Spatial patterns and social/cultural implications of Japanese fast food chains in China

ABSTRACT Fast food is a widely used phenomenon in geography to analyze socioeconomic issues at both the national and city scales. Due to the increasing popularity of fast food as symbol of globalization, more participants have entered this competitive industry. This article examines two new elements in the industry: Japanese fast food, representing a new trend, and China, representing a new geography of consumption. This article provides a comprehensive analysis of the distribution of these new fast food stores in China. By applying a series of quantitative and qualitative methods including cartographical mapping, regression modeling, and crowdsourcing label cataloging, it reveals that these Japanese fast food stores present an attractive catering choice for highly educated youth in China. Through the analysis of the spatial distribution of these stores, a new model of fast food is generating new social/cultural implications in the world's largest emerging economy.