Time: Kentucky Fried Rice. Starbucks has the gall to sling its lattes for coffee connoisseurs in Vienna, and Budweiser peddles its brew in Belgium. So why shouldn’t Yum Brands–the Louisville, Ky.-based company that owns KFC, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell and more–sell dumplings in a fast-growing market where Chinese food is just called food?
In an attempt to squeeze in a lame joke, Time really missed the mark. Sure, at one time in America, going out for Chinese food meant a visit to the local Cantonese restaurant which served the same item as every other Chinese restaurant. However, this is 2008 and most major American cities offer a more diversified Chinese menu that now includes Hunan, Sichuan, Beijing, and Shanghai cuisine. So, Time should know that when Chinese people go out for lunch or dinner, they have choices as well. Chinese people don’t go out for Chinese food. They go out for Cantonese dim sum, Taiwanese food, Shanghai xiaolungbao, Northern Chinese cuisine, etc. Just like American food in America isn’t just called food. You have burgers, steaks, California cuisine, salads, Philadelphia cheese steak sandwiches, seafood, pizza, etc.