A New Middle?

The fact that the McDonald's here are promoting their new range of espresso drinks alongside their new wi-fi service seems deeply ironic, given the fact that we once used to refer to Starbuck's, back in the 1990s, as an alternative to McDonald's for those who wanted a somewhat more sophisticated place to find food, beverages and bathrooms while making pit stops on road trips. It's like there's a vanishing point for taste publics which, in this time of economic anxiety, is skewing down.