As the primary elections and caucuses continue to dominate the news, registered voters must make a decision: Who do you support in this primary election? Some of you foodies out there might not be too hip to the political side of the news but still want to fulfill your civic duty of voting.
Let’s break each candidate down in terms easier for you to understand: food. Here is a list of the remaining presidential candidates and what they would be if they were fast food chain restaurants.
Hillary Clinton (D): Subway
Photo by Amanda Shulman
Much like Subway, Clinton has been in the game for a long time. She is a skilled politician and a smooth talker. She knows what to say and how to say it in order to sound educated, experienced and appealing. Subway’s spin on fast food as the healthy option makes it appealing to many customers, but it also begs the question: Is it truly as healthy as it makes itself out to be? Likewise, is Hillary as composed and reliable as she presents herself?
Clinton’s past isn’t squeaky clean, similar to Subway’s past (we all remember the news surrounding Subway’s former spokesman Jared Fogle). In 2013, Clinton found herself in the middle of a scandal in which she was reported to be sending government emails from her personal account. She responded to the exposure of this issue by stating that she simply had two emails because she did not want to carry two devices. Clinton and Subway have both had a tough time redeeming their reputations after these debacles.
Photo courtesy of the New York Times
Bernie Sanders (D): McDonald’s
Photo by Kathleen Lee
Bernie Sanders has made a point of setting himself apart from other presidential candidates by playing the “average man” card. He has made digs at the wealthy, stating, “Let us wage a moral and political war against the billionaires and corporate leaders, on Wall Street and elsewhere, whose policies and greed are destroying the middle class of America.” He is quick to condemn the wealthy and is appealing to the middle class with his promise of a higher minimum wage and free college tuition.
Similar to Bernie’s tactics, McDonald’s appeals to the working class, college students and those working minimum-wage jobs. McDonald’s has its ever-famous Dollar Menu that lets you pick, from a small selection, meals and sides that only cost $1. What’s not appealing about that? McDonald’s has also created a “McPick 2 Menu” that lets diners get two items — an entrée and a side — for only $2. If that’s not giving a “come at me” to its competitors out there, I don’t know what is.
Photo courtesy of the Boston Globe
Donald Trump (R): Chipotle
Photo by Xinwei Zeng
Honestly, Donald Trump and controversy could be synonyms. Let’s take a moment and count all of the controversial things Trump has ever said — or maybe it would be easier to count the things he’s said that weren’t controversial. Whether it’s his brash remarks about Muslims, his obvious hatred of Rosie O’Donnell or his recent comments involving a former KKK leader, this man is surrounded by controversy. However, he is still “winning, winning, winning,” as he would say. His supporters are loyal; he could say or do anything and would probably keep his huge following.
Chipotle was recently a hot topic in the news because of its hand in a multistate E. coli outbreak. The initial outbreak infected 55 people in 11 states and hospitalized 21. A second, smaller outbreak infected five people, one of whom was hospitalized, from three states. The investigation into Chipotle took months to conclude, however, the young adults who have always flocked to the burrito chain weren’t turned off by the news, according to a CNBC article.
Restaurant’s customers’ “willingness to overlook any food safety concerns to eat at Chipotle could be a result of unabashed loyalty or lack of awareness,” said Bonnie Riggs, a restaurant industry analyst for market research company NPD Group. Couldn’t the same be said about Trump supporters?
Photo courtesy of hollywoodlife.com
Ted Cruz (R): Burger King
Photo courtesy of Burger King
Is Burger King anyone’s first choice? Not really. Could the same be said about Ted Cruz? Absolutely. Ted Cruz received his first win of the GOP presidential race in the Iowa caucus and also won three states in the Super Tuesday contests. With four wins under Cruz’s belt, you’d think he would be getting some recognition. Nope.
Even when Cruz wins, he still seems to lose. Could it be because he has too many other competitors who draw from him gaining support? Or maybe he just isn’t first-choice material. Either way, Cruz continues to live in the shadow of his more animated competitor, Trump.
Burger King has been around for a while but has made no leeway at becoming someone’s first choice restaurant. It has made attempts to make itself stand apart from competitors by introducing chicken fries. BK has also tried to keep up with other fast food restaurants by creating a Five for $4 Deal – you can buy a bacon cheeseburger, crispy chicken nuggets, small fries, small drink and a chocolate chip cookie. Sounds like it should make BK the desired destination, right? Do you choose to go to Burger King? No? Exactly.
Photo courtesy of joemygod.com
Marco Rubio (R): Chick-fil-A
Photo by Madison Lucas
Throughout his candidacy, Marco Rubio has been consistent. At some point in his campaign he started to become consistent to a fault. He’s been so consistent that he has been coined a robot. Is that a good thing? He’s certainly hesitant to waver from his already established path. One key component of Rubio’s platform is his Christian influence. He is very blatant about his belief that marriage should be between a man and a woman.
Similar to Rubio, Chick-fil-A has changed little over the years. You go to Chick-fil-A to get chicken; that’s about it. It is nothing too special or outrageous. The fast food chain doesn’t stray much from its main, chicken-based menu. Chick-fil-A was also surrounded by controversy related to same-sex marriage in 2012, when the chief operating officer publicly made comments opposing same-sex marriage. Now is when you have to ask yourself: Although Chick-fil-A is loyal in its menu, do its beliefs coincide with your own? What about Rubio’s?
Photo courtesy of businessinsider.com
John Kasich (R): Arby’s
Photo by Jared Sebby
When you think of 2016 presidential candidates who springs to mind? Do you think Ohio Gov. John Kasich? I’m going to go ahead and say no. I think it is safe to say that anyone who doesn’t religiously follow the presidential nomination elections also doesn’t really know who Kasich is, what his political stances are, or why he is even still in the race. Kasich, why are you here?
When you think of fast food restaurants, what springs to mind? Do you think of the meat-filled menu at Arby’s? Once again, I’m going to say probably not. Arby’s is the type of fast food restaurant you stop at while you’re on a long road trip and it is the next food place in sight. Arby’s is not the kind of chain that you seek out and crave. Again, Arby’s, why are you here?
Photo courtesy of liberalamerica.org
You might not know all the issues, but you certainly know food, so hopefully this rundown of the remaining 2016 presidential candidates helps you make a more informed decision.