pay-at-pump: a robotic arm which automatically inserts itself into the tank and pumps your gas, and a scanner which reads your credit card from a device attached to your key chain (Salpukas, p. 6). This feature is now in its marketing phase at only a few stations, but soon it will be everywhere. Smart Pump with Easy Pay is the dream of auto-consumers, the pinnacle of convenience. Imagine: no more smelly hands to interfere with your meal or snack on the move.
Play Zones
As more and more fast food restaurants proliferated and began to compete with one another, devices and gimmicks were needed to pull in more patrons. The true fast food patrons are children, and parents the delivery system. The Happy Meal was developed to lure children and parents into buying a "meal” to get the toy. Extending this strategy to a larger scale, many restaurants now have outdoor and indoor “play zones” with brightly colored plastic tubing, slides, and other fun structures. Regardless of the food, children and parents will choose a restaurant with a play place over a restaurant without one. The fast food restaurant then becomes a place to stay awhile, to have fun, to experience atmosphere, a point of ambiance but only for the child- for the adult, unfamilied consumer it is not a restaurant, but a fast food station through which to move as quickly and efficiently as possible. Parents are additional consumers and also act as supervisors of play, temporary employees of the fast food mini-amusement park. All of this fun activity puts the family on display as a sign of friendliness to “McFamily Values." The structures are visible from the road and become part of the architecture of the place.